Remember when I showed you how to get Gwen Stefani's striped maxi dress look for less? Well, reader Wendyann Herron, a graphic designer who runs her own company called Wendyann Herron Graphic Design Couture, totally one-upped me and put together her own inspired-by take on Gwen's fun summer ensemble! Check out her look below (right), plus get a breakdown of the items Wendyann used.





Dress: Forever 21, $15.99
Hat: Ross Dress for Less, Under $20
Toe Nail Polish: Chanel Paradoxal (I think Gwen has it on, too), $25
Tote Bag: Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and More of Murfreesboro ("I'm a graphic designer and had a custom bag with MY logo on it put on a tote bag for $13.89," says Wendyann)
Flip-Flops: Big Lots! summer clearance, $0.79
Laptop Bag: Juicy Couture, $128.00


Have you been inspired to recreate a celebrity look for less? Send your pics to info(at)thebudgetbabe.com for your chance to be featured in an upcoming post.

Despite it's $695 pricetag, Loeffler Randall's 'Matilde' boot sells out every season. I have a feeling the look for less will sell out, too, since it offers the same style and comfort for $550 less. See if you can spot the real vs. the steal, then click on either image to check your guess!

Banana Republic announced today its first ever "Win Your Salary" Labor Day promotion. It's simple: this Labor Day weekend, anyone can walk into Banana Republic and win an entire year's salary at once. You can win up to $100,000 and no less than $50,000, at once - just by walking through doors this weekend. BR will give game cards to everyone who comes in and everyone wins at least 15, 25 or 50% off store purchases over Labor Day weekend.

To locate a Banana Republic store nearby, visit BananaRepublic.com. You can also check out Banana Republic on Facebook or @BananaRepublic on Twitter for more details.

I went to Target today in hopes of finding some Temple St. Clair jewelry—which they didn't have—but I did find some cool Chan Luu inspired bead bracelets (actually there are many designers making these stackable, leather wrap bead bracelets but Chan Luu is probably the most well-known of the bunch at the moment, having recently collaborated with Banana Republic on a limited-edition line). I found an assortment of colors and styles, each for $7.99. My favorite was a dark purple silk-look chord with gold-tone beads. Best part is that the closure features an easy-to-adjust slip knot so you can customize the fit to suit your wrist. Brilliant! Browse Chan Luu bracelets below for reference.

Here's a reader request: Recreate this sumptuous look from the Michael Kors Fall 2010 runway—for less. Key pieces? A deep v-neck sweater in gray, button-front camel pencil skirt, snakeskin belt, slouchy suede boots and fur clutch. So sexy yet sophisticated!

Click through to see the budget breakdown.





1. CROSSOVER V-NECK SWEATER, $44.90, express.com



2. CITY CLASSIC CAMEL PENCIL SKIRT, $59.50, loftonline.com



3. SNAKESKIN BELT, $50, shopbop.com



4. BROWN SUEDE 'ASHLEY' TALL BOOT, $44.90, alloy.com



5. 'PEEKABOO' FUR BAG, $59, ninewest.com