Carlos Falchi to Design for Target

Woohoo! That was my first response when I heard the news that Carlos Falchi will be the 8th handbag designer to create a limited edition line for Target. Target never fails to disappoint me in my shopping wishes. I have dreamed of getting a Carlos Falchi handbags for a long long time, and now I can finally get my very own Carlos Falchi handbag at my favorite store - Target at a recessionista-friendly price.

Carlos Falchi Pearlized Python $2675, Crocodile Fringe, Floral Python $2025

Carlos Falchi is well-known for his signature faux and genuine snake skin handbag designs. His SS06 collection was the most luxurious as well as the most expensive to date; utilizing exotic skins like deer, alligator, crocodile, python, and goat hand-dyed in colors ranging from pastels to jewel tones to neutrals. First Ladies and Celebrities alike love Carlos Falchi's designs. In his early career, Jackie O Kennedy, Nancy Regan, Madonna and Cher were some of his biggest fans. His celebrity fan base now includes Sienna Miller, Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria.

The Carlos Falchi for Target collection promises the same decadence of luxury but at a fraction of its cost. His 13 faux snakeskin handbags consist of gorgeous juicy jewel tones in reds, purples, greens, along with a couple of collage and patchwork styles. Mark your calendars! This collection will be in Target stores and online from October 11th to December 27th. Target has not released photos of the collection yet, but I will post them on my blog as soon as they do. Stay tuned!

I Am Recessionista's Low Down on SS09 Trends: Leather Jackets

Leather jackets are a must-have for Spring/Summer 09 and Fall/Winter 09. Seen on the runway as well as on so many of our favorite celebrities like Madonna and Lindsay Lohan, leather jackets are here to stay. Leather jackets are no longer for heavy metal rock bands or bikers, they have become such a fashion staple in my wardrobe because they can complete an outfit or make a dull outfit come alive! I am seeing a lot of unique shades and textures in charcoal grays, purples, shiny metallics, luxurious rust and copper tones besides the safe colors of black and brown.

Shopbop.com has a good variety of leather jackets from Mike & Chris and Alexander Wang, but be prepared to splurge anywhere between $700 and $1300. Don't despair, there's always a less expensive option out there. I recommend looking into H&M, Bebe, and Arden B. These are some of my favorite picks that are fashionable but won't break the bank.

Click on Photo to go to Bebe.com

Left to Right: Antique Moto $129, Military Leather $259, Leatherette Moto $139

Click on Photo to go to ArdenB.com

Left to Right: Leatherette Bomber $58, Asymmetrical Zip $58

My personal collection includes the ever so popular motorcycle leather jacket and the asymmetrical leather jacket. I have 8 leather jackets to my name - 6 full leather, 2 pleather. I will be posting photos of them in an upcoming blog entry. Leather jackets don't come cheap, even some pleather ones can cost over a hundred bucks. Anyhow, I still think that jackets and blazers are great investments. If you ask me, I will tell you that:

"It's better to have a few great pieces than a closet full of mediocre pieces."

Recessionista's Designer-Inspired Haul #3: Balmain Crystal-Encrusted Studded Sandals by Giuseppe Zanotti

"What irks me is when a mass-producing factory decides to manufacture a replica design of a designer dud in its entirety and then stick on the designer label on it. I call this category Fakes, Replicas, Imitations...whatever you choose to call them. On the contrary, if a mass-producing factory manufactures am inspired version of a designer label with its own brand, then that would be totally genius! I call this category Designer Inspired."

Fact 1: This pair of Balmain Studded Sandals that came with a breathtaking price tag of $2300 sold out on luxury website Net-a-porter within days!

Fact2: Celebrities like Rihanna, Jennifer Connelly, Molly Sims have been spotted with these gorgeous Balmains.
Fact 3: I am not going to spend $2300 on this pair of shoe candy.

With my Fashionista eye and my Recessionista budget, I was on a mission to score myself a pair of Balmain-inspired studded sandals. I have found every single alternative I could find.

Click on Photo below to see enlarged view

Left to Right: Aldo $125; Jeffrey Campbell $165; Bakers Shoes $79.95

Amongst these 3 styles shown above, the Jeffrey Campbell and Bakers Shoes versions were closer to the original Balmain one. I tried on both the Jeffrey Campbell and Bakers Shoes version, and both of them felt really comfortable. The Bakers Shoes pair actually was more comfortable because it was soft leather, whereas the JC pair was patent leather.

