Posts with tag budget

While we get as excited as the next girl about a gorgeous $400 shoe, our budget doesn't exactly allow us to indulge in those items too often. Or, you know, maybe ever.

One of the best ways to finish off an ensemble for a big night out is with the right purse. Generally, if we're doing the club scene and getting all dolled up, we like a fab little clutch with enough personality to hold its own. However, we're not going to carry it all the time -- just on certain occasions -- so we don't want to spend a ton of money on it.

Something we've noticed lately is the sudden prevalence of relatively inexpensive wedding dresses on the Internet. It started with Lane Bryant's now-dwindling Bridal collection of dresses and separates, all priced at around $150 initially and now on sale for about fifty bucks a pop. Then we noticed that David's Bridal has an online gown collection with dresses for all sizes priced under $250. Now Torrid has a few new wedding options for the curvy bride, all priced under $250.

Sounds great, right?

The Budget Fashionista wants you to take the TBF Annual Shopping Survey. It only take about five minutes (seriously -- I just took it and you didn't even miss me, did you?) and is anonymous, so you can tell them the scariest shopping secret in your whole closet and nobody will know that it's you.

Last year over 2500 folks took the survey, which not only helps TBF in determining certain elements of the site but also lets you see how you compare to other shoppers. The questions range from how often you shop to where you shop, and go on to ask what you think is a reasonable amount (or how much you'd be willing to spend) on certain items.

The results will be posted on The Budget Fashionista so you can see how others answered those same questions. Or, if you have any really interesting answers, leave them in the comments!

According to recent research conducted by Mintel, Payless might want to watch its back. The research indicates that over the next five years, the number of shoes purchased each year in the UK is expected to drop by seven percent, according to Manolo the Shoeblogger. And Manolo the Shoeblogger doesn't lie.

And why do I assume that means that cheap shoes are on their way out? Because one-third of the women questioned in the above poll said they now pay more for their shoes, which means that as they make their shoe purchases, they'll be looking for quality over quantity.

What woman do you know who has watched an episode of Sex and the City and not sighed over at least one beautiful pair of designer shoes? Years ago, only a select few were familiar with Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin, and now there are middle-school girls fawning over these sexy heels with the same look in their eyes I had when ogling the members of New Kids on the Block.

For most of us, buying nothing but designer clothing would be out of the question (assuming we still wanted to eat and pay rent, that is), if it weren't for discount stores. Rummaging through the racks of second-run shops and "bargain basement" style outfits like Last Call Neiman Marcus is the only way I'm able to afford anything that isn't a knock-off.

But all that might change, now that the Supreme Court has lifted a ban on manufacturers' ability to enforce the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). To be honest, I've never seen a price in a retail shop that matched the MSRP, and had always assumed it only existed so discount outlets could use it as a marketing gimmick -- so the outlets could "prove" to customers how much they'd "drastically reduced to all-time-low prices." I can't imagine how much more expensive it will be to shop for designer clothing now that this ban is no longer in place.

That said, there's always thrift and "vintage" stores -- where you'll have to dig a lot harder to find quality goods, but you'll still definitely save some money. Plus, I'm sure designers will still operate their own outlets -- but if you don't live close to an outlet mall, you're out of luck. Even then, now that there will be less competition from other retailers, I doubt those designer outlets will reduce prices as much as they do currently (which isn't much).

So...um... eBay, anyone?