I Want to Look Elegant on a Budget—These 3 Brands Make That Possible

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Claire Rose Cliteur attends the Altuzarra fashion show during New York Fashion Week

(Image credit: Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images)

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.

Eliza Huber
Eliza Huber
Associate Editorial Director

Eliza Huber is currently the Associate Editorial Director at Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2021 as a fashion editor after starting her career as a writer at Refinery29, where she worked for four years. During her time at WWW, she launched Go Sports, the publication's sports vertical, and published four (and counting) quarterly issues tied to the WNBA, Formula One, and more. She also created two franchises, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on new seasonal trends, up-and-coming designers, and celebrity style.