{budget}fab*

the room | the look

Posted on 26. Aug, 2010 by janelle.

Here’s a little color inspiration…  The room is a Flickr find and the look is from J. Crew (click on the images for details). Love the combination of the golden yellow and greys.

Continue Reading

fall trendspotting: animal instinct

Posted on 17. Aug, 2010 by janelle.

Animal print will be BIG for fall. Here’s a great round-up of animal print shoes from Essence and this piece from Elle shares inspiring animal prints on everything from outerwear to accessories. Here’s our own little look at a few budget-friendly animal print looks…

Continue Reading

fall trendspotting: lovely lace-ups

Posted on 11. Aug, 2010 by janelle.

This fall consider snagging yourself a pair of lace-up shoes.  They look great styled with jeans, leggings or skirts.  Here’s a round-up of shoes with laces for $150 or less.

Continue Reading

get a grip…

Posted on 04. Aug, 2010 by janelle.

…on a super cute clutch! There are lots of ways to take your look up a notch, and one if by swapping out your everyday bag for a fun clutch.  Here’s a round-up of some fab* clutches for $100 or less.

Continue Reading

review: elasta qp hair products

Posted on 03. Aug, 2010 by dara.

A while back, we received some great hair products to review but wanted to make sure we tested them out thoroughly before posting on them. Thanks to our fabulous group of friends, we were able to test these products on natural hair, weave, and relaxed hair of all different types. Many of us have seen the Elasta QP brand before, and perhaps have even tried it out. With so many products on the market it can be difficult to decide which products to invest in, well we’ve done the research and we’re happy to present our top choices. Check out our favorite products below!

Elasta QP Curl Wax - This product works great on weave as well as your natural hair. My curls last all day without having to put hard spritz or gel on them and they are oh sooo soft! Not only that but the wax smells really good and it helps to protect my hair from heat damage. You only need a little wax to do the job and it doesn’t weigh your hair down like traditional conditioners and petroleum based products.

Elasta QP DPR - 11+ (Deep Penetrating Re-moisturizing Conditioner) - I’ve been natural for 6 years now and it’s been trial and error with finding a deep conditioner that WORKS! I absolutely love this product for my hair. I wash my hair at least once week and I also make sure to use the deep conditioner each time. I’ve actually followed the directions on the container and left the conditioner in my hair for at least 15 -25 minutes. The deep conditioner makes my hair feel so soft and manageable. The olive oil and organic ingredients in this product are incredible! I would definitely recommend this product to friends! This product works so well that I’ve already purchased another container.

Elasta QP Soy Oyl Conditioner - I have relaxed hair that’s soft and fine, so I try to use products that won’t weigh my hair down. After washing and towel drying my hair, I applied this conditioner and instantly the texture of my hair changed! I’m normally unable to finger through my hair when it’s wet but with this conditioner, I was able to do so. The conditioner has a texture similar to mayonnaise and left my hair feeling soft and moisturized. I normally allow the conditioner to sit for as long as possible under a shower cap, then rinse and style as usual.

Note: These products were furnished to us for our review.

Image courtesy of blog.bronto.com

Continue Reading

10 terrific tanks for under $50

Posted on 29. Jul, 2010 by janelle.

It has been about a zillion degrees (and by zillion I mean hovering somewhere around 100) in the DC metro area for the past few weeks.  The only thing to even think about wearing is something without sleeves. Here’s a round-up for 10 cute tanks that could help you keep cool, all for under $50.

Continue Reading

fab* talk: uk stylin

Posted on 02. Jun, 2010 by racine.

We recently received a fab* talk request from one of readers!  Take a look below and see what the {budget}fab* crew decided would be best!

Dear {budget}fab*

I have two request that I desperately need help with!

Request #1

I have been trying to find cute maxi dresses for summer
but my problem is that every time i try them on, they are TOO SHORT. Perhaps 2 inches too short, but that is enough to make it look ridiculous. I need to find a REALLY LONG ONE!

