Save vs Splurge: Summer Must Haves

I can hardly believe that summer is literally weeks away - but so is Big Brother and that screams summer! Does anyone else LOVE having that to watch all summer long?? I've done a few save or splurge comparisons before (check them all out here!) and they're always one of my favorite things to do! I tend to splurge more on bags, shoes and accessories and save more on clothes - but I know some people are the exact opposite so I tried to put together a nice mix of both. I found some really fun finds for summer that are trending like crazy right now and I must say, I'm so excited about the dupes I found! There's a pair of gemstone earrings that are $32 and nearly identical to a pair that are the real deal and over $3,000! Just super fun, summer musts - check them all out and see what you'd add to your closet!
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Distressed Denim Shorts ($41) vs. Rag & Bone Distressed Denim Shorts ($195) Zig Zag Diamond Ring Set ($40) vs. Zig Zag Rings ($525) Round Tortoise Sunnies ($16.99) vs. Round Jimmy Choo Sunnies ($475) White Rebecca Minkoff Tassel Crossbody ($138) vs. White YSL Tassel Crossbody ($995) Platform Espadrille Wedges ($149.95) vs. Rag & Bone Platform Espadrille Wedges ($450) Gemstone Drop Earrings ($32) vs. 18k Gemstone Drop Earrings ($3,750) White Lace Midi Slip Dress ($129) vs. White Lace Midi Slip Dress ($500) Sam Edelman Slides ($56) vs. Hermes Slides ($760) 'Talk to the Sand' Sun Hat ($17.99) vs. 'Talk to the Sand' Sequinned Sun Hat ($475) Tory Burch Logo Belt ($135) vs. Louis Vuitton Logo Belt ($575) Pom Pom Straw Tote ($48) vs. Pom Pom Embellished Straw Tote ($199) Black Scalloped Bikini ($26.99) vs. Black Scalloped Bikini ($143) Layered Gold Chain Necklace ($42) vs. Layered Gold Chain Necklace ($775)
Aren't these the best?! I love being able to find dupes of items that are a lot pricier - there's something so gratifying about it! ;) I love the similarities in the zig zag diamond rings - the $40 version of the set isn't real diamonds, but it's so fun for summer where, lets be honest, it isn't always ideal to be wearing 1. a lot of jewelry or 2. expensive pieces while touring a new city or sitting on the beach. The best part is mixing metals is super in style (I never thought I'd like it, but I really do now!) The more expensive version is $525 PER ring!
While they're all close, I can't get over how amazing this $27 scalloped bikini is! You can get both pieces for less than the $143 top. It even comes in a few colors! The other super similar dupe is this $17 pair of sunglasses that are nearly identical to their $475 counterpart. As for biggest trends, gold chain necklaces that are easy (and beautiful!) to layer are everywhere lately. There's a $775 version available here, but I really love the gold version that's under $50. Jewelry is fairly easy to find dupes of and while I love collecting "forever pieces", it's always nice to have costume pieces and fun look-a-likes.
A few things you've probably seen a LOT of lately - pom poms, these Hermes sandals and the prettiest (but super pricey) white lace midi dress. I love my "spice it up" beach tote (PSA: it's 33% off and only $199 right now!) but I was so excited when I saw this $48 dupe! I was really excited when I saw these cognac slide sandals because you really can't go wrong with slides this season AND they're such a great match for the Hermes pair! They're only $56 and so neutral that you'll be wearing them all summer long. You can save yourself $704 by buying the $56 pair and look just as cute. ;) I couldn't believe that the Hermes pair was 13x more than the cheaper dupe!
I could go on and on about these fun dupes ALL day (seriously... ;) but just one more to note - this adorable sun hat that's under $20 and a nearly exact dupe for the $475 version! There's a bunch of sayings to chose from and the only real difference between the two is the sequins. It's super fun, but not very practical at that price! These $17.99 hats are just as fun and seriously SO cute.
Which dupe is your favorite for summer?
XOXO -A