Lookalike Style: Valentino Rock Stud Shoes And Chanel Classic Flap Bag

Sooo. I avoid knowingly writing blogs that infringe upon a brand's copyright because it's wrong and illegal to buy such goods (a/k/a replicas). That said, designer inspired goods (a/k/a dupes) are fine as they don't steal a manufacturer name, nor use their label. Lookalikes are sold openly, not in a back room. They may not include every tiny detail of the authentic article, but are close-enough-for-less to achieve the look. Personally, I will buy an inexpensive imitation as long as there is transparency: it doesn't pass itself off as real, or slap the designer's name on the product. Moreover, when someone admires it, I tell them it's a copycat. Why pretend otherwise?

Here's a short article on US copyright laws here to grasp what practices the fashion industry allows.

Angie, friend of THE SAVVY SHOPPER, has long desired a pair of Valentino Rock Stud shoes, but not enough to pay the full retail price of $995 - $1095. My nearby TJ Maxx gets them sometimes for $700, but not at Angie's local TJ Maxx. Sooo! I decided to find a spectacular leather Valentino Rockstud inspired shoe for Ang. IMO, leather shoes are a must. Not so with a handbag, but in a shoe, leather's ability to breathe and give is vital.

I think I succeeded! 😍👠 Drum roll please🎶:

The doppelgänger is Kaitlyn Pan RockStud - This shoe's name is clearly on the label of the shoes, which come in a wide assortment of colors and styles in both heels and flats.

👛👜👛👜👛

One day, I may buy a Chanel inspired Classic Flap bag. The iconic bag was the very first pocketbook ever designed ... in an era when women carried clutch bags. The always practical and stylish Coco Chanel conceived of a purse for women to carry, leaving their hands free. So she created a chain attrachment resembling a piece of jewelry to be draped over a shoulder. 

The Chanel Classic Flap is the best selling designer bag in the world. Despite its beauty and versatility, I can't justify spending $5,900+ on a real one. Wow!

Going Chanel inspired lessens the pain abundantly! Here's a suitable leather lookalike for oodles less. Not a dead ringer, as you can see, not the same chain and no logo. No one would mistake it for a geniune Chanel, but quite nice! It has the vibe! It comes in large (Chanel's jumbo) or ex-large (Chanel's maxi). (Update: Now you must google the seller's name and/or "Chanel inspired" to buy the bag. It is no longer sold on Amazon.)

Note that since 2010, Karl Lagerfeld, the head creative director of Chanel added another inside flap to the bag (so it is at times called the Chanel Double Flap bag). If to save money, you buy a used Chanel Classic Flap bag made before 2010, it will only have a single flap. This inspired Chanel Flap bag copied by manufacturer Ainifeel has the double flaps.

Here are other Chanel inspired bags for less by none other than Karl Lagerfeld sold under his own name. The stock is ever changing.

The double flap holds the shape of the bag longer, while a single flap bag offers more storage room inside the purse. 

BTW, if buying a spanking new $5,900 bag, I'd buy the Jumbo Caviar Double Flap bag in black. IMO, the bag is lovelier in the alternate lambskin offering though it starches easily. Perhaps, not an issue for people with deep pockets.🙂

I like the inspired bag, but do I really want it? Hmm. Handbags are not my tempation trigger. So I'm still deciding. Meanwhile, here is the $29 purse I use, rain or shine ... in other words mindlessly.

Do you have a Chanel designer, or a Chanel inspired bag? What is your favorite designer bag of all?

Update: New Chanel prices as of July 2021:

You may also enjoy:
NARS Orgasm Dupes

The City Tote From Foley+Corinna  
Inge Christopher Makes Cute Party Bags   
Suitcases, Umbrellas And Travel Organizers

The Pillow Shoe Is A Fad

There's a new fad in town: The Pillow Shoes. They are the rage of TicTac, and I think for good reason. They are cheap, comfortable and casual smart. Although not enough support to walk miles and miles in, pillow shoes offer good enough support to loaf around the house, as well as, run quick errands in the neighborhood.

In warm weather I normally wear $2 Old Navy flip flops around my apartment, but these offer greater support and are arguably more stylish. There are a number of retailers making the shoe style, but I like the brand, Mesh Beach Shoes for their anti-slip soles and ergonomic design claim which is supposed to evenly distribute the pressure between you feet and hips to help avoid the pain of knots and cramps. They are lightweight, waterproof and have lots of happy customers based upon what reads like honest reviews. The website features 6 colors including blue and beige. 

