Money Fix: Designer fashion, budget fit

Does your closet seem just a tad drab when compared to fashionistas?

Well, there's no need to ravish your pocketbook in an attempt to look more ravishing, says Pamela Parisi, founder of Manhattan's The Elegant Tightwad, who leads "bargainista" shopping excursions to private showrooms and upscale consignment shops.

Here are her tips on how to save:

Knockoffs. If there's a particular Fashion Week outfit that has you drooling, do some research to find out which mass-market stores tend to find "inspiration" in that designer's work, meaning they knock off the outfits for their own spring racks, she says. Ask friends on Facebook and Twitter: "I love Donna Karan. Who knocks off Donna Karan?" Parisi also points to stores like H&M, Club Monaco, and Topshop as retailers that feature "now" looks overall.

Accessories. She says she likes to update her wardrobe with the newest look in accessories. Keep an eye out for how Fashion Week designers used belts, scarves, handbags and jewelry. You can "trend up" any outfit with accessories, which are far less expensive than clothing, says Parisi, who originally launched her business in Massapequa.

Tours. For a fee of $45 to $145 per person, Parisi conducts shopping tours to a number of Manhattan Garment District designer showrooms, where shoppers can find wholesale prices on the current season's stock (not just samples, she says, which come in just tiny sizes). To learn more about the tour, as well as her "Accessory Addict" excursion, see theeleganttightwad.com.

A version of this column appeared in Newsday, Sept. 9, 2011.