Fashionable Fridays: Casual in the city

Today was like any other day: I woke up, decided to run with the smokey-eye look, threw an outfit together and spritzed myself with perfume on my way out the door. I guess I looked cuter than usual (is that even possible?) because my garb caught the attention of many passerbys (don't even pretend like you weren't checking me out, you trio of men in suits -- I saw you out of the corner of my dark sunglasses). And of course I also got compliments from friends throughout the day. It's funny, at least in my case: When I don't try that hard with my outfits, they always come out being the best. Anyway, here's a sample of what I wore:

Friday in DC by BrunetteOnABudget featuring GUESS? sandals

Nothing amazing, but it looked very polished and put together. What's pictured isn't exactly what I wore, as my tank was a darker gray and pleated all around the neckline, plus my shoes were slightly different (and much cheaper than these), but you get the point. All in all, my outfit cost about $30 total (yes, $30), minus the gold necklace, which was given to me as an early bday present from a friend at lunch today. My point? You can look fashionable and modern without spending tons of money.

A tip to remember is to not talk yourself into the wrong clothing just because it is cheap or is on sale -- buy it because it looks fabulous on you and will be able to be mixed and matched. Also be on the lookout of ways to accessorize the "blah" you already own. A drab gray tank will always be a drab gray tank unless you get creative (like above). Cinch it with a big belt in white or brown and play it up with the right jewelry, statement handbag and killer heels. All of a sudden your drab gray tank will become the base palette for your divine outfit, and not the focal point of an otherwise boring ensemble. But you already knew that, right? ;)