More expensive than flip flops for sure, but you get durability, support and style ... a fair trade off ... and hey, you can add a few inches to your height by slipping into a pair.🦶🩴

You may also enjoy:

Summer Songs of Yesteryear

The Swing Dress Is The Bomb

Save On Summer Fashion Essentials 

Let's Talk: What's In Your Makeup Bag?

Are Flip Flops Bad For Your Feet?

There are many easy things about summer. Wearing flip flops around the house is one of them. What's more, I also see men and women walking all over Manhattan in them, but podiatrists say don't do it! 

Flip flops don't provide enough support for your arches or heels; and using them as everyday walking shoes will lead to foot problems:

(1) A lack of arch support can result in fallen arches. It leads to longer pronation - turning the foot inward to absorb shock and distribute weight as you walk, which  eventually causes deformatives such as bunions and hammer toes.

(2) And, when the heels are unstable, toes tend to grip the thong, and it can lead to tendinitis, painful heels, callaouses and corns, none of which are desirable.

While foot doctors prefer that you walk in shoes with a stable back to secure the heels of your feet, many like the Vionic Bella II.  These sandals have the American Podiatry Medical Association seal of acceptance because they provide arch support unlike standard flip flops. At 6 ounces, they are light. A flexible rubber mid sole absorbs shock, and a durable rubber outer sole has a patterned tread.

Around my apartment, I wear Crocs flip flops. Although they too have arch support, feet massaging perforations and pattern treads, they're not suitable for long walks on hard pavement either, according to podiatrists. For standing on your feet at work; going down to the laundry room; or walking in the sand on a beach, they're comfortable.

For long walks on concrete or long periods of standing, be sure to wear proper walking shoes, ones with excellent arch support and a sturdy back to stabilize your heels. Happy feet, happy you!


You may also enjoy:  
The Shoe That Grows
Reformation Boutique     
Consider The Shape Of Your Foot  
Corso Como Del Pump For Comfort

Velvet Is Posh Again

Betsey Johnson embellished velvet shoes 

Does soft, downy velvet ever go out of style? Of course not! I have 3 velvet jackets, 2 velvet dresses and 2 velvet suits in my closet, and none were purchased recently. Velvet looks rich, dressy and glamorous, which is why I love it. It doesn't wrinkle, and you can wear it nearly all year around. 

Although velvet is always fashionable, it is making a huge comeback on the clothing racks of retailers this fall. Everything is velvet, from jackets, trousers and leggings to capes, hats and shoes.

On a trip to Express and Macy's, I spotted these garments:

Express

Macy's - 3rd floor

Macy's - 3rd floor - Calvin Klein section

Macy's - 2nd floor - shoes

A velvet burnout fabric top is paired with a solid velvet suit in the left bottom photo. In the right image, the black velvet trousers look chic with a faux fur vest. 

Over to Topshop for a hot pink velvet pinafore dress:

Velvet in living color

Next a stop at TJ Maxx where I found these black leather ballet flats embellished with cute black velvet bows, our lovely fall trend. For $29 bucks, they came home with me!

A touch of velvet

Finally, a reach into my closet for an Anna Sui jacket I got at one of Macy's big blowout sales several years ago. Each sleeve has the brass buttons you see on the front, and there are two buttons in the back also. It pays to hold on to the things you love since everything old becomes new again.

Vintage velvet

I'm on this velvet trend. How about you?


You may also enjoy:
Autumn's Purple Haze
The Urban Cowboy Look
Lulus Is On Trend Fashion
A Common Space: Budget Friendly Style

THE SAVVY SHOPPER CREED And 5 Skip/Buy Rules

Photo of Macy's by B. P. - Tons of sales and choice of price points.

THE SAVVY SHOPPER CREED: 

I'm an under buyer and a value shopper. More and more I'm a mindful buyer and a minimalist. Everything I need, I buy! And yet, I try not to buy more than what I need. In other words, I only need enough, not more than enough. (A tip on how you become a minimalist is: Organize your closets.) 

If an item makes my life happier, easier, or simpler, I buy it. But I don't buy pretty or beautiful yet impractical things, which don't fit my lifestyle. All of us do so younger until we realize if we can't wear or use merchandise, it's wasteful and a poor use of our resources. Not to mention the earth's resources and a slap in the face to 80% of the world's people who don't have enough!

