CHANEL for the People

CHANEL for the People: if I ever run for political office, this is going to be my campaign platform!  For my fellow European fashion lovers, is there anything better than seeing and holding your dream closet items up close and personal in a store?  You escape reality for a moment....until you look at the accompanying price tag and enter sticker shock!  For now, as I'm still somewhat patiently waiting to own a timeless Chanel tweed jacket, I'm happy to share with you, especially my readers in the Atlanta area, how you can obtain real Chanel and other European designer merchandise at counterfeit prices: by shopping at The Drake Closet in either Alpharetta or Roswell!  While this article focuses on The Drake Closet, since I volunteer there, people living in other locales can take advantage of their local thrift stores to hopefully score similar fashionable finds.  Fresh on The Drake Closet's stylish heels of its annual fashion show, here are a few European finds that will leave you looking good and your wallet (and conscience) feeling happy, as all proceeds from The Drake Closet benefit The Drake House!  Note: jet lag and an expensive plane ticket are not included in the price of these select European fashions.

Speaking of heels, I love shoes; one of my greatest thrills is seeing the look on someone's face when looking at my shoe collection for the first time!  Yes, I have no life, but for now, let's focus on these real Chanel flats that I found while volunteering at The Drake Closet's recent fashion show; they're size 10 perfection wrapped in supple leather and decked out in Chanel's signature black and beige colors.  As those standing within 10 feet of me can attest to, I could not stop "talking," i.e. happily screeching, about these shoes and the fact that they were selling for a small percentage of what the regular retail would have been!   C'est fantastique!

More of an Italian shoe lover?  Well, then let's talk about Italy's "3 P's" of shoes: Pucci, Pliner, and Prada!  Drumroll, please.....first up, place your peeps on these Pucci's; their unique metallic finish and blend of four colors is just as dolce as a blend of three gelato flavors, except these quality Firenze shoes will last much longer!

Legend has it that the famous Donald J. Pliner shoes are made in the hills of Italy, just like another Italian specialty....wine!  It's moments like these that I couldn't be more proud of my Italian heritage!  Another fact that brings me joy?  Fellow shoe lovers who love Italian quality like me won't have to pay retail for these bellissima bronze beauties, leaving more money for vino!  This is a fine example of European Fashion Economics 101.


The other prominent "P" in Italian fashion?  Prada!  You'll want "more, more" of these Miu Miu's, which is Prada's less expensive and more youthful fashion line.  These shoes remind me of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli's song title, "Mistero dell'Amore," i.e. "the mystery of love."  I can't explain why I love these shoes, nor was I expecting to find them; they just appeared on The Drake Closet's shelf one day, and now I can't stop thinking about them.

It's time to move on, though, because what goes great with stylish European shoes?  No, not wearing them while stepping out of a Lamborghini....an equally stylish European dress, like this Emanuel Ungaro!  French women are known for having that certain je ne sais quoi about them; they always effortlessly look polished and chic.  You can create that same image on this side of the Atlantic Ocean by wearing this simple yet elegant shift dress at a price point that will leave some fromage in your bank account!  As Coco Chanel once said, "Elegance does not exist in putting on a new dress."  "Elegance is refusal" (to pay retail for European fashion)!



Keep in mind that merchandise availability at The Drake Closet changes daily, but that just gives you another excuse to be a frequent shopper there or at your local consignment/thrift store; you never know what fashion treasure you'll find!  To learn more about The Drake Closet and The Drake House, please visit www.thedrakehouse.org, and don't forget to "like" The Drake Closet on Facebook to learn about promotions and see featured outfits that are for sale!  Happy shopping! (is there another kind?)