Click on Photo below to see enlarged view

Left to Right: Zara $169; Steve Madden $129.95; Bebe $170

I didn't get a chance to try on the Zara version because it sold out within 2 days. My neighbor Holly has the Zara version (which she got on ebay for close to $300) and it looks very much like the Balmain version. The only complaint she had was comfort; it hurts especially at the ball of her feet. I tried on the Bebe version and it is probably the closet to the Balmains and they are super comfy too. But because of the price, I didn't get it. The Steve Madden one is currently sold out and will only ship in July, so if you order them now, you will have to wait.

Finally I got the Bakers Shoes pair for $79.95. It was the cheapest option, most comfortable, and wasn't an exact replica of the Balmains but still had that rocker chic glam to it. I will be posting pictures of me in it with different outfits in upcoming posts.

Check out the video below for Balmain's Spring Summer 2009 Runway Show. You can see almost every model wearing this pair of shoes. This goes to show you how many different outfits can be created with this pair of shoes.

Matthew Williamson for H&M Summer ‘09 Collection

I know this post might come a little late because Matthew Williamson's Summer collection has already hit about 1600 H&M stores worldwide on May 15th, and are probably sold out in stores by now. Just as my girlies and I expected from Matthew Williamson, his summer collection for H&M is even better than his spring collection that was limited edition. where people were waiting in long lines to get into the store, and then to fight over a piece of garment. See my previous entry to see the video of that catfight. I know! :)

If you didn't get anything from this collection, this is your chance. My girlies and I divided what we managed to get from our MW for H&M shopping haul, and these are some extras we got. All Brand New With Tags. Email me at IAmRecessionista@gmail.com for more information on photos of actual items, prices and sizing measurements. Items will be shipped from the US. One piece each available, don't regret it if you didn't act fast. Most of Matthew Williamson's collection comes with 4-figure price tags. So, this is your chance to get it for much less.

Item 1: Parrot Print Floral Dress

Item 2: Swirl Print Kaftan Tunic

Item 3: Swirl Print Sunglasses

Item 4: Parrot Print Kaftan Top

I Am Recessionista's Low Down on SS09 Trends: Florals

Florals are back this season bigger, bolder and brighter. From traditional prints to abstract designs, I love them all! If you have the cash to splurge, you can opt for some of the designer styles shown above like See By Chloe, Christian Lacroix, Oscar de la Renta, and Moschino. Or, still look fabulous with options like those shown below from some of my favorite stores.

Recessionista's Designer-Inspired Hauls #2: SS09 Shoes (Pt 2)

The next two paragraphs in parenthesis that you are about to read will be repeated on every blog entry I create for the Recessionista Inspired Hauls.

"What irks me is when a mass-producing factory decides to manufacture a replica design of a designer dud in its entirety and then stick on the designer label on it. I call this category Fakes, Replicas, Imitations...whatever you choose to call them. On the contrary, if a mass-producing factory manufactures am inspired version of a designer label with its own brand, then that would be totally genius! I call this category Designer Inspired.

With my Fashionista eye and Recessionista budget, I managed to score several deals on designer-inspired items. You can too! All you need to do is to educate yourself through websites like style.com or vogue.com and then spot the lesser-priced versions on the go! The designer duds are on the right, while the lesser-priced designer inspired versions that I purchased are on the left. See if you can tell the difference."

Juicy Couture-inspired

Juicy Couture velour tracksuits have been a wardrobe staple for me since my college days. I have so many of their tracksuits that I lost count over the years. I'm willing to splurge on their velour suits but not their summer beach flip flops @ $55. When I saw Forever 21's version of them @ only $14.80, I immediately got them in a heartbeat! The only difference is mine doesn't say Juicy Couture on them.

Balenciaga-inspired

When I first saw this pair of whip stitched, zip-front high-heel gladiator sandals from Balenciaga in the magazine, I said to my friend Cassie "I have to have these!" But of course I knew I wasn't going to pay $1800 for them. I recently saw an ultra-similar pair at Wet Seal for $34.90! I got the brown instead of the black because it looked so hot with my khaki safari-inspired shorts!

