The Way To Go High Low… With Shearling!

At Fountain of 30, Lauren and I are huge proponents of dressing in a mix of high low fashion. It simply makes sense. When it comes to styling, I like to strike a nice balance of luxury vs. steal! My rule of thumb is to showcase special investment designer pieces by surrounding them with low priced items that do not make much of a visual difference if they are not high priced. For example, with pieces such as a white blouse or black t-shirt you can find one for a bargain that looks expensive. On the other hand, if you find a wildly trendy piece at a store like H&M, you will look more polished if your wear high-quality pieces with your low-end find. My tip is to mix it up with both high and low fashion and just totally confuse people! One of the hot trends for Fall ’16 are shearling jacket and coats. I fell in love with this Carven cropped jacket, which can be a great investment because it is a stylish classic you can wear for years to come, but at $2,290, you may need to find a way to justify the price. That’s where high low styling comes in! Borrowing this casual look from Shopbop (pictured on the model in the center), I found 3 “look-alike” pieces that will cost you only a fraction more than the coat itself. This will give you a complete outfit and you won’t have to break the bank. Lauren loves Old Navy jeans (because they can pass for premium denim) as long as they fit you well. I found these Old Navy Mid-Rise Boyfriend Straight Ankle Jeans, now only $27, this cream Halogen® Ribbed Long Sleeve Turtleneck Top, $69 and these Blondo Tiana Waterproof Pointy Toe Booties, $149.95 for my high low look on the left. Shop Look 1: On the right I found an amazing faux shearling jacket from MOTHER. You do need to be careful when it comes to shopping for faux shearling coats because some look practically real and some can indeed look horribly cheap. So now that you saved on the shearling you may as well get these fantastic Christian Louboutin Otaboo Spike-Toe 70mm Red Sole Booties, $1,295. Now the boot becomes your high-end element and the main focus of your outfit. I found this well-priced C by Bloomingdale’s Cropped Raglan Cashmere Sweater, $218 to add luxury to your look and will make your faux shearling jacket even more of a “fooler.” Investing in cashmere basics such as a black or cream turtleneck is very sensible. It’s easy to find special values and not have to spend a ton. You can also save on the jeans for this look too. These STS Blue Haden High Rise Crop Jeans, $64, have a modern cropped shape and will show off your spectacular boots. Shop Look 2: With two ways to style the same look presented to you, now it’s up to you to decide if you want to invest in the jacket or the shoes and sweater. One thing is certain, this goes to show you there’s no reason to go all high end. When you add a few low priced pieces with your designer or luxury items, you will have money left for another outfit! Who doesn’t like that reasoning? Image Layout: Fountain Of 30 Are you following Fountain Of 30 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest? We’ve got lots going on, so join in on the fun! Subscribe to our newsletter here. Oh and we are now on Snapchat too!