Every woman needs a little black dress, and at Bella I found a stunning BCBG Max Azria spaghetti strap silk taffeta number with a bow and full skirt. Although appropriate for Dartmouth's relatively casual formals, the (marked-down!) $234 price tag is definitely not appropriate for every budget. Fortunately Target.com, with high-fashion designer recruits like Isaac Mizrahi, sells quality dresses at attractive prices like this Mossimo with a front-tie satin bow. The best part was the price tag -- a tenth of the BCBG!
If you are particular about standout pieces, you can easily cut costs on basics without losing style. You don't need to spend $70 for JuliAna's Puella strap camisole just so you can layer it under another shirt -- sparkle tanks from UrbanOutfitters.com can do the job for much less. There's a huge variety of colors, textures and lengths, and the signature stitched trim adds some extra charm.
Long-sleeved and easy to layer, thermals are the perfect Dartmouth winter item. Primp's bunny-patterned thermal sets were a favorite last year of L.A. starlets, and similar Primp thermals can be found at JuliAna for $76. Cute need not cost so much. At FredFlare.com, heart patch thermals are only $12.99, and BuffaloExchange.com has second-hand BB Dakota thermals for only $15.50.
The perfect jeans will take you from a professor's office to a Friday night dance party. The currently popular J Brand jeans can be found at JuliAna; a trendy cigarette leg with a dark ink wash costs $152. Finding bargain-priced jeans can be tricky, since cheaper deals from generic clothing brands tend to lose shape easily. Premier Finishes Skinny Jeans from the denim experts at Levi's are the perfect solution, and the variety of fits and washes guarantees that you'll find a pair to fit your body and your budget.
Ballerina flats come in really handy in Hanover -- they're comfortable enough for stumbling around frats and classy enough to keep you looking ladylike while doing it. I was charmed by Bella's Jeffrey Campbell brown-and-white animal print and Steve Madden black "tippies" flats, but they cost $62 and $66 respectively. At SmartBargains.com, however, I found Steve Madden Pango flats, in luxurious black satin and a classic design, for only $44.97.
