Reality Chic: Looks for Less

It's the end of April and it's still freezing here in upstate New York! Today was 66 degrees, and that's the warmest it's been all year. With a chill still in the air, I wanted to create a look that allowed for both warm and cool weather; it's so unpredictable and can change in an instant!
Here's the look I created on Polyvore:

Romantic Bohemian by hooahandhiccups featuring j crew

Victoria Beckham oxford shirt $695/ Short shorts $40 / Tory Burch flat sandals $250 / J.Crew j crew $95/ Rachel wood jewelry $14 / Ray-Ban ray ban $150
TOTAL: $1,244
And here's how I recreated it for less:



American Eagle shirt $44 (I paid $15)/ Chic Orchid Lace shorts $19/ Chinese Laundry sandals from TjMaxx $9 (similar)/ Glam Grab necklace $24 (similar)(gift)/ Wooden bracelets (gift) / Ray-Ban sunglasses $150 (gift) /
TOTAL: $43
Granted, I didn't add in the sunglasses, bracelets, or necklace because they were gifts, but even if I did, it's still only slightly above $200! You can always find cheap sunglasses and jewelry at Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, etc that look similar!
 I absolutely love these lace shorts (I think they're sold out now but you should totally find a pair somewhere else) and this top! They're so versatile and can be worn a variety of different ways. Dress them up with heels or dress them down with flats; totally up to you!  
A few tips:
I know this may sound silly, but I do my research. I very rarely buy anything over $20 if I haven't compared prices in a few different stores first. Always take advantage of putting things on hold and check out around the mall for better prices before making a purchase.
If you don't have the Retail Me Not app for your phone, get that immediately. It alerts you when there are special sales at the mall you're at/near and you can search by store if you're looking for a specific one. No matter where I am, I always check the app before checking out! 
Explore thrift stores! I just found two here that I absolutely love. I've purchased all name brand items, some with tags still on, for $4 or less! I will be dedicating a post strictly to that next week :) To be honest with you, at first I was grossed out by "second hand" things", but now that I've learned which stores to go to and where to look, it doesn't even bother me. I've found some amazing pieces and once you wash them, it doesn't even matter where you got them from!  Give it a chance, you might be obsessed surprised!
Happy Shopping!