Yesterday I visited my local H&M and tried on one of the Matthew Williamson dresses. I loved it, but thought it was slightly pricey for H&M–$80! What do you think of the dress?

Because of the smashing success that was his first capsule collection for H&M, Williamson has once again decided to bring great style to the masses through frugal fashionista favorite H&M.

I’m raiding this collection ASAP because it’s just so darned gorgeous. Want to see my favorite items?

Oversized button-downs are hardly a new concept, but this season, designers and buyers alike have warmed to the idea.

FASHIONISTAS

Most trendy stores like Urban Outfitters and H&M offer the look as an oversized shirt or a shirt -inspired dress. As an alternative, go the cheaper route and raid the closets of the men in your life.

Finding these pieces should be relatively easy, but it is often difficult to style them. Use the look with a heavy hand, and being one step away from a hot mess is probable. The first issue is length. If you’re going for a dress look, it should fall about half way above your knee. If going for an oversized shirt look, slim/tapered pants or leggings are a necessity and you’re going to want the length to cover a good six inches of your thighs. Imagine you’re wearing a mini-skirt. The length should go down at least that far. You might want to go a tad longer, depending on the fit of the pants and your individual proportions.

The second issue is silhouette. The sheer volume of an oversized shirt often needs to be balanced by cinching the waist with a belt. Take note — retire your thick wide belts. They are not only often overbearing, but have been killed to death! The new belts are skinny and a fresh breath of air. Just take a look at the belt in the first picture.

Let’s talk accessories. If you are beltless or using a belt that blends well with the color of your top, a gold or silver chained necklace is a great addition. Also, bangles would work with mostly any top. Just keep your color palette in check. To finish the look, throw on a pair of heels or wedges. As a special touch, the right full skirt might pack extra punch if worn under the top…just pay close attention to proportion.

FASHIONISTOS

It’s true. Guys often have it easier than girls. If you do not have the money to pay Henrik Vibskov prices, I recommend sizing up one or two sizes. Any flannel will do. It’s that simple. Now here comes the fun part – finishing the look! My number one style tip is balance. If you’re going to do oversized, you’ll need tapered/skinny jeans.

To complete the look, layering is encouraged. The more layers you can accomplish without looking or feeling heavy, the better. An excellent and easy layer example would be to leave the shirt unbuttoned and worn over a tee. On top of the button-down, wear a thin cotton buttoned vest; think sleeveless cardigan. B.Son offers the perfect vest. To top it off, add a scarf in a solid color or subtle pattern. When pairing multiple patterns, pick one bold pattern and one subtle pattern. Link the patterns with a dominant color. For shoes, I recommend a pair of TOMS or Converse.

Yep, that’s me. The picture quality is not pristine because of my attempt at taking photos of myself with an iPhone and a mirror, but you get the general idea of what I’m wearing.

Sometimes I find it hard to locate a middle ground between my personal style at work and my personal style in my free time. Can there be a way to get across your personal style no matter what venue you are in?

I think that there is.

I’d describe my personal style as elegant, stylish and a little off-beat. That, however, is in a perfect world. All too often, I stand in my room, staring at my closet and thinking, “I have no idea what to wear!”

Sometimes I get it right, but I get it wrong just as often. But, developing your own personal style requires some trial and error every now and then.

Here’s what I’m wearing in the photo:

Work

• Proenza Schouler for Target skirt
• H&M belted buttondown (without the belt)
• Isaac Mizrahi for Target mary jane heels

Play

• Forever 21 silk strapless dress (bought for $5.99)
• Forever 21 belt
• Target flip flops
• Leather cuff bought in Mexico
• Earrings from Honduras (present from my father)

I’d estimate the total cost of the Work outfit to be about $35-40. The total cost of my Play outfit was probably around $25.

Want to score some similar items on the cheap? Read on!

Your Work

• Unfortunately, Target no longer sells the shoes I’m wearing in the photo in black. They do have them in brown, but I prefer these other Isaac Mizrahi mary janes. They’re on sale now for $14.99, so buy them quick, before your size runs out!
• I like the pleats in this skirt, and it looks pretty similar to mine, which I got from the Target Go International line.
• Weather dictates short sleeves whenever possible in the summer, and I like the ruffled pockets on this Forever 21 blouse.

