Jessica Alba was spotted in a chic black and white ensemble while grabbing lunch in the park with her daughter and their friends in Venice Beach. I love Jessica's style but I think I may have made a few improvements on this outfit...first I found a slim yet soft floral pant with a mostly black background to mimic her wide leg palazzos. I think the slimmer silhouette is easier to wear and the black makes it more flattering. Then I found a flatform sandal with a natural faux wood sole to break up all the black and white in her outfit and give it an organic touch that feels right for summer. I'm especially proud of the satchel and sunnies I found, too, both at Nordstrom by BP and under $50 - they look way more expensive! What do you think, is this a look you'd try? Do you like my edits? Read on to shop the look for less...

Shop Cinco de Mayo Sales:

You don't need to roll out a designer collab like Marimekko to draw me to Target on a random Sunday afternoon. On a recent trip I had a little time to try on some tops by Knox Rose, which can look unimpressive on the rack but really shine when you try them on. Case in point: The cold shoulder top above looked shapeless on the hanger but made me feel sexy (for a change!) when I tried it on. Knox Rose actually has a bunch of on-trend cold shoulder tops and peasant tops that are so in right now and feel right for summer, no matter what your usual style calls for. Just style them with white pants or denim shorts and sandals for easy outfits you can take from day to night with the right accessories. For under $25, these pieces are an inexpensive way to try the boho trend without the spending commitment you might pay at Free People or Anthropologie. Read on for some of my picks, plus some incredible fashion jewelry and my new favorite picnic blanket by Threshold!

Two stylish cap-toe espadrille flats, two very different pricetags. It's the "Mara" versus the "Vera"; the genuine leather versus the faux. But can you guess which is which? One costs $225 at Barneys while the budget doppelgänger costs just $25. See if you can spot the real from the steal by clicking a link below! Oh, and style these stunners with just about all your summer looks.

A dressed down Taylor Swift was sending out good vibes recently in her Amuse Society Bad Habits Good Vibes Pocket Tee ($38, ronherman.com). The superstar paired her simple yet so cute top with a brown check shirt, ripped jeans and white sneakers for a SoHo stroll. She finished the look with bright blue mirrored sunnies and a bold pink lip - two key ingredients that really bring a lot of vibrancy and attitude to her casual ensemble. I'm loving how easy it is to recreate this look with finds under $50, including Taylor's exact tee, so I snuck in an additional item that charges your phone on the go and also makes a stylish accessory. Read on for this editor pick and more look for less finds...

Question: I came across this dress that Kate Middleton wore during her tour in India and really like it. Any idea where I can find something similar at a reasonable price? —Brenda P.

Answer: First off I'd like to say that I am happy to be bringing the "Ask BB" column back after a long, unplanned hiatus! This weekend on a whim I did a search of "Ask BB" in my email and discovered dozens of unopened messages that had been inadvertently filtered into the wrong folder (thank you, spam filters!) - so if you have tried contacting me with a question and never got a response, I am so so sorry! My favorite part of Budget Babe has always been answering reader questions, and I just figured you guys stopped reaching out around the time I had kiddos and honestly things were (are?) too hectic to get through emails each day! I was so happy to find all your questions so I will be plowing through those in the next couple of days to get everyone's fashion requests answered. Again, my apologies for the mishap and thank you for continuing to send me your questions, it means a lot.

Moving on...Kate Middleton looked amazing in a number of boho chic dresses like the one above during her recent tour of India and Bhutan. You can get all the details of her tour wardrobe from Daily Mail. To get the look for less, I would check brands like Lucky Brand, Forever 21, H&M, Xhilaration at Target and Free People.

Here are some similar dresses I rounded up online mostly under $50:


Row One:
Embroidered smock dress • $68

FOREVER 21 abstract tile print maxi dress • $32.90

FOREVER 21 striped floral maxi dress • $19.99


Row Two:
FOREVER 21 contemporary tile print maxi dress • $16.99

Influence Long Sleeve Boho Maxi Dress • $41

Blue Paisley Maxi Shirt Dress • $98


Row Three:
H&M - Embroidered Maxi Dress - White - Ladies • $49.99

Lucky Brand Woven Dress • $39.99

Free People Cabaret Long Sleeve Maxi Dress • $58


Got a great find for Brenda? Share it in the comments!

Shown above: Kate Middleton in a Topshop dress