Request #2

I need to put together a fab wardrobe to wear around in London this summer. I need to wear business casual when we do company site visits, and also some more “casual” outfits if I want. However, I’m thinking if i can find really versatile business casual outfits then I won’t have to pack as much “stuff” and it’s London so I have to dress to impress!

I need to pack 9 days worth of clothes, which will encompass 1 work week. For those 5 work week days i will need the business casual outfits because we are doing site visits at large companies (PwC, etc). For the rest of the days we will be doing a lot of walking so i need to be comfy. Also, my trip is during Wimbledon and World Cup so i will be going out a lot/getting rowdy & want cute yet functional attire. That is all.

Best,

London Stylin’

London Stylin’ I definitely understand your dilemma when trying to find a  maxi dress that is long enough.  I am 5′10 and I have found that I normally have to do a lot of trying on to find a maxi that is the perfect length.  I do however, have two easier recommendations for you.  1) Try shopping for maxi dresses at higher end boutiques or department stores.  I recently had very good luck with finding a maxi dress that was the perfect length at Nordstroms.  A maxi from a higher end boutique or department store may cost a pretty penny, so be sure that the maxi is one that you love and can get a lot of wear out of. 2) A cheaper alternative is to purchase a maxi at any women’s apparel store and simply have the hem taken out.  This is a relatively cheap alteration and can add just the length you need to make your maxi appropriate for wearing.

Request #2

London sounds like a blast!! You will be partaking in several activities, going from work to play.  My best advice to you is pack many seperates and mix and match, using accessories to make the look special and unique.  As you can see from the example below, these items can be worn in practically any combination, dressed up or dressed down.  The colored flats, jewelry, belt and hat can make the looks more fun, or eliminate some of the accessories to make the look a little more professional.

Continue Reading

fab* friday round-up

Posted on 28. May, 2010 by janelle.

There’s a long weekend ahead of us… HOORAY! We hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend.  If you’re headed to the Linganore Wine Festival you may see us there.

This week on {budget}fab*…

• Stay cute and comfortable while walking around this summer with a fun pair of canvas shoes!
• First Lady Michelle Obama has style! Here’s a few tips on how to get her look.
• Looking for a little color inspiration for a fun summer outfit? Or even your living room?  How about green, white and navy?

Other {blog}fab*…

• When it comes to your home, maybe white walls aren’t so bad…
• Fab* DIY project - faux gold objet d’art
• How FUN are these hamburger shaped cupcakes?!?! Great for summer BBQ event.

Continue Reading

color me: green, navy and white

Posted on 27. May, 2010 by janelle.

I was trolling through the millions of amazing photos on Flickr for inspiration and stumbled across this green, navy and white living room.  I love the color palette for home interiors, but thought it’d also be great for an outfit - something summery and fresh. Here’s a few ways to wear green, navy and white…

Items in this set:
LA Made Maren Drape Cardigan, $40
Frenchi® Boyfriend Tee, $20
White Destroy Hotpants, $44
Amazon.com: Miss Me Women’s Kiki-13 Gladiator Sandal: Shoes, $41
thomaspaul Small Goldfinch Tote.

Items in this set:
Closet spot pleat dress, 35 GBP
MOOS, $75
Silver bangle pack, 10 GBP
Leatherock Square Buckle Patent Leather Belt, $34
Apt. 9 Case Closed Clutch, $32

Continue Reading

sales, sales and more sales!

Posted on 26. May, 2010 by janelle.

Here’s a quick round-up of some sales that made me pretty excited recently…

• Urban Outfitters’ big summer sale is here! Tons of stuff for $9.99 or less both online and in store.
• Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale is going on online now.
• The Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for women and kids is underway online and in stores.
• Old Navy is offering to help us get ready for summer with their summer must-haves starting at $5.
• Steve Madden Friends and Family event is going on now! Get 25% off your entire order + free shipping with promo code FF25 thru 5/31.

Know of a great sale going on now? Leave us a comment with the details!

Continue Reading