How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less [Paperback]

Kathryn Finney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2006

Good news: You don’t have to sacrifice style just to pay your electric bill. Kathryn Finney, a.k.a. the Budget Fashionista, is the expert on all things chic and cheap. Now she opens up her Prada bag of shopping and style tips to make you fashionably frugal, with change to spare. It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Know your budget: Learn innovative, money-saving ways to increase your clothing funds.
2. Know your style: Get helpful hints from fashion insiders and use them to develop your own mode of self-expression.
3. Know your bargains: Discover the art of scoring exclusive friends-and-
family coupons for your favorite department stores

Whether you’re a homemaker from Houston, a grandma from Grand Rapids, or an M.D. from Manhattan, you don’t need to break the bank to look your best. With great cost-cutting tips, at-home spa secrets, designer discount websites, and access to exclusive deals, The Budget Fashionista is like having your own personal stylist at your beck and call. So before you go out and commit the eighth deadly sin–buying a fake Louis Vuitton–read this must-have guide and learn to be style-smart and budget-wise!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This delightful little guide to the fashion good life is perfect for money-conscious shopaholics who "love purses because they can instantly identify your personality and be used to 'fake' your income level." After teasing out the all-important personality and style differences between Sex and the City and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman women, Finney rates everything from discount designer web sites to outlet malls so that readers will be assured of their catch. The author also proves herself to be more than mere fashion tourguide as she takes time out to explain the Value Added Tax, the surprising ways to spot a designer fake and how to safely purchase high-end goods on eBay. While this fun-to-read frippery won't reveal too many new secrets for die-hard Vogue and W fans, some of the author's more practical advice ("Take Care of Your Clothes Like a Stylist") make the upbeat guide well worth the price of admission. Finney's personal quest for the sartorial best on a budget, combined with her knack for sniffing out the best designer deals, will win her legions of fans.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"A definitive style guide for real women who don't have model figures or wads of cash to waste on their wardrobes."--San Francisco Chronicle

"The Scheherazade of the sales rack unveils how to unearth haute looks for less and gives advice on dressing well, from choosing tailors to finding bras." —
Washington Post Express

"With essential info like how, where, and when to score the best deals, this book will become any frugal fashionista's best shopping buddy."--About.com
"This delightful little guide to the fashion good life is perfect for money-conscious shopaholics"--Publishers Weekly

"The style-impaired will walk away with an improved, fresh sense of style (and a shopping list that won't break the bank), while the fashionable will find numerous tips and resources to fine tune their style."--Kirkus Review

“Kathryn Finney’s tips help real women everywhere be their own stylists. A fun read that inspires you to shop smart!”
–Lloyd Boston, style contributor for NBC’s Today show, author of Before You Put That On

“Whether you’re used to splurging at Saks or bargain hunting at T.J. Maxx, Kathryn Finney’s book is chock-full of indispensable advice for getting the best deals on the stuff you want.”
–Alison Deyette and Jennifer Davidson, co-founders of Stylebakery.com

“With Kathryn Finney’s savvy tips and sage advice tucked snugly under her discount Prada belt, any budding fashionista can give Paris Hilton a good run for her money.”
–Leah Feldon, author of Dress Like a Million

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812975162
• ISBN-13: 978-0812975161
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.5 x 7.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My name is Kathryn Finney and I'm the Budget Fashionista. I was born in the heartland of America, where as a budding fashionista, I set fashion trends despite -30 degree weather and a Wave Noveau curly perm (a.ka. fancy Jheri curl). I moved to the east coast to attend college and after eight years as a serial shopper, budding politician, and Ivy League-educated epidemiologist, I was totally broke. How broke, you ask? Let's just say my first born child will be named Visa Student Loan.

Luckily for me, I married someone who put the "f" in frugal (he thought we should have got married in our 300 sq foot apartment with our Greek landlord as a witness). In early 2003, we created a blog called "The Budget Fashionista", with the goal of helping the world (and myself) be fabulous for less. I've become an expert on issues like shopping, fashion trends, blogging, fashion advice for REAL women, and the use of Jedi mind tricks to reduce credit card interest rates. The popularity of my blog led to a book (How to Be a Budget Fashionista), which led to television (NBC's Today Show, Fox, CNN, and numerous family movies), which will hopefully lead to a fashionable but debt-free life.

