If you think you can't be cheap and a snob at the same time, you'd be wrong. Think affordable luxuries or Juicy Couture. High and low, luxe and less go hand in hand in today's world, and many of us penny-pinching fashionistas have champagne taste on a beer budget. Even in tough times, we can indulge those fantasies in oh-so-many ways. So here are seven handsome gifts under $50 for the budget snob on your list (she might be you!):

[Above: Dior Vernis Nail Polish in Black Sequins, $19 at Sephora.com]

What's more fun than getting glammed up for the holidays? Getting a great deal on your outfit! Forever 21 makes it sooo easy to pull together an entire look for super cheap (think under $100 for a dress, clutch, shrug, jewelry, tights—even shoes!). They have dozens of festive frocks to choose from in stores and online, but here are a few of my favorites sorted by some of this season's hottest trends. Cheers to that!



Ooh la LACE
[1] Lace Overlay Dress, $24.80
[2] Emmie Lace Overlay Dress, $24.80
[3] Zanna Lace Dress, $27.80




Sexy SEQUINS
[4] Silver Sequin Minidress, $39.80
[5] Blue Sequin Soiree Dress, $27.80
[6] Cocoa Sequin Dress, $24.80




Romantic RUFFLES
[7] Lia Tiered Dress, $24.80
[8] Flutter Chiffon Dress, $22.80
[9] Tiered Ruffle Dress, $24.80

Books make great, affordable gifts, and the book topping every stylish gal's wish list this holiday season is Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. It's not a book about their lives so much as it is a book about their influences, as the title suggests, which means we as readers are granted access to intimate interviews with some of the most influential designers, artists, and photographers in the world. Revealing conversations with Diane von Furstenberg, John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Louboutin and many many more will entertain and inform any fashion addict. And for Olsen fans, there are plenty of pages of original material by MK and Ashley and photographs of these child stars-turned-style icons.

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy (a not-so-subtle hint to any friends and family who might be reading this post), so if Santa doesn't bring it to me, I'll happily plunk down $22.22 at Amazon and buy it for myself!

Shop it: Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at Amazon.com, $22.22

My sister-in-law turned me on to these amazing handmade organic soaps by Abbey Brown, a Chicago-based soap artisan, and I guarantee they will make a great gift or stocking stuffer for anyone on your holiday shopping list—especially friends who are passionate about being green. My sis tells me that when Abbey became a mom, she had trouble finding natural soaps that didn't severely irritate her young child's skin. So she took matters into her own hands and began experimenting with her own homemade soaps, which turned out to be a huge success.


I've tried Fields of Lavender, a smooth fragrant soap handcrafted with pure, unrefined and organic saponified oils of olive, coconut, palm kernel, shea butter, castor bean and apricot. Distilled water, and a natural blend of essential oils of lavender, lemon and rosemary round out this recipe, which results in a soap that's great for the face, hands, body—even hair. My other favorite is Chamomile Babe, which is actually intended for babies but I figure my skin can use some TLC, too. Freshly dried chamomile, macadamia nut, and Vitamin E star in this soap.

You can buy Abbey Brown soaps at my sister-in-law's amazing online store, bebybaby.com for $5.95 each or 3 for $15.

One way to save money on gifts this holiday season is to get crafty and make them yourself. In the December 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living, the Queen of Crafty has some tantalizing recipes for homemade bath and body treatments. I'm thinking of whipping up a batch of body scrub, which uses only four ingredients. The base can be made from either Epsom salts or sugar that is then colored with a touch of food coloring and scented with your favorite essential oils. Keep reading for the complete how-to.