Inspirations: Kate Hudson in Almost Famous, Marc by Marc Jacobs "Into The Wild" Trench (shopbop.com), Metallic Charmer Dress (freepeople.com), Pink Sequin Jacket (dorothyperkins.com) and Rachel Weisz in The Brothers Bloom

I’m not a very adventurous shopper. I often see exciting colors, patterns, shapes and textures on other people and wish that I could pull them off myself, never taking the plunge. But something came over me this past weekend – maybe the 78 degree weather? – and I decided to take some fashion chances without overspending. **I found some great deals at Forever 21 and H&M, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find the exact pieces I bought on either Web site, so no pictures. They had plenty more in the store, though, so I’d check there if you’re interested.**

At Forever 21, I found an adorable super mini tunic with an intricate embroidered design on the front for around $20. It’s similar to the blue silk dress Kate Hudson wore in Almost Famous and the Metallic Charmer Dress by Free People. Ever since seeing Rachel Weisz’s awesome wardrobe in The Brothers Bloom, I’ve been looking for a long-sleeved boatneck tee with black and white stripes and an attention-grabbing leopard print trench coat reminiscent of the Marc by Marc Jacobs one on shopbop.com. It must have been my lucky shopping day, because I found a nearly identical long-sleeved striped top (around $12) and a perfectly fitted leopard print trench (around $30), both at Forever 21. And my last score of the day was a perfect little cropped, 3/4 length sequined blazer in a peach/beige/pink color I found at H&M for around $40. It reminds me of the pink sequined Dorothy Perkins blazer in the picture above.

It’s a new year, time for some fresh, risk-taking pieces!