How to Get a Luxe Wardrobe For Less

HOW TO GET A LUXE WARDROBE FOR LESS
[Top 3 Outlet Sites for Designer Discounts]

Luxe Wardrobe for Less

Article by Amber Podratz
Photo Credit: Laura Jade Stone
Magazine: Issue #38

ATTN, READ FIRST: This article is NOT meant to perpetuate a ‘poor-girl’ mentality, or a mindset of fear and lack of money. We are not about that! We are about abundance in all areas of life and being loving towards money. This is about being smart with your money and strategic as to when to splurge and when to save. Ok, now that is cleared up…

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY LUXURY GOODS AT FULLPRICE! Have you ever said, ‘those jeans cost how much?!’ Don't worry, they will go on sale. With the exception of a few select brands, such as Louis Vuitton, most designer brands go on sale. Note though, iconic looks from some designers will be tough to find on sale, such as a pair of Valentino Rockstud heels or a trench from Burberry. For classic, timeless wardrobe pieces I suggest to take the plunge and make the investment. You may even find that after you invest in yourself, an elevated and more positive mindset follows. Remember, abundance loves people that operate with high levels of awareness and have a positive energy flow. 

Fashion is moving at such a rapid pace so sales come around quickly and there are lots great outlet-type online retailers, so it’s pretty easy to score some sweet deals. You just need to know where to look, to that end, here are a few of our favorite sites to swoop up a designer score!

1: THE OUTNET
2: YOOX
3: GILT

How to Add Luxury to Your Life

HOW TO ADD LUXURY TO YOUR LIFE

Article by Amber Podratz
Photo Credit: Sajas Minrah
Magazine: Issue #34

How to Add Luxury To Your Life

We all deserve a little luxury in our lives regardless of our income level. That’s why we’ve put together a list of three simple steps that you can take to create your own luxurious life.

STEP 1 :: DEFINE WHAT LUXURY MEANS TO YOU

Everyone has a different idea of luxury for some it’s a designer handbag, or maybe it’s being able to take the time for a dream vacation, or for others it’s being able to treat themselves to spa treatments. Why is it important to define your own idea of luxury? Well, for the simple reason that this is your life and you should state your preferences and own what works for you. Once you get honest with yourself you can stop buying into someone else's idea of luxury and work on attaining what you want. It takes the pressure off to compete and gives you the satisfaction of achieving your goals. For example, if you are not clear with your definition luxury it’s very easy to fall into the trap of feeling competitive or not enough because maybe you are not quite able to get that Louis Vuitton bag yet. However, if you are clear of your own meaning of luxury, and say it’s spa treatments, then wouldn’t you know it, when you get that facial you will get more satisfaction out of it than you would by getting an expensive bag. It's because it’s your goal, your preference, and you are owning your life! How exciting and freeing.

STEP 2 :: START WITH SMALL UPGRADES

For me luxury means quality craftsmanship, beautiful aesthetics, and life upgrades. There came a point in my life where I decided I deserved some luxe and committed to making small upgrades throughout my life. For example, I got sick of putting up with a cheap flat iron that kept breaking and then I kept replacing. So I spent an extra $50 and bought myself a nice Chi flatiron. It might seem silly or insignificant but you know what I was doing when I bought a better flatiron? I was changing my mindset to what I deserved and that I could achieve my goals. I elevated my mindset and started attracting better things in life. Plus, 5 years later I still have the flatiron and it works like a champ.

STEP 3 :: FOCUS ON ONE AREA OF YOUR LIFE AT A TIME

Day-to-day life is busy enough, no need to overwhelm yourself with trying to do too much at one time. This is all about adding little luxuries to your life, not more stress. So let’s start with one area at a time! Start with making a list of where you would like to add luxe to, get creative! Here are some ideas to get you started:

SELF-CARE
• Get regular manis/pedis.
• Treat yourself to monthly spa treatments. • Upgrade your skin care products.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
• Take yoga sessions from a superstar instructor. • Take a walk outside at lunchtime.
• Invest in a therapist.

HOME
• Indulge with a set of high-thread count sheets.
• Hang up a beautiful poster that speaks to you.
• Send a handwritten note, just because.
• Have a cleaning service come once a month.
• Buy flowers for the house every once and awhile.

FASHION
• Invest in a perfect pair of jeans.
• Buy quality over quality. Are those 5 shirts at $9.99 each a really good deal if they loose their shape and shrink
after one wash?
• Choose an investment accessory.
• Get that bag that will last forever.

FOOD
• Stop eating fast food and treat yourself to a nice lunch at a cute café.
• Stock your pantry with sparkling water.
• Indulge in some fancy chocolates from Belgium.
• Shop at a higher-end, boutique grocery store for a few specialty items you can’t get at chain grocers.

RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF AND OTHERS
• Show more gratitude.
• Tell someone you are proud to be in their life.
• Treat your friends to coffee for no reason.
• Surround yourself with positive people that inspire and lift you up. • Treat yourself the way you would your best friend.
• Love yourself.

How to Pronounce Designer Names

HOW TO PRONOUNCE DESIGNER NAMES

How To Pronounce Designer Names

Article by Amber Podratz
Photo Credit: Sajas Minrah
Magazine: Issue #34

You have finally taken the leap to invest in yourself and your wardrobe and are out shopping, eyeing some fabulous designer garb and then it hits you, you have no idea how to pronounce the brand! Never be stumped by a designer name again. Here’s a handy A-Z list of how to pronounce some of the toughies out there.

