How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less Book

How to Be a Budget Fashionista is a guide by Kathryn Finney, founder of thebudgetfashionista.com. The book is divided into three sections, labeled as "Steps."

Step 1: Know Your Budget. In this section, Kathryn provides advice for fashionistas who maybe have been letting their money get away from them. This section is essentially a mini-lesson in personal finance, and could benefit even those who do not want to become fashionistas.

Step 2: Know Your Style. Every fashionista has a distinctive style, but these can be grouped into certain types. Most people have more than one style. In this step, you take a quiz and create a look book to determine what your style is. Then, Kathryn supplies a list of designers and stores that fit your style. PLEASE NOTE: Designers are not budget-friendly most of the time, so it might be best to look at these designers and use their work for inspiration, rather than plan to actually buy their designs. (My style is mostly Romantic, with secondary styles of Conservative and Urban Trekker.)

Step 3: Know Your Bargains. In the third part of the book, Kathryn discusses how to find bargains in department stores, online, from designer outlets, and more. One review on Amazon pointed out that Kathryn's idea of a bargain sometimes does not seem like a bargain at all: $50 for a blouse, $90 for a skirt. While these aren't bargains I can afford, if you look at the percent markdown from their original prices, the items she cites are true bargains. Worrying about the specifics, however, isn't what the book is about anyway. Even if your clothing budget is such that you have no choice but to buy all of your clothing in thrift stores, there is advice here for you.

In addition to fashion and shopping advice, How to Be a Budget Fashionista includes ideas on how to supplement your income, how to arrange a clothing swap with friends, and how to make several beauty products from things you have lying around the house.

If you are looking to learn how to put an outfit together, this is not the book for you. (That would be The Lucky Shopping Manual.) But if you already know how to do that and just need some help doing it cheaper, you should check this book out.