Bangles are back in a big way this summer and with good reason: you simply slip one on your wrist, and your outfit looks put together and polished in an instant. With so many great bangles available at wallet-friendly stores like Forever21 and Target, you can afford to have fun and experiment by mixing and matching bangles of different widths, textures and colors. There are really no hard and fast rules—wear one, wear a dozen, create symmetry with two matching bangles on either wrist, or create asymmetry with one bangle on your right wrist and three on your left. You'll love how they dance on your arm as you move and even give you confidence as you converse. Yes, a bracelet can do all that!
Here are a few bangles for every budget babe…

We absolutely adore these Kork-Ease Bette Ankle Strap Metallic Wedge sandals. Because Kork-Ease are known for their comfort and quality, we think the $185.00 price tag is not unreasonable. You'll wear these all summer long, and the wedge won't wear out. Plus, they match just about everything and can be worn for most any occasion. And with ever-rising hemlines, you'll appreciate the 1.5" suede platform and 4.25" wedge heel that these kick-ass shoes provide.

Featured here in bronze, the Bette Ankle Strap Wedge comes in a range of colors (available at Zappos.com or Shopbop.com)—the hardest part will be picking just one!

If you're uncertain about making an investment in this style, get the look with one of these more affordable options:


Jessica Simpson Ean, $82.95, zappos.com.

Rampage Sugar 1, $45.00, piperlime.com

Xhilaration® Thora Platform Wedges - Natural, on clearance for $4.99! target.com

Just when I finally got myself to stop wearing sneaks and start wearing heels and other fashionable shoes, sneakers go mainstream cool! It's ironic, really. The girl who used to live in black Puma mostros now refuses to wear anything with a heel below 1.5 inches.

But never mind that. We still respect and admire a beautiful, super phat gym shoe, one that embodies urban street style, intelligence and comfort. That's why we love the REBIRTH MESH by j-41 from Lucy.com, on sale for $54.99. It's funky and metallic, one of this season's hottest trends, and can be sported with capris, pants, jeans, even casual skirts ( preferably pencil). Wear them on behalf of all of us fools enduring our high heels.

Sarah Jessica Parker the Designer officially received the blessing of the Queen of All Media, having debuted her budget fashion collection "Bitten" for retailer Steve & Barry's on the Oprah Winfrey Show today—cha-ching!

All joke$ a$ide, in our book, the beautifully brilliant Sarah Jessica can do no wrong, so even though we're opposed to many celeb-cum-fashion designers, we can't help but approve, nay, support her in this endeavor. "It's about fashion not being a luxury and quality not being a privilege," says Sarah Jessica. Girl, you are preachin' to the choir! The question is: will Bitten deliver these lofty, democratic promises? Honestly, we're just surprised that SJP didn't opt to do something high-end (she could easily get away with it, she was Carrie for godsakes!)...or go mid-level with Topshop?

But enough scrutinizing the potter—let's look at the clay.

The collection is modern American sportswear, with classic lines, solid "looking" craftsmanship, neutral colors and wearable fabrics. Translation: boring, but still chic. Best part is the clothes come in sizes 2-22 and each piece is priced at under $20!
Because none of the items we've seen so far are particularly sensational, creative or quirky (as was SJP's SATC character), we'll be doing a lot of mixin' and matchin' with whichever items we end up buying. A 3/4-sleeve swing cardigan ($19.98) definitely caught our eye, as did the seersucker pants ($14.98) and houndstooth coat with classic collar ($19.98).

Browse the collection for yourself at Oprah.com and see whether you're bitten by Sarah Jessica's affordable fashions or not.

We love this adorable MARC by Marc Jacobs Heart Watch Necklace (left) from Neimanmarcus.com, but the $125 pricetag is a tad too steep for jewelry that's more of a novelty than anything else. Luckily for us, we chanced upon a similar-looking Titanium Apple Watch Pendant Necklace at Nordstrom.com for only $14.99—and it actually looks pricey, too, not cheap-o-rama! That's luxe for less, my friend.