And the winner is...

When to save and when to splurge won the poll! This is a topic that has been addressed rather frequently throughout the years with everyone having their own opinion on the subject, and here comes mine. It is my firm belief that one rule, tried and true, has and will prevail for eternity and that rule is this; Splurge on classic, or timeless, items & save on trendy, or seasonally fashionable, items. That’s it. It will literally never steer you wrong and believe me, I know there are times where you’re going to see an adorable/hot/ever so trendy garment or accessory that is WAY too expensive or maybe even just a little over priced that you’re going to want to buy. Don’t. Just don’t. There’s nothing worse than having something in your closet that you were only able to wear a total of three times before it went completely out of style and then feeling so incredibly guilty about how much you spent when you see it in the buy-one-get-one-for-a-penny rack on top of that. I’m here to advise you after making many mistakes of my own, do as I say not as I've done. On to specifics! I’ll be addressing four categories of women’s fashion on which one should save and splurge starting with Undergarments and including Apparel, Jewelry, and Shoes.

Undergarments by kristakromatic featuring dkny panties

Undergarments, of all shapes and sizes, are items you should absolutely always splurge on. I’ve developed a pretty close relationship with undergarments but it formed completely out of necessity and it helped me realize that most girls/women are probably as clueless as I was until I was properly measured and educated on the subject. Time magazine reports that between 70-85% of women are walking around right now wearing the wrong size bra and it’s really not surprising. Most women don’t really give much thought to their undergarments unless they expect someone to see them so they assume that it doesn’t have a lot to do with how their clothes fit. Wrong! It not only majorly affects how your clothes fit and fall on your body but I guarantee it will directly affect your posture and confidence (ladies your bra cup is probably way bigger than you think!). Knowing that, I highly recommend that you find a legitimate lingerie store (if you’re as busty as I am Victoria’s Secret can’t help you; try Lane Bryant or Petticoat Fair) in which the staff knows how to properly measure you and give accurate suggestions. For the busty and thicker girls out there (holla!) something you’re going to have to come to grips with is that almost everything is going to be more expensive for you (more material for more coverage = more expensive) and you’re not going to have the same cutesy options as the smaller girls out there (pros and cons to every size). I promise once you find a bra, corset, undies, and/or body enhancer that makes you feel like the best version of yourself the expense will be worth it because that feeling is priceless.

Tops/Outerwear by kristakromatic featuring a double breasted coat

Apparel includes tops/blouses, bottoms/skirts, and dresses with each sub-category including its very own save and splurge items. When referencing any of the aforementioned items one simply needs to follow my golden rule. Classic tops/blouses every woman should splurge on include a plain button up shirt in whatever color you like best (I suggest a neutral color for any classic items you're going to splurge on; black, white, grey, or khaki), a tailored blazer, a trench coat, a cashmere sweater (something in a festive color to get maximum use during the winter season), and a sequin occasion shirt*(gold is my personal favorite).

Save shirts by kristakromatic featuring a scoop neck shirt

Here are items that you should also absolutely have in your closet but you don’t have to break the bank on because they are produced in mass quantity and can be found just about anywhere; a denim button-up shirt(I have this exact one from Target), any plaid button-up shirt, V-neck T-shirts or tank tops (celebrities may spend $100 on a paper thin tank top but that’s ridiculous and you can find one that looks exactly the same for a mere $12), and cardigans (Target has at least 20 different embellished, classic cardigans every winter, take your pick!).
*When purchasing items with sequins or beading that can easily take a quick right turn in to Tackyville it is important to splurge and find a well made classic piece.

Splurge bottoms by kristakromatic featuring relaxed fit pants

When looking for classic pants, shorts, or skirts that are okay to splurge on it is important to remember cut over color/pattern. Every body type can rock a different cut(s) of pants which makes this area of shopping extremely personal. Don’t let how retailers/designers choose to size your clothes get you down, until they're sizing by the exact number of inches our hips are none of it has any real meaning about your size. Everyone should, however, know what works and what doesn’t before  going on the hunt for a garment it’ll save you a lot of time and self-esteem in the long run. So after you discover what cut/fit looks best for your body type here are the items you should splurge on; trousers (for the working woman at least two pair in black and grey), the perfect pair of jeans (7 for all mankind or if you purchase them at The Buckle they’ll do complementary in-house alterations such as hemming and cinching), a pair of khaki’s (shorts, pants, or both), and a leather skirt*(either black or dark, dark green).

