Guest post: SS13 Trends On A Budget by Amy Lavelle

In case you hadn’t noticed, Fashion can be a fickle mistress. She cares not for our budgets, in fact, she delights in getting as many of us to part with as much money as is possible   preferably twice a year on entire new wardrobes, so her minions may enjoy the spoils whilst dreaming up the next inventive way to make us part with more cash in six months time (sidebar: Henry Holland’s SS13 collection must be mine). Not only is she fickle, but she’s also consistently preternaturally, obnoxiously early (about six months ahead of the real world, in fact). What a bore.

Thus, at a time such as this, when fashion month has descended on us like a pecuniary locust (the rare kind of locust that comes in the form of beautifully crafted clothes, that is) we can be left feeling rather dismissive of that wiley minx that is Fashion, as we stare dolefully at our empty purses, then at that new editorial, then at our wardrobes which are hopelessly empty of any of it. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that February is even worse than September for this, as not only have we had the fashion month fall out,  but we’re recently post Christmas, pre spring and have just had the unholy holiday that is Valentine’s to contend with. It’s enough to make a girl want to sack it in all together.

But let’s face it: sometimes, this whole new season and ensuing trends shebang can turn even the most sensible of heads and the urge to splurge on some of the key looks for the upcoming months is all too tempting.

This, dear reader, is where a bit of shopping savvy comes in handy and, incidentally, me, for I have diligently committed myself to finding some items of clothing for budget saving rates that are happily on trend for SS13. (As far as fashion month and the AW13-14 collections go, to those I say, by God! It’s February! You can wait.)

All whites

With all the purity and impracticality of someone who’s never done their own washing, the all white ensemble is a key trend this SS13. Granted, pulling off a colour blocked (or should that be blanched, in this case?) can be tricky, but luckily, white is an easy one to shop and works well on women of all ages and most complexions. Personally, I find working a white dress, like this little number from ASOS is the easiest way to do it. But the chances are if you’re more of a separates type of girl, you may well already own a crisp white work shirt and maybe some summery white linen trousers too, in which case you can shop the look from your wardrobe without spending a penny. Which, brings me neatly to my next look.

Monochrome

Not only is monochrome huge news for SS13, but, as with whites, it’s likely you’ll be able to shop for it within the contents of your own wardrobe anyway. After all, most of us can find at least a couple of items in black or white. If you’re low on the ground of the block options, this great jacket from AX Paris is a great way to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe, slung over some black jeans, and at only £25 is a total bargain and worthy investment too. Monochrome stripe dresses are a fantastic way to work two directional trends for SS13, with block stripes being big news this season, or for separates, try teaming white trousers with black tops, to avoid looking like you’re about to wait on someone’s table when you’re out and about.

Prints

Prints of all varieties stalked the catwalks for the SS13 collections: animal print (Kenzo, Stella McCartney), floral (Erdem, Holly Fulton), chequerboard (Louis Vuitton) have all been duly received as key trends for this year. If your wardrobe looks anything like mine, there’ll be quite a few items in at least a couple of these prints in there already. If not, or you just want an update, here’s the good news:  Prabal Gurung (otherwise known as one of Kate Middleton’s favourite designers) has recently produced a budget line for Target. This look (starting at the low price of $16.99 and peaking at only $39.99) is a worthy investment, combining two trends with its bold floral print skirt and monochrome pieces.

Denim

Denim is a style constant anyway, but this season, it’s a trend in itself. The good news is, pretty much anything goes. Pick a jeans style – skinny, bootcut, flared- cover your denim in a print- daisy is huge  try dungarees, or wear your favorite denim cut offs: you name it, you can wear it and be bang on trend this season. If you want to update your wardrobe, Piperlime.com is a great place to find discounted denim. Alternatively, go DIY using what you’ve already got. Snip a pair of old jeans that you’ve relegated to lounge wear off and voila! New shorts. Or find on an iron on pattern at your local crafts shop and spruce up your denim that way.

Metallics

Granted, this is one trend that is rarely far from the fashion spotlight, so investing in metallics is a fairly safe bet when it comes to making the most of your money. This season, Burberry was at the forefront of the look, updating the classic Burberry trench by making it in metallic purples, blues and greens. If you’re not keen on embracing this one head to toe, metallic accessories are the easiest way of getting the look for less. Try these silver sandals from ASOS for a summer-ready but subtle go at the look.

Amy Lavelle is a journalist from UK fashion comparison site Style in View. She’s contributed to a number of publications including Spindle magazine – follow her on Twitter for more fashion insights.