How to buy luxury items without a luxury budget

There are high-end products within our reach – more so than a full size designer bag anyway

Michael Kors’ success is in part due to the popularity of its small leather items (Getty)

Having really great but equally really expensive taste is both a blessing and a curse, especially at this time of year. Is there a way to appease a high-end palette on a budget this holiday season?

While designer logos brandished over clothes and bags can be tasteless for those with a penchant for upscale ephemerae, when executed well, there is a certain thrill that comes with high-end products.

Luckily, fashion brands are rethinking their overarching strategies in an effort to keep with the times and gain new customers. The solution? A tiered approach to selling that means we can all afford a little bit of luxury.

The market term for this is “entry level product” – in other words, a cost-conscious way to buy into a designer brand. Higher-end add-ons like key chains, wallets and cross-body bags all contribute to the sales of small leather goods and accessories peaking around Christmas. It’s open season alright and when it comes to bijou buys, the more micro and adorable, the better.

Before now, beauty has been the primary means for luxury labels to meet the superfluous needs of the masses but for fashion-conscious customers, a bottle of the same old scent or a lippie just isn’t going to cut the mustard.

Instead, items that are justifiable and practical serve to establish a life-long relationship between luxury brands and consumers. They’re by no means cheap but they’re things we will use every day and more importantly, they’re within our reach – more so than a full size designer bag anyway.