This week's Etsy artist of the week feature also serves to answer a common question that I receive, namely, "Where can I buy genuine leather boots under $50?" The answer: Go vintage. Check your neighborhood vintage boutique, thrift or secondhand store to uncover fashion gems from days gone by. Or, let someone with an expert eye do the work for you, like the owners of Annie Haul Vintage. The selection is limited, but if you're lucky you will come away with one-of-a-kind real leather boots at a fraction of the cost you'd pay elsewhere. All the boots shown above, currently in stock, cost between $35 and $55. Don't see your size? Expand your search to other great vintage shops on etsy or Ebay.com.

While it can be difficult to find stylish boots for under $50, trendy teen clothing store Alloy makes it easy! Just because Alloy targets juniors doesn't mean ladies of all ages can't score a great looking pair of boots on the cheap. Choose from classic riding boots, flat over-the-knee boots, buckle-detail ankle boots, peep-toe booties and more—all for less than $50. The tricky part will be deciding which pair to buy. Visit retailmenot.com to get a coupon code for free shipping before you check-out!

Juicy Couture's snuggly-chic puffer vest features a removable faux fur trim on a zip-off hood, and costs $248 at Nordstrom.


Get this layering essential for less with this puffer vest by Charlotte Russe, available in white, black or navy for just $24.99.

The Budget Babe's resident beauty junkie Kiki Bella goes to great lengths to test and review new Revlon Fantasy Lengths faux eyelashes. —BB



by Kiki Bella
There are certain beauty products that most people just never use (I already addressed my awareness of the eyebrow pencil in an earlier post). Another one of these items are faux lashes. Women really seem to be turned off by the idea of faux lashes, although in reality most models and actresses we see and so desperately want to emulate are sporting them. If you honestly think that those models/actresses have those lashes with just mascara you are dead wrong.

With that being said, faux lashes don't really seem all that practical in the "real" world. Putting them on and then keeping them there is not something your average busy beauty on the go wants to deal with. The number one question I get is "don't they fall off?"—and that is a legitimate concern. Nobody wants to be on a date and have a black spider-looking thing float off their face and land in their Pad Thai. Not exactly attractive. I have had pretty good luck with faux lashes over the years, but I myself limit their use to very special occasions, weddings, black tie events and the like.

For the sake of this review, however, I decided to up the ante. I originally was planning to wear a set of Revlon Fantasy Lengths Maximum Wear eyelashes in Blue Shadow to a wedding brunch, which I did, and they looked fantastic and lasted through the party. But all I really did was stand around and chit chat in nice air conditioning. I could probably just place them on my lids and they'd last through that. So, for the sake of my lovely ladies that like to go and dance their butt off on the weekends (or whenever, I'm not judging) my Bikram Yoga class later that day seemed like the ideal place for an extreme faux eyelash test.

And the winners are…

1st Prize: #17 mary ann, who writes "i love marshalls and tjmaxx. i pretty much got my fall wardrobe there for under $100 dollars. my latest purchase there was 2 sweaters from express at a whopping $16.98 for both as they were on clearance."

2nd Prize: #255 kim, who writes "I love Marshalls and TJ Maxx! I got these fabulous Nine West pumps for work for only $25. I'm sure I've gotten a lot of other great deals but I can't think of any off the top of my head at the moment!"

Congratulations to our winners and thanks to everyone who entered! I truly enjoyed reading about all your amazing bargain finds. Makes me feel like…shopping! XOXO, BB


Please note: This contest is now closed to further entries.

It's no secret I'm a HUGE fan of Marshalls and T.J. Maxx which is why I'm so excited to be able to team up with them for this week's giveaway! To help you shop the latest fall fashions for less, we're giving two lucky Budget Babe readers the chance to win giftcards that you can spend any which way you like—new boots, sweaters, scarves, you name it!

The prizes:
1st place prize: $50 in giftcards to Marshalls
2nd place prize: $25 in giftcards to T.J. Maxx

How to enter:
Tell us about your latest bargain find at either Marshalls or T.J. Maxx in the comments section below.

Contest Details:

• Contest ends Monday, October 12th at 12 noon EST. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on Tuesday, October 13th.
  
• Open to readers ages 18 and older, living in the continental US
  
• One entry per reader
  
• Be sure to add info(at)thebudgetbabe.com to your email safe list so you can be notified if you're the winner.

Good luck!!