The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

The Look for Less: Sam Edelman 'Gigi' Sandals

The Sam Edelman "Gigi" t-strap sandal has been heralded as the "It" sandal of the season by Nordstrom.com (which is having their half-yearly sale right now, by the way). The colorblock Gigi sells for around $65 at various stores.



The Gigi is also available in a wide range of solid colors and metallics. Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens are fans.



Looking for a lower-priced option? Check out these sandals at Target for just $16.99 a pair. Click any image for details.



If you've seen another look for less, let us know in the comments!

Ask BB: What to Wear to a Spring Christening

I've been invited to a child's Christening in June. There will be a church ceremony followed by a party. Can you suggest an outfit appropriate for wearing at the church, while at the same time being fashionable enough to look great at the party? —Deb

It just so happens that I attended a cousin's baptism a couple weeks ago and faced the same dilemma. I opted for a floral print dress with a hi-low hem from the LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's collection, white LOFT blazer and wedge sandals. It was a feminine, spring-ready look that was modest enough for the church ceremony while still looking fun and festive for the party.

Here's an outfit similar to mine that might work for you (click on any item for details):



10 Ways to Make a Celebrity Look Your Own

Here's how to get inspired by your favorite celebrity fashion.
Celebrities offer a lot in the way of outfit inspiration, after all, they're usually dressed by professional stylists in the latest trends. And when they're not on the red carpet, they're usually wearing pretty regular clothes, not high-fashion runway looks. But while I strive to replicate celebrity looks as closely as possible with my daily "Dress by Number" posts, the goal was never to have readers mirror the look, rather, my aim is to present each outfit like a recipe - you can follow it step by step to achieve a certain look, but then you should feel free to improvise, edit and tweak that look to make it your own. Here are ten ways to do just that.

Kristin Cavallari Photo Credit: All Access / BACKGRID


The Look for Less: Steve Madden 'Bethanyy' Sandals

These Steve Madden "Bethanyy" ankle-cuff sandals are just $39.99 (down from $60) at Piperlime.com and come in a a bunch of great colors like coral, silver and aqua, as well as the versatile tan shown here. Wear them with shorts, skirts and summer dresses.



You could get the look for a few dollars less with these Mossimo "Black Pearl" sandals, which are $24.99, but unless you are opposed to wearing leather, I'd definitely opt for the Steve Maddens. Chances are, they'll last longer and be more comfortable - totally worth paying a tiny bit more.



Which would you choose?