The Budget Babe

We got to snap some pics of two items from Simply Vera, designer Vera Wang's soon-to-launch affordable clothing line for Kohl's: A black patent purse and a gold chain bracelet w/heart charm...click the photos and check 'em out!




Update 9/8/07: Simply Vera is in stores now, and we got prices: the purse is $69 and the bracelet is $175 (sterling silver w/18k gold plating)
Related link: Get Pumped: Vera Wang for Kohl's Print Campaign Pics

We typically avoid the color purple. When given the option, we almost always choose pink or red instead. This holds true for everything from Popsicles and bubble gum, to clothing and home decor. Not exactly sure why this is...perhaps one too many sour memories of a big purple PBS dinosaur from our past ::shudder::

Yet in the case of this purple jeweled backpack, we are absolutely in love with the royal color—which also happens to be one of this fall's hottest hues. It's high-glam attitude is punctuated by sparkling rhinestones and metallic gold trim. In short, fabulous.

Plus, it makes carrying the comfortable, though rarely chic, backpack entirely acceptable. Just keep the rest of your look to a minimum—in fact, we'd recommend wearing this purple gem with jeans and ballet flats. It's the perfect bag to carry all your essentials during the day and into the long night.

And, it won't tell you children to play nice.

Jeweled backpack from Victoria's Secret, $68

Cultural and archaeological treasures abound in a land steeped in history. The Budget Babe's International Shopping Advisor Fifi LaMode takes us on a tour of Syria. —TBB


by Fifi LaMode
One of my favorite Middle Eastern destinations is Syria. Forget what you hear on TV (Fifi doesn't do politics) this is a great country. Damascus is the oldest continuously populated city in the world, over 5,000 years old. The Old Town is a maze of little streets which requires a guide to navigate (we tried and almost lost each other in addition to losing our way when we tried to find a rug shop we visited earlier).

The Ummayad Mosque is one of the most sacred places in Islam; it's where Christ is supposed to appear at the end of the world. It also houses the head of John the Baptist (nope, not for public display). Nearby is the tomb of Saladdin, revered by Muslims as a paragon of chivalry. Did you know he was Kurdish? Neither did I. There's also a statue on the spot where Saul of Tarsus was allegedly struck down and saw the light, and became St. Paul.

Houses look derelict from the outside only to reveal lovely courtyards with mosaics, fountains and flowers. The shops in and around the Old Town sell little tables with inlay which you can take apart and carry on a plane (clever!) and damask cloth (Damascus, damask, get it?), a rich brocade in deep colors.

Our favorite purchases were antique Persian prints on a papyrus-y paper (If you buy one, they can put it in a frame on the spot. Do so, as a decent frame here will cost you many times what you paid for the print.) These prints are delicate and lovely and make wonderful gifts, and they pack easily into a carry-on. Other things to buy are colorful glass vases in all shapes and sizes, and silver mirrors. Fragrant herbs and spices, almonds from Jordan, dates, figs, olives, all can be purchased at a fraction of what you'd pay in other Middle Eastern countries.

Bureaucrats have banned everything from foie gras to trans fats, and now they're putting their nose in another place it doesn't belong:

From The Wall Street Journal: "School districts in Rhode Island, Minnesota and Massachusetts have recently launched public-service campaigns that target fragrances as potential allergens.

The proponents of curbing or banning fragrances in schools—mostly school officials and legislators in different states—argue that excessive use of scents can trigger asthma attacks and cause headaches. Some workplaces and schools have scent bans in Canada, where strong odors have long been viewed as an air-quality issue."

These proposed fragrance bans come at a time when perfume makers are marketing more and more scents towards teens.

Gotta say, as much as we loathe the smell of high school guys masking body odor with Axe or teen girls bathing in dizzying dollar-store perfumes, an outright ban seems like an infringement on people's rights.

We don't mean to put our noses up to the potential health risks of fragrances (yeah, we've heard of those phthalates in fragrances that have been shown to lower testosterone levels in males), but we think more research is needed to prove whether perfumes are a nuisance or indeed a real threat to public health.

What do you think: Do bans on scents make sense to you?

by The Budget Babe's Beauty Expert
Just yesterday while looking to compare prices for a set of mineral makeup (which I will be reviewing and letting you ladies know about in a couple of weeks!), I stumbled upon a worthwhile beauty piece on –gasp- Ulta.com! While in past visits their site has lacked any kind of journalism, I found myself totally enthralled by a series of small articles on the makeup and hairstyles of decades past.



