Splurge vs. Steal: St. Patrick's Day Edition

Your favorite series, Splurge vs. Steal, is baaaaack. We know you've already researched the best places to get green beer and "kiss me, I'm Irish" shirts ... but what about the outfit that will ensure you win a "best dressed" award, on Thursday or any other day of the year?

Deacon has long been a fan of the green, perhaps dating back to our sorority days (long live the green and white of Kappa Delta, ladies) and we're excited to share with you some of our favorite looks, ranging from $90 to more than $2,000. (Scroll over or click each image for pricing and purchasing info)

Which is your favorite?

Splurge Vs. Steal: Golden Globes For Less

No, we're not making a bad joke about Mariah Carey's horrific dress. But, if you loved the style on the red carpet last night, you're in luck. We've scoured stores to find dresses that mimic celeb trends for a fraction of the cost.

Major looks last night:

• Ruffles- From Jennifer Morrison to Heidi Klum to Chloe Sevingy, ruffles dominated the red carpet, either in major or minor form.
  
• Purple - The color of royalty is back in a big way. Everyone from Sandra Bullock to Ginnifer Goodwin to Fergie wore this hue.
  
• Jewel Detail - Forget bling on your ears or wrists, many stars opted to adorn their waistlines with diamond or jeweled pins.

This gown by Marchesa is a true statement piece. The rich hue and ruffles would look right at home on any red carpet. $6,820, Bergdorf Goodman.

It's a bit plain, but dress this violet stunner up with some great earrings and a bangle or two and you'll be the belle of any ball in town. $945, Neiman Marcus.



















Channel your inner starlet in this simple yet elegant one-shoulder gown with jewel detail by David Meister. Plus, the Navy color is a great break from basic black. $560, Neiman Marcus.

Splurge vs. Steal: Fall Trend Shoes

Today, while browsing the 15% off sale on ShopBop.com, (use code INTHEFAMILY15 at checkout) we came across a veritable treasure trove of footwear too fun not to share.

As we're sure you know, Deacon has a bit of a shoe fetish, but he's also a very frugal Shepherd. Don't miss the change to scoop up these trend-worthy styles at a fraction of their designer counterparts.

Love the hard-edged look of Guiseppe Zanotti for Balmain but suffer sticker shock at the prices? Snag their studded pumps ($775)for a fraction of the price with Dolce Vita's Trinity Studded Pumps.($215)


















If you crave a walk on the wild side and love and Louboutin's $1375 version, try Jolie's haircalf booties, a steal at just $265 pre-discount. You don't get the red sole, but the $1,000-plus savings would buy you a pair and a half of seasonless Louboutin pumps ... or your fall wardrobe.

Splurge vs. Steal: OTK Overload

We're not crazy about the OTK boot trend this season - unless you're Twiggy, you simply come off looking like a hooker, wanna-be pirate or (gasp), an overstuffed sausage. That said, we couldn't resist these flat boots which conveniently fold down at the top to be worn as knee-highs or OTKs if you so choose.



















Deacon predicts these will be our go-to for tucking into jeans, leggings, and wearing with dresses all season long ... but the true question begs - should we opt for a splurge or a steal? At $200 for the splurge, these babies are still well within our price point.

Riddle me this, Deacon fans: can you tell me which one is more expensive? Judging by the photos, we can't.

Answers, in case you're wondering - the pair on the left is the $200 Sam Edelman "splurge" and the one on the right is by Rampage for $80.

That said, the Rampage boots are faux suede while the Sam Edelman ones (which we picked up today at Cusp) are real. We've ordered the Piperlime pair as a comparison buy, and it's looking like they'll come out a winner ... because with this "steal" we can afford to buy two pair for the price of one!

Splurge vs. Steal: Inspired by Mexico

Earlier this season, I fell in love with the "Holding Court" caftan dress by Nanette Lepore. In simple white or electric blue, I thought that it was wearable enough to sport all over town. Sadly, the fit was not so stellar. (Then again, if you're not bootylicious, it might look fab on you).

Today, I was tickled to no end when I spotted this strikingly similar frock by French Connection for $175 less AND in a flowy, more flattering fit.

Which is your top pick? Nanette, $275 (left, at ShopBop.com) and French Connection, $99 (right, at French Connection) ... I'll be sporting my "steal" to tomorrow's Mie N Yu happy hour kickoff party. See you there!

