10 Celebrities Who Prove That a Sense of Style Is More Important Than Money

The question often asked at red carpet events — “Who are you wearing?” — shows that Hollywood is all about the image of glitz and glamour. And celebrities are usually expected to strut in head-to-toe designer items or luxurious couture. But there are some stars who prove that style doesn’t always come with a hefty price tag.

Bright Side found 10 celebrities who were spotted in garments from retail stores or thrift shops, and we’re totally here for their practical and fashionable looks.

1. Sarah Jessica Parker is a huge fan of thrift stores.

Her character Carrie Bradshaw loves to splurge on luxurious clothes, but in reality, Parker is a bit frugal. The actress said she takes wardrobe cues from what she sees on the streets and subways, and thinks about how she can add her personal touch. “Honestly, thrift stores played such a huge part in my life before Sex and the City,” she added.

In a YouTube video, she described one of her looks from 1987 (pictured above), saying “Every single thing on me is from a vintage store, with the exception of whatever is in my hair.” Sometimes, she’s also seen taking her thrifted clothes for a spin, like this floral dress which she paired with another vintage shirt.

2. Kate Middleton often uses ensembles from a fast fashion retailer.

The Duchess of Cambridge was recently voted as the top royal fashion icon. Her style influence is so massive that they coined the term “Kate Effect,” which refers to the boost in sales for clothing labels after Middleton shows up in their pieces. Thankfully, even commoners like us can dress like a duchess, because some of her outfits are from a relatively affordable store — Zara.

Some of her talked-about OOTDs from the brand were the lace dress she wore back in 2012, and the Azure pleated blue dress, which was her outfit when she left for her honeymoon with Prince William. Even on official visits, she puts on statement pieces from Zara. But what we love more about her is that she is not afraid to repeat clothes, as some people pointed out when she seemingly wore the same black blazer twice (as seen in the photos above).

3. Blake Lively wore a $13 dress to her second movie premiere.

In one article, the Gossip Girl actress spilled the tea about this yellow tube dress — “I’m wearing a $13 dress from Forever 21. On the red carpet, people were like ‘Who are you wearing?’ But when I told them, they said I shouldn’t admit to it, like it was more impressive to have a designer gown that’s thousands of dollars.”

Because of the negative reception toward her “cheap” apparel, Lively was forced to fib about it. “I wore Forever 21 much longer than I admitted. I just started saying it was vintage because I was so shamed for it.”

4. Emily Ratajkowski slayed on the red carpet with a $50 dress.

The supermodel, who catapulted into fame after her stint in Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” music video, wore a dress that you can buy at the mall and made it look like an extravagant gown. This red, form-fitting frock only cost $50, and she happily revealed to her millions of Instagram followers that it was from Zara.

5. Kylie Minogue got her famous “gold hotpants” from a flea market.

The singer’s longtime friend shared that she and Minogue enjoy cheap thrills when it comes to clothes. “She and I love flea markets and vintage clothes — all the places you can find really unusual things nobody has.” And when she saw these tiny, shiny shorts being sold at a road market in West London for less than a dollar, she bought them. Neither of them expected that this bargain find would make waves in pop culture history after the singer wore them in her “Spinning Around” music video.

And despite her fame and status, the Grammy Award-winning artist has no qualms shopping in thrift stores. In 2009, she was reportedly seen at a Salvation Army store in Melbourne, buying a couple of dresses for less than $40.

6. Olivia Palermo owes some of her fancy looks to a budget-friendly label.

With an estimated net worth of $10 million, elite model, socialite, and fashion influencer Olivia Palermo can easily go for expensive brands. But during Fashion Week season, she chooses to style dresses from Zara. She also mixes pieces from there with her designer clothes, like this blazer that complemented her Roberto Cavalli gold dress.

7. Anne Hathaway promoted sustainable fashion with an OOTD from a flea market.

Turns out The Princess Diaries actress doesn’t require a royal wardrobe in real life. While promoting her 2017 movie Colossal on Good Morning America, her black dress with a colorful print caught the attention of the host, who asked her to share where it was from.

Hathaway promptly said, “This is a 15-dollar flea market dress,” which was met with applause from the live audience. The Academy Award-winning actress added that she wants to be more sustainable with her fashion choices, so she tries to wear vintage whenever she can.

8. Natalie Portman showed off her baby bump with an affordable maternity dress.

Moms-to-be can be stylish even with a growing belly, and that’s what the multi-awarded actress proved when she showed up in a $65 dress at a luncheon for Oscar nominees. According to Portman’s stylist, Topshop Maternity was their “top” choice for her preggy numbers. Apart from the economical price, this black dress also got Portman’s stamp of approval for its flattering and comfortable design.

9. Selena Gomez wore a denim jacket with a reasonable price tag.

The singer is often photographed wearing what appears to be her fashion staple — a denim jacket with fleece lining from the Topshop collection. Gomez matches it with a shirt and sneakers for a casual style, but she has also been seen wearing it over an evening gown and she pulled it off effortlessly.

Luckily, fans who are looking for the same versatile look won’t need to break the bank, because a quick look online shows that prices for Topshop’s denim jackets range from just $30 to $70.

10. Drew Barrymore proudly flaunted her metallic dress from a second-hand shop.

At the 2010 Nylon Magazine and Express event, the “Rom-com Queen” paraded around in a dress that looked high-end but was definitely not high-priced. This vintage, metallic dress (with an interesting back detail), reportedly cost $25. It was from a brand called “Janine,” and this fab steal came from a thrift shop in Austin, Texas.

What is your go-to clothing store, and how much do you think is a reasonable budget for shopping? Do you also have a thrift store find that you are quite proud of?