The Budget Fashionista

Last fall, I asked TBF readers to send us an email about their favorite budget beauty products. We got so many great emails detailing your love for old school brands like Olay and Ivory Soap and relative newcomers like Black Opal and Rimmel London, that we put together a little tip sheet for the site. If you have a favorite budget beauty product that must be on the list, then contact us. Who knows, it may become our favorite, too. …

As a bargain shopper, I spend a lot of time in messy, disorganized stores. Even though great deals can be found in these stores, I must admit some stores get on my last nerve (hello, Daffy’s could you at least ATTEMPT to pick the clothes up off the floor) So, here’s some tips I’ve gathered over the years to help me shop a disorganized store. I’m always looking for new tips, some please feel free to add your own in the …

• 1. Go on a weekday before 11 am. It is usually quieter and cleaner because the store has just opened.
• 2. Have a clear goal in mind. Looking for shoes? Looking for a coat? Knowing what you want will save you some time.
• 3. Eat before entering the store and carry a bottle of water. Disorganized stores are almost always very hot.
• 4. Look for alternative locations. For example downtown locations tend to be less crowded on a weekend and suburban location tend to be less crowded on week day mornings.
• 5. If possible, don’t carry a purse, hat or any other accessory. It will just get in the way, and you might lose it.

A reader just emailed regarding tips on cleaning the rope of old espadrilles and since espadrilles are very “in” this spring/summer, I thought some of you might be able to use this tip. Q: Does anyone know how to clean the rope of “old” espadrilles? A: Mix a little laundry detergent in a small cup or bowl and use an old toothbrush to clean the rope. The toothbrush will be able to get into the cracks of sole and without …

TBF reader Ronica sent me tips products she uses to preserve her manicures: Sticky (that’s what it’s called) base coat ($5.99 at your local drugstore).  A coat or two of this and my polish lasts WAY longer. Seche Vite top coat ($7.00. Gives a glass-like shine, makes polish last much longer, and dries it with in a minute or two. This stuff is gold!) Have a cool tip? Please feel free to send it along.

Last week, we got the lowdown on your picks for best bra on a budget. Seeing as you had so much to say on that topic, we’re thinking you’ll have plenty to share on another hot topic for fashionistas everywhere: body shapers. Spanx are the gold standard, it seems, but aren’t what we’d call super budget (though their Assets line at Target is a budget do). So, do tell: What’s your best find for keeping things smooth and shapely, without …

As winter marches on, we find it more crucial than ever to have a great moisturizer in our budget beauty arsenal. It’s easy to be tempted to spend too much, but the truth is, you don’t need to. Angela, for example, is swearing this year by Pond’s Mend and Defend Intensive Protection moisturizer (with SPF 15 of course)—it’s rich but not greasy, keeps skin hydrated all day, and smells pretty good, too. For under $10. What’s your favorite budget moisturizer? …

Sure, sunscreen can be had on the cheap—but we want one that A) works, B) stays on as long as humanly possible, and C) smells more like a Hawaiian vacation, less like Aspercreme. But we don’t intend to pay a small fortune to satisfy those reasonable demands, and that’s where you come in. You tell us—what’s your favorite effective, long-lasting, awesome-smelling sunscreen for less? An updated standby: Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen Lotion, $9.99, Walgreens.com

Sure we could spend a bajillion dollars on a pair of designer sunglasses (or toss our money away on renting a pair), but we’re pretty confident that chic sunglasses can be had for less. As a matter of fact, we know that Target keeps us pretty stylish under the sun, and Angela’s even found a pair that she swears by at Walgreen’s (they’re cute—really!). We may be missing something however, so we’re asking you—what’s your favorite source for super stylish …

For some, the belt is a minor wardrobe element—something that performs a function more than makes a style statement. But, as budget fashionistas, we should remember that a cute/trendy belt is one of the best ways to update those old pieces without shelling out big bucks. The problem is, sometimes finding a great belt that’s cheap, but doesn’t look cheap, is a challenge. Of course, Target is our go-to belt spot, but the selection is kind of hit-or-miss (though Angela …

Since spring, dresses have been back with a white hot vengeance, which we’re still totally happy about. But here’s the hitch—dresses are the kind of item that, since you can’t mix and match to change it up too much, are somewhat limited in terms of cost-effectiveness. This doesn’t mean don’t buy ‘em—it just means shop with care (always good advice anyway). We have our favorite sources—eDressme.com, for example, always has a nice selection of $99 and under dresses for party …

While we’re all about focusing on natural beauty, sometimes a girl just needs a little help to look her best, in the form of some kind of tool that heats, dries, straightens, cleanses, trims, shaves, exfoliates . . . well, the list goes on. If you’ve ever set foot into a beauty supply store you know you could spend a small fortune on an arsenal of beauty tools, but you didn’t really want to pay off those college loans anyway, …

Some of us here at TBF are women of color, and some of us are not. Regardless, anyone who’s spent a little time learning about the beauty industry knows that the make-up made for the masses is generally not geared towards the skin tones of women of color. The big brands have done better as of late—like Cover Girl’s Queen Collection -- and Kathryn, of course, has referred readers to brands like Black Opal (specifically for their great foundation) in …

Organic, natural, green, eco-friendly—all catch phrases in both the fashion and beauty industries right now, which means navigating the products produced under those labels can be, well, confusing. We like the idea of greening up our beauty routine, but getting organic/natural beauty products on a budget can be a challenge indeed, and knowing which ones we should pick up can be even harder. Kiss My Face is one line we like, with products that are deemed “natural” but aren’t too …

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 …

Green fashion and budget shopping—two phrases that don’t seem to go together easily. Finding green, or organic, or eco-friendly, clothing to begin with isn’t easy—but finding it without a gasp-inducing pricetag? Well, we’re just about stumped. Urban Outfitters has their Urban Renewal line, which is made from re-purposed fabrics and materials, but we’re not convinced it’s truly budget ($48 for a Knit Halter? Not exactly cheap). So tell us—have you found a great source for green fashion on a budget? …

As you know, we’re an equal opportunity blog around here—meaning we looove to hear from you. If you’d like to see what your fellow readers are talking about, check out these hot threads at The Budget Fashionista’s very own reader forum: ~ Gearing up for some serious fall fashion? Tell fellow readers what fall trends you’re looking forward to, in our August Hot Topic thread. ~ How does the “mature" fashionista accessorize? Find out what other readers think, and put in …

Don’t forget—TBF is on Facebook too! Join us at The Budget Fashionista Fan Club.

We’re still in fashion overload after watching the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics (because you know we’re watching for the uniforms—like the Ralph Lauren-designed US team ensembles), but all this Olympic frenzy got us thinking perhaps it’s time to update our own athletic gear (just in case we actually leave the computer long enough to exercise). Style and athletics has long been a tough balance to strike (um, just ask Venus and Serena Williams), and doing it on a …

Get the latest buzz from readers on the TBF forum: ~ Most of us suffer for fashion in one way or another, but some more than others apparently as readers share their fashion limits. ~ We’ve all had plenty of time to play with the latest beauty offerings this season, so readers are dishing on their can’t-live-without summer beauty products. ~ This discussion’s only just begun but forum readers want to hear your take: Does anyone care about celebrity fashion anymore? …