I Want to Look Elegant on a Budget—These 3 Brands Make That Possible
There's a reason why the word elegance in the context of fashion is often associated with high-priced designer items. The easiest way to appear graceful and refined at all times is to shop from the brands that offer the highest possible quality. Their materials are more luxurious, and the silhouettes fit and fall in the most effortless, sophisticated way. There's only one problem: Some of us are on a budget, and yes, I'm referring to myself. We can't all spend thousands of dollars building a wardrobe that makes getting dressed chic and easy, but that doesn't mean that we can't still achieve aesthetic elegance.
Trust me—I've been studying this look for a while now. Sure, a ton of expensive Prada, The Row, Alaïa, and Saint Laurent pieces will probably do the trick, but they aren't the only way to consistently ooze elegance. In my opinion, all you really need to do is head over to Zara, Massimo Dutti, and COS and select pieces from each of the three brands that exude grace without coming close to the same financial burden a designer haul would. To make the process that much simpler, I went ahead and did the work for you. Scroll down to shop 28 high-class finds from Zara, COS, and Massimo Dutti.
I can totally see Kelly Rutherford, the queen of elegance, in this cropped, fitted blazer.
Whether you're headed on vacation or just out for a day of errands, this dress will always look gorgeous.
Every item on the market that's chocolate brown is chic. It's basically a fact at this point.
Please, if you're headed on a warm vacation, pack this skirt. It's too good to not make it into your carry-on luggage.
If you can't quite splurge for the Saint Laurent tiny cat-eye sunglasses that Hailey Bieber loves, try this more affordable alt from COS.
Just toss this on with whatever—from long denim shorts to linen drawstring pants—and it'll look good.
White linen pants are a summer staple no matter what vibe you're going for.
Throw this skirt on with a cashmere sweater in the fall or a little white tank in the summer.
Wow, this dress could easily cost over $500, and I wouldn't question it.
These pumps are giving strong Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and Gwyneth Paltrow vibes.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about the leopard coat from Michael Kors's F/W 24 collection. This is what I'm buying right now to fill the void.
These also come in black and tortoiseshell, and I think I need all three pairs.
A good hat is instrumental if you want a "chic Italian summer" vibe when the nice weather hits.
I searched for a baby-pink button-down shirt all summer last year. Once I found one, I wore it far too often.
This skirt lives at the corner of boho and elegant. It's kind of perfect.
Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.
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