Though not earth-shattering, these little snippets are a fun history lesson on the ladies that have come before us. I recommend checking out the site both for the history of the past as well as advice, tips and tricks for the present. Oh, and once you’re there you’ll notice they also have a contest to win a $1,000 dollar shopping spree! Very nice!

Check out trends in makeup, hair styles and fashion through the decades. >>

So what do you think, ladies? What decade do you wish you had lived in so you could have sported their beauty practices?

The Bagsnob recently alerted us to a bit of fashion insanity: Coach has put a $10,000 pricetag on its Legacy collection Alligator bag.

Those who commented on the post were justifiably shocked and befuddled, and demanded to know if the execs at Coach had lost their minds.

We, too, wondered if they'd gone off the deep end, but were determined to uncover the method behind their madness—and we found at least one good explanation on WSJ.com (Ok, maybe not good but certainly apt): Luxury brands apparently need to create high-priced anchor items in order to fool consumers into purchasing their lower-end, and hence "affordable luxury" items instead.

In other words, the lovely people at Coach would like you to covet the 10k gator bag, then satisfy your needs by purchasing a $200 Coach hobo bag instead as a sort of consolation prize.

This reasoning makes sense to us, because we've succumbed to this sort of thinking ourselves. We've certainly bought designer sunglasses or t-shirts or keychains just to get a piece of the action. And apparently, that's exactly what designers want us to do. According to the WSJ article, "accessories like sunglasses, fragrances, and logoed belts drive the sales of companies like Gucci and Louis Vuitton."

We've also been tempted to buy Marc by Marc Jacobs because it's cheap compared to Louis Vuitton, or Miu Miu compared to Prada, and well, the list goes on.

Our advice for outmaneuvering marketers is to simply know your budget, know your values and then stick to them. It's hard not to draw comparisons, but if your budget for a winter coat is $200, then don't buy a $300 designer coat just because it's on clearance at a sample sale.

But what about you? Are you swayed by the astronomical pricetags of certain designer goods? Is your frame of reference a blur because of them?

Let's face it: No one gets ready in the morning saying, "I want to look poor today." Right?

The truth is we all want to look like we have something—whether it's great taste, impeccable breeding, or a rockin' hot body—but considering the recent surge in luxury goods sales, we'd say most people today want to look rich.

So what makes someone look wealthy? These days, it's anyone's guess...but if higher education has taught us anything, it's what Old Money looks like. This list if far from being exhaustive, but here are a few ways to help you look like you come from Old Money:

1. Wear classics. It sounds cliche, but by sticking to classics (and that includes modern classics like well-fitted jeans) you'll be well on your way to looking rich. Go for classic fabrics—cotton, cashmere, tweed, wool—while avoiding polyester at all costs. J. Crew, Banana Republic, L.L. Bean, the Gap, even Target are all fair game as long as you stick to classics. Understatement reigns supreme.


2. Pay attention to grooming. Skin, teeth, hair, nails and toes should all be well-maintained (in that order). Clean, neutral makeup, natural looking highlights and neutral polish manicures (with medium to short length nails) all look rich.


3. Wear an expensive watch. If you can't afford a classic Cartier or Franck Muller, go for a classic Timex or Swiss Army timepiece.


4. Wear good shoes, and keep them in good condition. Anything leather or European is good; high-end comfort brands are also very popular, like Tsubos and Campers. If you're a teen, you can wear sneaks and they can get as grungy as you want.


5. Carry an expensive classic designer handbag. Shop outlets and overstock.com if necessary. Something leather, nothing flashy, no large visible logos. Fellow rich friends will recognize your bag without having to see the brand.


6. Wear elegant sunglasses. Again, no gaudy logos are needed. When in doubt, go for classic retro black shades.


7. Never pay retail. The rich get and stay rich by saving, not spending.


8. Keep jewelry to a minimun. Diamond studs can be worn daily or with a little black dress.


9. Skip the tattoos. They're just not rich.


10. Hang out with rich people. Generally speaking, this is the best way to study and imitate the way they dress, since they typically avoid trends or what you see in magazines and on the Hollywood crowd, and rather create their own understated versions of trends. For example, brightly-colored Lacoste polos, Birkenstocks or the Tiffany 'Bean' may have their moment in the old-money fashion spotlight for a year or so (old-money's version of a trend lasts longer than one season.)