The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Lovisa Burfitt to design cotton bags for H&M and UNICEF's "All for Children" project

Lovisa Burfitt to design cotton bags for H&M and UNICEF's

Swedish illustrator Lovisa Burfitt will be designing an organic cotton bag to help raise funds for H&M and UNICEF's All for Children initiative. Previously Sonia Rykiel designed two organic cotton bags, one of which was part of the knitwear collection she created in collaboration with H&M. Lovisa Burfitt's bag will debut in stores in June, giving H&M customers the chance to donate to All for Children with 30% of every sale going to the project. All for Children is H&M's biggest project with UNICEF to date and is aimed at making life better for children who live in the cotton-producing regions of southern India. The project started in 2009 and will run for five years, with a budget of $4.5 million. A fourth bag designed by another famous illustrator will arrive in stores in August, and will also be sold to benefit All for Children. —via H&M

Photo courtesy of H&M

PH8 by bebe Spring 2010 Lookbook


PH8 by bebe Spring 2010 Lookbook

The PH8 by bebe Spring 2010 Lookbook is out, featuring 39 looks styled by Emily Current and Merrit Elliott of Current Elliott fame. PH8 by bebe (pronounced 'fate') is an active-inspired sportswear collection that includes clothing, accessories, bags, shoes and jewelry priced from $19 to $139. "The look is effortless sexy, modern and hip and is designed for the busy on-the-go woman as she weaves her way through her varying lifestyle activities," reads the press release. "PH8 by bebe works anywhere—at the gym, after the gym, jaunts to the farmer's market, a quick lunch with friends, an afternoon coffee with the girls. It's also the perfect way to dress when traveling." HUGE improvement over bebe Sport! Keep reading to see all the looks.

For more details visit www.ph8stores.com.

Off the Rack: Liberty of London for Target

Liberty of London for Target

On Sunday I braved rain showers in my Hunter wellies to check out the Liberty Of London for Target collection, as I'm sure many of you did, too! At first I was disheartened because my store didn't have any of the home stuff, but when I tried on the clothes, I fell in love. This was the first time I've ever seen other women of all ages actually checking out the collab display, trying stuff on, buying stuff and commenting aloud "This is cute!" The patterns are bold but just try it on! You might be pleasantly surprised as your mood instantly lifts at the sight of all the bright colors. Keep reading to see what I bought, and let me know what you bought in the comments!

Off the Rack: Spring Dresses and More at Target

No fuss fabric, chic stripes and a gorgeous blue hue make this a great buy for spring.

Before I get to my Liberty of London review, I just wanted to share a few photos of some standout spring pieces from Target's non-designer lines like Merona and Liz Lange. I've seen a lot of adorable dresses that meet all my criteria: No-fuss fabric, compatible with a regular bra, and hemlines at or above the knee so you can wear them in professional settings or to family gatherings. I must sound dreadfully practical but fashion you can wear in your real life is much more exciting to me than a dress that just collects dust in your closet. Keep reading for more highlights and check your local store for so much more that I wasn't able to photograph!

Off the Rack: LC Lauren Conrad for Kohls Spring 2010 Collection

blink and you might miss the display! i found mine behind the simply vera vera wang section.

Last week I finally checked out the LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's Spring 2010 collection now that every store carries this line (or at least they should, ask your store manager if they don't). I gotta say I loved it because it strikes that perfect note of sweet but not sugary, cool but not trying-too-hard, wearable but still stylish. I bought the blue ruffle dress (looks great with heels), boyfriend blazer (can never have too many!) and two ruffle-front camis (one in pink, one in blue). They look just like the Rebecca Taylor camis LC wears in real life, sexy on their own and perfect for layering under a cardi, blazer or leather jacket. The leather jacket is hot and very buttery to the touch but I already own something very similar so I passed. Of course, I did not pay full price. Everything was 30% off, plus I signed up for a Kohl's charge and got an additional 10% discount. Why Kohl's keeps playing games with the sales, I will never know, no one pays full price but I guess it's all about the psychology of shopping! I know many of you are liking the latest spring offerings. Keep reading for more glamorous dressing room pics (haha) and tell me what you bought in the comments!