Designer-Inspired Duds for the New Year

We do love our designer clothes. Chanel. Dior. Lanvin. Chanel. Dior. Lanvin. We do love our designer clothes.  And this New Year will be no different.  While the recession maybe over, many of us are still a little more than weary when it comes to racking up the dollars signs on our credit cards. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a millionaire to dress like a million bucks. Arab News provides you with designer-inspired outfits at bargain prices from our favorite stores, such as Topshop, Oasis, and H&M. Who knew “cheaper “and “accessible” would be so en vogue this year? The Cherry Cocktail Dress The similarity is remarkable! Oasis has pleasantly surprised us with its very own version of this flirty Valentino frock. Start this year with some feminine flair and a kick of rich color! The ruffles are to die for and add the perfect sweetness to this delicious dress.  Retro is So Cool These print mod dresses are best when paired with warm leggings and colored Mary Jane shoes. A versatile day-to-night look that you can easily dress up or down’ remember retro is always in! Mui Mui, Zac Posen, and Marni have all jumped the print bandwagon, and now it’s your turn! This super cute Dorothy Perkins cat-print frock couldn't be more purrfect! The Sophisticated Suit This month has been party after party and wedding after wedding (‘Tis the Season after all), Balmain’s Christophe Decarnin makes us want to wear the pants again! Thankfully for us, we don’t have to spend our nights working overtime to get the notoriously expensive brand’s look.  H&M gives us an Annie Hall  rendition of the sophisticated striped suit! Big Gold Goodies Whether it’s with your belt or jewelry, the color combination is super chic and classic. Here we see how Yves Saint Laurent’s Stefano Pilati took this perfectly tailored 3-piece suit and made it even more contemporary with a bold gold chain necklace. Wallis took a lesson from the legendary fashion house and inspiration from Disney’s Princess Jasmine  to create this sophisticated look. The woman’s label added a complementary touch with the gold hardware of its skinny belt. A Dose of Tweed Chanel again takes it a bit too far with this head-to-toe look in tweed, but Karl Lagerfeld may have just gotten a little case of temporary brain freeze, while using the fashion house's iconic fabric.  Not to worry, Next has stepped up to the fashion plate and presents a must-have tailored jacket. A definite staple piece for the sophisticated woman, we, along with our back accounts, are happy we don’t have to rely on Chanel Couture for our seasonal dose of tweed! Cozy Up in Fur While Chanel may have overdosed on their Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection, we suggest borrowing their love of all things furry to inject a bit of Inuit glamor into your wardrobe. Not only is it the fashionable way to stay warm this winter, but admit it: there’s nothing cozier than wrapping yourself up in super-soft fur—faux or real!