In my spare time, I crank-call credit card companies, use my glue gun with reckless abandon, plot ways to get Marc Jacobs to premiere a line at Wal-Mart, and have lunch with my imaginary best friends- Andre Leon Talley, Isaac Mizrahi, and Oprah.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

98 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent info on shopping and style, August 1, 2006

By 

Lady Atana "lady_atana" (Atlanta, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful guide on how to dress for success without taking out a second mortgage. Tips are given for everything from cheaper skin care to mixing high end and budget items. The listing of websites to visit are worth way more than the price of the book itself.

True, there are some subjects that are useless to me because of where I live, such as Sample Sales. And in my area of the country, I could dress from head to in Prada, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana carrying a $7000 Louis Vuitton handbag, and everyone would assume that I went on a shopping spree at Sears. The fine points of Couture is not very well known in small agricultural communtities. However, the discussions on quality of clothing, developing your own style, and especially what to splurge on and what to go "budget" on are great for anyone, no matter where they are.

The basic top ten articles of clothing are a good guideline for wardrobe building and her tips on shopping are priceless.

Because of this book, I now visit her website EVERYDAY to see what's new, where the sales are, and who has special offers going on.

As a harried, occassionly overstressed working mother of 3, reading this book has also helped my presentation of myself and my self confidence. After reading this, I realized that I do not have to look as frantic and stressed as I am. I work in a very casual workplace, but I no longer show up to work in a t-shirt and a baseball cap with no make up (well maybe only once a week now, instead of everyday). I have begun getting my hiney out of bed, fixing my hair, putting on full make up and jewelry and almost strutting into the office every morning. This in turn has helped my self confidence, which has helped my performance (which was pretty good to begin with), and guess who got Employee of the month for July?! Also after trying to make myself look good with clothes and make up, I've been inspired to begin the exercise routine my husband has been trying to get me to do for 3 years. I feel better and have more energy after only 2 weeks.

Now, I'm not saying that this book will change your life or anything, but for some people like me, it just might inspire you to try new things, which will then snowball into great things.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stay Stylish on a Budget!, June 20, 2006

By 

mediaagent "mediaagent" (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less (Paperback)

This is the most realistic book on how to shop on a budget and I have read many of them. Not only am I a fan of the Budget Fashionista's website, I take all of her tips in this book to heart. Not only does she show you how you can (and should budget for your purchases) she hands out best beauty buys, as well as give you other websites you should be privy to. I'm going to purchase a couple of books to give to friends for xmas gifts! (with my Barnes & Noble discount .. Sorry Amazon! ) :)

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This fashion accessory should be in every woman's closet, February 1, 2007

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less (Paperback)

I was pleasantly impressed with "How to be a Budget Fashionista." While I am not a "fashionista" (being "d'un certain age") I do like to make sure I look my best when I am out in public. I do a lot of public speaking and "meet and greet." So pointers on shopping and flattering fashions and makeup are welcome to this older gal. Plus, I don't like spending huge amounts of my take-home pay on work clothes.

The book covers shopping, the where and how, in compact detail. The recommendations on some of the outlet malls seems to be correct from the experiences I've had there. And the advice on how to dress when doing battle-shopping is priceless. (Hint; going to a discount shop that has a public dressing room or no dressing room at all? No need to strip off in public --unless you are Britney Spears that is. Just wear form-fitting clothes like a yoga outfit and try on your finds over them.)

There is advice on combing thrift shops and consigment shops for really expensive finds at a fraction of their cost. While I am not a fan of pre-owned clothes, I know that for someone on a miniscule budget, this can be a real blessing. The author tells you, the bargain hunter, what to avoid (musty or dank underarm smells? No no no. Bleach stain or other non-fixable ding in an otherwise cute outfit? If it's something you can sew an ornament over like a beaded patch or embroidery, then go for it.) The book tells you how to treat the STAFF at consignment and thrift stores (like royalty) so they are induced to do some pre-shopping for you and call you when choice items show up at the store. There are hints as well on sample sales (not for everyone.)

But this book isn't just on salvage and rescue operations. It also covers how to put together a reasonably fashionable working wardrobe for a professional on less than you might spend on two or three items. It covers the best shoe stores both brick-and-mortar and online and it covers how to shop for a good handbag and WHY you DON'T want a knock-off from street vendors or certain online auction sites (counterfeiting is illegal and you are encouraging that kind of theft. And EVERYONE will know anyway.)

For a relatively compact volume, "How to be a Budget Fashionista" covers a lot of ground with real-life examples of students taking $600 dollars (not a lot anymore for a full wardrobe) and getting fabulous for interviews and work. If you are entering the workforce, updating your look, going pro, whatever your reason to need to look fabulous on next to nothing, the first thing to put on your credit card is this book. I mean it.