fashion week

Fashion Week, an iconic New York event that takes place twice a year, ends on Friday.

The event is used by designers to show off upcoming collections and attracts journalists and celebrities alike. Though in the past, Fashion Week was meant strictly as an industry event, the week has become something of an entertainment and media event in recent years.

If you're like me and can barely afford a plane or train ticket to New York City, buying designer clothing and accessories is out of the question. You can, however, use the styles presented during fashion week for ideas for summer and fall styles. It seems silly to be thinking that far ahead, but February Fashion Week showcases new fall styles, and Fashion Week that is held around September showcases new spring styles. This is so the retail industry has enough time to prepare.

So check out some of the runway pictures and pick up Vogue and InStyle for March. If you see something you like, see if you can find something like it at places like H&M, which I have found to be overly trendy. Target is a good place to get anchor pieces for cheap, then you can add on accessories to take your look to the faux-designer level. And keep an eye on the rotating schedule of GO designers that are presenting bargain-priced lines for Target--in stores now is Proenza Schouler, labeled "New York's Newest Powerhouse."

The key here is to keep in mind that you're not going to get exactly the look you saw on the runway. But use it for inspiration, and then go your own direction with it. Don't try and be super trendy because in my experience, the only people that can pull that off are gazelle-like runway models or some of the European tourists you see walking down Newbury Street (who, by the way, walk too damn slow and take up the entire sidewalk.)

Just have fun with it.