Teen Vogue has a slideshow on their site right now of “100 party-ready heels for prom.” Even though we’re well past our prom days, we still love a good pair of heels – whether we’re heading to a formal, going out, or just because. But after a few clicks, we discovered that Teen Vogue’s picks are way out of our price range. Miu Miu heels for $645?! Yeah, maybe when we win the lottery.

What high school girl buys $645 heels for prom? It seems ridiculous, especially when there are so many reasonable alternatives. Sure, Steve Madden is no Louboutin. But if you save a little money on your shoes, you’ll have the money you need to pay for other things. Like, you know, college. Check out the affordable alternatives we found to Teen Vogue’s pricey picks.

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Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. She is “that person” who starts dancing at a party when everyone else is standing around, and if there were a Facebook stalking Olympics, she would be a gold medalist. She also loves cheesy 90s music, and almost died of happiness when Vanilla Ice retweeted her. Once. Follow her on Twitter @garnethenderson.

[Lead image via Kalim/Shutterstock]

Wedges: they’ve been around forever, but this year they were an especially big trend for Summer. They’re great because you can easily switch out flat sandals with wedges to instantly dress up your outfit, and they’re more comfortable than regular heels. And what’s more, they look great with everything: jeans and a t-shirt, a cute sundress…even shorts!

While Hollywood celebrities can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on their staple summer wedges, college girls are on a much tighter budget. But I’ve found that there are plenty of great options out there for about the same as a movie ticket! Check out these great finds, each of which is under $20!

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Kate Moss is ridiculously beautiful, not easy to relate to, and more than a bit troubled…my favorite kind of celebrity. And one of the few celebs whose casual style is perhaps even better than her red carpet looks.  She somehow makes the simplest outfits look totally haute couture and runway ready.

Blazer, Shorts, Cami, Wedges, Bag, Hat, Sunglasses.

Who knew an all black outfit could look so carefree and perfect for spring? The monochromatic scheme of this look is my favorite part. Normally I’m all about pops of color, but sometimes it’s not necessary at all. The blazer is the perfect layer for spring, and underneath is a simple but adorable lacey tank that is a perfectly viable standalone piece. The shorts are a modest length, but still flattering and cute.

A pair of wedges is a great casual summer shoe (please, for the love of all things holy and fashionable, say no to flip flops). Kate’s big hat, round sunglasses, and crossbody bag with a chain strap are the perfect accessories to jazz the outfit up a little while still being understated.  This look is so basic, but still so visually captivating, and a great alternative to typical spring/summer fashion.

Need a little fashion pick-me-up? Get more celebrity style for the poor college fashionista here.

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Why should you have to give up feeling confident and sexy because those heels in your closet look better as a prop then when you try to wear them out? OK, so they make your legs look like the hottest stilts in the world, but how hot do you look waddling in them until you trip and smack your face on a keg and have a black eye for the first week of classes? Wedges could have saved my cousin.

And these are the hottest pair of the season. The lace up wedge is so on trend right now, and this Steve Madden pair just won’t quit. They have the awesome height, the sexified peep toe, and an added hole (peep heel?) in the back. The above-the-ankle cut makes them PERFECT for wearing with leggings to completely avoid the dilemma of wearing tights with exposed webbed toes; the legging will totally disappear under the lace-up ankle of the wedge and – voila – you’ve the appearance of opaque tights that allows you to show off the pedicure you splurged on.

Pair them with skinny jeans or the cropped high-waisted pants that are so in right now. When you’re tired of crawling to class with unbrushed hair and sweats and you want to look a little more presentable, these shoes are the way to do it without every girl in class glaring at you for having the audacity to wear a pair of heels to your lecture.

And when it’s no longer acceptable to wear your flip-flops to a party (was it ever acceptable?) because it’s getting a little nippy, you won’t have to walk home barefoot with your heels in your hand because wedges are just plain doable. They’re so comfortable, you can wear them all night long -  or at least until the cops break up the party. And when that happens, you’ll be passing all those girls in stilettos on your sprint home.

Love how your legs look in stilettos but hate hobbling home at the end of the night? This year, wedges are the answer.  No longer will you have to opt for flats, shove another pair of shoes into your bag, or take a cab 5 blocks to get home at the end of the night.  Wedges give you height and elongate those legs, but have more material pounding the pavement, meaning you don’t have to balance your weight on that super fragile ball of your food anymore. Hot legs + hot shoes + comfort? Be still my heart.

