Spring ahead with this fresh denim-on-denim look

Introducing “Runway to Real Life,” a new Yahoo Lifestyle series where we will be choosing a Spring/Summer 2018 runway look and teaching you how to re-create and wear the look today — through current shoppable fashion and beauty products that deliver the perfect, fresh-off-the-runway look at a fraction of the price.

Whether it makes sense or not, the way the current fashion week structure works is that collections are always shown one season ahead — spring collections in the fall and fall collections in the spring. That’s at least six months of waiting time before you can actually shop a look you’ve just seen on the runway.

Although some designers have embraced a ” see now, buy now ” format, the vast majority of designers have not. What’s more, the price tags on designer runway looks alone are always sky-high, running hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

To help remedy these issues, Yahoo Lifestyle is turning three favorite Spring 2018 runway looks from New York Fashion Week into a shoppable, wearable reality. The first designer look we’ve chosen to re-create is from Kate Spade.

Kate Spade’s Spring 2018 collection was extra-special because the iconic American brand is celebrating 25 years in 2018. The collection was largely inspired by Americana and Southern charm, particularly centered around the vibrancy and liveliness of New Orleans and its colorful landscape in the Garden District, as well as its vivacious jazz scene. The collection itself carried out the city’s bohemian, relaxed sense of charm found through its soft palette of dusty-pink and strawberry shaded blouses and gingham dresses, as well as a mixture of floral prints and denim-blue hues spotted across tops, bottoms, and accessories.

Here’s a look at how we re-created the Kate Spade look into a real-life, wearable look for today.

Runway: Model wears a denim-on-denim ensemble — featuring a dark denim peplum jacket and a buttoned-up striped shirt tucked into a pair of vintage wash wide-leg trousers. The model’s accessories include a pair of gold statement chandelier earrings, a blue patchwork handbag, and striped embellished slides.

Real Life: Yahoo Lifestyle fashion and beauty writer Kerry Justich wears a similar dark denim cropped jacket and cropped wide-leg jeans from Topshop. To give it an edge similar to the peplum detail seen at Kate Spade, the jacket and jeans feature frayed edges along all their trimmings. Both denim pieces are priced under $120. For her shirt, we chose a striped blouse from Loft, which features a unique split bell sleeve that peeks through the jacket for an extra fashion-forward touch. For her shoes, we found a stellar pair of gingham knotted jewel slides from Nine West, which are reasonably priced at $79.

Since everything in the outfit thus far has been affordable, we decided to splurge on the final two accessories. We chose a geometric blue-and-white patchwork bag from Tory Burch and a pair of opulent 12k gold vermeil paillette earrings from Eddie Borgo. Re-creating runway looks is all about balancing the high with the low. If you are able to save money on some parts of the outfit, such as swapping the denim pieces for ones you already have in your closet, you can justify splurging on a higher-end accessory like a handbag or pair of shoes. But the key ingredient in this look is its broad versatility.

This Kate Spade-inspired outfit can take you through the week, from the office to dinner and from brunch to the museum — the options are endless. But the best news is that the look is comfortable, yet still classy. By choosing denim pieces that possess a little extra flair and pairing them with statement accessories and shoes, you can transform an ordinary denim outfit into a fashion-forward look.

Shop the “Real Life” Kate Spade SS18-inspired look below:

From left, clockwise:
Topshop Boxy Denim Jacket, $110, topshop.com
Topshop Indigo Crop Jeans, $75, available at Topshop, 608 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10020, or visit topshop.com for similar options
Loft Striped Tie Bell Sleeve Shirt, $54.50, loft.com
Nine West Rance Gingham Print Slides, $79, ninewest.com
Eddie Borgo Crisscross Pinned Paillette Earrings in 12k Gold Vermeil, $400, eddieborgo.com
Tory Burch Farrah Patchwork Tote, $399, toryburch.com

Makeup was kept minimal, dewy, and fresh for Kate Spade this season. To get this look, Sephora PRO artist Karoline Karakeosian starts by adding extra moisture to the skin with Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist. Next, use Sephora Collection PRO Foundation Brush #47 to blend Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation. Follow by contouring the face with Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Match Stix Trio, and use your finger to dab Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in Yacht Lyfe on lips and cheeks for a pop of color. For highlighting, use a damp Beautyblender to apply Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Opal on high planes of the face. Top it all off by curling eyelashes and adding a layer of mascara. Set the look with another layer of Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist.

For Kate Spade’s Spring 2018 presentation, models wore styles that remained true to their unique hair textures. The key to achieving this effortlessly chic ponytail is making it look “like there’s no thought involved,” according to Kérastase consulting hairstylist Matt Fugate. You want to keep it “tight at the top” and “billowy, voluminous” with the pony. Begin by applying Kérastase Elixir Ultime Nourishing Hair Oil along the hairline. Then, use a boar bristle brush to gather hair into a mid-ponytail — securing with a bungee elastic for a firm hold. Finish by scrunching hair oil on the ends to add shine, and massage temples with fingertips or a fresh toothbrush to accentuate flyaways.

Photographer: Priscilla de Castro
Visual editors: Casey Hollister, Nadeen Nakib
Beauty director: Dana Oliver
Beauty editor: Jacqueline Laurean Yates
Fashion editor: Julie Tong
Sephora makeup artist: Karoline Karakeosian
Kerastase hairstylist: Matt Fugate

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

? The complete fashion week trend guide for Spring 2018
? These designers really nailed it with their fashion week manicures
? The complete NYFW trend guide for Spring 2018

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.