From the Catwalk to the Sidewalk: How High-End Fashion Influences Your Low-End Prêt-à-Porter

If you're Kimora Lee Simmons, the cast of "Gossip Girl," or even Anna Wintour, you know the best place in the world to be is New York City when Fashion Week starts. Why? It is the premiere event for fashion. And you will probably never go.

Most people will never get into a show in their lifetime. They can't afford the clothes, nor would they wear them in public if they ever could afford them. So, your question is probably why you should care about fashion. You, the average, everyday man or woman, has been inspired by most of the pieces on the runways. You didn't know it

Whether it's the hot "It" items, or the trendy color, or the trendy design, you will find that it trickles its way down to the more affordable stores. Have you been to H & M lately? What about Old Navy? Forever 21 perhaps? I know ... Target? Yes, well thank those overpaid designers like Poenza Schouler and Issac Mizrahi for the fashionable (and affordable) clothes on your back right now.

Meet the Proenza Schouler blouse for Fall 2008:

Nice, isn't it? This blouse will run about $600. Would you wear it on the street though? Probably not. So, how do you take this little number to the sidewalk?

Now, as a personal style tip, I don't care for the bows on shirts. The bow has become a staple on the runway this year. If you're a bow girl, go for it. If you want something a little different, tie it like a regular men's tie ... with a double Windsor knot. It's a little bigger, but it will be a risk worth me looking at.

Let's try something else a little harder to take from the runway. Have any of you seen the Dolce & Gabbana Metal corset?

Very couture, right? Well, let's assume that you can afford this lovely item. How would you wear it? I think this is a perfect item for cocktail hour, or a night out on the town. Definitely Evening kind of wear. Try mixing it into this style below for a little added edginess to your wardrobe. This is just a simple dress, and all the accessories you can match up at a local department store. On a cooler evening, I would get a nice trench, very slim and thin fabric, leave it untied, and put the corset over it as a belt. Just play with the look.

I will tell you the greatest, and easiest secret to turning runway fashions into expressway fashions. Listen closely. Never wear an entire runway look. Take the overall message of the fashions. If metal is in...find some metal accessories and add them to your wardrobe. If the new color is purple, then find a purple blouse, or purple jewelry, or something like that. The point of the runway in your everyday clothes is influence, not completely imitation. You should be picking bits an pieces of the runway into your clothes.

Here's a photo from this year's Fashion Week. Now stop for a minute and think about what she's wearing. It looks nice on a runway, but who would look just as good walking down the street in it? I think no one. So, how do we fix it? See that vest? Wear it. But here's what you do differently. Take a good pair of black heels, find a white t-shirt that is much smaller, and pull off that look. Get your hair in a low ponytail, and find some dangling earrings. A black chunky bracelet and a skull rocker ring wouldn't hurt the look either. See? That wasn't so bad.

This one was a fairly easy try, but I want to you to get in the habit of looking at clothes as pieces, not an entire look. It is not an entire look until you have it on your body, and it looks good. Got it? Think you can do it with something a little harder? Let's give it another try.

Remember what I said. Stop. Take a look at the entire outfit. Now, break it down piece by piece. Find what works and what doesn't. Then, think about why certain pieces don't work. What makes them inappropriate for everyday wear. Now, can you fix those problems? Hint: the answer is almost always yes, so don't automatically dismiss an outfit. That's a fashion coward.

Did you find everything you needed? Let's see. So, you stopped and took a look at the clothes, right? What did you see?

Wrong! Here's what you should have taken from this photo. First, if you notice, all the girls are wearing jewel tones. That is big this season. Did you see the Emmy Awards last night. Many women were wearing these colors. There's your first style choice. Secondly, you should have noticed that all colors were mixed with black and gold, which should help you find the right accessories. And patent leather ... the shoes, the bags, the belts. Love it. Wear it. Look great with it. And all the garments show the neckline, not the cleavage. This season is a bare neck and shoulders. These are the best parts of woman, and should be on display because it's them last parts to go if they look good on you. I'd even venture to suggest the ankle boots. It's a more French style, but it is all over the runway and the sidewalk. Short skirts, legging, both paired with ankle boots. Get used to it. It has been coming harder and harder since the Devil Wears Prada. The one below is Miu Miu, patent leather. They're from 2007, but patent leather hasn't made its way out yet, so you're still good.

Here's to style. Cheers!