OUTFIT OF THE DAY – DOLCE & GABBANA INSPIRATION

I really love Dolce & Gabbana’s designs and style. The look I am wearing resembles a runway look they did in their previous collections. I am excited to show you all this look because I feel right now is the perfect time to show you all how to get that D&G look without breaking the bank since it’s summer. Especially with all these sales going on right now (a majority of the clothing I own were all bought on sale by the way–I don’t like to pay full price).

D&G is easily recognized for is their gorgeous way of harmonizing color, floral/leopard/Italian prints, jacquard/lace/sequin fabrics, and impeccable tailoring while still maintaining a classic and elegant look. It is a brand that is definitely unique and has many head-turning looks. If I could dress in this style everyday I would, but alas, Oregon’s weather is not compatible with this aesthetic.

Out of all the famous brands, it can be tricky to make Dolce & Gabbana inspired looks because they have such unique prints. However, with the rise of fast fashion and small fashion businesses, it has become more reachable. You absolutely have to regularly check certain websites to see if any other brands release any garments with a similar look (the search engine bar is your friend for this). I’ve noticed the top places to find this look with realistic prices is Nordstrom, Farfetch, Revolve, Zara, and Shein. Though when it comes to fashion, anything goes so be sure to check other stores!

I definitely don’t have the budget to be buying D&G but I am very fortunate and grateful to have the top and shorts I am wearing which are both from this brand in the picture above. The top I actually bought for my first Test-Editorial that I styled and directed called, “Eye on the Prize” (which you can see the Test-Editorial here). The whole look minus the head piece, earrings, and shorts were used for that Test-Editorial. The head piece was purchased for a shoot where I did the styling/concept/set design for a friend of mine, which can be viewed here (the D&G earrings I own were purchased for this shoot as well). To build a good styling portfolio you have to invest a lot of money. The upside is that despite spending all this money, you get to keep and wear the pieces yourself! Though, I will discuss styling photoshoots/portfolios in a future blog post so you all find out about that process.

Regarding the shorts–I actually was able to buy them at over 50% off during the Winter sale at Italist last year. It was too good of a deal to pass up so I decided to charge it on my credit card and pay it off gradually. If you’re planning to buy D&G, the Winter sale would be the time to buy (which starts in December). But if you have no plans or the budget for D&G even though you have D&G taste, don’t fret! It is still attainable!

To get that D&G look, firstly you must have some knowledge of the brand. You don’t have to study, all you simply need to do is go to their website (Or, Nordstrom, Saks 5th Avenue, and Neiman Marcus), and take a look at their clothing that are currently on the market. Do this every cycle of new clothing released until you have an exact idea of the brand’s silhouette and style. Honestly, this is what I have done over the years to train my eyes to be able to spot clothing that has the same look as D&G (and let’s be honest, it’s because I love looking at their clothing!)

Next, there are three things that are key: A tailored look, quality fabrics, and the right accessories. You can do this by going to a trusted seamstress to make sure your clothing has the perfect fit for your body. Quality fabrics does not mean you have to pay an arm and a leg. You can find quality fabrics for a good price, but you have to have textile knowledge to be able to tell if the fabric is good or not. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you can wear a not-so-good quality garment and it will still look high quality. However, when you are dealing with a D&G aesthetic, you might need to expect to invest in a $60 dollar skirt instead of a $20 dollar skirt to avoid making your outfit look cheap (unless you come across a good sale or a quality skirt for cheap).

Lastly, the last key thing is finding accessories that mimic the aesthetic D&G uses. Floral and bow tie accessories do the best job. Of course relying on floral and crown accessories leads to the best outcome for your D&G inspired look. However, it is the bow tie with the poplin top that really ties the look together.

Accessories wise, the best place to go for that D&G look for a great price is Etsy. I bought my head piece from Etsy last year. Unfortunately the seller I bought the crowns from is no longer in business. I did find some alternatives for you all that are definitely Nadine-Approved! I hope this post will give you all the knowledge on how to understand and replicate the D&G look so you will be able to go foreword and compile your own looks in the future.

And of course–the shoes. Extravagant and well-made. Think Versailles, and then you will know what type of shoes to wear with your D&G outfit. For mine I chose my green Manolo Blahnik Hangisi heels. They definitely know how to add flare to any outfit. But, if it’s not in your budget or want to invest in a pair of heels like this, then a black, nude, or gold simple strap sandal heel will work just perfectly as well.

For this week’s OOTD, I’m going to do it a bit different from my usual OOTD layout. When it comes to inspiration OOTD posts, I’m going to compile full looks together instead of categorizing them by blazer options, top options etc First, scroll down to see my outfit details, and then keep scrolling to the end to see my complied Get The Look For Less Inspiration!

