I spent some time clicking around Simply Vera Vera Wang and came away incredibly confused. And by confused, I mean I experienced a strange mix of bewilderment and betrayal and oy effing vey I’m having problemos with alliteration AGAIN.
I was initially confounded by the pricetags; $128 coats, $74 skirts, $58 tops? Vera, are you [...]

Before we discuss my third – and possibly best – entry for Lucky’s “My Denim Transformation” Stylist Challenge, let’s talk about this blazer. Last January on my birthday, my uber fab mother and I hit Fisch for the Hip, where she immediately zeroed in on this Marc Jacobs number. Originally priced at $600 or [...]

Mmmkay, here’s another look in the spirit of Lucky Mag’s Dress Up Your Denim Challenge. (With the same Forever 21 jeans, in the spirit of Cheap JAP).

Jacket, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, (a gift!); Lace top, Goodwill, $12.99.

Boots, MICHAEL Michael Kors, $295 (Oy!); “Chanel” clip-ons, thieved from Mom’s jewelry drawer, $0.

I’m not sure if [...]

Mmkay, here’s one of my possible entries for Lucky Mag’s My Denim Transformation Contest. I’ve dressed up my fabulously cheap Forever 21 jeans ($24.99) not only to keep my outfit Cheap JAPtastic, but also because these totally budget thangs continually snag me more compliments than any of my brand name pairs. The components of the [...]

After Botkier’s dire attempt to whore itself out to the masses, I assumed the next high-end handbag designer’s “collection” for Target would suck too. What happens when we assume? Someone like Anya Hindmarch obvs comes along and makes asses out of you and me. Sometimes, it’s refreshing to be wrong… but only sometimes.
The [...]

Now, I realize that a 100% polyester jumpsuit from Sears isn’t most people’s definition of awesome. I certainly have reservations about polyester and jumpsuits as separate entities. But together, in the form of this one piece, two fuglies make a fabulous.
Yes, head-to-toe green is borderline ridiculous. Yes, this garment might make me a walking [...]

Alright beotches, here it is: The Epically Cheap Elie Tahari Blazer as part of an outfit. Said outfit also includes a classy white button down (Banana Republic Outlet, thank you Jersey) and even classier Shiny Leggings. Riiiiight.
I think the length of the jacket tames the sexiness of the leggings quite nicely. I also [...]

My childhood bestie Sarah’s take on the booties:
“I obviously adore these and need them to survive.”
From Fave Alert: STEVEN by Steve Madden, 2008/10/22 at 12:31 PM
When she says “need,” she’s not kidding. A shout out to the gal with the most kickass shoe collection I’ve ever seen. Try NOT to buy these in MORE THAN [...]

I saw and became interested in American Apparel’s Shiny Leggings awhile ago. I initially avoided trying them on for two reasons: They looked like they might cut off my circulation and I knew I’d probably buy them anyway. They certainly compromise the blood flow to my legs, and I did buy them anyway. Why? Because [...]

There’s something about hot pink chiffon that makes me feel like a little girl at a tea party a la Eloise.
This Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent dress was purchased for a whopping $6 at Monk, as previously mentioned. The belt is actually a Gucci purse strap, thieved from Mommy’s closet. The Guess heels [...]

Trivia: Back in junior high, Cheap JAP broke her ankle…
(a) In a particularly intense game of Laser Tag at T.W. Sports.
(b) Leading her field hockey team to victory.
(c) Walking in high heels.
They were Steve Madden Platform Penny Loafers, to be exact. I suppose my ankles weren’t yet strong enough to handle stairs in four-inchers. Fourteen [...]

One would think Free People’s line “born out of love for vintage athletic wear, workwear and military outfitting” (how poetic) might not be as overpriced as Free People itself. One would be wrong. Alas, We The Free ’s biggest offense isn’t its price tags; it’s that it overcharges for things I actually want to buy.
It [...]

I saw this navy shapeless blob of a thing whilst thrifting at Monk the other day, and immediately knew it had potential. A belt turns an XL shirt into a dress – this we know. But what really made me go for it was the material: 100% silk. Oh, and it was five bucks.
Upon trying [...]

As much as I periodically bash Lucky, it’s one of the few fashion mags I actually read, and the only one I occasionally enjoy. I also enjoy contests or, more specifically, winning them. So I’m entering Lucky’s latest, and I’m going for the W.

The “My Denim Transformation” Challenge involves one seemingly simple objective: Dress up [...]

Subject: Leather Jacket Crisis
I need your help. I’m looking for a leather jacket that looks like this S.W.O.R.D. Lucca Leather Jacket, or this Mike & Chris Alastair Leather Jacket, but isn’t so pricey. I’m looking for just basic black, brown, or grey shades. I just can’t see anyone paying over 300 for a jacket. Your [...]

Yesterday afternoon, I walked twenty blocks up 5th Avenue in search of Monk; a thrift store deemed better than Beacon’s by some fellow Park Slopers. It’s not. But if you’ve got time to sift through the junk, it certainly has potential.
Now, before I boast about yet another brand-name find at yet another thrift store, I’d [...]

Before I’m about to toss something I haven’t worn in awhile, I assess its post-hemline surgery potential. If it seems promising shortened, sans sleeves, etc., I whip out my fabric scissors and go to town.
This ruffled cropped top was a Rebecca Beeson tunic before I had my way with it. (It was adorable in its [...]

From Rita re: H&M Drinks the Kool Aid:
So, I looked at the website that you linked to, and you seem to have missed that the prices given are in Hong Kong dollars- 1 US dollar is approx. $7.75 Hong Kong dollars. Therefore, that dress is actually $166 dollars, and those penis shorts are approximately $66…
Clearly [...]

Subject: Desperately Seeking Sound Fashion Advice
I am in need of some fashion advice in a territory I am not too comfortable with: Thanksgivings with my boyfriend’s super-conservative/traditional family! While turtlenecks and twin sets are all well and good, they aren’t really my style. To give you an idea of how conservative his family is: During [...]

What, you thought I only scored one fab jacket on my latest trip to Goodwill?
I paid $13.49 for this little Zara number. No big deal.
Poplin Cross-Front Dress, American Apparel, $36; Polka Dot Tights, Urban Outfitters, $14ish; Pumps, Guess, $60ish last year if memory serves.
Uber-vain bitchface not included