Lamb-inspired

I love Gwen Stefani's style and her Lamb and Harajuku Girls line, but I wasn't willing to pay $319 for a pair of red heels that I wasn't going to wear very often. So I found a similar pair at another one of my favorite college stores Charlotte Russe for about 30 bucks! Surprisingly, the CR ones were not as uncomfy as I thought they would be.

Recessionista Review #1: Are Christian Louboutins Worth My Recessionista Dollar?

In continuation to my previous blog entry titled Red Hot Christian Louboutins, this is my review on 4 different pairs of Christian Louboutins I tried on at the Christian Louboutin boutique in the fashion epicenter of the world - New York City!

Christian Louboutin Store Display

Shoe #1: $1495 Christian Louboutin Differa Multi-buckle Sandals

• Style: 4.0/5.0

• Comfort: 3.5/5.0

Verdict: This gladiator heel pair was one of the designs I loved from his collection. Some of my friends think that this shoe screams "Stripper", but I still liked it a lot. So I wanted to know if the hefty 4 figure price tag was worth it. Surprisingly, it was more comfortable than I thought. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would probably only wear it in the bedroom behind closed doors not because it was uncomfortable, but because I really can't bear walking in these $1500 babies on bacteria infested streets.

Shoe #2: $885 Christian Louboutin Orlan Double Platform T-Straps

• Style: 3.5/5.0

• Comfort: 3.0/5.0

Verdict: I liked the style of the Orlan when I saw its side view on the shelf, but when I tried it on, the front view just seems awkward to look at. Due to the platforms of this shoe, it seems comfortable to stand in them, but when I started walking, it started to hurt my front toes a little. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would probably wear it only for formal black tie events.

Rachel Bilson from The O.C in her Orlan T-Straps

Shoe #3: $865 Christian Louboutin Hyper Prive Peep-Toe Pumps

• Style: 4.5/5.0
• Comfort: 2.0/5.0

Verdict: This is one of Christian Louboutin's popular styles so I had to try it on. It is so gorgeous to look at, indeed a perfect stiletto silhouette. Standing in this pair of shoes almost seem unbearable even for 30 seconds. If you have wide feet, this shoe will absolutely make you miserable. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would probably wear it only when I am sitting most of the time, or if I only have to walk down a 10-feet long red carpet.

Elizabeth Banks in her Hyper Prive Peep Toes

Shoe #4: $695 Christian Louboutin Etrier Wood Sandals

• Style: 3.5/5.0

• Comfort: 5.0/5.0

Verdict: This is not a signature style of Louboutin, so aesthetically, it doesn't get high marks for style. But the moment I set my feet into this pair of sandals, I felt so comfortable in it that I didn't want to take it off. This is by far the most comfortable pair of Christian Louboutins I have ever tried on. If I owned this pair in my personal collection, I would definitely wear it every single day and everywhere.

Overall Verdict: So after trying on 4 different pairs of Christian Louboutins worth an astounding $3940, I fell in love with one of them; which then begs the question: Are Christian Louboutins worth my Recessionista dollar? First and foremost, I must not be in credit card debt because of this purchase; meaning I must have cold hard cash put aside to pay for these darlings before bringing them home to my walk in closet.

As Coco Chanel once said “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” I know that I will get a lot of use out of the Christian Louboutin Etrier Sandals if I own them in my personal shoe collection today because they are so comfortable. If I can get the cost per wear of the Etri down to $10 before the end of the lifespan of this Parisian work of art, then it may well be worth my Recessionista dollar. What do you think?

Red Hot Christian Louboutins

Recognize these red soles? Does the brand Christian Louboutin ring a bell? If you haven't heard, these Christian Louboutin "IT" shoes are coveted by women of all walks of life around the globe; literally from celebrities to socialites to regular people. In contrast to its relative the "IT" bag - whose status is based of a checklist of criteria such as rarity, price and waiting list – the "IT" shoe is a whole different league on its own.

French designer Christian Louboutin a.k.a "Man with the Red Shoes", with his radical designs; has successfully captured the mystique of the extremely sexy pump and more importantly, communicated the subtle branding of the red sole. Sometimes it makes me wonder if women are after the design of a pair of Louboutin shoes or the signature red sole itself. Louboutin heel heights practically start at 4 inches, and prices range from anywhere from $595 to $1,695 or higher for limited editions (like the Marie Antoinette inspired pair that sold for 5 grand). Despite the discomfort of striding in these high heels plus its hefty price tag, Christian Louboutins are still a must-have for many Fashionistas.