OUTFIT DETAILS —

Head piece – Etsy

Floral Earrings – Dolce & Gabbana

Black Blazer – Rag & Bone

Poplin Top with Black Bow – Dolce & Gabbana

Print Shorts – Dolce & Gabbana

White Croc Embellished Baby Sac de Jour – Saint Laurent

Green Hangisi Heels – Manolo Blahnik

GET THE DOLCE & GABBANA LOOK FOR LESS–

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 1 —

Floral Metal Headband – Etsy

Light Pink rose Stud Earrings – Etsy

Black Tuxedo Jacket with Lapels – Zara

Blue High Waist Shorts – Zara

Gold Nixon Watch – Nordstrom

Badgley Mischka Olympia Heel – Zappos

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 2 —

Faux Pearl and Metallic Flowers Headband – Shein

Light Pink rose Stud Earrings – Etsy

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Black Crop Top – Zara

Norma Kamali Straight Skirt – Revolve

Ariella Black Strap Sandal – Same Edelman

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 3 —

Black Padded Headband with Jewels – Etsy

Givenchy Drop Earrings – Macy’s

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Pearl Button Crop Top – Zara

Red Ruffle Knit Midi – Bebe

Ariella Nude Strap Sandal Heel – Sam Edelman

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 4 —

Cristabelle Pear Crystal Earrings – Nordstrom

Manning Cartell Black Crop Top – Farfetch

Bambah Floral Midi Skirt – Farfetch

Cristabelle Stretch Crystal Bracelet – Nordstrom (Buy 2 of them)

Manolo Blahnik Hangisi 105mm in Black – Neiman Marcus

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 5 —

Floral and Faux Pearl Decor Earrings – Shein

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Multicolor (pink flowers with white) Off Shoulder Top – Shein

Ecru High Waist Shorts – Zara

Soft White Badgley Mischka Cher Heel – Zappos

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 6 —

Faux Pearl Headband – Shein

Textured Hoop Earrings – Zara

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Black Basic Blazer – Zara

Black Crop Top – Zara

Sara Battaglia Printed Cady Shorts – Luisaviaroma

Sam Edelman White Bay Cutout Slide Sandal – Nordstrom

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 7 —

Red Royal Jewelry Set – Etsy

Black Basic Blazer – Zara

Black Crop Top – Zara

Black High Waist Shorts – Zara

Badgley Mischka Olympia Heel – Zappos

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 8 —

White Rose Stud Earrings – Shein

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Bardot All Over Floral Print (Pink and Black) – Shein

Ariella Black Strap Sandal – Same Edelman

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 9 —

Flower Heart Earrings – Shein

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Square Neck Floral Embroidery Dress – Shein

Ariella Black Strap Sandal – Same Edelman

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 10 —

Floral and Faux Pearl Decor Earrings – Shein

Rose Decor Bracelet – Shein

Superdown Jeanine Black Mesh Corset – Revolve

Ganni Leopard Skirt – Matches Fashion (On Sale Now!!!)

Ariella Nude Strap Sandal Heel – Sam Edelman

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 11 —

Floral and Faux Pearl Decor Earrings – Shein

Rose Decor Bracelet – Shein

Dries Van Noten White Poplin Top – Mytheresa

Black Ribbon Brooch – Etsy

Bambah High Waist Short – Farfetch

Jewel Vinyl High Heels – Zara

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 12 [PLUS] —

Floral and Faux Pearl Decor Earrings – Shein

Rose Decor Bracelet – Shein

Nadri Gold Bracelet – Nordstrom

Gold Tennis Bracelet – Nordstrom

Square Leopard Print Tee – Shein

Black Skirt – Torrid

Ariella Black Strap Sandal – Same Edelman

OUTFIT INSPIRATION 13 [PLUS] —

Gold Head piece and Earrings Set – Etsy

Vince Camuto Black Blazer – Nordstrom

White Poplin Blouse – Nordstrom

Pink Flower Brooch Bow Tie – Etsy

Flower Brooch (to put on Blazer Lapel) – Macy’s

Gold Nixon Watch – Nordstrom

Vince Camuto Black Twill Pants – Nordstrom

Hot Pink Badgley Mischka Heel – Zappos

*I don’t know all the well-known Plus size online stores despite searching online so if there is anyone who could point me in the right direction then I can have a wider selection to compile plus sized looks.

While it may take some time to track down the perfect accessories for your D&G look, if you want a quick way to attain it, I would recommend investing in some D&G earrings. They can absolutely give you the D&G look with most outfits, but they will set you back some money. The one I own I bought 50% off during the winter sale. I love them because they are so light yet very high quality. For someone like myself who can’t wear even the slightest heavy earrings, they are worth the investment. Though I will say the ones I own are clip earrings, and after awhile I find them to be a pain to wear.

If you’re willing to break the bank to buy a pair, here are some on sale currently:

Dolce & Gabbana Gold-tone, resin and crystal clip earrings – Net a Porter

Dolce & Gabbana Pink Rose Bud Earrings – Ssense

Dolce & Gabbana Gold-tone, crystal and faux pearl clip earrings – Net a Porter

Dolce & Gabbana Gold tone, resin and crystal earrings – Net a Porter

Dolce & Gabbana Gold tone, Crystal and Enamel Clip – Moda Operandi

With all this, sometimes even with the best of planning an outfit, when you get it in the mail it can be underwhelming or the quality doesn’t look as good in person. It’s a trial and error that I even deal with to this day because sometimes photos online can be deceiving. Please keep this in mind with the suggestions above, and with the overall outfit suggestions on this blog. Overall it’s important to just be patient because sometimes even when you think you have the perfect outfit, you’ll find yourself back to the drawing board. As long as you have the tools to put together an outfit, none of these setbacks will matter!

I hope you all enjoyed today’s blog post! It was quite a project to put this together but I’m happy to say I did it! Until next time!

Pollá efcharistó xoxo

Nadine