NEW YORK — A warm March and a burst of brightly
colored spring fashions are the perfect incentives for shoppers looking
to update their wardrobes.
This season's trends, ranging from
colorful boat shoes to super skinny jeans, are already obvious, and that
makes it easier to get good deals. When everyone is selling the same
looks, there's more competition. That can lower prices.
"The
clearer the fashions, the easier to find a bargain," said Amanda Hallay,
assistant clinical professor at fashion college LIM, based in
Manhattan.
If you know the style and brand you want, price-comparison apps like eBay's RedLaser can make finding the best deal easier.
And if you're not wedded
to any label, sites like shefinds.com offer guides to sales and online
coupon codes, along with blogs and photos of what celebrities are
wearing, says Dan Grandpre, editor-in-chief of deal aggregator
Dealnews.com.
Make sure you follow their favorite stores' Twitter feeds and Facebook pages to get special discounts.
Chasing
trends can easily get expensive. Fight that by investing in styles that
you will still find appealing even when they're no longer trendy.
"You
have to prioritize. If you are going to spend on shoes, you can cheap
out on accessories," said Jodi Furman, author of a blog called
Livefabuless.com, which offers tips on smart spending.
Here are four trends for the spring 2012 season and how to sport them without breaking the bank:
—
Boat shoes: Boat shoes — the brown leather shoes with rubber soles that
had their fashion heyday in the 1980s — have made a big comeback this
spring. But they've gotten a major makeover.
Retailers are
stocking a rainbow of versions in brightly colored hues like neon yellow
and hot pink, funky print designs and different materials — at varying
prices.
If you're on a tight budget, Payless Shoe Source offers a
version from Dexter for $24.99. If you want to splurge, Gucci has them
for $530.
If you want lots to pick from, it's hard to beat online
shoe retailer Zappos, which lists more than 700 types of boat shoes for
men, women, and children — 70 brands in 25 colors and 15 materials, from
rubber to mesh.
Purists can turn to the creator — Sperry, which
introduced the shoe in 1935. Its site sperrytopsider.com lists prices
from about $60 to $300, and shoppers will find varied styles and colors.
The $300 version is for the "authentic original," which is handcrafted
and made in Maine.
If you don't mind something pre-worn, you can try second-hand stores or vintage shops.
And
for the ultimate in savings, try looking in your attic or the back of
your closet to see if you have kept those shoes from your college days;
with just a little polish, the shoes could get a second life.
—
Super skinny jeans: A wide variety of retailers are pushing super skinny
pants as tight as leggings. At the lower end, H&M and Target have
them for about $25 or less.
And good news if you're carrying a few
extra winter pounds: This season, the look is being paired with
oversized tops that camouflage any bulges, rather than the skin-tight
tops of seasons past.
"You don't have to be skinny to enjoy the skinny jeans," Hallay says.
— Brightly colored prints: paisley, tie-die and "super flower."
With
prints, remember that you don't have to buy the whole outfit to be
trendy — they can grab a scarf or a belt, or just a T-shirt, says
Furman. A little color can go a long way.
And a scarf doesn't just have to be a scarf. Retailers are also marketing them as headdresses and even as tops.
You can also mix and match without looking out of fashion, says David Wolfe, creative director at The Doneger Group.
"This season, you can go crazy with color," he says.
— Cuff bracelets: These chunky, wide bracelets can be found in all shapes, sizes and materials, from plastic to silver.
If
you want unusual styles, try fab.com, which focuses on daily flash
sales of unique designs including accessories that can be as low as $25,
Grandpre says.
You can also check out Forever 21 and Payless at
the mall, where you can get cuff bracelets for under $10. But don't
limit yourself to low-price stores; the bracelets can be affordable even
at high-end stores.
"This is a very democratic season," says Hallay. "Everyone can find something that fits in their own budget."
