Makeover candidate Kara has high fashion taste but a book keeper's budget. For an upcoming vacation with some "friends with money", Kara has asked for our help in finding a fashion-forward vacation look.

   Our Style Mission

Our mission is to find fashion-obsessed yet cost-conscious Kara a trend-setting vacation look that she can make work in her real life, on a very real budget of only $500. It’s cheap chic!

Our guest expert is Janice Dickinson, self-proclaimed world’s original supermodel, and fashion’s queen of mean. She had these tips for us:

• Anyone can look great on a budget. It starts with the proper attitude.

• Fashion is all about having fun. It’s important to go out with your girlfriends, drink a glass of wine, spend money. Have fun!

• She should look as sharp and put together as possible.

   Our Look Book

To achieve a chic (yet secretly cheap) warm-weather vacation look for Kara, we planned on a great jean, wedge shoes, and an edgy top.

Our strategy: visit some local independent boutiques that specialize in smaller designer brands. Some lovely dresses (on sale!) nearly got us off track, but in the end, we stuck to our original plan.

Outfit details

• Black & white pattern sleeveless top by Mia Melon: $100 at Twigg & Hottie (Main St., Vancouver)
• Light wash “Lune” jeans by Made in Heaven: $262 at Violet Boutique (Granville St., Vancouver)
• Betsey Johnson silver peep-toe heels: $79 at Lord’s Shoes (Granville St., Vancouver)
• Black hobo-style tote bag: $54 at The Barefoot Contessa (Main St., Vancouver)
• Brown sunglasses: $21 at The Barefoot Contessa
• Black flower ring: $14 at The Barefoot Contessa

   Expert opinion from Janice Dickinson:

• On the top, the armpit area is not attractive because it gapes. Also, the style of the top with the stretchy waistband gives the illusion of a “muffin top” (extra flesh spilling out over top of your pants’ waistband). 

• Glasses are to-die-for, shoes are to-die-for. The bag alone looks $500! (I’ll take one in every colour!) 

   Did our style picks make the “Do List” or “Don’t List”?

Kara thought we did a perfect job. She felt we nailed her silhouette and her style, and she’s excited to wear her new clothes on vacation.

Our style expert Janice Dickinson gave us a “dressing down for the outfit, but at least we got the accessories right!

Tips we learned on this show:

• You must always have great shoes to complete an outfit. (Janice Dickinson)

• It’s important to consider body proportions: shoulder to hip, waist to heel. It’s important that the fit is right. (Janice Dickinson)

• When you’re buying jeans, don’t forget to look at the crotch area and the booty to make sure they’re fitting right, and not highlighting unwanted areas. (Janice Dickinson)

   Other Show Segments

• Style Tips: Rejuvenate Old Jewelry
• Style Tips: Replica Designer Handbags
• Buying Tips: Eyeglasses & Sunglasses

Please note: opinions expressed about fashion and beauty in this article are just that: our opinions. Feeling beautiful on the inside is what matters most, but we like to do what we can on the outside too.