Is It Okay to Buy High Street Copies of Designer Pieces? #iwillwearwhatilike

After the crazy madness that was cyber weekend (though I am aware today is Cyber Monday so it’s effectively still in full force),

I’ve been reflecting on my purchases and just how many were probably made over the course of the last few days. My absolute favourite purchase was these pink suede block heel shoes from ASOS, which are more than a little Gucci-inspired. They’d been going in and out of stock so often (try these if stock is out) I thought I wouldn’t get my hands on a pair, but when they look this similar to the original – without being a direct knock-off – did I really want some after all?

I can’t afford the real deal at =cough= over £600, but I wondered whether it’s actually okay to wear high street copies of designer pieces.

Firstly, the UK is set for plummeting temperatures again this week, so I think we’ve had what I reckon will be my last ankle-baring weekend of 2016 (unless we have an incredibly mild festive season like we did last year… seems unlikely). I went with what’s the most basic of outfits for cold weather: Jeans and a sweater. Apart from the denim I went with full-on soft cream and blush tones, added a hat to hide a bad hair day and revelled in the glory of my new shoes.

SHOP THE LOOK:

The jeans with red side-piping, the grey bubble earrings and grey watch were all Black Friday purchases as well (get 20% off everything at ASOS till 8am Tuesday UK time with code GOGOGO, and 30% off at ASOS US and Canada till 3am Tuesday EST with code THANKFUL30), and I got quite a few Christmas presents at the same time. But it was the shoes I was most excited about, however I nearly didn’t buy them because of my qualms over designer knock offs… Hear me out!

20% OFF AT ASOS TILL 8AM TUESDAY (UK TIME), CODE: GOGOGO
30% OFF AT ASOS US & CANADA TILL 3AM TUESDAY (EST), CODE: THANKFUL30

In trying to rationalise my potential purchase – and it being “okay” to buy them even though they’re quite obviously a looky-likey pair of shoes – I thought back to my favourite bag I wear so much. Despite being a fashion blogger I’m not necessarily familiar with every designer piece going(!), so when I first got my tan cross body bag with chain detail I had no idea it was a version of the Chloé Faye bag.

I chose that bag because I liked it, not because it looked like a Chloé, so does that make it wrong? Or even just not cool? Those were the things that were going through my head when debating the ASOS pink heels, so in the end I decided to go not with what I thought I should do, but just to buy what I liked (and seeing as this is the #iwillwearwhatilike corner of the internet then I’m just practising what I preach).

I don’t equate it to buying a dodgy replica designer bag, for example – just because I’d seen the Gucci Marmont shoes before I saw the ASOS pair doesn’t make it wrong to buy them, and as for being potentially uncool… I really don’t care about that. I know others may think differently but that’s my tuppence worth.

The high street has always made watered-down versions of what’s on the catwalks, and my shoes aren’t pretending to be the real thing.

Onto the link up! Do add your outfits to this week’s link up and if you’ve added a link to here or my button to your post you may be featured next week 😊

ARE YOU OKAY WITH BUYING A HIGH STREET VERSION OF A DESIGNER ITEM? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS OR TWEET ME @NOTLAMB!

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Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up! This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Monday at 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only criteria is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up etiquette…

CLICK HERE to read the rules of linking up (and to grab the #iwillwearwhatilike button). Basically it’s just good manners to link back to here – to leave a comment is even nicer!

Featured favourites

My favourite outfits from last week’s link up:

(L-R) My Fabulous Forties | The Cooking Wardrobe | Vanity & Me | The Sequinist | The LIFB Issue

To get yourself featured next week, make sure you’ve included a link back to Not Dressed As Lamb or my button in your post/sidebar!

DO SHARE THE LOVE AND VISIT AS MANY LINKS AS YOU CAN (YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT OTHER LOVELY LIKE-MINDED LADIES YOU MIGHT MEET) – THE ORIGINAL INSTAGRAM CAMPAIGN FORGED SOME WONDERFUL NEW FRIENDSHIPS SO DON’T MISS OUT!

Catherine