Jacqueline Curtis
If you’ve paid attention to the fashion industry in the last decade, you might have noticed something new in the world of couture: budget fashion lines. Budget fashion lines, which are referred to as “bridge lines” in the industry, offer you a chance to score high-end goods on a low-end budget. By teaming designers up with a mass-market retailer, you can now get the coveted name brand at an affordable price.
But are budget fashion lines worth the hype? Like any purchase, common sense and personal budgets must be taken into consideration.
As a fashion blogger, readers expect me to showcase new threads when I do outfit posts, and they’ve told me they love reading about my shopping adventures. However, due to some recent cutbacks at work due to the slumping economy, my fashion budget was trimmed significantly. What’s a girl to do when she suddenly can’t shop as much anymore?
Whether you’re headed to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, you’ve already shelled out big bucks for accommodations and park tickets. It might be the happiest place on Earth, but a Disney theme park is also a business designed to separate you from your money. When it comes to drinks, snacks, souvenirs, meals, and even strollers, you could easily end up doubling the cost of your trip.
My mother recently gifted me a locket that once belonged to my grandmother, and it is one of my prized possessions. It is an heirloom I plan to someday pass along to my own daughter, and in addition to holding great sentimental value, the quality and durability of the item is great. Plus, it’s gorgeous to boot.
Let’s face it: Shopping for shoes and clothes online can be a gamble. Sizes vary widely across different stores and brands, and sometimes, sending back the wrong size can be a major hassle. I’m notoriously bad at shipping back stuff that doesn’t fit me – I usually forget about it and eventually 
I was completely glued to my TV during the broadcast of the most recent Oscars. No, I don’t really care who won “Best Makeup” or “Best Cinematography.” I was actually watching to see what everyone would wear. My favorite frock of the night was worn by Natalie Portman, who donned a vintage Christian Dior. Later, the dress sold for $50,000 on an online luxury goods site. 
All of my friends know me as the “shoe addict” of the group. I have three pairs of blue heels for reasons even I don’t understand. But what can I say? I love the way shoes add to an outfit.
I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a 
When my husband and I were married in 2003, we transitioned to a 
I’m not a neat person. Seriously, you should see my bathroom vanity – it’s a sea of abandoned beauty products, brushes, and blotting tissues that I’ve hurriedly cast aside. In general, I’m way too busy to fiddle with putting things away when I’m done – much to my husband’s chagrin.
I live in Utah, but my parents and brothers still live in Toronto, Canada, where I’m from. This makes for a lot of flight time each year.
For me, heading to the hairstylist is practically a form of therapy. My stylist lives in my neighborhood, so it means a couple of hours in the chair, dishing about our friends and talking about life in general. Since it saves me money on a real therapist, I consider our regular appointments a fantastic investment. But when funds are low, some of the first things to go are little luxuries, such as hairstyling and manicures. 
Have you ever looked at another person’s life and wished that their clothes, their cars, and their vacations could be yours? It’s not uncommon, and I’ll admit that I’ve fallen prey to money envy.
Ah, to be a teen again. I turned 16 sometime in the ’90s, so I hit my teen years back when butterfly hair clips, the Backstreet Boys, and the show “Boy Meets World” were cool. While I definitely wouldn’t want to go back to wearing casual overalls and plaid shirts, I yearn for the heart-pounding, sweaty-palmed dates I went on when I was 17 and 18. 
Part of what makes a great wardrobe is having lots of choices and plenty of variety. Even a person with the most extensive closet in the world probably gets sick of wearing the same outfits over and over again, which is why you should build your wardrobe on well-made staples and supplement them with cheap accessories, shoes, and other trendy items. That way, you can change your wardrobe each season without abusing your bank account. 