Budget Fashion

She was named "Model of the Year" in 2007 by the British Fashion Awards and tapped as one of the world's next supermodels by Vogue on the cover of their May 2007 issue. British model Agyness Deyn, whose real name is Laura Hollins, has taken the fashion world by storm with her platinum blond pixie haircut, lanky boyish figure and rock-chick aesthetic. Her style has a decidedly London vibe which I love to admire - from a distance, though, as I don't think I could pull off most of her looks. Seeing her face in Burberry ads has given the company a fresh new edge and made me look at the sometimes stodgy label in a whole new way. While I don't see her as the next Kate Moss, though many have made the comparison, I do think she's gorgeous, she's different, she takes chances and heck, the girl owes her parents for some great genes.

Are you smitten by Aggy? Do you love her look?

[1] Wayfarer Sunglasses at FredFlare.com, $10
[2] Oversized White Tank at store.AmericanApparel.net, $24
[3] H81 Cargo Pocket Satchel at Forever21.com, $26.90
[4] Xhilaration Black Shorts at Target.com, $14.99
[5] Monogram Necklace at UrbanOutfitters.com, $18
[6] Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Hi Top Red at Amazon.com, $39.99

American tattoo artist Ed Hardy's vintage tattoo graphics were the most sought after body art of his time. Now Hardy, who was the first Western tattoo artist to incorporate Japanese tattoo aesthetic and technique into his work, has lent his name (and vintage tattoo designs) to everything from apparel to watches, hats, shoes, bags and more. While there's no denying Hardy's talent as an artist, his duds carry some pretty steep pricetags. You can find authentic Ed Hardy licensed products at places like Nordstrom Rack for cheap. Or, get the look with one of the many tattoo-inspired tees available at fashion chains like Wet Seal. Are you an Ed Hardy fan?

Left: Ed Hardy EH Mum Dip-Dye Tee at RevolveClothing.com, $88.00
Right: Flying Rose Tattoo Tee at WetSeal.com, $17.50

The future of budget fashion seems to include a slew of exclusive, invite-only designer sample sale websites - and that bunch of cutting-edge shopping destinations includes Ideeli.

Ideeli, which Cnet.com described as "Woot.com meets The Devil Wears Prada," is a members-only shopping community for trendsetting women which offers authentic luxury items at preferential prices to their members – plus giveaways every week.

The catch: You must join to access these exclusive offers.

The good news: Budget Babe readers got the hook up! Just click here to join.

Or, you can go to www.ideeli.com and type in the special invitation code: budbabe1

The code will expire September 1, so check it out soon!

Above: An example of an upcoming giveaway at Ideeli.com for a Chloe Riva Double-Zip handbag.

I feel like there are dozens of fab designers from Spring 2008 that I haven't even begun to talk about, so I'm going to have to cram a bunch of them in before Fall fashion takes over. Let's begin with Lanvin, who had perhaps one of the most influential and successful shows - need I explain why? Writer Sarah Mower does a superb job of deconstructing Alber Elbaz's uplifting collection, so I highly recommend you read her review at Style.com. What I will add is that Elbaz is, no doubt, in part responsible for all the ruffles and tiers (paired with fierce statement shoes, of course) that we're seeing in fast fashion chains everywhere. Expect continued buzz about Lanvin come Fall, and in the meantime, channel the great designer with these cheap & chic looks from Wet Seal:


[1] Smocked Ruffle Trim Dress at WetSeal.com, $21.50
[2] Ruffle Trim Halter Dress Was $26.50 Now $15.00
[3] Ruffle One Shoulder Dress at WetSeal.com, $21.50

In simpler times, all a girl needed for a trip to the beach was her swimsuit and a towel. Not anymore: Today, stylish gals need to prep for days - waxing, sunless tanning, pedicures and highlights (ya know, so you look like you've already spent a week in Sao Paolo before you even hit the sand). Then, of course, she needs to find the perfect suit to enhance her figure, which she must slather from head to toe with SPF 50+ sunblock.

Accessories are also a must for today's beach-going beauties, from cute flip-flops, to straw hats, shades, totes, beach towels and even jewelry - belly chains, belly-button rings, toe rings, anklets, plus head scarves, and headbands. Finally, she'll need a cute coverup to wear while she takes a long walk, reads her favorite book or grabs a drink at the closest beachside bar.

And that is where this post comes in to help you out: Right now, Lord and Taylor has 25%-50% off all swimwear and beach cover-ups, plus great savings on beachwear accessories. At least that makes things a tad simpler on your wallet.

Shown above: Lord & Taylor Tunic Coverup in Black, $29.99. Also available in White, Blue, or Green

For those of you still stuck on Herve Leger's bandage dress, here are two more affordable options from Eliza J (left) and Forever 21. Work it, ladies.

Left: Eliza J Tiered cocktail dress at Nordstrom.com, $138
Right: Satin tiered halter dress at Forever21.com, $24.80

Fabulosity, Kimora Lee Simmons' junior line for JCPenney, is now available in stores and online. I was not looking forward to the launch of this collection, and after seeing the limited selection of tees, tube tops and denim pieces that are now at JCPenney.com, I gotta say it ain't good. Now let's just forget about Kimora for a moment here, because at the end of the day, she is irrelevant. You may admire her ambition, her work ethic, and her no-nonsense approach to business and even motherhood, but at the end of the day, as a customer, you will be stuck wearing a tacky t-shirt with a cheesy "Fabulosity" logo that bears no resemblance to it's creator and her high-end, jet-setting lifestyle. I felt the same way about Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker - as much as I adore the actress and everything she's done for fashion, I couldn't find a single wearable item in her so-called clothing line for Steve and Barry's. Fabulosity is fake streetwear. It's big companies saying, hey! Let's make a buck off what the kids are wearing today! So don't be fooled. I truly admire streetwear, and the real deal is not sold at JCPenney. If you want streetwear, shop at Karmaloop.com or Untitled. Fabulosity is akin to wearing a Hannah Montana t-shirt or SpongeBob SquarePants PJs - it's gimmicky, it's tacky and it's not cool unless you're under 10 years old. And if you don't believe me, I would simply say that I obviously do not decide what is and isn't cool. Cool is fleeting, cool is ethereal, cool is, well, something we're all chasing. Fabulosity is not it.

>> Not convinced? Shop Fabulosity at JCPenney.com