The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Three Ways to Wear: Leopard Sweater

Three ways to wear a leopard sweater

I am convinced that leopard print will never cease from the fashion world. Fine by me! Right now, The Budget Babe loves the sassy and loud print on sweaters. So we’ve come up with three celeb and street style-inspired ways to wear one effortlessly for fall and winter!

Shop Leopard Sweaters Under $60:

Splurge vs. Steal: J.Crew Check Shirt


J.Crew check shirt look for less

A checkered shirt is on my short-list for fall: you can wear this staple layered under the season's trendy sweatshirts or a classic cable knit sweater. Or style this essential button-down with a puffy vest, leggings and tall boots for a cozy look that's perfect for outdoor activities. Merona always delivers great J.Crew looks for less, and this checkered shirt is no exception. Both options would be a welcome addition to my closet - which would you choose?

Splurge: J.Crew crinkle check shirt, $88 at jcrew.com
Steal: Merona check shirt, $22.99 at target.com

Click through to see a photo of the Merona shirt in real life...

Alexander Wang for H&M: A Quick Review


Alexander Wang for H&M review

Today marked the launch of the Alexander Wang for H&M collection, and as the Budget Babe, I would be remiss if I did not touch on the topic. But to be perfectly honest, this isn't a collection that excites me. When I checked H&M's website this morning around 10:00 a.m. ET and it was down, I just kinda shrugged. No biggie. To be fair, I am clearly not the intended customer (could you see me wearing this?), and I haven't seen any of the pieces in person, but from what I've seen online, there's way too much "Wang" branding and not much design. Also, it's really pricey. Nearly everything is sold out and pieces are already showing up on Ebay (362 listings at the time I'm writing this) for as much as $899 for a down puffer. Meanwhile, The Recessionista gave the Alexander Wang x H&M collection a scathing review, while Refinery29 called it "cool, sporty and boundary-pushing." On Instagram, a bunch of people commented that they weren't too thrilled about this collection either. My advice? Just buy "real" Wang when it's on sale (like right now during the Nordstrom clearance sale!)

Thoughts? Did you shop it? What did you buy?

Glamorous & Fabulous Office Supplies Under $16!


Office accessories under $16!

My weekly column is all about home decor that's high on style, low in cost. This week we're talking office accessories! Check out my blog A Vintage Splendor for more ideas and inspiration.

I’m currently in the process of transforming our den into a home office and in addition to shopping for furniture, I started shopping for office supplies. I thought this would be the most unglamorous side of decorating my home office. Buying pens, notebooks, staples, and other supplies is akin to shopping for toilet paper, right? I was wrong and I’m okay with it – more than okay.

Beauty Splurge vs. Steal of the Week: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara


Splurge vs. Steal Beauty: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

In this weekly column, I’m bringing you my favorite budget-friendly beauty products that are available online and in-store. Also make sure to check out my blog, HonestlyJamie.com for even more beauty product reviews, advice and tips.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is for lack of better word, AWESOME. It’s what you might call a bit of a creamy mascara, which is good thing, that has a special brush that glides through each individual lash so that you get no clumps and no little flakes…you know, the thing that people usually hate about mascara. As a bonus, it’s also formulated with a complex that stimulates lash growth (yay!).

The only downside?

It’s $22 which, sure, isn’t a crazy amount of money for mascara, but I recently tried a good alternative with some similar results. The L’OREAL PARIS Voluminous Miss Manga mascara also has an awesome brush, called a 360 flexor, that builds bold volume with high intensity. The design of the brush also allows 15 times more lash volume and that wide-eyed doe look that most women really love.

For even more beauty talk, check out my blog HonestlyJamie.com.