I Tried on 6 Items That Look Expensive (Psst—They're Under $60)
Photo:
@katcollingsLike many, I've seen a major shift in my spending this year. I've been funneling most of my free funds into sprucing up my home, and have been buying fewer clothing items, and largely making do with what I own, since I have fewer places to go.
That said, I still feel the need to inject a little newness into my wardrobe every now again. After all, I can't completely ignore my fashion-loving heart! With this mission in mind, I ordered a little haul from the ever-popular Amazon to see if I could suss out some picks that are easy on the wallet, but don't look it. After trying each of the pieces on, I'm sharing my "keepers" here that look downright expensive, if I don't say so myself.
My Review: If you're one of those people who are constantly cold, this shacket is for you. The second I put it on to snap this pic, I was sweating. It's cozy and soft, and I secretly love that I found it in the men's department. The size small was slighly oversized on me, but I could see sizing up even further. For fitting reference throughout, I'm 5'4'' and around 115 pounds.
Amazon Customer Review: "I wasn’t sure what to expect from Amazon Essentials, but this shirt is surprisingly high quality. It’s thick, nice fleece, and it is really warm. I love that it has pockets. I’m a female, 5'5'' and 110 pounds, and I bought the large for an oversized fit. I probably could have gotten a medium and been pretty oversized still, but I’m still happy with the large."
My Review: Wow, they really nailed it with this bag. I love how faux stamped croc can look expensive even at really low price points. I'll admit I own a very similar bag that costs nine times the price, and when these were both laying next to each other, I accidentally grabbed this one when I meant to grab the expensive version, because I couldn't tell them apart at first! Lastly, I'm really only reaching for easy bags I can sling over my shoulder lately, so this fits the bill.
Amazon customer review: "Perfect little going out bag. On trend and very affordable. Impressed with the quality."
Amazon customer review: "Good quality, beat my expectations. This one carries the essentials and maybe a couple of other things, plus it fits nicely in my big shopper bag. I've received a lot of compliments and will check out the rest of the line."
My Review: The absolute best quality of this pullover fleece is the softness. I want a pillow made out of it; I want slippers made out of it. It was also a pleasant surprise when I put my hands in the pockets and realized it's a kangaroo pocket that is connected like you often see in hoodies. I love that my hands can warm each other up in the cozy single pocket. I'm wearing a size small, which felt true to size.
Amazon Customer Review: "I am surprised at how great this jacket is. I am going to buy more. The zip pockets are perfect; my hands fit inside them. Love the zippers. They are substantial, and the ruggedness of them goes well with the fleece. The inside lining is soft and feels nice against bare skin. This is a winner!"
Amazon Customer Review: "I've been looking at sherpas since it was mildly chilly outside. I'm not willing to shell out $65 for a sweater I'll wear a handful of times, so I held out. Then by chance, I stumbled upon this little gem. It came yesterday morning, and I was instantly surprised at how thick and soft it is. My 3-year-old couldn't stop touching it, and I've worn it both yesterday and today. Today, I'm in my work office, and it's always so cold in here that I wear my jacket usually. Instead, I wore this today, and I've been toasty warm all day without the need for my personal heater."
My Review: I didn't know Amazon sold things this chic! I could honestly get away with wearing this to a wedding (one day), because the material is so thick and expensive feeling. The thick material also really helps holds you in. And while it can be dressed up, I also think it looks lovely with a pair of flat slides too. I'm wearing a size small.
Amazon customer review: "LOVE this dress. The dress is very comfortable, nice, thick fabric, but pretty form-fitting. I will absolutely wear it again. Also, you can wear the sleeves higher up your neckline, or lower on your shoulders; both look nice."
Photo:
@katcollings
My Review: Why does a white or cream sweater always look luxe? I love this one for a few reasons. I like the subtle details like the ribbing at the wrists and hem and the roll neck. Most importantly though, this is not the kind of sweater that pills. I have a pet peeve of spending money on sweaters just to have them pill and look super worn after only a couple wears. I'm wearing an extra small, though I would size up if I planned to wear something under the sweater.
Amazon customer review: "Very good looking sweater! It would be nice if it had a little more room around the middle, but that's a minor point. I ordered two (black and gray) and have already washed them, and they came out beautifully!"
My Review: Linen is one of those fabrics that looks expensive even at lower price points. Just make sure to have a clothing steamer on hand to tackle the inevitable wrinkles that come with the fabric, or honestly just lean into the lived-in rumpled look. I'm not judging! There's something very easy about this dress, which is why it feels perfect for the current times. I also think it would look lovely with a belt, like how I styled it below, if you want to show off your shape a bit more. I'm wearing an extra small, and found it oversized and roomy, just how I wanted it.
Amazon Customer Review: "This dress is a great buy. It fits as expected and nice linen fabric."
Photo:
@katcollings
Amazon Customer Review: "I love this dress. The only problem is that I would not be comfortable wearing it without shorts or skinny ankle jeans. Other than that the quality is amazing and I look forward to wearing it."
Editor note: I'm 5'4'' and would absolutely wear it without anything underneath. The shortest part hit right at the knees for me.
Shop the matching Sylvie Tank ($30) and Adrienne Knit Shorts ($35).
A gorgeous, yet affordable three-piece set that goes up to size 3x? I think we just struck gold.
The comfy conga train is led by these pants.
A nap dress just waiting for its Instagram debut.
I honestly didn't know you could find jeans that look this current and perfect at this price.
At first glance, you may think these are forgettable socks, but something about that thick little band at the top caught my eye. It's clean, sporty, and cute.
Acorn is a high quality brand, so you know you'll have these slippers for years.
I own this bra, and can vouch it's ridiculously comfortable. Emily Ratajkowski likes it too.
Ya'll know sweater vests have captured the hearts of fashion girls this season, right?
This color is sending me!
Next up, check out the small, but life-changing items we can't get enough of.