The Budget Fashionista

There were three things you HAD to have in your closet in order to be cool in the 80’s: a pair of acid wash jeans, an off the shoulder sweat shirt, and a closet full of leggings. Fortunately, the fashion gods spared us the return of acid wash jeans and let the more fashion friendly black leggings return.  Black leggings are not only incredibly comfortable, but offer a great covering options for those days when you don’t have the energy …

Gray is this fall’s MUST have color. Whether a heather gray jersey dress like the one above (at Old Navy) or a steel gray cashmere coat, everyone should try to incorporate a bit of gray into their closets. Here’s some tips on how you’ll wear it: Pair a gray dress with a pair of bright red, pink, or blue stockings for retro 80s look (try Target’s Xhilaration line of stockings) Wear a gray suit with this fall’s hot new shoe, …

The wide belt is another accessory making a major comeback this fall. The belt, sometimes called an “Obi”, from the belt/binding used to hold a kimono in place, was poping up everywhere during NYC’s Fall fashion week—over sweaters, dresses and even winter coats.  How You’ll Wear it: - Over a grandpa cardigan sweater - Over a black fitted sweater and black pencil skirt - As a belt for your basic winter dress coat - To add a bit of color …

I recently heard two very disturbing fashion rumors: that stirrup pants will make a comeback next fall and that the Madonna half lace glove is coming back into style. I haven’t seen these trends on anyone yet and both bring me back to my insecure midwestern roots—I had an alarmingly large collection of stirrup pants when I worked at Lerners New York and a black lace glove I wore every day in middle school purchased for $.49 at JC Penney’s.  I …

There’s something about this fall’s new “it” jeans, the skinny jeans, that makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe it’s the fact that the jeans are a “camel-toe” incident waiting to happen. Or the fact that I know this style is going to be as abused as its lowrise sister. Whatever the case maybe, the skinny pant is here and there is nothing I can do about it.  And because I love you and only want what’s best for you, here is …

So you want to try the new shoe boot trend-but don’t want to spend a crazy amount of cash for a one season trend? Look no further than your local Target. Try the Isaac Mizrahi version, $36.99 at Target.com, in sizes 5/12 to 12. Yes, the Issac Mizrahi line of shoes at Target now go up to a size 12. I like to think that I had something to do with the increase in size. I know I probably didn’t—but let …

Like the movie “The Exorcist”, animal prints scare me. It’s not that I’m afraid that wearing a pair of animal printed shoes will make my head spin or make me start speaking in tongues. It’s just that I know it is going to be part of a long line of Fall 2006 trends that will be abused and misused. So here’s some tips that you MUST follow when trying out the Animal Print trend: ~ Wear only one type of …

It’s official, stirrup pants are back. Victoria’s Secret Fall Preview Catalog featured stirrup pants for $32.00 (Thanks Christie for the tip). Now, I must go puke… fashion advice fashion trends shoes fashion shopping weblog budget fashionista Clothing Fashion Expert budgetfashionista retro

Recently we reported on the charm necklace -- you know, sweet, pretty, delicate—and this week, the necklace trend? The bold, flashy, splashy statement necklace. Which could either be a major contradiction or just an indication that, style wise, this season you have plenty of freedom of expression. We’re going with the latter . . . Just remember, it’s all in the name. The necklace makes the statement, so the rest of the ensemble should provide a simple, chic backdrop. And …

Who’d have thought that your old paint-splattered t-shirt reserved only for DIY could become the trendiest item in your wardrobe? This season, designers have delved into their paint boxes and splattered blouses, dresses, skirts and pants with Pollock-like prints. Ad hoc expressionist designs were kept chic on simple shift dresses at Chloé, and Marios Schwab featured vivid prints on floaty chiffon dresses with edgy cut-out detailing, whilst Pringle of Scotland showcased A-line frocks fit for summer garden parties in fabrics …

