Sometimes we're in the mood to wear something that speaks to the world and grabs their attention, and sometimes we want to wear something that speaks to ourselves—something precious, intimate, delicate, and sweet—something worn close to the heart, and something that requires a viewer to lean in close and examine our prize carefully, deliberately.

Such is the work of jewelry maker Peggy Li, whose handmade creations appeal to our tender side. They're diminutive treasures that you can't help but feel will bring good fortune, good karma, and of course, effortless style to the lucky girl who wears them.

Some of our faves follow...



[1] Tiny Owl/Apple Charm Necklace, $29
[2] Lotus/Om Necklace, $45
[3] Two Hearts Necklace, $39
[4] Metal Drop Teds Earrings, $29


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Peggy Li is a San Francisco based designer whose work has been seen on TV's Grey's Anatomy, Medium, and What About Brian? as well as in the pages of teenVogue, Lucky and O, The Oprah Magazine. Check out her entire collection of handmade jewelry at www.peggyli.com.

Fifi LaMode, The Budget Babe's International Shopping Advisor, makes us wistful for old-world charm, natural wonders and incomparable hospitality in glorious Austria. —TBB


by Fifi LaMode
Simply put, Austria's gorgeous. Medieval castles look out over the Danube, the Alps hover over lovely villages, where cowbells alert the casual hiker, and Vienna, ah, Vienna, what can one say? Strauss and Klimt found inspiration here. Coffee houses, art galleries, antique shops abound, beautiful mementos of a bygone era. Art nouveau, baroque, deco, all meld in this glorious city.

We leave Vienna's many temptations for Salzburgerland, Sound of Music country. Our base is Alpendorf, about an hour's drive from Salzburg, dotted with chalets abundant with flowery balconies. The Berghof, run by the Rettenwender family, is a 5 star property at unbelievably reasonable prices with a state of the art wellness center and delicious healthy cuisine, and service to make you feel like royalty. You're wondering where the "budget" part of this article comes in, right? A night at the Berghof with buffet breakfast and 5 course dinner will run you about the same as an average B&B in New England!

Frau Rettenwnder is a fashion guru, with her model's looks, wearing a variety of dirndls and folk-inspired clothing of the finest quality suedes, silks and weaves. Note about dirndls: Outside Alpine countries, they're costumes. As tempting as it may be to buy one (some are really trendy), you will be limited to wearing them at the odd garden party.

So I'm thinking, can you find great clothes in such a small out-of-the-way town? We wander into neighboring St. Johann and we're amazed at the quality of the clothing and tasteful displays. It's also very 'green' here - grocery stores charge for plastic bags, but cardboard boxes and paper bags are available for free; it's against the law to leave your engine running while you're in the car, and no trucks are allowed on the roads on Sundays. Everyone, almost without exception, wears sensible, great quality shoes. One of my favorite Austrian brands, which IS available in the U.S., is Gabor. Leather inside and out, they come in dressy and casual styles and are tres chic. About the same price as Via Spiga or Amalfi.

A look at Jill Stuart's Fall 2007 Collection will quickly clue you in to the season's key themes, and show you what to look out for as you plan your cool-weather wardrobe. Now let's let Jill do the talking...



SEQUINS/SATIN/BLUE

PLAID/OVERSIZED KNITS

DOTS/UNSTRUCTURED JACKETS
See the rest of the Jill Stuart Fall 2007 collection here. >>
Of course, TBB will bring you budget-friendly picks in the not-to-distant future. Stay tuned!

Just when we thought advertisements couldn't get any weirder, we stumbled upon these strange yet amusing vintage ads at EatLiver.com. Each holds fascinating clues about a bygone era (although we'd rather leave some of these mysteries unsolved). Click the thumbs to get the full-size pics...


Can't decide what's more disturbing: the hotdogs or the sweaters.


If you can stop laughing long enough to see the fashion in the ad, you'll notice some fab diamonds, red nails, sculpted eyebrows, and a dramatic off-the-shoulder emerald green gown. Who says smoking isn't glamorous? (JK!)


And we thought M·A·C was cutting edge maquillage! Note how polite the writer is in their critique (unlike so many Internetters these days). And what's a "beauty culturalist"? Hehe


The Frankenstein contraption in this ad makes Botox look pretty tame, no? Goes to show people have always been obsessed with appearances to some degree.

Strapped for cash? Slave to fashion? Here are five good reasons to become a bona fide Budget Babe:

1. 
   Saving cash is hot. Having a little money put away in a savings account will give you a sense of pride, security and confidence—and nothing looks better on a woman than confidence!


2. 
   There are more of us than there are of them. According to WSJ.com, only 200 or so women in the world actually buy true haute couture.


3. 
   The median household income in the United States is $46,326 (from the U.S. Census Bureau). Nuf said.


4. 
   Buying less is better for the environment. While it's not something we ever want to think about, that stockpile of shoes in your closet may end up one day in an inglorious landfill.


5. 
   Thinking for yourself is always in. Enjoy looking and learning about fashion, without consuming everything they tell you to.