How to be a Budget Fashionista

I read the Budget Fashionista's blog on a regular basis, so when I saw that the library had a copy of her book, I put my name on the holds list right away. It just arrived for pick-up the other way. Sweet!

The book, "How to be a Budget Fashionista", by Kathryn Finney (aka the Budget Fashionista or "TBF", for short), had a lot of suggestions for budget shopping that I already do - shop at thrift stores, budget retailers like Ross and Marshall's and affordable stores like H&M (which I can now do, since we finally have H&M in Seattle! Yay!).

The book also had some quizzes and ways to figure out your fashion profile, body type, five favorite items in your closet and your shopping budget, to help you so that you don't spend more than you have or buy things that don't suit your personality that you'll never wear. My fashion tendencies lean toward urban trekker and trendy and my body type is hourglass.

I had to really think about my five favorite items, but I finally came up with my reversible bird necklace from the Frock Shop, my Gap jeans from the Goodwill, my black and white floral wallpaper pattern skirt from the Goodwill, new brown Banana Republic boots from Ross, and my bird house t-shirt from Frock Shop. (Of course I love all my purses, so I couldn't possibly narrow down my favorites to five. Purses are a whole other category, if you ask me.)

And after some tablulation, I found that my average spent on clothing/accessories over the last 8 months, was only $150 a month! (That will be significantly higher for the month of September, though, because September = new boots for Fall.) I, of course, dropped that same amount or more per month on product (that includes product for face, hair and body), which is no surprise.

Before heading out to start shopping, she recommends making a list of items that you are shopping for. I have done that in the past, but not for a while. So I made a list, which included things like black riding boots and long jeans to wear with higher heeled shoes. Sometimes just having those things in mind helps to redirect focus on what you really need, instead of being seduced by things you already have multiples of, like sunglasses or graphic tees.

One of the parts of the book that I enjoyed the most were the Budget Fashionista's anecdotes on specific bargains that she had gotten - like a turquoise necklace at the Salvation Army for 25 cents and two Norma Kamali dresses (also from the Salvation Army) for $2.49 each. That's my kind of bargain!

Even if you are already a master budget shopper, Kathryn Finney's "Budget Fashionista" book is a fun read and will help you to focus your shopping and give you new ideas (like getting coupon books for outlet malls - who knew?) so that you can get out there and get the best deals possible.