Oops! There Must be a Typo in My Fashion Magazine: I Can't Find this Item ANYWHERE!

Today I had the honor of doing a segment on the Fox 29 Philadelphia morning show, "Good Day Philadelphia." Michelle Buckman, Fox 29 News Consumer Reporter, asked me to answer a question many fashionistas have asked, particularly at the beginning of a new season: Why can't I find that fabulous piece I saw in the latest issue of my favorite fashion magazine online or in my local store?

My answers were pretty simple. One major reason is because many of the fashion editors are based in New York City and when they do their fashion layouts, they tend to select pieces from stores and boutiques in Manhattan. That's why magazines like Lucky are great because they occasionally have a regional section. Another reason you can chase and chase that cute pair of sandals or gorgeous top and never hit the jackpot is because those pieces you see were actually samples done for runway shows or collection previews. And guess what - they were never placed into production!

So what's a woman to do? I suggest taking the concept shown in the magazine, which basically shows the season's fashion trends. Then head to your laptop or to your local mall and shop for pieces that represent that trend. For example, one of the outfits that Michele Buckman featured was found in the March issue of InStyle magazine. The outfit centered around an adorable embellished short sleeve cardigan from J. Crew. Michelle had no luck finding this sweater online or in any of Jcrew's stores. But I was able to take the basic concept, "short sleeve cardigan," and recreate that entire outfit by finding an animal print short sleeve cardigan, shell, faux python clutch, embellished flat sandals, and dangling earrings. And the best part - the outfit in the magazine cost over $1200; mine was only $250! (Talk about creating the look for less!)

But, I do know that there are those "desperate" situations where you feel as though you cannot go on without having that one "it" item of the season. Yours truly has been there, trust me. In those cases, I suggest you get on the phone, call the store listed, describe the item (along with the name of the magazine and page number), and if they have it in stock, ask them to send it to you. Some stores like bebe make it easier for you to scout all of their stores. They have a customer service number that you can call, and they will do a nationwide search for you and give you the phone number of the store that has it in stock.

Whether you decide to recreate the look or take on a new part-time job to find the actual piece shown in your favorite magazine, just have fun with the new season's trends. And don't forget to watch those dollars - looking chic doesn't mean your purse has to look empty!