Friend or faux?

Razorback Runway

By: Natalie Johnson

Posted: 11/19/08

In the world of fashion, being creative with your style can save you some money. One piece of an outfit can make or break your look. If you know which items should and should not be sacrificed quality for price, your outfits will be more affordable and consistent to your style.

Real or faux? Items like leather, fur, designer handbags and accessories all come in wide ranges of prices considering the faux alternatives available today. Desired longevity and function is the most important thing to consider when choosing between the real and the fake. For instance, leather can be used as a staple item or an exchangeable accessory. Real leather is the natural hide of certain animals and the processes, such as stretching and drying, it undergoes is included in the price tag.

For long-lasting quality, real leather is usually the way to go. It is perfect for shoes, purses, jackets and wallets you will use all the time. Because of its natural composition, real leather scratches easier than most faux leather. Faux leather can be treated more easily in the manufacturing process to have better abrasion resistance and applied finishes to avoid damages. True leather maintains it dimensional stability better than most inexpensive fakes, but it can acquire creases and wrinkles from extensive wear. However, good leather coats or purses last for decades.

For comfort, real leather is almost always better, but it is limited in its aesthetics. Patent leather has a high-gloss finish that makes it appropriate for formal occasions or for a bold style statement. Patent and other faux leathers can do the temporary job of leather for a must cheaper price. If you are needing work or hiking boots, go with real leather - it can also be treated for maximum resistance to damage. Unless the feel of real leather is important to you, faux leather works fine for temporary purses or shoes.

Furs are a sensitive subject for some people, and because it is mostly warn for appearance in the South, it is good to know that faux fur works in all cases. Faux furs are impressive replicas of real fur with several digits in price difference. Fur as an accent to a hooded jacket or as a rim of boots does not need to be real because warmth is not its main purpose. Real fur requires great care, but faux fur can be laundered fairly easily.

Knock-off designer items usually can be determined by several characteristics such as color and fabric content. So if the name is what you are going for, saving up for the real deal will probably be worth the money to you. Quality is not sacrificed in most pricey designer items, either, so the lifespan will pay for itself. Many designer items now are available in trendy designs and colors that will go out of style with time. A tip for choosing expensive items is to get a neutral color or fabric or self-appoint a crazy style as a staple item within your wardrobe - you'll increase its personal value.

The most important thing to remember is to mix and match. Quality is important for staple items that will be worn a lot. For example, try buying a Michael Stars basic T-shirt instead of one a cheap one. An extra $25 will be the difference between color fading and losing shape and a shirt that will be a staple for years. Trendy items and accessories can be bought for less money and compliment the quality items perfectly.

Knowing the difference between "must-have" items and replaceable garments will save you time and money.

Natalie Johnson is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. Her column appears every three Wednesdays.