Being the Recessionista I am now, I knew that spending close to a grand on a pair of shoes might not be the frugal thing to do. But then again, if I considered the Cost Per Wear value of these Louboutins, then it might actually be a good "investment". With that being said, I decided to try on 4 pairs of Christian Louboutins, then do a review on them.

Look out for my upcoming blog entry titled Recessionista Review: Are Christian Louboutins Worth My Recessionista Dollar? for my honest opinion.

I Am Recessionista Loves Burnout Tees!

I am loving the burnout tee trend now, and so is everyone else. Celebrities are loving it, even my super athletic friend Sasha who is totally not into fashion is recently buying loads of these burnout tees for gym. You might already own a piece of this trend, but do you know why these semi-sheer tees are so comfy? Well, it's because of its 50/50 cotton/poly blend composition that is put through an extensive weathering process that includes burning the fabric.

LC and Hilary Duff rocking the burnout tee trend with Fluxus Burnout Tees $68 & $63

Eva Longoria and Jessica Alba getting comfy in Brokedown Burnout Tees $83 & $62

Like every fashion trend, there is the high-end and the affordable for the burnout tees trend. I once saw a burnout tee on Eluxury.com for over 300 bucks! The ones spotted on our favorite celebs are more affordable, but still between the $60 to $100 price range. As a Recessionista, I found several designs that I liked that are under $50!

Alternative Apparel Burnout Tank $32, Heather Burnout Crew $35, Burnout Tunic $38

Forever 21 Imagine Burnout Tee $12.80

Forever 21 Crew Neck Burnout Tee org. $9.80, on sale $7.84

Free People We The Free Mesh & Distress Love Crew org. $98, on sale $49.95

Demi Bella Mommy Burnout Short Sleeve V-neck Mommy of 1 (2,3,4,5) $42

I will be posting my shopping haul on burnout tees in an upcoming entry, and most of them are under $20! Stayed tuned!

Recessionista's Designer-Inspired Hauls #1: SS09 Shoes (Pt 1)

The next two paragraphs in parenthesis that you are about to read will be repeated on every blog entry I create for the Recessionista Inspired Hauls.

"What irks me is when a mass-producing factory decides to manufacture a replica design of a designer dud in its entirety and then stick on the designer label on it. I call this category Fakes, Replicas, Imitations...whatever you choose to call them. On the contrary, if a mass-producing factory manufactures am inspired version of a designer label with its own brand, then that would be totally genius! I call this category Designer Inspired.

With my Fashionista eye and Recessionista budget, I managed to score several deals on designer-inspired items. You can too! All you need to do is to educate yourself through websites like style.com or vogue.com and then spot the lesser-priced versions on the go! The designer duds are on the right, while the lesser-priced designer inspired versions that I purchased are on the left. See if you can tell the difference."

Givenchy-inspired

I never owned anything Givenchy to start with, so I wasn't really going to fork out a grand to buy this gladiator darling on the right. What I did do was to buy Steve Madden's version at their Soho store for about $150.

Alexander Wang-inspired

Being a big fan of Alexander Wang's casually cool style with a grunge rocker-chic twist, I was drawn to the Alexis Fringe Ankle Boots (on right). Tempted to get it at first, but as I pondered upon its hefty 3-figure price tag, I decided not to.

A week later, I saw F21's $34.90 rendition of the Alexis, unfortunately they were sold out in my size. Weeks passed, and I got a phone call from my girlie Makena. In her cheeky voice, she informed me that she just got me the Alexander Wang inspired boots ON SALE at her Forever 21 store (on left)!

Dolce Vita-inspired

This Dolce Vita Chastity Bootie on the right retails for about $200 and I loved it on my girlie Sandy. I got my designer-inspired pair on the left from Forever 21 for 10 times less - 20 bucks!

Recessionista Tip: Call your family and friends who live in smaller cities or even small town USA if you can't find what you want at the store near you. Chances are, they'll still have it in their stores there, and better yet, it might be cheaper there!

