How To Be Mishtaken for Badgley Mischka:
CollegiettesTM Fall Fashion From Runway to Sidewalk
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2011 brought stunning and unique pieces to the runway. However, some designers also showed some obscure, mind-boggling attire that, though beautiful, seems impractical for everyday wear. Badgley Mischka’s fall runway presented everything from long gowns with ruffle details to sequined tights and chunky, fur-lined coats. Two looks stood out to me as outfits that could be easily converted from high fashion looks to practical, college-appropriate styles that any CollegietteTMcan rock with ease. And for Pitt CollegiettesTM, I’ve put together two new looks that appear super similar to the Badgley Mischka’s, utilizing clothing stores we have right here in Pittsburgh.
Badgley Mischka’s Look #1:
This beautiful look (right) pairs an elegant, printed, flowing skirt together with a fierce, bold leather top. To accessorize, the designer complemented the top with a black leather belt around the waist and a floral-esque silver necklace. Though elegant on the runway, one wouldn’t expect to see a college student struttingdown the sidewalk to class in this exact outfit. However, here’s how you can make this a more practical, comfortable look that is perfect for activities such as shopping or going out to dinner with friends.
Step 1: To recreate the flowing maxi skirt, I’ve chosen this gray, tank top maxi dress from Urban Outfitters (right). This complements the flowing effect that Mischka’s skirt creates along with elongating your legs through the maxi length.
Step 2:
Since the maxi dress takes care of both a top and bottom, recreate the leather top by pairing your maxi dress with a practical, multi-use leather jacket (essential to a girl’s wardrobe anyway!) This cheap yet cute jacket can be found at Forever 21, which is also just a quick drive to South Side from Pitt’s campus. And don’t let the leather fool you—though there isn’t any fur or fleece, these jackets can keep you quite warm through the fall.
Step 3: Time to accessorize! This Forever 21 belt (bottom right) has both gray and black coloring that will go perfectly with the maxi dress and leather jacket. Simply wrap it around your waist to define your figure. For this look, I’ve chosen to replace the floral-esque silver necklace with a silver, rose-printed Forever 21 scarf (right) that will help add a little warmth for the fall while drawing in some pizzazz for the outfit.
Badgley Mischka’sLook #2
This runway look (right) pairs black, high-waisted pants with a gray top and long sweater. Like our first look, Mischka ties the outfit together with bold, sparkling accessories. Here’s how to make this expensive, high-end look just right for campus.
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Step 1:
These Levi’s Velvet Skinny High-Rise pants play off the runway look. Since they’re more like jeans, they’re definitely more practical than the pants on the runway and can be worn on multiple occasions. However, you still obtain the sexy velvet feel that appears in the soft pants walking the Badgley Mischka runway. And to top it all off, they’re high waisted—giving the illusion of long, lean legs that the high-waisted pants do on the catwalk.
Step 2:
The gray sweater on the runway seems both cozy and romantic as it glides down the runway. To me, this immediately invites college girls to warm up during the chilly fall season with a pretty gray and black sweater like this one from Forever 21.
Add a plain gray, Forever 21 tank underneath to finish off the top of this outfit. Even better, both the tank and the sweater can be worn a multitude of other ways, so you won’t feel so guilty about buying them!
Step 3: Last, but not least, make your look stand out with these two accent accessories. This beautiful Urban Outfitters belt (black and silver) can be worn around the top of your high-waisted pants with your tank tucked into the top.
This will easily transform your look from English class to a classy night out. And finally, this silver, layered chain necklace looks so similar to the one on the runway, but at a fraction of the cost. You can find it at Forever 21, and you can wear it to complete this look or to add a little extra kick to any plain outfit. It’s super cheap and a highly recommended purchase.
Together, all these pieces certainly transform the beautiful looks from Badgley Mischka’s runway into practical, fashion-forward, eye-catching looks that you can wear around campus. And since all the pieces are available through Urban Outfitters or Forever 21, you won’t have to travel far to shop for them.
Get the look links…
Forever 21: http://www.forever21.com
Belt: http://goo.gl/G8nvl
Necklace:http://goo.gl/hPYhb
Sweater:http://goo.gl/CbDZq
Tank: http://goo.gl/rJkBK
Scarf:http://goo.gl/kY95K
Leather Jacket:http://goo.gl/Frf7b
Urban Outfitters: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com
Belt: http://goo.gl/aTiln
Pant: http://goo.gl/rI13j
Dress: http://goo.gl/SwVHe
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2011:
http://www.mbfashionweek.com/designers/badgley_mischka