Just before the Fashion Week madness struck, I paid a quick visit to both my nearest TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores to check out their summer clearance shoes and see what was new for fall. Here are some highlights: The Cube at Marshalls has all the edgy teen must-haves that grown ups can wear on the weekends, too, like cargos, distressed jeans, tons of plaid shirts and chambray ones, too. Most items are priced under $30. I'm addicted to ruffle tops, tees, tanks, cardigans, you name it, so I wanted to see if Marshalls had this current trend in-stock, and they definitely did! My favorite piece was a black ruffle front tank by MICHAEL Michael Kors, priced under $30 - why pay more at a department store, right? At TJ Maxx, I was pleased to find a couple pairs of shoes from DV by Dolce Vita as well as Kelsi Dagger - two cool brands that are very on-trend at the moment, nice to see current styles at a substantial discount. Finally, my TJ Maxx had a ton of new handbags, including some designer names like Cynthia Rowley, Hype, Lucky Brand and B. Makowsky. Yes, you have to dig, but if you know what to look for, there are some serious savings to be had.

More photos after the jump!

Shown above: BCBGeneration swoopback pumps, $39.99 (compare at $75). Lauren Conrad wore a similar pair here.

Recently I received a $100 giftcard and an invitation from Old Navy to check out their latest fall offerings and share my experience with readers. So I headed to my nearest Old Navy store yesterday and within minutes, I had found my perfect lightweight fall jacket, an olive green cargo-style number with an upbeat rose plaid lining, utilitarian pockets and hood. The price was right too, just $44.50. I've been following the whole cargo jacket trend for what seems like months now, and this affordable option from Old Navy seems to be a great way to get in on this trend for less. I can wear it while walking my dog with jeans and oxford flats or pair with my edgy leather-look leggings and combat boots when I'm feeling more fashion-y. The next item I scooped up was a super soft fitted plaid shirt which I thought was a little pricey at $26.50 but the cut and color was perfect, it felt feminine not lumberjack, so I scooped it up. Finally, I picked up some totally basic black sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie for $15 a piece because I needed them for an upcoming camping trip and lounging around the house once. Total spent was $84!

Keep reading to see what else was in store!

With Fashion Week over, I finally had a chance to head to my nearest Target to check out the newly launched Tucker by Gaby Basora collection. I found a delightful assortment of blouses, camisoles, skirts, dresses, one fur jacket and one tweed coat. The prints look expensive and the fabrics, though mostly polyester, work well with the designs and for once, they're not sheer! Hooray. The cuts are cool and wearable for women of all ages. Sizing seemed off; I could easily have taken a size L for the furry jacket (although the $79.99 pricetag was a major turnout) whereas I fit comfortably into a size XS tunic-style dress. The looks had a feminine retro feel that I'm really into right now and I could see the inspiration that designer Gaby Basora took from the movie The Passenger, which I rented after reading an interview in which Basora sighted the film as an inspiration. (Strange but good, I recommend seeing it.) I didn't buy anything because I need to save up and plan my fall wardrobe judiciously but I really liked a lot of the pieces and hope I can find them on sale in the coming weeks. What did you buy/love from this collection?

A walk down Target's shoe aisle is like getting a quick lesson in Fall Shoe Trends 101: For 2010, we're seeing ladylike heels, open-toe boots, animal prints, menswear-inspired oxfords, velvet-looking fabrications, shoeties, greige (gray + beige) and clogs. Scan your wardrobe, check your pulse, then pick one or two top trends to incorporate into your wardrobe this season. I'm on the hunt for the perfect leopard flats (Target's option is genuine suede, a definite plus) and a peep-toe boot (love the ones shown above but wonder about the comfort factor.) I recently bought two pairs of Dolce Vita for Target boots on sale (I know, I know, I changed my mind about them and caved!) so no more shoes for Ms. BB for a while. How about you, any Target shoe styles you'd recommend to a friend?

More pics after the jump.

I made the trek to Target #2 this morning in hopes of finding their newly launched Temple St. Clair jewelry collection and this time, I was successful. Well, somewhat successful…I actually had to ask a sales clerk at the jewelry counter if they had the collection, at which point she was kind enough to pull out the box for me containing all the jewelry for me to browse under her watchful gaze. Hence, no photos, save for the heart stone ring which I purchased for $30. Everything looked absolutely lovely in person—rings, necklaces and earrings ranging from $29.99 to $49.99—but I still have a hard time justifying spending $50 on anything let alone a necklace from Tar-jay. Nonetheless I'm really pleased with my purchase and I just hope it stays looking this shiny and pretty for a while.

Have you seen the collection in person? What did you buy?