Made in the USA

Wearing a varsity jacket and mustard yellow shorts, Taylor Swift embraces the oxford trend with her Vintage Shoe Company 'Aubrey' flats in tobacco leather while out and about in New York City. This is the second time the stylish singer has been spotted in these Made-in-America oxfords - they were also worn in a photoshoot for her new album RED. The 'Aubrey' is available for $179 (they'll last a lifetime!) and you can click the image below to view or purchase.



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'Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion' by Elizabeth L. Cline is a book about the toll that the fast fashion industry has taken on the environment, workers, our wallets and our personal style. The author argues we'd be wise to think twice before buying a cheaply constructed $10 skirt from Walmart or Forever 21 and consider the following: Where was the skirt made and under what conditions? How was the skirt produced so cheaply? Do I need another $10 skirt? Does it make me look good? And where will said polyester skirt end up when I'm bored with it (which will probably be by the end of next week)?

I think Cline is absolutely right. We should think carefully and thoughtfully about all these questions. What we choose to buy and choose to wear matters, and the ramifications go far beyond the trite Instagrams we might post about the fashions we so often carelessly buy at a voracious pace (myself included).

At the same time, I tend to take a big picture view of the world and it looks a little something like this: Change and growth are almost inevitable in any industry. Cline recognizes this fact, too, citing many historical examples where technology and innovation fundamentally changed the garment industry, from the advent of the sewing machine to cheap labor in emerging markets such as China. I don't see this as inherently good or bad, just an inevitability of life.

Continue reading "'Overdressed' by Elizabeth ... »

Taylor Swift was spotted living the good life with her beau Conor Kennedy at a posh Cape Cod, Massachusetts, getaway in a red polka dot bikini. Her exact vintage-inspired retro bathing suit is $75 at unique-vintage.com and you can click the image below for details.



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In addition to "Eco-Friendly Fridays," I'm going to try to implement a new feature here on The Budget Babe called "Made in the USA Mondays." My goal is to become a more educated consumer and I hope you'll join me. I won't get preachy, I promise, and yes, I'm still going to feature fashions made overseas (in part because less than 5 percent of our clothing is made in the United States).

To start, here's a short video with a simple message to help save New York City's historic garment district. Caravan Stylist Studios enlisted the help of some 20 celebs to spread the word about SAVE THE GARMENT CENTER.org.

I had never heard of Caravan before, but apparently it's a full service hair, makeup, and wardrobe studio in the heart of the fashion district and is complimentary to editors, bloggers, actresses, musicians and designers. It's also a place where guests can visit and learn about new designers, especially ones producing in the Fashion District and throughout the USA. Guess I'll be making a trip to Caravan soon - and if you're a blogger visiting the NYC area, you might want to check them out!