Best Store for Shopping on a Budget: Francesca's Collections

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• Photo: Carolina Mariana for Racked
• Photo: Carolina Mariana for Racked
• Photo: Carolina Mariana for Racked
• Photo: Carolina Mariana for Racked
• Photo: Carolina Mariana for Racked
• Photo: Carolina Mariana for Racked

On October 16, our fourth annual Racked Awards gala celebration is taking place in NYC, where we'll toast our country's best and brightest retail stars. We'll announce one winner daily leading up the party. When shopping on a budget, stores like Forever21, Target and H&M are usually the first to come to mind, but there's another store we love for cheap thrills— Francesca's Collections. There everything is under $100! Apparel prices are usually around $30 to $45, handbags $70 and under, and jewelry $35 and under. You of course get what you pay for, so you'll see a lot of synthetic material, but the look can often pass for something more expensive.

Little known fact, the store is actually a chain with five locations in the city, but each shop feels more like a cozy boutique than a mass retailer.

Of all the items at Francesca's Collection, the accessories are definitely the highlight. The store always has a huge selection of necklaces, bangles and rings (and promotions often), so you'll be able to find that one statement piece that updates your look for a lot less than you might spend elsewhere.
· Francesca's [Official Site]
· Racked Awards 2014 [Racked Chicago]