BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

I often discuss ways to shop smarter with my French Wardrobe series, but for many of us, that means shopping on a budget. When Kohl’s challenged me to create a summer outfit for $100, I embraced the opportunity to prove that you can find closet-worthy pieces at any price point—and It helps that Kohl’s has fantastic sales to help you stay on budget. Nearly everything in the store was marked down 40% or more, making it fun to see just how far my dollar would stretch. Here’s what I fell in love with:

Candie’s sandals: $44.99 $24.99
My outfit actually started with these darling strappy sandals when I spotted them at Kohl’s in Louisville. My size wasn’t available at any of the area locations, but a quick store search showed a pair in a size 7 back in Madison. I wasn’t sure what I’d pair them with at the time, but I knew navy sandals would be a summer staple in my wardrobe and I adored they were by Candie’s. My mom had a pair of the brand’s signature heeled mules back in the ’70s and I remember fawning over the shoes in Jenny McCarthy’s ad campaign when I was a teen.

Peter Som for Kohl’s dress: $74 $44.40
There are dozens of darling white dresses at Kohl’s right now. I fell in love with this eyelet version from Peter Som’s Design Nation collection. The quality of the cotton eyelet is great and the ruffled hem gives it visual interest. Best of all, it has pockets.

Apt 9 crossbody: $34 $19.99
I was initially drawn to the punchy hue of this crossbody bag, but it was the practicality of the item that won me over. If you click over to see more images of it on the Kohl’s site, you’ll see that there’s plenty of room for your essentials, including a spot for your cell phone.

Apt 9 sunglasses: $26 $12.99
I had $10.62 my budget for my final item and opted for a pair of sunglasses. The sunglasses started at $8.99, but the subtle cat-eye frames of a slightly more expensive pair were most flattering. (Had I thought to sign up for Kohl’s emails before I shopped, I would have been able to save an additional 15% on my purchase.)

Total Spent: $102.47 | Total Saved: $76.62

Even though I went over by a teeny bit, I did receive a $10 Kohl’s coupon good toward any purchase in early June. That means I’m still $7.53 ahead, right? I’m planning to put it toward this set of stackable rings by Lauren Conrad.

Disclosure: I received a $100 gift card from Kohl’s for the purposes of this post. All opinions are my own.