Not to be dramatic, but I’ve probably spent thousands of hours staring at clothing. With that time amassed, I’ve almost become jaded or immune to overreacting (call it an occupational hazard, if you must). It’s not that I don’t find things exhilarating anymore; I’m just harder to impress. While I’ll always love the adrenaline rush of finding an expensive item for extraordinarily cheap or discovering new trends, these days, the ideal of a minimal capsule moves me more emotionally. Of course, even with this new-found ethos, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I still occasionally get swept up in my feelings. Sometimes, I’ll scroll through the new arrivals section at Nordstrom or Reformation and audibly gasp at the sight. In those moments, I’m reminded of the unbridled joy that can come from finding great clothing for a great price point. And instead of gatekeeping the feeling, I’ve decided to try to share it with the world (or at least you, dear reader). After scrolling through Nordstrom, Zara, Mango, Shopbop, and J.Crew, I was able to compile 45 expensive-looking summer items, all under $150. Each of these pieces, for me at least, fit the bill of what we want all our clothing to be; affordable, wearable, and most importantly, jaw-droppingly stylish.
