Mixing chic and cheap

In my previous post I talked about fashion faux pas at 50+ and how wearing too many luxury labels wasn't a good look. Luckily with my wardrobe budget I don't have to worry about that! I thought it would be interesting to play around on Polyvere choosing items from various price ranges and create an outfit or two by mixing chic and cheap.  Most of us will already own a pair of navy denims, so that was my starting point. I have included some classic pieces plus others like the Paris sweater to add a bit of fun.  Here's my chic and cheap look - I hope that you like it!

Would you like to play a little game? Go on, please humour me! The idea is to decide which of the above items are the most expensive and which are the cheapest. Don't read any further until you have made your mind up.

The most expensive item here is the striped jumper, which is a mix of cotton, silk and cashmere, and which costs 305€. If I was going to spend over 300€ on a top I would make it this one, as it is a classic item and a good investment piece.

Next is the aqua crystal bracelet on the left costing - wait for it! - 205€. It's a lovely bracelet and would look equally good with a more glamorous evening outfit as well as with this casual look. If someone else is paying, I'll have it - otherwise I would buy a few of the bracelets on the right, which cost 11€ each.

Finally, the Tory Burch tote costs 190€ and is another buy that won't date and that will look good with both casual and smart outfits. I bought a similar (though a lot cheaper!) tote recently, that proved its versatility when I went on holiday for ten days. My tote went well with all my outfits, no matter what colour I was wearing.

At 35€ the Paris sweater is a lot cheaper than the striped one, but I probably wouldn't wear it as often and might eventually get bored with it, so it wouldn't be as good an investment. The chain necklace on the other hand would go with many other items in my wardrobe so is a definite bargain at 19€.

The Converse trainers and Pretty Ballerina shoes are fast becoming classic items and most Parisians would snap them up, according to Inés de la Fressange in her book "Parisian Chic"! If you are planning to go on holiday soon, they would be good purchases.

Last but not least, what about the two jackets? Clearly the leather jacket  at 140€ would be a bargain buy if you don't already own one, but I have my eye on the coral blazer.  It's by Wallis and the price is 52€. Not everyone will be tempted by this, but it's one of my favourite colours and it's available on-line. Must go folks!