Floral-print evening dresses blossomed on Ralph Lauren's Spring 2008 runway. We're talking flouncy, full-length, silk-georgette gowns with big, bold blooms and an utterly feminine color palette. Thank goodness Lauren paired them with stark black hats, gloves and heels to provide some relief from all the petals and pollen. You can almost smell the fabric, they're that floral! While flowery prints may be too fussy for some, they're perfect for free spirits who want to make a splash. If you've got a wedding or a garden tea party to attend this summer, then keep reading. We've put together a veritable bouquet of budget-friendly floral dresses to help you get started.

[1] Forever 21 "Ursula" Dress, $24.80
[2] Newport-News Wrap Dress, Was $49, Now $25
[3] Forever 21 Whimsical Floral Dress, $27.80
[4] Isaac Mizrahi for Target Floral Chintz Wrap, Was $39.99, Now $27.99
[5] Newport-News Strapless Dress, Was $49, Now $39
[6] Ann Taylor Loft Smocked Summer Dress, $39.50
[7] Newport-News Blue Floral Dress, Was $74, Now $49
[8] Newport-News Pink/Orange Floral Dress, Was $74, Now $49
[9] American Living for JCPenney Floral Halter, Was $100 Now $50
[10] Spiegel Floral Print Slipdress, Was $99 Now $89
[11] La Redoute Floral Dress, $89
[12] Coldwater Creek Watercolor Floral, $119

And now for a new installment on The Budget Babe we like to call, "Name that knock-off"! All you have to do is guess which designer got knocked off. There is no prize this time around besides the satisfaction of knowing that you have a keen eye for fashion. So here goes: Who did Forever 21 copy with their cream patent peeptoe shoe featuring a triangular heel?




Give up?

Today I want to gush about Milly's Spring 2008 collection, not because it's cheap, but because it's a treasure trove of fun, fabulous fashions that we can mine for inspiration and styling ideas. And that's one of the keys to shopping on a budget: You need to be observant and take notes from the pros, even if you can't afford those exact pieces.



First, some background info: In my mind, I sort of lump together relative newcomers to the fashion scene such as Milly, Tory Burch, Tibi and Trina Turk as followers of the great Lilly Pulitzer - they all represent a modern preppy aesthetic with simple silhouettes, easy-to-wear knits and prints that pop. Add a touch of Palm Beach, a splash of socialite and a pinch of boho, and the result is a line that smacks of the good life. Worn by the good girl. Who has impeccable taste. But isn't stuck up.




So back to Milly: We love how she's used black and white, and there's lots of it, but it never gets boring. This color combo is a match made in heaven, and perfect for spring and summer. Add one colorful element to mix it up or make your outfit really pop. Couldn't be easier.




Here's what else we love about the collection: Lots of white, chevron stripes, eyelet, straw totes, summer scarves, thong sandal heels, patent leather belts, turbans, floppy hats, retro shades, embellished collars, breezy frocks, high-waisted skirts, accent colors such as yellow, garden snake green, coral pink and sky blue. Phew!

Check out the rest of the collection here. Are you inspired at all by Milly?

Debbie Matenopoulos, Brittany Snow and Kristen Bell don ikat-inspired dresses.

Ethnic-inspired ikat is the "it" print of the season, so it seems, and I'm in love. This style of cloth that uses a resist dyeing technique similar to tie-dye has been used for centuries by cultures all over the world, from South-East Asia to South America (thank you, Wikipedia!).

You may not have known the word "ikat" until recently, but I'm sure you'd recognize this design when you see it. I feel like I've seen ikats used in home decor for a while, and I've definitely seen ikats at The Art Institute of Chicago (my fave art museum) - some of the handwoven ikats from back in the day (I'm so technical) are truly works of art. This is probably why this fabric reminds me of, well, art, culture, travel, exotic locales, and faraway places - all that good stuff that fills our daydreams. The word "escapism" comes to mind...

But never mind me: Ikat is a gorgeous way to get some printed pieces into your wardrobe, and it can be done on a budget thanks to the trickle down from the runway to the high street. This summery ikat tank ($49) by INC International Concepts at Macy's is a sweet and simple way to wear this trend. Another effortless way to incorporate some ikat into your wardrobe would be with a scarf, like this woven number ($9.80) from Forever 21.

And naturally, Topshop has an assortment of stylish ikat options, including this long red and white cami ($49), a folksy blue ikat skirt ($62), or a breezy ikat sun dress ($62). Leave it to ASOS to bring us some of the most high-fashion ikats without the high pricetag - we're loving this ikat shift dress ($60.56) for warm weather partying, or this Ikat mini puffball skirt ($60.56) that looks plucked straight from the Etro SS08 catwalk.

The other day I got to wondering about what ever happened to Cynthia Rowley for Target (remember the Swell collection of stuff for the home? I loved that line. So colorful and cool.) Anyways, I decided to do a little search for Ms. Rowley on Target.com, and to my surprise, I discovered that she's created a new line called Whim!

This might be old news to some of you, but if not, you gotta check it out. From picnic baskets to croquet sets, dinnerware, tumblers, coolers, and lawn chairs, Rowley's latest line has everything you need for summer fun in the backyard or at the beach. Since we're in the fashion biz, we've highlighted some of the prep-tastic totes and hats from the collection below. Could they be any cuter?! Love the colors and the whimsical little sailboats, stripes and ladybugs. Nantucket, here we come. If you like what you see, better act fast: According to Target's pressroom, Whim will only be in stores through June 14.


Floppy green rope hat, $9.99


Market tote in madras, $16.99


Ladybug hat, $9.99


Pink/red clear tote with sun, $14.99


Pink floppy hat, $9.99


Clear sailboat tote with sun, $14.99


White cloche hat, $9.99


Market tote in green/blue stripe, $16.99


Pink/red pocket tote, $16.99