The Budget Babe

Have you seen any websites selling genuine Gucci handbags at great prices? —Jo

The only place I've seen that sells genuine Gucci handbags at a discount is Bluefly.com. Every now and then, I'll see Gucci come up at sample sale websites such as ideeli.com or RueLaLa.com. Sign up for their e-mail sale alerts, wait, then pounce the SECOND your sale starts. Now I'll turn it over to my readers—does anyone know of another REPUTABLE, mainstream store that sells genuine Gucci handbags for less? Share the secret!

Many of you probably recognize eDressMe.com as THE place to go for the biggest selection of dresses anywhere on the web—but did you know the site began as a Tango dress store? As a tango-dancing enthusiast, Joanne Stoner found it difficult to find dresses for the sport, so she started the website www.edressmetango.com. Fueled by her passion for dresses and encouraged by the company's success, the Harvard MBA grew the company to include all types of fabulous frocks, making eDressMe.com the leading online retailer for dresses. As the company celebrates 7 years in the biz, I had the opportunity to interview Joanne, who sheds light on what makes dresses so timelessly irresistible, the must-have styles for summer and more.

BB: Dresses have seen a surge in popularity over the past few seasons. Why do you think that is?

JS: I think it is simply because dresses today have become so functional and versatile for everyday wear. It is a simple, statement piece that embodies and defines who women truly are. With the wide array of styles we have in present day, the everyday woman can now showcase her unique style, femininity, personality and body type.

BB: We all know every woman needs an LBD in her closet. What are some other essential dress styles every woman should own?

JS: Some other wardrobe must haves include a sheath cocktail dress, a shift dress and a versatile day dress.

Continue reading "Q&A with eDressMe ... »

Drawing upon the intricacies of Indian art, jewelry designer Amrita Singh creates covetable works of wearable art, like these Turquoise Stone Earrings. ($92 at Pink Mascara)


Need to give this bold look a test run before you invest? Try Forever 21's turquoise chandelier earrings instead for the guilt-free price of just $6.80.