Splurge vs. Steal: Malandrino Spring Dress

Despite the frilly fun of most Malandrino collections, it's rarely in our top list of go-to designers. Not sure if its the distinctiveness in pattern and color that so clearly differentiates one season to the next or the super-high price point for something so mass-produced.

But we saw this red number while making a lunchtime walk to Saks about a month ago and were wowed by the great detail on the hemline as well as the simple silhouette. Unfortunately, the $500 price tag prevented us from wanting to splurge on a spring-y dress in early February.

Thankfully, today's ShopItToMe.com sale alert just let us know that it's now a totally splurge worthy price of $148.50 on ShopBop.com.

In case you're not already aware, the daily e-mail service from ShopItToMe lets you know when your fave brands go on sale - it's the ultimate sale shopping aggregator.

Psst - DeaconDoesDC and Washingtonian.com's ShopAroundBlog are both "ShopItToMe" trendsetters. Check out other cool fashion news on blog.shopittome.com.

Splurge vs. Steal: Michelle Obama's Look

Whether you loved it or hated it, Michelle Obama's Jason Wu number is sure to cause a slew of copycats come manana. But if you're dying to have her look justthisminute, here are some similar styles for what we're sure is a fraction of the cost.
Mark Bouwer, Neiman Marcus, $895

JS Boutique, Nordstrom, $81.90
Night Way, Dillards, $150
BCBG, Nordstrom, $358

Splurge vs. Steal: Fringed Boots

Deacon has been secretly coveting a pair of fringed boots for months. (What can we say, he's a gay dog when it comes to shoes.)

The problem with this Minnetonka-esque look is that since they're definitely a trend style, we weren't willing to part with lots of cash for our look - particularly because the boots are often suede, which limits where we can wear them.

During our winter vacay, we came across a hot pair at one of our fave discount retailers, the one and only Targee. We're now proudly sporting them 'round town, and you can too.

Here's this week's splurge vs. steal. Which would you prefer?

Sam Edelman, "Uri," were $224, now $111 at Nordstrom.com.















Minnetonka Three-Tier Fringe Boot, $89, SouthMoonUnder.com.










Joie "Deja Vu" Fringe Boot, $224 (sale) from ShopBop.com.















And of course, my personal pick, $39.99 at Target (click the link for a better photo!).

Splurge vs. Steal: It pays to shop around

I'm normally a huge fan of ShopItToMe.com, the amazing daily e-mail that categorizes when all of your favorite brands/sizes/ect. have gone on the red lines, but sometimes it's amusing (and almost annoying) to see how much the price on a single item can vary.

Take, for example, this laser-cut shift dress by Rebecca Taylor. It's $245 at ShopBop, and $210 at CUSP.

Or, you could go with this super-cute navy blue dress by BB Dakota, a mere $78 at South Moon Under.









Also, remember that it pays to check your local discount stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. I bought this Alice+Olivia number (it's from the Fall 2007 collection) way back in May for a mere $127. Here it is, on Singer22.com, for $150.

Same deal with this Catherine Malandrino dress, still $346 at ShopBop. It's definitely around $100 at TJ Maxx.





Lesson for the day: If you shop smart, you can buy more.

Splurve vs. Steal: It pays to shop around

Okay, so this First Mark thing is pretty cool - 40% off the designer duds?

Found this Cutout dress by Black Halo (yes, I know, everyone and their mother owns this dress), regularly $325, now $195 through Sunday at Neiman Marcus.

It's still $330 at Intermix, $325 at Revolve, and $306 at Pink Mascara.

Splurge vs. Steal: Black Clutch

Welcome to Deacon's new plaything, Splurge vs. Steal. A true shopper knows when a bargain buy is a no-brainer (thank you Loehmanns, Filenes, and TJ Maxx) but the true beauty is knowing when cheap-chic is worth the purchase or just misses its designer inspiration.

So check out our first Splurge v. Steal of the week. We'd say this a no-brainer, but want your opinion.

Are you the splurge or the steal?

Steve Madden black faux snakeskin clutch, on sale for $27 at Macys.






OR



Lauren Merkin's "Eve" faux croc in black patent, $180 at Lauren Merkin.com