Step inside any major department store (or even any off-price retailer) these days, and you can't help but notice the plethora of bejeweled, brightly colored and otherwise blinged out Betsey Johnson or Betseyville brand products. From handbags sewn from boldly patterned fabrics, or animal prints, splashed with hot pink details and adorned with shiny metallic trinkets, to heavy metal and rhinestone necklaces, bracelets, and earrings dripping with gems and charms, the Betsey Johnson label seems to have exploded in recent months—and it's edgy, cute, rock 'n' roll vibe is attracting throngs of followers.

Or is it? Well, I happen to know at least one Betsey addict who seeks out her duds on sale at places like Lord and Taylor or Bloomingdales. If you're patient, shop often, and get coupons to department stores, she says, you can score a $100 Betsey Johnson necklace for as little as $20. Sometimes even less. If you're willing to sift through racks at TJ Maxx, you can get a leather Betsey Johnson purse, perhaps something with studs and gold cherries hanging from the hardware, marked down from $249 to $49 on clearance. So while this isn't a budget brand, there's so much of it right now that you can wait and get it at a discounted price.

I can't deny the lure of the Betsey brand. I love the designer herself and her wild-child attitude. The costume jewelry is a little to over-the-top for my personal style, but I can certainly see it's appeal. A lot of it is very creative, inventive, and it seems like no two pieces are alike. If you have a young fashionable woman on your holiday gift list, chances are she's pining for some Betsey Johnson. My only fear is that BJ will oversaturate the market and go the way of Juicy, which is becoming less and less "cool" these days. So it's a definite "yea" for design and other girls who can rock this look—but a prudent "nay" when it comes to incorporating this look into my personal wardrobe.

Betsey Johnson: Yea or Nay?