The Budget Babe

The Brian Atwood 'Maniac' pump looks good enough to eat in watermelon pink (if you can stomach the $593 price tag). The copycat looks nearly identical but carries a more palatable price of $119.50. Think you can spot the real from the steal below? Click either image to find out.

On September 9, Target launched its second installment of The Shops at Target, a series of four mini "shops" within the store that showcase original items produced in conjunction with independent boutique owners from around the county. Because it launched during fashion week, I was late to check it out in person but many pieces from the Kirna Zabete fashion line were still in stock in most sizes, as were home decor items from The Curiosity Shoppe and Patch NYC. Overall I thought the fit and construction of the pieces I tried on was really strong, with special attention paid to details like lining sheer garments and adding unique buttons. There were some shortcomings, like the itchy polyester fabric used for a cute polka-dot blouse (shown above) and the narrow cuffs on the shirt dress with blouson sleeves (I couldn't squeeze my wrist through without unbuttoning. Which is fine, I'll live.). I thought one of the strongest pieces in the bunch was a tweed/faux leather shift which looked and felt way more expensive than its $44.99 pricetag. Very Twiggy. Another highlight was a metallic jacquard dress (available in black or burgundy for $49.99) - simple, chic and fit like a glove. For your reference, I'm typically a size XS or S in Target clothing and everything I tried on was a size XS except for the jacquard dress, which was a size 6. Ultimately I didn't buy anything on this trip but I plan on checking back to see if I can score some things on sale. How about you?

Click through for more photos, including snaps of home decor items from Patch NYC and The Curiosity Shoppe, too.

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As you probably heard, Lana Del Rey is the face and voice of H&M this fall. In a new music video presented by H&M, the songstress sings a cover of "Blue Velvet" shot by director Johan Renck. While the clothes are hard to make out, you can see her sporting a $19.95 fuzzy pink sweater that also appears in the print campaign. The video is pretty wild, it reminds me of a cross between Mad Men and Twin Peaks. Visit www.hm.com/fall-collection to see the full collection, available from September 19. Download the song Blue Velvet at http://smarturl.it/BViTunes?IQid=HM.

The blouse is always a wardrobe staple, especially for work, but this season it feels a little bit different. It's loose-fitting, sometimes sheer, in new colors and a modern cut. And how you wear it matters to keep things looking fresh: Nikki Reed does the full-tuck with skinny jeans and heels, Giuliana Rancic does the half-tuck with skinny jeans and heels, while Maria Sharapova gets creative with a printed blouse, bright pants and a blazer (looks very fashion blogger, no?)

Here, five stylish blouses in stores now to help you get the look:

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