Your Play

• If you don’t already own a pair of brown flip flops or sandals, try these faux suede ones from Target for $8.
• Replace the belt on the dress with this one from Forever 21.
• Unfortunately you can’t buy the dress I’m wearing in the photo anymore–I bought it on sale for less than $6–but Forever 21 still makes this version of it. Replace the belt that comes with the dress with the other one pictured above.

How would you describe your personal style?

Like I mentioned in my previous “Get the Lucky Look” post, Lucky magazine is a great source for hunting out new trends and styles to incorporate into your own wardrobe. The only problem with Lucky? Most of the clothing featured is way out of my price range. $250 for a blouse? $400 for a casual dress? I don’t think so!

Instead, I like to see what Lucky staffers wear to the office each day—and then find inexpensive ways to copy their outfits or styles. They’re in the fashion magazine industry, so I think “Cute Outfit of the Day” is a fairly reliable source for fashionable and creative style ideas.

Here’s some of the outfits that caught my eye recently–and ways to recreate them for much, much less.

Jenny Kang, Fashion Assistant

Jenny’s wearing a mix of high and low-end clothing: H&M, American Apparel and Chloe brands are all incorporated into her outfit. I like the casual-chic look of this, and you could wear flats or Chucks instead of heels for a more weekend-friendly version.

Jenny wore a three-quarter length sleeved white blazer with her outfit, but for the warm weather ahead, I prefer this Forever 21 short-sleeved version. The price is unbelievable: less than $16! This gray tee from Urban Outfitters adds a neutral base to the outfit, and I like the extra length on it, which gives a good proportion to the whole outfit. Skinny jeans are a must–and if you don’t have a dark wash pair already, these Truck brand skinnies from Alloy.com come in petite, regular and long inseams, as well as multiple washes and colors. These Madden Girl wedge heels have a little bit of a retro flair to them, but in case CutesyGirl runs out of your size, these 70’s-inspired Target wedges will also do the trick. For a last bit of flair, throw on a purple scarf: either this one from Forever 21, or this multi-colored one from Urban Outfitters.

Ann Brady, Associate Fashion Editor

I really like the way Ann has added equestrian-inspired pieces (like her boots and jacket) to what would otherwise be a casual outfit. The jacket, made of rich, supple and expensive leather, adds a classy touch, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a leather (or faux leather) jacket in stores right now. I’ve tweaked what Ann’s wearing just a bit, to make it more spring-friendly.

One of the cornerstone pieces of Ann’s outfit are her flat, brown boots. I like these from Urban Outfitters, although they are a little pricey. If you want a cheaper version, these boots from Forever 21 will also do nicely. Forever 21 makes a good pair of skinny jeans (my sister owns several) for less than $30. Pair them with this red belt from Target. On top, you could go two routes: either wear a brown leather bomber, like this one from Urban Outfitters, like Ann did, or try something a little different, like this wool bomber sweater.

Desiree Marr, Fashion News Contributor

Desiree’s outfit has a look that I often try to emulate: muted colors, feminine touches and a trendy bit here-and-there, like her platform boots.

Start off your outfit with a pair of black opaque tights, like these. Add a dress in a muted color palette, but with an interesting pattern, like this one from Urban Outfitters. Don’t worry if the dress has spaghetti straps or is sleeveless, because you’ll be adding a layer. Add some platform boots, like these from Urban, and a cardigan layer. I like this one from Forever 21 because of the preppy look, which would add a twist to the overall look, or this one from Lux that’s a perfect length for wearing over a dress. If you don’t feel like wearing the platform boots I mentioned, try these ankle boots by Isaac Mizrahi for Target.

Alexandra Willinger, Editorial Assistant

Alexandra looks cool and casual, dressed like I think a young Parisian would as she sat an outdoor cafe drinking cafe au lait. Maybe it’s the stripes, or maybe it’s the all-black look, but I’m definitely getting a European-girl vibe.

Leggings, like these from Urban, are perfect for tucking into boots. This striped long-sleeved shirt from Forever 21 is only–and you won’t believe this–$7.50. A sweater vest over the striped shirt and flat, buckle-accented boots complete the ensemble. Throw a bag over your shoulder, grab a coffee and you’re good to go.