Target Go International Flights of Fashion: Tracy Feith

I have been marking my calendar for the past 3 years every time Target announces the next hot designer's collection for its GO International Flights of Fashion. My personal Go International collection started with Paul & Joe collection (sob...I missed the Luella Bartley collection), then Behnaz Sarafpour, Proenza Schouler, Libertine, then Alice Temperley and into their most recent collection. In every collection, I would pick between 1 to 3 items based upon design, quality and cut. I missed some collections along the way, but for the most part, I own pieces from 9 out of their 14 collections launched so far.

I can't wait for the new Tracy Feith line launching May 17th. His line features beach separates, which will include swimsuits, dresses, shorts, and even a motorcycle leather jacket! This collection ranges from $14.99 to $44.99; with the leather jacket being the highest priced item at $139.99. I have to wait and see for myself if it is worth my moolah (which means money, a slang term I learned a while back). Oh, I am such a sucker for leather jackets, hopefully this one won't let me down! I am also eyeing some of the summer dresses. Feast your eyes on these photos while you and I count down to the day we can lay our hands on these affordable pieces.

Retailers like H&M and Topshop has been introducing their limited edition collections in Europe for years now, and I love their collections as well. The only downside is their pricing is a little on the high side compared to Target. I think Target has done a very good job in providing fast-paced, low-priced designer fashion to the mid-market American consumer. After having some success with their Go International Flights of Fashion line, Target also launched their new GO International™ label that has everything a girl looking to go glam on a budget needs. Now Target is launching Designer Collaborations, an ongoing program that will bring a series of established designers (Alexander McQueen being the 1st to kick this off) to the masses at low prices. When fashion is this affordable, nothing can hold a Recessionista back!

Mayhem @ Matthew Williamson for H&M Spring ‘09 in NYC

If you haven't heard, there was mayhem at the H&M's NYC 5th Avenue store last Thursday. I had my eye on the brown leather jacket and long maxi dress ensemble from Matthew Williamson's limited edition collection for H&M, but I wasn't anxious enough wait in line for hours just so I can lay my hands on his collection. My girlies and I decided to wait till May 15th because we believe that a talented designer like Matthew Williamson will be able to churn out some fabulous pieces for his H&M summer collection. By the way, this summer collection includes mens too!

Check out the video below anyways. This was the scene when they opened their doors at 9am on Thursday morning. My friend who works at Saks across the street said the line looks like it was as long as the line outside Topshop early this month. What's hilarious about the video is that you could see women fighting over a piece of clothing unaware that they were caught on camera. The catfight part was about 17 seconds into the video till the end.

Recessionista Tip #1: SS09 Designer Hairbands for Less

Trend Alert for SS09: The hairband trend. Yes, hairbands are not just for little girls, they are for real women too! The hottest hairband designs of the season are those embellished with flowers, bows, feathers and jewels.

Some of my favorite Blair's hairband looks

Character Blair Cornelia Waldorf' in the popular American drama TV Series Gossip Girl lives this trend her whole prep school life in the upper east side. Well, Blair's hairbands are mainly sponsored by Stacey Lapidus, Jennifer Ouellette and Jennifer Behr which can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 each! Pretty with a definite equestrian feel, these bow-beaus are sure set to be a fashionista favorite.

Beauties in Bows: Victoria Beckham, Scarlett Johansson, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson

Even our favorite Hollywood Fashionistas were also spotted with hairbands as they so gracefully grace the red carpet and sidewalks. I like the one that Jessica has on; which is by Jennifer Ouellette cost $70. I also found several more designs that I really liked especially this one by Miu Miu which is way out of my recessionista budget.

Miu Miu Bow Hairband

Tarina Tarantino (left); Forever 21 (right)

There are so many options out there. You could splurge on this one from Tarina Tarantino or get it at a steal from Forever 21. For me, I really liked the $167 one but my recessionista instinct tells me that it may be be a little steep for a hairband. The $5 one on the other hand was too plain and mass-produced looking for me.

Combining a cheap hairband with something I already own

IamRecessionista's own creation

So I decided to make my own floral hairband. I bought a grosgrain hairband from Forever 21 for $5 and combined it with a flower brooch I already had in my jewelry box that I might have paid $5 for it. I plucked out the grosgrain ribbon, and pinned on my flower brooch to the hairband. And voila! I have a one-of-a-kind hairband that only cost me $10! It's time to put on your "thinking" hairband and save big time on this new hottest trend.