The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Look for Less: DVF Wrap Dress




Looks like Forever 21 isn't the only one knocking off Diane von Furstenberg's covetable designs. For sleek sophistication with a graphic edge, take your pick of Victoria's Secret version of this black and white wrap dress (left) or Diane von Furstenberg's (right). I'd say go for the original, on sale now for the reasonable price of $182 at Net-a-Porter.com.

Left: Curvy jersey wrap dress at VictoriasSecret.com, Was $79 Now $69
Right: Diane von Furstenberg Darcy wrap dress at Net-a-Porter.com, Was $365 Now $182

Which would you buy? The original? The knock-off? Neither?

Introducing BeautyCrunch.com

Stila fans have a big reason to smile: The cosmetics company with a cult following recently launched BeautyCrunch.com, an authorized resource for some of the most sought-after vintage stila products. It's the smart place to look for hard-to-find items and discontinued shades.

Take a peek...we spotted some super super deals, like this starter brush set (right), originally $75 now just $30.

P.S. Get free shipping on any order of $50 with coupon code INTRO

Gap Launches Artist Edition T-Shirts




In celebration of the 2008 Whitney Biennial, Gap launched their first-ever Artist Edition T-Shirt collection, a limited edition of T's designed by 13 contemporary artists: Chuck Close, Jeff Koons, Marilyn Minter, Kiki Smith, Cai Guo-Qiang, Barbara Kruger, Ashley Bickerton, Kenny Scharf, Glenn Ligon, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Kerry James Marshall, Hanna Liden and Sarah Sze.

My first impulse is to collect all 13, because if there's one thing I love more than fashion, it's art. But then I wrestle with this nagging feeling that the commodification of art has gone too far. And aren't there, like, a billion online stores now that sell tees featuring original artwork by artists known and unknown? What makes Gap think we'd be willing to shell out a whopping $28 for their mass-market artist tees?

Oh that's right, cuz I'm a sucker for fashion, art AND shopping. Way to go, Gap!!

Shop the collection here, or at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and at Colette, a Paris-based boutique.

Rogan for Target Review




The Rogan for Target GO International collection hit stores yesterday, and yours truly was there to check it out. First, the bad news: I'm feeling a little under the weather, so that may account for the fact that nothing really impressed me, and nothing really looked flattering on me, hence I'm only posting the two outfits above. The selection at my nearest Target was also super slim, so I'll probably go back in a week or so when they get more stuff.

Now for the good news: Rogan's collection is sure to please cool chicks looking for a piece of green fashion action at dirt cheap prices. There are lightweight tees, tanks and tops; swimsuits and cover-ups; plus casual dresses, skirts and jumpsuits (didn't have my size...boo). The color palette is pleasingly neutral, punched up with a few brights. I gravitated towards the teal relaxed-fit linen and cotton blend tee (above left, $19.99), and a few understated animal prints, like the zebra print skirt (above left, $34.99) and leopard print racerback tank (above right, $16.99).

Now back to the bad news (sorry!): The tee was a bit scratchy. The zebra print skirt was a tad too short. And nothing else fit me properly, namely, the denim pencil skirt (above right, $34.99), a one-piece zebra print bathing suit (cute, but too short in the torso) and a skimpy cotton halter dress (if you order one online, size up).

The mood of the collection was somewhat cold and joyless. The stark styles seemed to be a reprimand for society's excessive consumerism, rather than a celebration of the green movement. I'm not sure this was Gregory's intent. He's probably just trying to delineate the new wave of eco-friendly fashion from the old, treehugging hippie garb by stressing cool silhouettes and edgy, urban details...but what do I know. OK, I'll get off my soap box now.

What does everyone think of the Rogan for Target collection so far? Thoughts, please!


What We Love Right Now




Fashion is fleeting, and so are our feelings towards it. But here's what we think is absolutely amazing right now:

Coral lips: As seen on Carolina Herrera's Spring 2008 runway, this gorgeous shade does wonders for all skin tones, just experiment to find the hue that's right for you. I prefer this color in a lip gloss like Fire Coral Plumping Lip Glaze from e.l.f.

Lightweight scarves: You've seen them on ALL the celebs, and with good reason: They truly do punch up any outfit in an instant. And, you don't have to wear a bright color or trendy tie-dye if you don't want to: Opt for neutral shades, and a solid or simple pattern for a truly refined way to accessorize. Find them at H&M, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 and The Pashmina Store.

Beads: Stacked bead bracelets or layered strands of bead necklaces make a chic statement. You'll look like you've just recently returned from an exotic vacation, rather than a trip to a mall (avoid all the low-grade silver and gold jewelry you see at mall kiosks. Looks cheap. Unless you want a Carrie Bradshaw name necklace - those are always hot.) Get gorgeous beads at H&M, Banana Republic, Target, and Forever 21.

Black Blazers: It's the perfect transitional piece of outerwear for Spring, and of course, the blazer is perfect for the office. But not just any blazer will do: Try this boyfriend blazer from Target, or this single-button black blazer from Topshop for an effortless, fashion forward look.

What can't you live without right now
?