Luxe be a lady

The past few seasons, I've noticed a return to modesty and luxury - qualities which were big in the 40s and 50s. Circle skirts, sweater tops, cardigans and jackets were carried by most designers, from Marc Jacobs to Oscar dela Renta.

As a result, even fast fashion brands waved the luxe banner and proudly incorporated this modesty in their collections. Everyone from Zara to H&M to Macy's to Saks Fifth Avenue had a touch of the trend on their shelves. And it was so infectious, it even reached our shores here in Manila.

On a routine visit to Makati last week, I found odds and ends from different shops, and came up with this:



It's a very "luxe lady" outfit which can easily be seen on a Mad Men episode, but still made relevant for today.



The tops were from Surplus Shop, which simply means they're dirt cheap. There's a black tank, and a beaded cardigan with a damask print. It's a modern take on the twin set, and it works.



The Zara sale yielded this belted, full skirt in gray flannel. And finally, Parisian - yes, SM's in house shoe brand - came out with this ballet flat with a tiny bow. Plus, it was made of cotton jersey, which makes it feel super soft. And as everyone knows, the price points at Parisian are very, uhm, democratic.



Ah yes, it's luxury for less. Much, much less.