Budget Friendly DIY Chanel-Inspired Outfit Shopped From My Closet!
In this article you will learn how I put together an outfit that resembles one from the Chanel (RTW Fall 24) at an affordable price point.
It was 1990, and Pretty Woman had just been released. Boomer parenting was in full swing, so despite the film's rating of age 15+, we (me and my other very hormonal, wild 12-year classmates at Newland School for Girls Hull, East Yorkshire ) all watched it.
The ā90s was the era of some of the biggest rom-com movies we all know and love - (insert movies) and Pretty Woman was no different.
It followed the standard rom-com magic formula: Man meets woman (damsel in distress). Man rescues woman, and they drive (ride on a white horse)into the sunset and live happily ever after!
In my class, we all wanted to be the main character, Vivian (Julia Robertās character), so we, too, could have some rich Beverly Hill guy sweep us off our feet and away from Hull!
I distinctly remember watching the iconic Beverly Hills boutique scene and thinking, āOne day, I will have limitless money to spend in a Beverly Hills boutique ā(I was / still am obsessed with anything California!)
Sidenote: If you donāt remember that iconic finger-flick scene, hereās a quick recap.
Vivian, dressed in thigh-high boots and a short skirt, visits a snooty high-end boutique on Rodeo Drive. Sheās been given Edwards's (Richard Gear) credit card and told to go wild and buy clothes to fit in with the Beverley Hills āposhā folk. (Think Beverly Hills House Wives.)
The shop assistant is snooty and rude and totally judges Vivian by how sheās dressed and puts her in the box āhere to steal not spendā. So she treats her like a piece of dirt on her shoe.
Anyway, Vivan gets to flick the finger at the stuck-up sales assistant and utter the iconic line, āYou work on commission, right? You just made a big mistake, HUGE ā as she exits!
Most of us have experienced feeling underestimated or judged and probably fantasised about pulling a version of the āVivan exit!ā
Right now, Iām not financially able to stroll into Vuitton or Chanel on Bond Street (a fancy area in London) and play out this scene! They would be correct in thinking I donāt have thousands to drop on one jacket.
āSo whatās your point, Sarah?ā Well, a couple of things, actually!
Firstly, even when I have the funds to spend in Chanel like it's Aldi, I donāt think I will and hereās why:
Strolling into a shop and buying an outfit ready to go wouldnāt feed me creatively. Itās too easy! I love a challenge.
I donāt think designer/high-end goods automatically = the best, most stylish, or sustainable items.
Iām Northern and we LOVE a bargain!
Iām more likely to/ I do go on the hunt for vintage Chanel and other brands I love vs buying new.
Iām one of those sicko people who will sit on eBay (or other online platforms) and hunt like my life depends on it. I donāt stop at the first page no no no! I keep trawling through the 13,0000 search results because the gems are often buried on pages 12,830+ and badly labelled!
My other favourite thing to do is this.
I love to find inspiration from catwalk shows (new and old). And recreate designer outfits using the clothes (mostly thrifted or vintage) I already have or embark on a mission to source particular items second-hand.
And thatās what Iāve done below.
I have re-created a Chanel outfit from the Fall 2024 Ready To Wear collection.
Why this one?
I love juxtaposition dressing. Meaning (in case you donāt know) taking different styles and placing them together to create a contrasting effect.
My interpretation of the Chanel juxta is a workwear base (denim jeans, shirt, jacket and a flat cap) contrasted with softer feminine elegance (gold belt, dainty bag, gold necklace, evening gloves and long high-heeled boots).
IMO Juxtaposition perfection!
The Chanel look
My version
The items
The outfit
As you can see I also added pearls (because why not!) and although my outfit isnāt an EXACT replica ā for me thatās never the point of basing an outfit off another outfit. It has embodied the juxtaposition and overall vibe of the outfit.
In conclusion
So there we have it my dupe Chanel outfit!
On reflection, this is definitely something I would wear, but it wouldn't necessarily have been a combo I put together without the inspiration from Chanel.
Finding outfits you love and creating your version is aā¦
Fantastic way to find new outfit recipes (ones you might not naturally gravitate towards).
Tool to push yourself outside your style comfort zone when you feel bored or stuck in a style rut.
And when it comes to replicating someone elseās outfit remember itās less about exact copycatting and more about using the inspiration as a starting point. As a catalyst to spark your creativity and find a version of the outfit that feels like you.
Thanks for reading and keep wearing what you want!
Sarah x