If you’re looking for super-stylish clothing at reasonable prices, I have two words for you: DUPES and FILTERING. Now don’t be confused. I will explain. The summer season is here and we all want to look en vogue, but it’s just one season, and we may not have a lot of money to invest. So unless you want to spend hundreds on clothing, DON’T READ THIS.

“What language are you speaking, Sharon,” you say? Well, I’m talking about dupes: A DUPE is a product designed to closely resemble a more expensive or high-end item at a fraction of the price.

As a style blogger, I see many websites where the host is wearing (and promoting) designer labels. Of course there is nothing wrong with this, and you can learn a lot of stylish tips from these savvy women. BUT, when I click on the garments they are wearing to promote a brand, I am amazed at the high cost of their couture.

I decided to use my computer filtering capabilities to find DUPES of similar garments and compare prices. Take a look:

Filtering on a google search means you can specify EXACTLY what you’re looking for. (Say, for example, you want a purple maxi dress with sleeves.) It is a detailed search that can save loads of time. AND, the best part is it gives you options to consider on price, brands, etc. You can often find a DUPE of the item at a fraction of the cost.

Here is a striped, cotton shirtdress I found at J. McLaughlin for $268 (left). And a similar dress at H&M for $29.99. (A difference of $238.)

Compare this pink dress from Macy’s, which runs $89 to a this Tory Burch for $698. ($609 difference.)

Now, if you are into “investment clothing,” which means you will wear outfits season after season–and desire top quality–by all means pay what you want. The choice is YOURS.

It is easy to refine or “filter” your search for a specific color/style garment, For example, when I was googling dresses, I typed in “paisley, midi dress with sleeves.” These two came up. ME + EM was $495 vs. Zara for $79.90.

I typed in “yellow maxi dress” and these two dresses popped into view: ME & EM for $295

As you can see, the original Nordstrom Rack price was $278, but knocked down to $62.96. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see a great deal of difference in these two dresses. And, I don’t believe I would pay the exorbitant price for a lightweight summer dress.

Here is one final comparison. A light blue linen dress from TUCKERNUCK vs. this dupe from J. CREW.

So ladies, again, the choice is all yours. You get to decide. I just wanted to show you some options for easy shopping online for whatever you value most.

(And, teach you a new cool word to throw around: DUPE!)

Hey, even us more mature women have to stay current!