A
Agent Provacateur: AH-ghant pro-VAC-a-TOOR
Altuzarra: al-tu-ZAH-ruh
Ann Demeulemeester: ANN de-MOO-leh-meester
Armani Preivé: ar-MAHN-ee PRE-vay
Azzedine Alaïa: AZZ-uh-deen a-LYE-ah

B
Badgley Mischka: BADGE-ley MISH-ka
Balenciaga: ba-len-SEE-ah-guh
Balmain: bahl-MAHN
Bottega Veneta: boh-TAY-guh VIN-un-tuh
Bvlgari: BUHL-guh-ree
Burberry Prorsum: BUR-bur-ee PROR-sum
Boucheron: BOO-sher-ohn

C
Camilla Skovgaard: ca-MILLA SKOVE-guard
Carolina Herrera: caro-LEE-na herr-AIR-uh
Cartier: KAH-tee-ay
Céline: seh-LEEN
Christian Dior: KRIS-chen dee-YOR
Christian Lacroix: KRIS-chen la-KWAH
Christian Louboutin: KRIS-chen LOO-boo-tahn
Commes de Garçons: KOM day gar-SOHN

D
David Yurman: DAY-vid YUR-man
Dior Homme: dee-YOR OHM
Dolce & Gabbana: dol-CHAY and ga-BAH-na
Dries Van Noten: drees van NO-ten

E
Emilio Pucci: un-MEE-lee-oh POO-chee
Erdem: ERR-dem
Ermenegildo Zegna: ERR-men-Gil-do ZAYN-ah
Etienne Aigner: eh-TEA-yen AHN-ay
Etro: ET-row

F
Fendi: FEN-dee

G
Giambattista Valli: JOM-ba-TEE-sta VA-lee
Giuseppe Zanotti: gi-SEPP-ee za-NO-tee
Givenchy: gee-VAHN-shee or zhee-von-she
Gucci: GOO-chee

H
Hermès: err-MEZ
Hervé Léger: ERR-vey Le-JAY

I
Isabel Marant: IS-a-bel MAR-ant
Issey Miyake: ih-SEE mee-YAH-kee

J
Jean-Paul Gaultier: JOHN PAUL GO-tee-ay
John Galliano: JOHN gal-ee-AH-no
John Varvatos: JOHN var-VAY-tos
Junya Watanabe: JOON-ya wa-tah-NAH-beh

K
Karl Lagerfeld: KARL LAH-ger-feld
Kiki de Montparnasse: KEE-KEE day MONT-par-nass

L
L’Occitane: L-OSS-i-tayne
Lancȏme: LAHN-cohm
Lanvin: lahn-VAHN
Laura Mercier: LOR-ah mer-see-AY
Loewe: LO-ay-vay
Louis Vuitton: LOO-ee VWEE-ton

M
Mackage: MA-cahge
Maison Martin Margiela: may-SOHN mar-TEN mar-GELLA
Manolo Blahnik: ma-NO-lo BLAH-nick
Marchesa: mar-KAY-sah
Missoni: miss-OH-nee
Miu Miu: MEW MEW
Miuccia Prada: MYOO-cha PRA-da
Monique Lhuillier: mo-NEEK lool-YAY
Monse: mon-SAY
Moschino: mo-SKEE-no

N
Nanette Lepore: na-NET le-PORE
Narciso Rodriguez: nar-CIS-co rod-REE-gez
Norma Kamali: NOR-ma kah-MAL-ee
 

P
Perricone MD: pear-i-CONE M-D
Piazza Sempione: pee-AH-zah SEM-pee-oh-nay
Pour La Victoire: POOR lah VIC-tor-ee
Prabal Gurung: PRAH-bal goo-RUNG
Prada: PRA-da
Prevage: preh-VAHGE
Proenza Schouler: pro-ENZA SKOO-ler
Pucci: POO-chi

R
Rebecca Minkoff: re-BECCA MINK-off
Riccardo Tisci: ri-CAR-do TI-shee
Roberto Cavalli: RO-ber-TO cah-VALL-ee
Rochas: ro-CHAS
Rodarte: ro-DAR-tay
Roger Vivier: RO-ger viv-VEE-yay
Roland Mouret: RO-land MOO-ray

S
Salvatore Ferragamo: sal-va-TOR-ay fair-ah-GAH-mo
Sergio Rossi: SER-gio ROSSI
Shiseido: shi-SAY-do
Shu Uemura: SHOO oo-moo-RAH
Sonia Rykiel: SO-nya REE-key-el
Swarovski: swar-OV-skee

T
Tag Heuer: TAG HOY-err
Thakoon: TA-koon
Thierry Mugler: TERRY MOO-gler
Trovata: tro-VA-ta

U
Uniqlo: U-NIK-lo

V
Valentino: val-en-TEE-no
Van Cleef & Arpels: van CLEEF and ar-PELLZ
Versace: ver-SAH-chee
Via Spiga: VEE-AH SPEE-gah
Viktor & Rolf: VIK-tor and ROLF
Vionnet: VEE-oh-NAY

Y
Yigal Azrouël: YEE-gal AHZ-roo-el
Yves Saint Laurent: EVE sahn LO-rahn