I often get emails from readers who feel utterly overwhelmed when they shop and have no clue where to start when it comes to fashion. To them, I say, you are not alone! Looking good is not easy. And while fashion should be fun, sometimes shopping can be a daunting chore. So, I started brainstorming and came up with this list of 10 concrete tips that will hopefully offer some guidance on how to begin to look fashionable on a budget. What wisdom would you share with a friend who was just getting into fashion?

BCBGMAXAZRIA Striped Top, Original pricetag $78, T.J. Maxx price, $34.99

The folks at T.J. Maxx recently sent me a $25 gift card to assist me with spring shopping at my friendly neighborhood T.J. Maxx store. My mission: To find the season's latest trends at this off-price retailer. Could it be done? The answer is yes, but you're going to have to do some serious digging and careful, thoughtful editing (to borrow a phrase from Tim Gunn). Ultimately I found all the fashion must-haves you might need to update your wardrobe for spring, mostly under $50, including…

Victoria's Secret Beauty recently launched Secret Moments, a new collection of fragrant body care in 5 sexy scents: At First Sight, Island Escape, Girls' Night, Room 504, and Good Day Sunshine. Each is infused with a trio of skin-nourishing botanicals—antioxidant White Tea and moisture-rich Rice and White Lily Milks. The collection includes a Sheer Fragrance Mist ($12), Daily Moisture body Lotion ($10), Nourishing Body Cream ($12), and Daily Body Wash ($10). Too bad I didn't know about this earlier, I was just at VS last week to restock on my 5 for $25 bikinis, lol.

Photo courtesy of Victoria's Secret

A couple weeks ago I bought my first bottle of American Apparel nail polish in a mint green shade called Office. Love the color, hate the quality. The formula is thin and watery, and it takes FOREVER to dry. You need a minimum of 3 coats to achieve bottle color. It also reeks and the chemical smell lingers long after the polish has dried (so much for being free of DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde).

I absolutely love Lululemon yogawear but it is so expensive. Do you know any places that sell that line at a discount? Or any comparable yoga wear that is less expensive? —Michelle

Vancouver-based Lululemon Athletica is a popular yoga-inspired athletic apparel company that's been growing by leaps and bounds. I recently read the company is opening 25 new showrooms in June following a near tripling of net profits. There's clearly a huge demand for their trendy activewear but Michelle is not alone in her complaint: It's really expensive.