Designer Duds for a Song

Every year my husband and I attend a black tie charity gala. And every year I find myself asking the same agonizing question:

“What am I going to wear?”

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned it before — I’m cheap. It causes me great physical pain and emotional anguish to drop $200 on a cocktail dress I’ll only wear — at best — a handful of times. And, with the economic situation being what it is, it was pretty much a given I’d spend zippo on a new frock this year.

But, turns out, I did snag a new dress for the gala. It was a black, long-sleeved number that hit right about the knee and had a great plunging neckline. I love its versatility — I easily dressed it up for this event, but can also wear it more casually on a day-to-day basis.

Here, see for yourself. This is my husband and I before heading to the gala:

So…wanna know where I got it? Wanna know how much I spent?

Okay. Lean in a little.

Closer.

Seriously — this is top secret.

I bought it for $20 at Walmart.

That’s right.

In a sea of designer dresses and floor-length gowns, I rocked my $20 Walmart dress and no one was any the wiser.

Now, I realize talking about Walmart is a little risky — it being the Evil Empire and all — but when I heard ol’ Wally World was giving Target a run for its money by hiring big name designer Norma Kamali to design an affordable ready-to-wear line, I was intrigued.

So, I did some online research and learned the line was actually getting good reviews. I hopped over to the Walmart site and began searching through options. While a lot of the cutest pieces were sold out (having been released in Fall 2008), I stumbled upon this black dress for $20.

Now, it didn’t look like much. But women were writing reviews on it that said things like:

“This dress is amazing!”

“Fits me perfectly.”

“The fifth Norma Kamali dress I’ve bought, and I’m still happy with the price, fit and quality of each dress.”

I double-checked the web address.

We were talking about Walmart, right?

Other than tank tops and workout gear, I had never purchased any clothing from Walmart. But according to these reviews, I was missing the boat.

Now, I didn’t buy the dress with the intention of wearing it to a black tie affair. My wardrobe was actually in need of a long-sleeved dress option. So, I figured, “What the heck?” I could always return it to my local store. Plus, shipping was a paltry 97 cents. My grand total was just under $22.

When I received the dress, I was immediately struck by the fabric. It felt silky and draped nicely in my hand. With some trepidation, I headed in to try it on.

Y’all, I couldn’t believe it. Fit was perfect. Quality was pretty decent. And for the price? It was an absolute steal.

So, the night of the gala, I threw a silver shawl over it, dressed it up with a little bling and some killer stilettos, and asked my husband what he thought.

He was speechless. Walmart? Really?

Now, I’ve got to admit, I did wonder if the dress was going to last the night. I had visions of it ripping in the middle of the dance floor. But, turns out, all my worry was for naught. It held up beautifully.

Norma Kamali’s Walmart line includes both activewear and careerwear. Kamali is the designer behind the more expensive Everlast activewear brand you’ve seen in department stores and, similarly, her Walmart line boasts tunic sweatshirts, leggings and boot-cut jog pants. There are even organic cotton t-shirts for as low as $4. (I just placed an order for this and this.)

The careerwear line includes a variety of dresses, jackets, skirts and shirts.

But, be aware — the Norma Kamali line sells out fast and you’ll be hard- pressed to find it at all in some Walmart stores. Your best option is to read the reviews and order online.

I never thought I’d type the words, but Walmart successfully outfitted me for a black tie gala.

Go figure.

It’s nice to know that in a tough economy a girl still has some stylish (and affordable) fashion options.

Have you tried Walmart’s Norma Kamali line? What bargain fashion finds have you discovered of late?