The spring fashion looks are making their presence known in a big way right about now, and I was there in New York last fall to witness quite a few of the top spring and summer runway shows in person! What’s the take away for the average person you might ask? Well, the big thing to remember is that, of course, designers would love for you to buy their garments, but most importantly they want you to understand their vision for what’s in style. That’s why we see photos of seasonal looks in magazines, as well as fashion experts talking about the trends on television year round. Once a month, right here on my blog, I’d like to show you how to interpret those high-fashion looks in your own way! First up are two different runway looks from fashion designer Lela Rose. This classy and creative designer is known for feminine, ladylike looks which run the gamut from separates to evening gowns. For her spring and summer line this year she showed these wonderful black-and- white looks which feature separates that would be easy to take some cues from to upgrade your own style. Let’s put it together shall we?

Our first look is comprised of a graphic-patterned t-shirt by Jones New York in black and white. I found it at one of our stores for $2.99, and I layered it over an asymmetrical-graphic print skirt by Unyx that was priced at just $4.99! FYI, the asymmetrical skirt is a big trend for the next season! I wasn’t trying to match the look exactly, but doesn’t the play of patterns here just work?

Our second look is a lovely Ann Taylor black lace top with attached peplum in a contrasting gray that I found for $3.99. I used it to top off a black-and-white striped skirt from Dolan Los Angeles that was priced at $4.99. Once again, this has a ladylike feeling, and the details of the top really make the graphic quality of the stripes pop.  Diagonal stripes are universally flattering to any woman when done in an a-line skirt like this one.

For our third look, I topped off the same skirt I used in our second look with a vintage-looking polka dot top that had a crisscross, draped bodice. This top was part of a two-piece set I had in my styling collection in my studio. It was from a resale shop, and I paid $6 for the both pieces. It totally gives the skirt a new look, and it would be cool to add a pop of color to it with a bright belt or shoe!

For the final look, I used the skirt from the aforementioned two piece and added a striped top from Banana Republic which I purchased at Goodwill for $4.99. The combination of stripes and polka dots is a sure-fire fashion winner anytime. The longer skirt length, when combined with the portrait collar of the knit top, creates a long, lean look that could work for almost any gal!

So, now when you look at photos of styles you like, don’t try to copy them verbatim. Instead, take cues from the pattern, color, texture, or silhouette to create your own version while utilizing things you might be able to find at one of our stores. Great fashion isn’t really about what you pay, it’s about how you put it all together, just like I did here. And, at less than $10 a look, I’d say we did pretty well! Your donations and purchases, as always, go to support Goodwill’s mission of putting people to work, and that’s the beauty of it all!