What's more, an item must be worth the money. There are times we buy the top of the line because the article will last longer to save money over time. You won't have to rebuy it as often. There are other times, we buy cheap because it serves our immediate purpose, and we don't need it to last. You still come out ahead if you had to rebuy it. 

5 Skip & Buy Rules To Get Your Money's worth:

1) Skip fashion jewelry with luxury names like Chanel, Prada, or Burberry. You will pay top dollar for the name but get crystals, silver, and gold-plated steel metal when you could have spent the same money on fine jewelry that is real gold with precious stones. Instead ...

Buy 14k/18k gold and get the 4 precious gems: diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Usually, it's wasteful to get statement jewelry that is so fancy or big, it only gets taken out of its box once or twice a year. If you buy the right style, all your jewelry can be worn daily, as well as, to galas, rarely staying in a box. Buying jewelry that stays in a box is not worth the money. Wear it or don't buy it!

2) Skip designer shoes not made to fit a real foot. Avoid foot pain and surgery down the line. Instead ...

Buy shoes you can comfortably walk in because they support your arches and stabilize your heels. Let Alexander McQueen's 4-inch stilettos with an unstable footbed and narrow toe box rot in the shop.

3) Skip $500 luxury skincare. Instead ...

For severe acne or skin issues, see a dermatologist. And for every day...

Buy creams with scientifically proven anti-aging ingredients that work. They contain retinoid and retinol, antioxidants, glycolic aid, or peptides. Furthermore, try drugstore brands. L'Oreal, Neutrogena, Olay, Boots No 7, Cerave, Palmor's, and others have stepped up their game by hiring scientists working in skin labs to develop their formulas. These brands offer an array of products to address all skin types and needs for less.

Photo of Uniqlo: Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

4) Skip designer leggings, t-shirts, shorts, pajamas, and socks. With Old Navy, Uniqlo, American Eagle and T.J. Maxx you're covered in made-well casual clothing for less. There's not one sensible reason to pay more for Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, DKNY, or Lacoste. In fact, you'll find them at T.J. Maxx and get smart casual wear at Old Navy, Uniqlo and American Eagle cheap! Instead ...

Buy designer duds where it counts ... on needed fitted pieces: A good business suit, a trench or winter coat, a leather jacket, supportive leather shoes, etc. Of course, when you find them at end-of-season sales or T.J. Maxx, grab them!

Ralph Lauren's flagship store

5) Skip $4,000+ designer handbags and luggage. Ok, you can buy one purse only if it fulfills a dream, but in general, the brands are taking you to the cleaners. Don't pay the huge markup for a luxe name. Instead ...

Find similar quality bags and luggage elsewhere at fair market prices. Buy value! With use, handbags and luggage scratch. Luggage especially gets banged up.

Buy bags and luggage from retailers who have been making them forever, yet are not marketed as a luxury: Coach, Samsonite, and American Tourister are examples of manufacturers of stellar goods. Making bags or suitcases is what they do! Plus, they put them on sale, unlike those $7,000 or $40,000 luxury bags!!

A Savvy Shopper knows prices are never synonymous with quality. Sometimes you pay less for goods simply because the business model of the company is built around a lower, affordable price point. These retailers are your friends! Skip the high rollers. Instead! Buy from and support your friends!!

Pandemic wear: Crocs from T.J. Maxx paired with Express leggings and H&M socks🙂

You may also enjoy:

Stuff I No Longer Buy 

5 Gifts For New York City Lovers

Who To Buy From ... On A Budget

Smart Ways To Put Money In Your Piggy Bank

My 5 Key Organizing Tips

Photo courtesy of Walmart.

Since moving to Manhattan where space is at a premium, I've become super organized. Life is simpler when all your things have a home and you can easily fetch them. You spend less time searching for possessions and don't re-buy something you already own. I like to say I'm too lazy and cheap to be unorganized. Once a friend, Dru, on a visit to my apartment with her husband, A.J., asked if she could show him my closets. I was so flattered she had noticed my tidiness on her previous visits. She made my day!

While I'm always open to perfecting my system, here are 5 Organizing Tips I can share:

1) In my clothes closets - I group alike-garments together: First by seasons -- warm weather versus cold weather -- then within the seasons, coats; sweaters; vests; blouses and tops; trousers; and dresses, etc. 

