It's no secret, looking fabulous can cost a fortune. But, the smart ladies know that it is possible to look fabulous, chic, and like you spent a fortune...but still have plenty left to pay for rent, food, gas - you know, life's little necessities. For some, that bargain hunter's knack is innate, but for many more The Budget Fashionista is their go-to site.
If the site weren't enough, Kathryn Finney, the woman behind the website and blog, is not only sharing her finds, steals, and deals online, she is sharing the "how to" behind shopping and saving in a perfect little how to guide.
Now there are no more excuses. Anyone can be a budget fashionista.
Kathryn Finney writes with a very friendly girlfriend to girlfriend style, and many of her tips sprinkled liberally throughout, as well as insider scoop. The book also goes beyond simply sniffing out the bargains and deals. She gives real life advice about budgeting and saving, based on her own experiences, which are applicable to way more than just saving for a trip to the mall.
There are also great ideas on finding your own personal style, editing your closet (and future purchases), as well as scoring insider deals and discounts. Other chapters help identify what is a real bargain (as opposed to just cheap), how to look for quality in a garment (super important because a designer label isn't always an indicator of quality, and sometimes the great find doesn't have a label at all), and most importantly, a very concise list of resources...everything from informative websites to help hone your style sense to the places to find the best bargains. As a New Yorker, I take for granted that it's easy to find those things, the book includes listings of the top spots in many other cities.
Fittingly, the book is a very budget friendly $10.36 (you'll probably save more on your first purchase with Finney's tips) on Amazon .
I look at shopping as something of a sport (think about how many calories you burn walking around a mall, lifting armloads of clothing, and bending and stretching to see how your butt looks in a mirror...all without sweating!) and I found myself inspired by some of the ideas in the book. As a matter of fact, I'm off to edit my closet, and maybe get some friends together for a swap!
Now for a bonus bargain to start you off...The author has offered a copy of her book to an In My Bag reader for the ultimate price of FREE! E-mail me ,The Bag Chick by June 1st (make sure the subject is Budget Fashionista). I'll draw one winner's name at random. The winner will be notified that week.
