Cover Story
Cheap Chic
Discount design has given a funky edge to stores like Kmart -- if you look in the right
place. Let us be your guide.
Laura Buonanno
proves that a big, red bag goes with
Open the tabloids, and you'll see celebrities everything. Bag by Mondani New York,
wearing Nicole Miller dresses and carrying $24.99; sheer black top from Target by Isaac
Prada bags to the grocery store. Watch MTV's Mizrahi, $19.99; pearly bead bracelet, $7.99
for the set, and earrings, $4.99, and pearly
"Cribs" and you might catch a famous face
necklaces, $7.99, from The Fashion Shop.
placing fresh flowers in a $5,000 vase.
By Maisy Fernandez
For most of us, those indulgences are more
"Fantasy Island" than reality TV. But that
doesn't mean average folks can't look like a
million bucks without spending it. More and
more discount stores are offering trendy, upto-the-minute items -- often by famed
designers -- making chic looks accessible to
the masses.
We talked to the experts about fashion and
home design and then hit up some local stores
to check out cool items, most of which can be
had for $50 or less.
Fashion forward
Getting well thought-out pieces by big-name designers is no longer synonymous with highpriced shopping strips like Rodeo Drive. Designers like Isaac Mizrahi and Behnaz Sarafpour
have teamed up with Target, making their looks more accessible to the everyday consumer.
Celebs are getting some shine, too. Clothes by actress Daisy Fuentes are available at Kohl's,
while singer Thalia Soli has a line at Kmart.
"There are many designers out there that make good, quality merchandise at a fraction of the
higher-end designer cost," said Mary Lafayette, a New York-based stylist and image
consultant who has worked with Mary J. Blige, Usher and Kimora Lee Simmons. "If it's good
quality and doesn't look cheap, you can never tell."
While Lafayette does work with more expensive clothing, she enjoys incorporating
inexpensive items into a look. "Just because (a client) gives me a certain amount of money
doesn't mean I have to spend it all," she said.
Some of her favorite places for finding inexpensive treasure include Target, H&M,
Burlington Coat Factory and Joyce Leslie.
"Jewelry and accessories you can buy cheap," she said, "especially if you're trying to
complete an outfit."
In short, price doesn't have to be a factor in looking glam.
"If something looks nice and it's only $30 as opposed to $300 or $1,500, then go that way,"
she said.
You have to be smart about this, Lafayette warned. Buying trendy or seasonal items on the
cheap can free up money for things that retain their longevity, such as shoes and handbags.
Lafayette noted that while you can often find quality items of this nature at low prices, she's
also willing to splurge on them from time to time.
Right at home
Sprucing up the look of your home doesn't have to mean a complete interior design overhaul.
The secret is in the accessories, which can often add a chi-chi look without costing a lot of
money.
"You can bring them into rooms with more expensive items and they just blend together,"
said Nicole Sassaman, an L.A.-based interior designer who works with people of all income
levels. "No matter how much money people have, they always want to save a buck where
they can."
When shopping on the cheap, she only has one rule: "I always encourage quality, because
you don't want to buy something and have it fall apart."
Sassaman considers Target and Ikea prime places to pick up inexpensive home accessories.
Buy simple items like picture frames or a soap dish, then spruce them up. It can be just what
you need to change the look or focal points of a room.
One idea: Layer the bottom of a soap dish or tray with expensive tile to compliment the
inexpensive tile that you've used for the rest of your bathroom. Or place small pieces of your
favorite wallpaper, wrapping paper or fabric in three side-by-side frames.
"Hang them in a row," she said. "It looks expensive and high-design, and it doesn't cost very
much."
Lamps are great, too, she said, because you can often mix and match them.
The best news is that if you do it right, nobody can tell what cost $1,000 and what cost $20.
"One of my favorite things to do with my friends is take them into a $5 million home, and in
each room I've got things from Target or Ikea," she said. "I'm like, 'Pick it out.' "
Just ask Cinderella: There isn't much that's glamorous about cleaning. However, this stylish
Kone Dirt Devil, crafted by New York designer Karim Rashid, changes all that. It doesn't
even have to be relegated to the closet like our ugly, red and black Dirt Devil from
yesteryear. $42.49 at Kohl's.
Adding decorative pillows to your older furniture can add some class as well as change the
look of a room. Accented with wine-colored velvet and gold tassels, these embroidered
pillows will make your living room fit for royalty. $18.89 at Kohl's.
Interior designer Victoria Hagan believes chic homes are built by mixing the right looks, and
many of her pieces are available exclusively at Target. This simple, sophisticated end table is
$49.99.
Let's face it: Picture frames can be expensive. And the coolest ones are really expensive. So
when you find something as classy as this solid wood, five-opening shadowbox ledge frame
for $19.99 at Kmart, you've got to grab it.
Architect Michael Graves has a knack for creating things that are pleasing to the eye,
including the Humana Building in Louisville. His line of kitchen gadgets at Target -- which
include funky toasters and whimsical tea kettles -- is fantastic. But this bar tool set elevates
the party vibe from kegger to cocktail soiree. Made of cherry-finished wood, the caddy holds
polished, stainless steel tools. $24.99.
This multi-hued ceramic vase blends from turquoise to sandy brown before reaching its
chocolate-colored undercoat. It looks great on its own, but we bet it'd make a great home for
flowers, too. $14.99 at Target.
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