Dress like a celebrity mom

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By Lisa Steinke

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Posted: Jun 06, 2012 6:00 AM

Posted in: Home / My style / My fashion

When you open a glossy mag and see your favorite Hollywood moms toting totes that cost more than your mortgage payment and decked out in designer duds that can only be found in chic stores nowhere near where you live, you might decide you're forever destined to live in your standard uniform of jeans and a black top. Cue record scratch -- wrong! Not only can you get your favorite celebrity mom's look, but you can do it on your budget.

Dress like them, but don't pay their prices

Everyone from celebrity mom of two Gwen Stefani to Justin Timberlake to Missoni has designed affordable clothing lines available exclusively at Target. Kim Kardashian, Khloe and Kourtney (pregnant with her second baby) have sold their Kardashian collection at Sears for 30 percent off the retail price. Kohl's launched mother of twins Jennnifer Lopez's collection last year with an average price point of $60. Tip: Be sure to keep an eye out because these celebrity lines are usually only available for limited periods and sell out fast. (Remember when so many customers flocked to Target's website in search of Missoni that it crashed?)

Certain discount stores like Loehmann's and Nordstrom Rack also carry designer labels at an impressive mark down. And many high-end department stores, like Saks, offer free memberships to their online sales where they sell everything from designer gowns to shoes at as much as 75% off the retail price.

Sample sales are also a great way to go. Although they are a lot easier to find if you live in bigger star-studded cities like Los Angeles and New York.

Don't forget about the knock-offs

Brands like ABS Schwartz are known for their knock-offs. If you see a celebrity rocking a dress on the red carpet for an event like the Academy Awards, you can almost guarantee that ABS will create the same look, which you can purchase for a lot less. Recently, they replicated celebrity mom Kelly Ripa's and Natalie Portman's Oscar gowns.

Take advice from their stylists

Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist (and first-time mom to toddler son, Skyler) dresses many Hollywood moms, including Kate Beckinsale, Demi Moore, Kate Hudson and Debra Messing, offers tips on how to dress on her daily Zoe Report. It's free to sign up but the advice is invaluable. Zoe also shares her talent for affordable elegance in her Luxe Rachel Zoe outerwear and accessories line that she sold on QVC.

Get creative

Splurge on one big-ticket item for your outfit, like a great pair of shoes or a piece of fabulous jewelry. Pair these more expensive items with your discount clothing and feel like a million bucks.
Save up for that ridiculously overpriced pair of jeans that you saw Jessica Alba wearing last week.
If you don't want to rummage through sale racks and spend hours online, it's still possible to build a celebrity-worthy wardrobe if you take your time. Allow yourself a splurge every few months (or as often as your bank account will allow) and add to your closet slowly. It will be worth the wait!

Don't put pressure on yourself to be someone you're not.

Not all celebrity moms leave the house red-carpet-ready everyday. With kids in tow, an outfit needs to be functional and practical. Many, like Jennifer Garner, mother of three (youngest son, Samuel, was recently born) who gets styled by Rachel Zoe for the red carpet, is often photographed with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing jeans and a simple sweater when she's with her kids -- reminding us that as moms, we can be comfortable and still look put-together.