The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's Spring 2012 Lookbook




The LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's lookbook just came out, and if this doesn't put you in a good mood, I don't know what will! This girl's on roll, with her growing lifestyle site, beauty blog and People StyleWatch gig. Her spring collection is feminine, colorful and California-cool, which is exactly what we've come to expect. There are spring dresses, skinny jeans, and breezy blouses in a mix of floral prints and light brights like coral, dusty rose and sky blue. A perfect little black dress, faux-leather jacket and tailored blazer and great wardrobe staples while a yellow and white colorblock top, peplum vest and high-low skirt will let you check off all the latest trends without spending too much. Some of the set styling is undeniably saccharine (crochet in an English garden; misting orchids in the greenhouse; serving pink lemonade on the veranda) but you know you're going to Pin-it anyways! I'm taking some beauty notes, too, that fishtail braid and those bright red nails are calling my name.

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Are you smiling yet? See anything you need in your life?

Merona for Target Spring 2012 Lookbook




Earlier in the week, we looked at Mossimo's spring lookbook, and today we have the Merona spring lookbook to check out. Inspired by the sun, sand, sea and coastal towns, the Merona collection incorporates a color palette of corals, purples and teals. Patterns continue to be popular for spring, such as textural prints, florals and checkered patterns. Silhouettes are classic and feminine, including peasant tops, cinched-waist dresses, and embellished tees. I can't say I'm very inspired by this lookbook but that doesn't mean I won't find some good pieces in stores. The red trench (above) and bright green jackets are darling but the snake-print blouse with the coral cropped chinos look is just...wrong. Overall, the styling for this lookbook is really strange to me, I'm not sure where they were going with this. Merona is available exclusively at Target and Target.com, with prices ranging from $8.00 to $49.99.

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What do you think, am I being too harsh? Can you envision these pieces working for you?

Mossimo for Target Spring 2012 Lookbook




Hopefully you've had enough Oscar talk and you're ready to turn your attention to a different red carpet, namely, the red carpet at Tarjay. Here we have the Mossimo Spring 2012 lookbook, which showcases the trends you'll be seeing from both the Mossimo Black and Mossimo Supply Co. labels at your local Target stores and online at Target.com. The so-called trends are extremely subtle this year, which isn't necessarily a bad thing: Kimono and butterfly sleeves give a subtle nod to the East-meets-West influence, while belted tunics, peasant tops and flowy dresses echo the bohemian vibe that always seems "in" when the weather warms up. For colors, expect everything from pastels to soft brights, along with florals, graphic and nature-inspired prints. I'm drawn to the colorful denim and cotton dresses; the shoes also look promising. I'll leave the short-shorts to the teens. I wish the floral shorts came in a pant version, too.

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What do you have your eye on? Does this lookbook inspire?

Kmart Fashion Spring 2012 Lookbook




Kmart Fashion's spring lookbook is out, showcasing some of the highlights from clothing brands like Attention, Route 66, LYS, Sofia Vergara and Jaclyn Smith. My eye is drawn to the bright blue blazer, coral jeans and colorblock top - pieces that aren't overly trendy but feel fresh for spring. Nothing's over $35 and you can shop many of these pieces now in stores and online. Navigating the Kmart website for fashion can be a bit daunting, however, so I recommend starting with fashionblog.kmart.com and going from there. See anything in this lookbook you need to have?

Marni for H&M Lookbook: Complete Collection Plus Pricing




Here's the Marni for H&M lookbook in all its glory, including menswear - some of the unisex looks are worth borrowing from the boys. This collection with Italian label Marni includes apparel and accessories like shoes, jewelry and handbags. Most pieces are priced around the $80 mark, while small accessories average just $19.95 (such as sequin collars) and nothing's over $149. I can see myself wearing the printed pants, leather panel sweatershirt, and just about all of the accessories (although I'd probably buy the flower necklace and end up just looking at it hanging from my dresser mirror while not actually wearing it). According to people who attended the launch party in Los Angeles which took place Friday night, the quality is great and everything looks like the real deal. Marni for H&M will be available in select stores on March 8, 2012.

MOUSE OVER any image for details and pricing. What will you attempt to buy?