With prices of recommended pieces ranging from £100 – almost £2,000, I decided to take on the challenge of finding alternatives to these high-end garments.
Just because we’re students, that doesn’t mean we have to wear joggers and sports club merch every day of the year. Sure, most of us don’t have the budget for top designers, but with a little creative imagination, staying on top of the latest trends doesn’t have to break the bank.
In a section called “business school dropout”, Harper’s Bazaar detailed how many designers, including Dolce & Gabbanna, LaQuan Smith, Michael Kors, and Fendi have made business wear ‘sexier’, claiming that “suiting is made to pair with bras and bikini tops”.
One of the key pieces of this look is the knit bralette. The one that they suggested is the ‘self portrait’ from Mytheresa, retailing at $180. After a little window shopping, I came across two gorgeous high street alternatives that will be a little easier on the pocket.
The first is from H&M and boasts lots of colour options. For just £9.99, this bralette features a sweetheart neckline and wide shoulder straps, making it perfect for every day, Spring cosiness.
The second option is Bershka on ASOS and has the same seam details as the Mytheresa bralette. This is a really lovely beige colour which goes with everything – plus students get a further 10% off the sale price of £7.60! Though I’m not sure how work appropriate this look is, it’s perfect for casual wear or clubbing.
Black and white is in, and so is the jacket dress. Praising an 80s revival, Harper’s Bazaar recommend the Halpern checked tweed mini jacket dress from Moda Operandi, retailing at a jaw dropping $1,830.
The alternative I have found is from River Island and comes in at the slightly more acceptable price of £65. This is still a lot of money, but for an entire outfit, it felt a little more justifiable. Featuring a diamante embellished collar trim, dogtooth checked print, and mini length – this is a gorgeous statement piece. If you are looking for a slightly cheaper alternative, Boohoo have a very similar dress on their website for £29. This also comes in lilac, which is a lovely pastel for the Spring.
According to top designers The Row, Prada, Chanel, Peter Do, and Raf Simons, ‘the bigger the jacket, the better’. This season, we can expect to see lots of oversized blazers, perhaps slung on to compliment the knitted bralette. The crepe blazer recommended by Harper’s is the Bea Crepe Blazer, retailing at $342 from Net-a-Porter.
The first alternative I have found is from Next and is available in a wide variety of colours, as well as in petite and tall styles. I absolutely love the green one, as well as the light pink. This jacket retails at £38, which again lands slightly higher on the student budget, but it’s a great investment in a piece that will take you from day to night. The next option is from H&M and is also available in a variety of Spring pastels. This retails at £34.99, slightly under the first alternative I found.
The final item for which I found some great alternatives is the hippy revival, crochet dress. The one that Harper’s Bazaar recommends is the Alexis dress by Ulla Johnson which comes in at $995. Thankfully, the dresses I found come with price tags a little easier to stomach. The first is a absolutely gorgeous maxi dress from Missguided at £20. The second dress is from Stradivarius and is at the sale price of £7.99. It is sleeveless with a round neckline – very Gatsby!
So, whether it’s Spring Lane building on Monday morning or Kuda on a Tuesday night, there’s no excuse not to be red carpet ready this Spring.