I seriously wonder if seasonal trends are really so big that everyone knows about them or if my love of all things fashion and style tunes me in just a bit more than the average woman.  Whether it’s my time spent flipping through the latest Vogue or InStyle, scrolling Instagram, spending hours reading blogs and looking at Pinterest I find myself acutely aware of each trend that comes along.  There are some that I let quickly pass by (here’s looking at you, furry slides) while others I stew over, desperately hoping to find a less expensive option.

Now that the Summer season is in full swing there are a few trendy pieces floating around that I have 100% jumped on board with like the mustard slides, pearl embellishments, and of course, circle bags.  Now, I am the first to splurge on an investment piece like good denim, classic heels, or a fabulous handbag but I REFUSE to spend a significant amount on what I deem “trendy pieces”.  Lucky for you I have found 5 of the seasons biggest trends for a fraction of the cost!

The Loeffler Randall Starla Gladiator

I have been eyeing this chic sandal for a few months now and love the gold color (one of my faves) and the fun star detail but refused to spend $195.  I did see them get down to $126 during a Shopbop sale but still felt it was a bit too much for a piece I know won’t be worn too often.  Fast forward to this week when my sister told me about a cute pair of star gladiators she found at Forever21 in South Korea.  I jumped on my laptop and found them on sale for the “Black Friday in July” sale for just $13 plus free shipping on all orders!

The Straw Circle Bag

Every blogger on Instagram seems to be sporting on of these bad boys lately.  As soon as I saw the first one I was obsessed but with a price tag over $200 on M’oda ‘Operandi I knew I needed to hunt.  After numerous searches I found an almost identical version for $60 and this Free People one for $68 that has been on back order (and finally back in stock).  I placed an order while it was on back stock and can’t wait for it to arrive this week!

The Mustard Slide

New Flash: Mustard is having a moment.  The muted shade with hints of gold seems to be everywhere including on the Loeffler Randall slides with a price tag of $295.  I grabbed my version from Forever21 (seriously, they are good this season!) a few weeks back for just $19.90!

The Wicker Purse

Another blogger favorite is the Prada Wicker bag with a hefty price of over $1000!  No thanks.  Free People has a similar version for under $80 and it’s seriously so cute!

The Pearl Slides

Miu Miu started quite a frenzy with their black and pearl embellished slides that nearly everyone is copying.  I snagged a pair of similar sandals from Zara (after weeks on a waitlist) for $60 and found a nearly identical pair at Forever (#ForeverDoesItAgain) for $28!  Your welcome!

Happy Shopping!

XO, Niki