The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Erin Fetherston for Target Review

Yesterday Target launched their latest GO International affordable fashion collection by designer Erin Fetherston. Her clothes will either remind you of what you wore when you were 5 years old, what you found at Goodwill when you were 15, or what Courtney Love used to wear in the '90s (minus the smeared lipstick). Whichever way you choose to reference her looks, there's sure to be at least a piece or two that tickles your fancy today. Let's take a peek:


Erin Fetherston for Target

We just had to try on the most over-the-top, girly looks first - but as we sorta expected, they didn't work for us. At all. This chiffon layer dress (left) looked downright silly, as did this red satin jumper which we paired with a white long sleeve tee that had a goofy white bow in the center. Laugh, and move on...


Erin Fetherston for Target

We felt like the clapper of a bell suspended freely within the doming skirt of this little black dress (left) - not at all flattering.

This cape-like wool coat on the right, however, was fabulous! And that's where we were ultimately most satisfied - all the outerwear was well-constructed, feminine and fashion-forward. We loved the ruffle details on the shoulders and the black heart appliqués. Smashing. Don't ask why, but it had an Artful Dodger feel that made it especially fun to wear.

Erin Fetherston for Target

Perhaps our favorite piece was this jacquard print bow jacket. The bow was plump and had kept it's shape during shipping - the fabric looked expensive - and the fit through the shoulders was spot-on, a detail we find especially important for cropped swing coats. Love, love, love it! Perfect for an evening at the theater or ballet. Darling.

We wanted to show you this amazing velvet blazer, too, but it was at this point that our dear sweet camera battery died. Oops!

The bottom line: Get thee to a Target (if you haven't already) and check out Erin Fetherston's line for yourself - and of course, let us know what you think!

Holiday Gift Guide: Stylish Reads

Books are some of our favorite gifts to give and to receive - especially when they're filled with big, colorful pictures! Here are four fantastic picks for the stylish bookworm on your list...


[1] Iconic America: A Roller-Coaster Ride through the Eye-Popping Panorama of American Pop Culture by Tommy Hilfiger, $37.80 at Amazon.com
[2] Glamour Girls by photographer Patrick McMullan, $47.25 at Amazon.com
[3] The Grace Kelly Years: Princess of Monaco by Frederic Mitterrand, $34.65 at Amazon.com
[4] Little Black Dress: Vintage Treasure by Didier Ludot, $10.80 at Amazon.com

The Buzz on Burt's Bees

Oh dear - The Clorox Company recently purchased Burt's Bees. Hmmm...one makes bleach, the other makes natural bath & beauty products. Seems like an unholy alliance, but according to a message on the Burt's Bees web site, customers can count on them to continue making natural, earth-friendly and budget-friendly products.

We love Burt's Bees for their wholesome goodness and hope they don't change any ingredients - but just in case they do, we thought we'd review some of the Burt's Bees products currently in our medicine cabinet...



[1] Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme - Insanely moisturizing. The tiniest dab goes a looong way. So rich, we typically only use this during the winter months and to massage onto cuticles. Great for toes, too. Smells tasty. $7.99 at Drugstore.com
[2] Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar - Boyfriend just started using these, and loves them - use it as shampoo and body wash! What man wouldn't love that? Smells divine, but then again, we're partial to mint (and our boyfriend's scent...mmm) $5.99 at Drugstore.com
[3] Hair Repair Shea & Grapefruit Deep Conditioner - This was a let down. Our hair can get rather dry and brittle between trims and this conditioner just didn't give it the thirst-quenching moisture it needed. Didn't last very long either as we'd need to use huge dollops of the stuff just to achieve mild conditioning. Smells good though. $7.99 at Drugstore.com
[4] Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme - Another uber moisturizing and nourishing creme - but apply sparingly because boy, does this stuff last! Perfect for dry heels and cuticles. We used this throughout the summer to help extend the length of our at-home pedis. $8.99 at Drugstore.com
[5] Burt's Bees Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash - This body wash is peculiar in that it doesn't get a great lather, but we don't think tons of bubbles are necessary for a good clean, anyways. Smells different in a good way. Love the colors and packaging, which serves as an important pick-me-up during our morning shower. $7.99 at Drugstore.com

Do you have a sweet spot for Burt's Bees? Talk about it in the comments!