What Started with a Passion for Fashion on Meagre Budget Blossomed into a Savvy Style Blog & Book from the Original Budget Fashionista, Kathryn Finney. FASHIONTRIBES BLOG & PODCAST INTERVIEW

PODCAST: What Started with a Passion for Fashion on Meagre Budget Blossomed into a Savvy Style Blog & Book from the Original Budget Fashionista, Kathryn Finney. FASHIONTRIBES BLOG & PODCAST INTERVIEW - MP3 File

"It all started because I  was broked & married to a man who put the "f"  in frugal," explains Kathryn Finney, the fashionista behind The Budget Fashionista blog & the author of the fun & extremely readable How to be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less. "I started the blog in 2003 as a way to share my shopping finds. The book is similar in that it shows you how to be fabulous and still have a 401K."

Some tips from Budget Fashionista Kathryn Finney on Looking Fab for Less:

• YOU AIN'T OPRAH, DARLIN' Put an sticky paper address label on the metallic label strip of your credit cards. "I wrote on mine: 'You ain't Oprah' because I don't have her money. Another good one is Armani vs. Equity. Put it right on the credit card so you see it if you want to use it. It makes you stop and think, and adds in another step before you can use it."

• DO YOU LOVE IT? "Only buy what you love, and  love what you buy. So many times we just buy whatever. Doing this means I have a lot fewer things in my closet, and I wear them a lot more.

• SHOP WITH A PLAN While not an advocate of only shopping for certain items at certain times of the year, Finney advises only purchasing items which will already have a mate. "If something doesn't have at least two items to wear it with, either in your closet or in the store, don't buy it." This saves the money-wasting habit of an it-was-so-adorable-in-the-store shirt or pants still hanging, unworn with tags attached, a year later.

• KNOW YOUR BUDGET "Don't spend if you don’t much money you have. Figure out how much you can spend and still eat."

• KEEP A CHIC LITTLE SECRET Designer goods from consignment stores are often a fraction of their retail price. Sure, you'll still drop around $400 for a Fendi Spy bag, but that's still at least 70% off retail, and much of the time, consignment goods are in fabulous condition. "No one need know someone else owned it before."

• WHAT'S YOUR STYLE? Focus on dressing for you, and not just on what’s trendy. Not only will not every trend be suitable, but it's better to focus on getting clothes that send the message you want people to receive about you. "Buy what looks good on you, not because it's on the Celeb that's in at the moment, or in Vogue or W. Think about where you're at, both physically and economically. I call it reality dressing." In other words, if your lifestyle neither involves - nor supports - red carpet gowns or oodles of little cocktail dresses, they probably shouldn't comprise the bulk of your wardrobe.

In parting, Finney offers this advice about dressing above your station in life...tax bracket-wise. "Really stylish people don’t focus on labels, they focus on the look. They also make sure their clothes fit perfectly.  If something is meant to be slouchy, make sure it slouches correctly. If it's tailored, get it to a tailor," she admonishes. And don't forget that less is more: "Focus on buying on one or two pieces a year – build a wardrobe...don’t buy in bulk."

The book is available at Amazon.com.

- Lesley Scott

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