What: The Rise of the White Dress What We Say: Okay, okay, we get it already! Everywhere you turn right now—and we do mean everywhere—you will find the white dress, on everyone from Jessica Simpson to Halle Berry. White dresses of all types, but primarily white sundresses -- from maxi to mini, empire waisted to shift to tank to bubble skirt, you name it. Truly, there’s nothing better to show off that golden glow (natural or otherwise), and it’s a …

Wait a minute . . . scarves? Sounds a bit wintery, doesn’t it? But we’re not talking grandma-knitted wool mufflers here—we mean something more along the lines of oh, say, Grace Kelly and Jackie O. Scarves, in our humble opinion, are a great style note that can add a little personality to any outfit without adding a huge charge to your credit card bill. Last fall, the graphic print silk scarf started to take hold, and we expect it to …

It seems the gray t-shirt dress is the latest mid-summer trend amongst the Hollywood set, and we can’t really argue with it’s comfort or ease. We can, however, argue against paying too much for one. Clearly, you don’t have to, and here’s proof: We’ve picked two t-shirt dresses—one carries a pricetag far too hefty for a slip of cotton, while the other just slightly easier on our bottom line. So which is which?

On the left, the high version, a Splendid Heather Gray Shirt Dress, $138, Fashion Chateau. On the right, a more budget-friendly option, a Lux His for Her Dress, $38, Urban Outfitters

What: Not ready to get back to black? Navy is another great neutral that’s not too heavy for the hottest part of summer . . . The Lowdown: Black will be hot this fall, but it’s still, well, hot, so summer is by no means over. An alternative neutral? We’re all about the navy—it’s summery (think nautical), classic, and easy to match. No, really—pair it with other neutrals (white, khaki, gray) or muted metallics (which are, of course, the new …

What: According to The Telegraph’s Style Page (and thanks to designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana) the head scarf may be poised for a return this fall. What We Say: To return, the headscarf would have had to have been popular sometime in the last 20 years or so, which, in mainstream circles, it has not. Does that mean it should be avoided? Not necessarily, but it’s not an easy look to pull off. Even The Telegraph’s …

What: The latest thing in fashion embellishment—fringes. What We Say: We thought maybe it was just us, but we’ve definitely noticed a significant increase in fringing lately, on everything from shoes to handbags to dresses . . . and as long as they’re not on the sleeves of a cropped purple suede jacket with giant shoulder pads, we figure they might be okay to try out. With the Roaring 20s being touted as the next big decade for fashion inspiration …

What: The decade inspiring fashionistas this fall? The Roaring 20s. This makes us happy. What We Say: A few days ago we talked about fringe being the latest embellishment trend, but this is the bigger picture: fringe is just part of the wave of 20s-inspired styles to come, and we are so very excited. Flapper-style dresses are already cropping up everywhere (fringe, spaghetti strap, drop-waist), along with cloche hats and art deco details. The thing about the 20s that we …

The latest scoop on men’s budget fashion from our stylish brother blog, See Jack Shop: ~ Love a guy in a leather jacket? Help the men in your life wear a leather jacket right, and on a budget, too. Everybody wins. ~ The See Jack Casio Waveceptor Watch giveaway continues—enter yourself or pass this post along to a guy you know who always seems to be running late . . . ~ Plaid is everywhere for fall, and that means …

Macy’s is where to head when you want stylish but not super-trendy items of decent quality, on a budget. We think all these picks (sorted by trend) will serve you well through fall and into winter, but if we only had to pick one? Those to-die-for Unlisted by Kenneth Cole Mary Janes—as a matter of fact, we’re counting out the stash from our summer change jar as we speak . . . The Mary Jane: Unlisted by Kenneth Cole “Club Style” …

We’ve spotted the distinctive colors and print of the proud bird on the streets, in stores, and on a beautiful dress Eva Longoria wore to the Cannes Film Festival a few months ago. The peacock print never fails to add pizazz to any outfit, whether it’s in a bold dress like Eva wore or in a pair of earrings . The peacock is a notoriously arrogant bird, but who wouldn’t be with such a naturally beautiful outfit? Since we’ll never be …