Great Cheap Clothes

They can be intimidating with their loud music, hip youngsters and unorganized clothes as far as the eye can see, but stores like H&M, Uniqlo, Zara and the latest American import Top Shop have really good deals on really good clothes. You just have to be willing to brave it. Sure, shopping at Bloomindales or Bergdorffs may be a more pleasant and relaxed experience, what with their soft music and cucumber-infused water, but with the cheaper chain stores there's no anxiety over dealing with a snooty staff (because the staff wont bother you) or spending cash you don't have on something you might not like the following year. So, go for it. Take a walk on the wild side. Get a stylish trench for under $100 or a flouncy skirt (you wouldn't have necessarily bought) for $30. And relax. Its just fashion.

H & M

The mother of all cheap, trendy-but-not-trashy (Were looking at you, Forever 21) stores. H & M carries everything from jackets to dresses to shoes to bags to jewelry to pajamas It truly is a one-stop, affordable shop. H & M is one of our favorite stores because their clothes are well-made and stylish without being over-the-top. (Of course, if you look hard enough you can find over the top clothes here.) Were inclined to buy items here that we wouldnt necessarily purchase at pricier department stores. They have amazingyes, were using that wordparty dresses and trenches. (Not to mention, Lanvin now has an H and M collection. Past designers include Roberto Cavalli, Karl Lagerfeld and Madonna)

You can walk in with a few hundred dollars in your pocket and leave with bags of great clothes. They might not necessarily be in style in a few seasonsbut youll be okay with that. Each store has different things, and you cant buy online (but you do get your own virtual model who tries on for you), so your best bet is to check out one of their bazillion locations.

Zara

Garnering more popularity in the States in the past few years, Zara started in Spain in 1975 and has been in the U.S. since1989.

Zara is another store where quality isnt sacrificed for price. They have a huge selection of clothes, shoes and bags; and their stores, at least in our experience, are always well-maintained, completely organized and not intimidating to shop at. (aka, no blasting music or throngs of texting teens) The store has a good selection of basics that can usually be found on the first floor. (We got a pair of light blue harem pants in one of their Rome stores that we lived in this summer.)

We particularly fancy this leopard print dress thats under $60!

Oh, and this fur-front cardigan for under $90!

Hello, holiday parties!

Uniqlo

Uniqlo is a Japanese designer, specializing in casual wear. Dont expect to find look-at-me trendy pieces here. This is the perfect shop for basics like cardigans, button down shirts and function-over-fashion (warm) jackets. Their prices are extremely affordable and they carry menswear, as well. Their only US store is in SoHo, New York City, but they have been known to have pop-up stores (in New York City) as well. Their other stores are in the UK, China, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. If this retail store follows in the footsteps of its predecessors (Hello, H & M in every mall in America!), get ready to find one in your town soon.

Top Shop

The most recent, and perhaps most funky, retail import from the U.K. Top Shop (as of now) is only in New York City (SoHo, to be exact), but you can buy online. They have a gorgeous selection of super-stylish dresses, skirts, tops and pants, as well, as more basic staple items. (Also, they have a great accessories section.) The store is rife with loud hipster music, and even louder hipster clientele. Dont be shy though, if youre in the area, take a gander. Youll surely leave with something great.

Were dying over this faux leather belted trench.