Don’t you just love the feeling of finding a piece of clothing that seems like it should cost you much much more than it really does? It’s nice that over the years the cheap n chic and luxe for less movement has helped make looking fashionable more realistic for everyone. But even so, with all these discount fashion retailers out there, it’s still challenging to find the finds.

Lately, Kitsch Couture in downtown Saratoga, CA seems to be a consistent source of these deals. Don’t be disappointed in their website.. the owner told me they are not focusing on their online presence. The boutique itself has some great stuff and tends to be quite well stocked. They carry a wide array of contemporary women’s clothing. Gentle Fawn and Kensie Girl are a few of the luxe for less brands they carry. If you haven’t heard of those you should definately check them out. They offer chic, urban styles at decent prices. Plus if you search for these brands online you’ll find a ton of cute avant garde online boutiques.

Check out this cute cropped cargo style jacket from BIZZ that my friend Jenny got. The jacket was $68! It’s cute worn both buttoned up and loosely open. The material is fairly thin so it’s more suited for the cooler summer nights, but worn over a thicker sweater or turtleneck this could definitely get you through fall and some of winter. The funnel neck (when the jacket is fully buttoned up) is super cute. Jenny you better work this when you get back to New York!
 

There’s something about Anne Hathaway that just makes you trust her. I love her sense of grace and charm.

Nice dress and jewelry combo.

Interesting combination, red dress with white shoes? It works for me!

Kim is pulling off the cinched waist here, barely. This accentuates her thighs a little much.

I’m not feelin the double-mint dress nor the crooked boobs but I do love the LV.

Cute dress and shoes  — I WANT!!

Here’s an interesting twist on fashion retail. At Famous Fashions Found.com you can shop — literally by celebrity, movie, or TV Show. This entire online shop is dedicated towards selling items the celebs have been seen wearing. And we’re talking the real stuff, not imitation pieces or knock-offs. The site design is rather crude at this point which is unfortunate since they market themselves as a luxurious, glamorous, exclusive place to shop.

The concept itself has legs. As I mentioned in Celebrities Changing the Face of Fashion we’re social creatures who look to others for fashion inspiration and identification. It’s through others that we learn about our own tastes — dislikes and likes alike. We get to know celebs on such intimate levels that it makes it easy to identify with them, almost as if we knew them personally. I bet we know more about Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton than the people we work with every day!

Anyway, back to the site… Famous Fashions Found has some great potential and I’ll be watching them over the next year. I may even make a purchase… these leather jackets below are… tempting.

If someone from Famous Fashions Found stumbles on this post… please do something about your site design already. I’ll help you create a new logo and "Buy Now" buttons for you asap if you want. It’s really that bad.

But cool site.

Another Celeb Fashion Site I Dig:

Frugal Fashionista — celeb looks deconstructed for frugal prices

YSL / Yves Sain Laurent Downtown Bag at Neiman Marcus.com

It’s so luxe… yet also so edgy — almost Matrix-like (the movie, Keanu, black leather…) And it’s mine! I know I was considering more white and light colored hand bags for my Summer 2007 "IT" bag, but how could I resist when walking through the mall this weekend I fell smack dab into this hotness of a bag? I had been on my feet for hours at the mall on Sunday evening and I decided to just "check things out" at Nordstrom. A year ago I would have been safe but now Nordstrom carries all the luxury designer bags and now no one is safe — even in South Bay!

Buy Cheap, then Upgrade!

I first learned about the YSL Downtown bag at SassyBella’s Blog. Thanks girl. You had a part in this When Sassy Bella mentioned this purse on her blog I posted a comment asking whether it came in Silver. She quickly found it for me. I’d been on the hunt for a big silver bag ever since I’d bought this $27 oversize hobo from Forever21. I wore that thing to the bone. I used to get compliments on it daily.. until the faux leather started to peel down to the inner synthetic lining. The bag is still tucked away in my closet… I just can’t let go. Someday i will re-manufacture that bag. It’s the greatest thing I ever bought for $27. That’s a good approach to buying handbags BTW. Spend less than $50 on a discount fashion handbag and wear it for a bit until you know you love it — then go out and buy a good quality version.

Other blog mentions:

The Purse Blog — Jessica Biel

The Purse Blog — Selma Hayek

Hnadbag Designer 101 — Madonna

Handbag Designer 101 — Gisele Bundchen

And let me tell you… pictures do not justice to this bag. In real life, the silver coloring of this bag looks much nicer than in the photos.
 

What I LOVE about this Bag

1. It’s big
2. It’s comfy to carry
3. It’s convenient in that the zipper zip up half way and leave a nice opening to grab things out quickly.
4. The exterior pocket for my cell phone and keys.
5. The straps are just long and thin enough to carry over the shoulder, w/o the bag slipping down again and again.
6. The leather is top quality, supple to the touch
7. The bag is ultra lightweight, can hold it with my finger tip when empty!
8. Silver goes with anything – almost. Some days I don’t care and I’ll try to get away with anything.

Thank you to my hubby for hookin’ it up PHAT!

And lastly, I’m trying to sell my White YSL Muse Bag if anyone is interested. It’s a bit small for me since I’m into oversize these days. Email me your best offer.

Tyra does not look fazed one bit. Might as well use the papz for what they are they for, right? The guy walking next to her is having a good ole time.

Lindsay Lohan

Pulling off the Rainbow Brite — and getting away with it!

Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox

This dress could flaunt her curves a little more.. but the color is juicy! I’d wear this out for a night of dinner and dancing.

Haylie and Hilary Duff

Noureen Dewulf

Rebecca Romjin

Samantha Cole

Hot in a trashy sort of way

Dave Annable

Smokin’…

Chase Crawford

Smokier!

Jessica’s trying out another look. I’d say try again. But hey at least she’s trying!

This look could work for the new Hot Dog on a Stick uniform. I would have gone with gold strappy heels… Regardless, Eva still looks great.

I’m back!!

Palm Springs was friggin cole’! All those cute skimpy tops and dresses i brought with me ended up staying cozy in the closet. I had to wear and re-wear the only sweatshirt I brought with me all weekend. Being the Virgo that I am I can’t stand it when I am unprepared clothes-wise. I spend a whole day packing so I can have everything planned out perfectly,  suitcase optimized Why can’t Mother Nature just play along?

Anyhow, I wanted to share a few celeb pics I saved over last week that I didn’t get a chance to post.

This was my fav fav fav of the week. Kim Kardashian looks absolutely adorably posh.  I never even liked that prada bag but after seeing it here I’m starting to convert. I’d do this prep school girl gone clubber look anytime!

Lindsay looks great in this dress. I saw this in US mag over the weekend so thought I gotta share this one!

I didn’t even know who this girl was to pretty recently! Carrie Underwood looks poised and perfectly prim here. I love the way these colors complement her skin tone. Her hair is so cute styled up and curled down. And I must say nice choice of shoes. I wouldn’t have thought to pair those myself (I’d normally go with open toes for a dress like that) but these work so well.. I may just have to try this. Too bad I don’t wear dresses like that tho…

I can’t even remember who she is but she lookin pretty good with her angel-esque look and cherub curls.

What to wear to a basketball game… that is the question. Tyra and Beyonce got it right I think. I love the caps but was it planned to both wear them together?

I don’t know what the hype is about Baby Phat. I am not feelin this beige boot and jean look Kimora has going on. Maybe it’s coz I just don’t like her. She seems very monsterish. Where’s your cap Phat Monster?