Although for Manhattan I have 2 good-sized wardrobe closets I still must shift my spring/summer and winter/fall clothes to the front or back of the closets as the seasons change. I don't have the luxury of a 3rd wardrobe closet to avoid moving my clothes each season. Rats!!! I envy people with more than 2 closets. From time to time I also purge my clothes of what I no longer wear so I can always fit everything I own in my 2 closets, never overflowing them. In New York City, our lack of spacious apartments is just too unforgiving to keep things we never grab. I donate my still in good condition clothes to Housing Works or Goodwill. 

2) Outside my bathroom I have a personal care shelf - Here again I like to group similar items together - I gather the skincare products together; the shampoos and hair conditioners together; the toothpaste and mouthwash together, the pain relievers - aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen together; wound treatments together and hair tools, etc. Since these items are stationary on a shelf, I simply stack them up so I can easily grab them. At times baskets and such help organize, at other times they just hog more space so you can't stack items. When bars of soap or boxes of toothpaste stay put, you don't need containers that become just another takedown before you can reach your articles. What I do find helpful in organizing small personal care stuff like extra dental floss, hairpins, or cotton balls is storing them inside a repurposed plastic sheet set protector. It has structure, transparency, a zipper, and a slim body that sides in against the wall -- perfect for the job! And, you already own it. In fact, save a couple of sheet protectors to protect other goods too. Great for separating, or keeping categories of things together!

3) Shoes and odds and ends - The shoes I slip into most often are on the floor of my wardrobe closet. The shoes I wear occasionally, I stack up in clear plastic shoebox-shaped containers. 

Additionally, I use one of the plastic shoeboxes to keep receipts ... a 2nd to store extra makeup I have for when I run out of what I'm presently using ... and a 3rd plastic shoebox for extra lightbulbs along with extra vacuum cleaner bags. These clear plastic shoeboxes are terrific for organizing all kinds of things. I even have a collection of photos in a 4th plastic shoebox. They only cost $1 - $2 apiece (depending on the retailer), are compact, strong, see-through, and hold lots of stuff. You can't go wrong buying them for storage. (The above image shows belts inside one box, but I think belts are best grouped hanging on a clothes hanger.)

4) Other odds and ends only needed at certain times (for example wool clothing, or a pump for an air mattress) get kept inside clear plastic 13-gallon trash bags before going on a shelf. The 13-gallon size is ideal, not too big or small a size to keep similar things together, as well as, dust-free, and since you can see through the bags, you don't waste time labeling or opening them to remember what's inside.

5) Ziploc bags of various sizes fit the smaller items you need to keep together, Q-tips, nails, whatever. Easy to see what's inside and open.

Believe it or not, you don't want to spend hours of time organizing. Aim to reduce your steps to keep organizing simple and efficient. Moreover, try not to spend too much money on the supplies you use to keep your things together and in good condition ... just a few bucks for the containers you need. The right organizing system should save you time, money, and work. Starting with these 5 tips, join me in being too lazy and cheap to be unorganized!

Happy upcoming Earth Day on April 22nd! A perfect time to get organized.🌍🌎🌏

Do you have brilliant organizing tips of your own to share?

You may also enjoy:

Extra Storage Solutions

Shelf Helpers To Organize

What Can You Do For Earth Day?

It Pays To Give Old Things A New Life 

Consider Ballet Flats For Houseshoes

I've never met a human being who doesn't have personal quirks. In the context of today's blog, I'll define a personal quirk as a habit or attitude that's neither right nor wrong but peculiar to the person who has it.

My personal quirk is if I have a day I'll stay home and see no one I still like to shower; get out of my pajamas and houseshoes, and dress for the day. Even during the pandemic when there wasn't a chance of a surprise visit from a neighbor, family member, or friend, every single day I showered, dressed in a t-shirt, leggings, and ballet flats, then sat in my apartment. Day after day! Despite whatever worry, uncertainty, or inactivity going on in the world, I'm in a better frame of mind and more productive if I dress for the day. 

Another personal quirk of mine, I cling to a casual smart style. To me, loungewear and sweats look sloppy and too much like pajamas. I don't own them!

 The shoes I wear in my apartment and perhaps to go down to the mailbox or laundry room are often rejects -- ballet flats I bought for walking on the street, but as it turns out, lack arch support. So the soles of the shoes stay clean. My rejected flats that are not supportive enough for pounding on concrete are fine to wear inside my home. It's a savvy way of repurposing a mistake!

