Black surplice dress with gladiator heels - get the look for less.

The surplice dress continues to be one of the hottest styles for tops and dresses, probably because it's an almost universally flattering style.

But if you wander around your local mall, you'll find the prices can be a little steep. One of my favorite boutiques--if a bit on the high end for me--is White House/Black Market. They carry a version of the surplice dress in black that you've seen featured in O magazine, among other places, and it has a price tag of $148.00.

That's a little outside my budget at the moment, and probably is for you, too. However, you'll find an almost identical version of the dress at Newport News for just $49 (that's it pictured here in this post). Factor in any of several 15 percent off coupons that are easily found on a quick google search, and the deal is even better.

The surplice dress pairs beautifully with this season's strappy gladiator platform sandals, but those are often priced well into the stratosphere, too. A little savvy shopping will get you Steve Madden's Madden Girl Kenyaa sandals for an utterly reasonable $39 at DSW (with free shipping under their current promotion, using the coupon code MYSHIP).

With the dress and shoes coming in at around $90, you're saving at least 2/3 the price this outfit would run you if you went with the more expensive options (the option you see in the magazine features, specifically). If you have any cash left, you can pick up a handbag and jewelry for a few bucks more at Sam Moon, which I told you about a few days ago.

It's a look that transitions perfectly from day into evening, and you can put the whole outfit together for much less--just remember which stores and catalog companies carry similar pieces, and go on the hunt for the magazine-featured outfit that you adore, but pick it up for a fraction of the price.