Even better (as if that were possible!), wedges come in all shapes, sizes, colors and styles. You can find some for day (hello, espadrilles!) or night. You can go basic to let your outfit do the taking, or incorporate this season’s hottest trends (animal print, bright colors, nautical??). Wedges really are the shoe for everyone, and I’d like to offer up a big “Thank You!!” to whatever fashion gods decided to bring ‘em back.

Ah yes, that time of year has arrived once again: shorts weather. You may love it, you may dread it, you may be torn between the two, but you can’t deny it’s upon us. And it’s time to shave your legs.

Even if you’re hating your pasty white, unworked-out legs these days, there will come a time in the near future that you’ll be so hot you’ll have no choice but to put on some shorts. And when that day comes, you’ll want to be prepared. Good thing there are tons of adorable shorts out there right now that will not only keep you cool this summer, but they’ll keep your wallet full, too. Below, 8 of my favorites.

It’s been a long, cold winter, but March and Spring Break are finally here! For those of you spending a week in a warm and sunny environment, here are some Spring-Break-I’m-going-to-paradise-and-I-need-to-look-cute-and-show-off-my-bangin-bod essentials for under $20.

And you know what that means: more margarita money.

Obviously, a bathing suit is the first thing on your list and Forever 21 has a great line of suits that are all $21 or less.  This is just one of my personal faves. The color will look great against your skin and you can pull off those straps easily to avoid an ugly tan line.

Chances are, if you’re anything like me, you’re white as a ghost and ready to look sun-kissed again.  But skip those harmful UV rays at the tanning beds and use this awesome spray tan from Vicky’s Secret.

And speaking of harmful UV rays, you’ll want to be sure to avoid those as much as possible if you don’t want to look like a raisin by the time you’re 25. So make it a point to slather on the sunscreen every morning before you hit the beach! Neutrogena’s sunscreen is consistently ranked at the top and the sheerness of it won’t leave you feeling sticky or icky, which means you can go from day to night easily and comfortably.

Cover-ups are great for those treks to the beach or pool and this one is cute enough that you can still feel sexy when you pop into bar for some beachside cocktails.

Flip flops are another beach necessity, so why not trade in those rubber ones for some that are stylish enough to wear for dinner or a night out on the town.  Once again, these make the transition from beach to party easy, and make the walk home from said party pain free.

You can’t go on vacay without some cute shades, but rather than spending oodles on the hottest designer look, grab some that cost under $10 so you don’t flip when they get scratched by sand, swiped by the pool or taken by the ocean. (And at under $6, you can grab up a couple pairs so you have back-ups.) I love the retro feel of this pair and the fact that the large frames will protect your hungover eyes from that bright sun is just an added bonus.

Keep those premature wrinkles away and look chic doing it with a chic, floppy sun hat.

You’ll want your clothes to do double duty on Spring Break (so you don’t have to pay extra when your suitcase doubles the weight allowance for the flight) so a  tailored pair of denim shorts is key. These are casual enough to wear with your bikini, but the dark wash and added details are nice enough to rock with a pair of wedges and a tight tank for a night on the town.

If Punxsutawney Phil was correct this year, we now only have 3 more weeks of winter, which means we can soon wash away those winter blues and bust out those spring styles.  This year, Pantone’s top color will be turquoise, which is not only a fun, bright color that can be mixed with everything from neutrals to browns to other brights, but it looks great on nearly everyone.

And with Spring Break comin’ quick, now is the perfect time to nab some turquoise!

Here are some great choices under 20 buckaroos that’ll perfectly highlight spring’s most popular hue.

Sure, it looks like your average tank top, but that scoop neck and racer back gives it a whole new dimension. Put this on with a bright bib necklace and some skinny jeans for the ultimate summer look.

I dunno about you, but I’m def looking forward to busting out my flip flops and showin’ off my fresh pedi once the warm weather hits, and these (paired with the perfect tan) will look totally fab with shorts, jeans or sun dresses.  The ultimate spring/summer solution.

And speaking of pedis, how can you resist this awesome turquoise nail polish? It’s funky, fresh and different. Love it.

It’s like those designers at Target heard my prayers. Behold: the cutest romper ever. Both rompers and florals are sure to be everywhere this spring, and this one (notice those ruffles!) is just too cute for words.

Looking for just a burst of color?  Go for this floral cocktail ring.

Cute, colorful and comfy: your go-to summer skirt, for sure. Wear it during the day over a swimsuit with a white ribbed tank, or tuck in something a little tighter and a lot lower for an evening on the town.

These shoes will be absolutely A-dorable with leggings, skinny jeans or a skirt.

Colored denim will be back this season, so why not throw on some turquoise jeans?  With a white tee and sandals these would be totally cute and perfect for your first spring picnic, those last few weeks of the semester or even a casual dinner date.