However if unlike me, you don't have mistakes to give a 2nd life to, these Amazon Essentials Ballet Flats fit the bill! Cozy and made good enough at a cheap price to hold up long enough to get your money's worth. Not to mention, they elevate your style over wearing houseshoes all day! You could even step outside on concrete in them if you must ... like on a patio or down the block to fetch something. 

In my quirky opinion, we all need a pair of dapper shoes to wear around the house that are houseshoes, yet not houseshoes! Like Jane Cleaver wearing pearls to vacuum, you'll feel better for it ... plus keep your floors relatively clean!

You may also enjoy:

The Classic Cardigan Sweater

Active Wear For Home Or Play

Pandemic Sheltering In Place Fashion

The Case For Cheaper Casual Smart Dresses

Stuff I Don't Bother to Buy Anymore

Zebra Plant

When I started working and earning wages there were a few commodities I always bought that I don't value or bother with anymore. Here are 5 of them:

1) Scented hand and body lotions - For years freesia was my signature scent. Today I've replaced all scented body and hand lotions with drugstore brands, namely CeraVe and Cetaphil Moisturizing Creams, and use them as all-purpose (from face to toe) moisturizers. I love both dermatologist-formulated, fragrance-free brands, so much that I don't need to buy anything else. I mainly stick with these two, although I like other drugstore moisturizers such as salves from Neutrogena, Palmers, and Aveeno to name a few. I've moved on from freesia also. If I want a scent, I dab on drops of genuine Bulgarian rose oil. 

2) Scented Candles - News stories warned us that synthetic fragrances usually contain phthalates that get released into the air as candles burn. Phthalates can be inhaled and dissolved into the skin. They get absorbed into the bloodstream to alter hormone levels and worsen asthma. Since it was reported, I don't bother buying candles. Then a careless hookah-smoking neighbor set her apartment on fire causing hardship and 4 maintenance hikes which were passed on to all the tenants in our building. Nowadays there's little joy in the thought of letting candles burn in my apartment.

These will stay on the runway.

3) Clothes - Although I continue my efforts to look polished, COVID has changed the world and me. I no longer aspire to be a fashionista. Apparel doesn't hold the same appeal or importance to me. Wearing coordinated and comfortable basics time and again is fine and dandy. No-fuss clothing I can machine wash, dry, and wear tempts me now.

Cute, but nope.

4) Shoes - Although I have shoes for every purpose: dressy heels, casual flats, supportive walking shoes, sporty sneakers, airy sandals, warm/rain/snow boots, and cozy houseshoes, my interest in new pairs only kicks in when something old wears out. 

5) House plants - One potted pathos sits in the corner of my living room. For a decade I also had an African Violet but after it died in its 10th year, I never replaced it. I also killed a Zebra plant, as well as, several Poinsettias over the years. At Christmas, I don't buy Poinsettias anymore. I'm fine with my only thriving greenery, a Golden Pathos.

A golden pothos 

Hmm, am I becoming an old fogey? Are there things you once bought regularly but over time seem to have grown out of bringing home and fooling with them?

You may also enjoy:

Smelling Like Roses

5 Popular Things I Hate

My Kitchen Idle Tool List

Moisturizing Creams: Cerave versus Cetaphil

White House Black Market Roundup

Matte Jersey Twist Front Dress

White House Black Market isn't only an online retailer, the upscale fashion merchant who opened in 1985 operates over 440 boutiques and 6o outlets across the USA, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's the perfect place to find a holiday or gala dress with shoes and accessories to match.

Above are 3 different women styling a classic Little Black Dress, in fact, the same super versatile Matte Jersey Black Studded Dress which flatters all body types from curvy to slim!

Another helpful feature of the website lets customers shop for an entire look. Under a dress, blouse, blazer, or trousers are 3 different ensembles, and you can click on the coordinating shoes and /or accessories for purchase if you need them. What a fun browse for style ideas! [You can go to the website by clicking on the little black dress to see a 3rd way to wear it.]

The prices on White House Black Market are surprisingly affordable for some very cute fashion that I would describe as classic modern style sometimes with an edge.

Have you chosen your party attire yet?

You may also enjoy:

A Sequin Shift Dress

Vivaia Shoes Are Machine Washable

Let's Look At Blake Lively's Met Gala Dress 2022

A Difference In Style: Classic, High Fashion And Trendy