Yesterday I attended a lovely blogger brunch in New York City hosted by Kmart Fashion to preview the latest trends for spring/summer 2011. I finally got to meet the beautiful Kathy Huynh, VP of Women's Apparel Design for Kmart, who I had the pleasure of interviewing back in 2009 (click here to read). Above, you can check out the short video I shot to hear Kathy talk about the hottest trends at Kmart and to see some of her favorite pieces. She's a natural on camera and she's wearing a gorgeous Attention for Kmart dress (in stores soon!) Special thanks to Kmart for hosting such a fun event!

Fashion icon-in-the-making Kate Middleton wore a timeless Burberry trench coat on a recent trip to Belfast. Whether your style is classic or contemporary, there's a trench that's right for you. Keep reading for 5 of my favorites, affordably priced under $200.

The queen of bridal fashion Vera Wang has created White by Vera Wang, a line of affordable wedding gowns exclusively for David's Bridal.

The stunning inaugural Spring 2011 collection includes 12 gown styles which range from classic ball gowns to modern slim silhouettes in sizes ranging from 0-14, priced between $600 – $1,400 with subsequent collections to launch each fall and spring season.

The timing of this collection couldn't be more perfect since I am recently engaged and a huge Vera Wang fan. Oh, and that whole "budget" thing!

View the White by Vera Wang page on the David's Bridal website for more info.

I'm gravitating towards the one-shoulder style above and the halter dress (below) but I think I'd have to try to these on in person to see which styles are most flattering on me. Which styles do you like?

The Budget Babe's Windy City correspondent, Chantal Baros, previews the latest spring fashions from Zara at their exclusive press event. —BB




by Chantal Baros
Last Wednesday I attended a press event at the Zara flagship store on 700 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago for a preview of the Spring/Summer 2011 collection; and it was fantastic! The new collections for spring were marked by interesting details, beautiful fabrics and pops of colors to herald in that warm weather we're all craving. And best of all, Zara brings us runway-inspired fashions at great prices with most pieces under $100. Needless to say, I wanted to buy everything.

What's hot at Zara? Everything. Fresh, bright colors are the best way to start working spring into your wardrobe. Bright colorblocking seems to be the focus and the electric blues, emerald greens, fresh oranges and hot fuchsias look fantastic on tailored clean pieces. I was impressed by how each collection seemed very cohesive and wearable with lots of options for dressing pieces up or down. Also look out for awesome tiered shirts and dresses, and kimono style tops seem to be a big trend this spring too.

After my trip to Payless, I paid a visit to Forever 21 to see what was new for spring. The clothes were organized to highlight some of spring's key trends, including tribal, florals, and nautical. You couldn't miss the eye-catching colors and bold prints, from geometric to animal print, in the tribal section; silhouettes included ponchos, linen shorts and daring crop-tops. Next to that, ditsy print dresses and bohemian blouses in pretty pastels created a feminine, garden party oasis. The nautical/Americana section was marked by stripes in navy, white and red, plus plaid, gingham and lightwash denim. I bought a navy and red sweater (which you'll see after the jump) and I'll probably go back for more. Other highlights included a day-to-night Chanel inspired jacket, lightweight chunky knits in spring colors like nude and pink, and lots of maxi-skirts, which honestly aren't my style but I can see lots of fashion bloggers scooping them up! I purchased a tan trench (see me wearing it on Facebook) to test-drive this classic look which has been called a wardrobe essential by just about every style expert on the planet. All I can say is, what took me so long?

Click through for more photos.