The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

5 Budget-Chic Instagrammers I'm Loving Right Now


Instagram. How did we ever live without it? It's quickly become the place to follow friends, fashion bloggers, brands, designers, and self-proclaimed experts in nearly every field from around the globe. And while I love seeing photos of exotic locales and someone's $1,000 Louboutins, I find that I'm most inspired by extraordinary, everyday gals who make a trip to Starbucks seem glamorous, or who manage to put together a runway-ready look without spending a fortune. So allow me to introduce you to 5 fashionable Instagrammers that are inspiring me right now with their daily snaps.

Who are your favorite Instagrammers? Let me know in the comments, I'm always looking for fresh ideas (and more ways to waste time)! Oh, and you can always follow me, too, if you'd like. My username is budgetbabe.

Pamela Love for Nine West




Nine West has teamed up with jewelry designer and New York native, Pamela Love, for a limited-edition "shoelaboration." (Cute, right?) Previously, the designer has teamed up with Topshop and J.Crew. Translating signature elements from her jewelry, Nine West created an edgy ankle boot with a Bohemian vibe that mixes distressed leather and rustic metalwork.

The Pamela Love boot comes in brick, black and red and is available for pre-order online for $299. It's a gorgeous boot, but this price point seems way too steep for Nine West. What do you think?

Watch the video below to hear more about Pamela's inspiration behind her design, and check out Nine West on Pinterest for more photos.


Fall Fashion Trend 2012: The Cape




When Banana Republic invited me to wear their trench capelet during New York fashion week, I was hesitant to say the least. Mostly, I was concerned about the volume and how I would style it without looking over the top. But once I tried it on, my fears melted away. A classic capelet with a belt to cinch the waist, in a neutral color, is easy and effortless and you can toss it on over just about anything. Now I'm just sorry I waited so long to try this trend, which seems to come back every season - see looks from the Fall 2012 Hermes (top center) and Chloe runways above for inspiration.

My exact BR cape is sold out online but you might still find it in stores for $150. Here are a few more affordable cape options to help you get the look:

Badgley Mischka Spring 2013


For their Spring 2013 collection, Badgley Mischka drew inspiration from the 1930s film "A Midsummer Night's Dream," envisioning an ethereal maiden who gets frisky in the forest, as it were. Everything oozed romance, from the colors (lilac, ivory, blush) to the fabrics (chiffon, tulle, lace). I was, admittedly, a bit distracted by the celebrities sitting front-row - more specifically, I was curious to see which looks Lauren Conrad would deem worthy of photographing with her iPhone (she seemed visibly moved by the moss matelasse dress below, not surprising considering the feminine silhouette). A number of metallic tweed blazers stood out to me for their day-to-night appeal but the real showstoppers at Badgley Mischka were the red carpet gowns, so it was exciting to see Kate Mara select the smoke lace gown (shown above) for the 2012 Emmys - and yes, she made my best-dressed list.