*Once again it’s so easy to look tacky when wearing certain faux materials so this one is definitely a splurge. 

Save bottoms by kristakromatic featuring leather leggings

 Bottoms, skirts, and shorts to save on are; bandage skirts (they’re everywhere!), skinny jeans (in every color), faux leather leggings (surprisingly don’t look all that faux), leggings/tights, and summer shorts (neon colors, fun patters, frayed all over the place).

Splurge dresses by kristakromatic featuring a ruffle dress

The dress is my favorite element of fashion. I thoroughly enjoy buying one item and literally getting a whole outfit. The first dress I would like to reference is of course the little black dress. This rule is beaten into our brains at such an early age and most women have it in their closets already (if you don't get on it!). So besides the obvious little black dress here are some other pieces you should splurge on when dress shopping;  an illusion dress (every woman needs one), a little red dress (the lusty cousin of the classy little black dress), and a leopard dress ( I say splurge on this because the cheaper the dress and fabric the closer you get to looking like a lady of the night when it comes to animal print).

Save dresses by kristakromatic featuring a a line dress

 The dresses you should save on include the bandage dress (again they're everywhere!), a maxi dress, a cut-out dress (if you can wear it appropriately), a hi-low dress, and any daytime dress that will get  a lot of wear.

Splurge Shoes by kristakromatic featuring low heel boots

Shoes, my second love and mistress, have a hold on me. I can't stop, won't stop, buying them and I've never regretted a single pair. I've never regretted a single pair because I have a set of go to classic heels, boots, and athletic shoes while maintaining a healthy recycling system with the trendy pairs. Shoes are a little tricky because most people won't splurge on a pair of well made, real leather shoes because they don't think it makes a difference in how their foot will feel or they're unsure of the enduring quality. Unfortunately you can't know this, and believe me you will be able to immediately, if you don't ever splurge on a pair. These are shoes I recommend you splurge on; classic black heel (you'll wear it everywhere), nude heel (interchangeable with black), one or two pairs of boots (I have to have one black and one brown and you'll find out why in the near future*), Sperry Top Siders (you'll only need one pair ever if you're around the lake or water seasonally), athletic shoes (if applicable to your life, you're paying for quality and comfort not style keep that in mind)

save shoes by kristakromatic featuring charlotte russe shoes

Again save on any and all trendy shoes. For example I'm obsessed with studs & spikes on my shoes but cannot afford Christian LouBoutin's so I'm absolutely going to try and find an imitation spiked heel or boot for cheap elsewhere. No shame, I'm not claiming they're Loub's I really just want some spikes man!

splurge jewelry by kristakromatic featuring long silver earrings

Now, last and certainly not least, for jewelry. Old reliable comes into play again here; splurge on classic save on trendy. I grew up with my Mom always wearing silver jewelry (it compliments her skin tone best) and from an early age any momentous occasion would be marked with a small piece of James Avery jewelry. Of course I lost a lot of those pieces before I even hit middle school, parents don't waste your money on child jewelry unless they can't take it off, but every holiday I would get to wear my jewelry and it helped me to understand that silver was a precious metal that was meant only for special occasions and "big girls". From that day on it's been a firm belief of mine that every woman needs a nice set of jewelry that they should splurge on and everything else should be under $15. My mom and I are very fair skinned and silver always looks good but because my tone has a little more pink and gold in it I can also wear gold rather well. Once you've figured out what you like best on yourself find a timeless set and splurge! I also highly recommend that every woman have a set of pearls, just one piece, that is pulled out for special occasions and can eventually be handed down to a daughter or granddaughter. Since pearls can get pretty expensive I recommend buying just a necklace or just earrings and then putting the matching pieces on a birthday or holiday wish list.

save jewelry by kristakromatic featuring metal rings

As I mentioned before, any item of jewelry you save on should be under $15 but I sometimes cheat. I've definitely spent more than $15 on a piece that looked like it was worth at least $40 and that's how I justify it haha.*Do as I say not as I've done. It's really all about you, your priorities, and your budget. Any trendy jewelry (feathers, Aztec design, neon colored, dream catcher, chunky stone, or fake gems) I buy is usually to match something specifically and just like the garment I plan to pair it with, it will go out of style which is why you want to save on these kinds of items. I highly recommend checking out Sam Moon but make sure you've got at least a couple hours to get lost in this amazing accessory store.

I hope this was helpful to everyone and a special thank you to those that voted in the poll, please vote in the new one! Have a fabulous week everyone, talk to ya soon <3