Shoes can make or break your look, so I'm usually willing to drop a lot of money on a decent-looking pair of kicks. However, the most durable, comfortable, versatile pair of shoes I've purchased in recent memory was an $18 pair of gray Jack Purcells from Urban Outfitters a couple years ago. I was proud of myself; it was quite the bargain.

Looks like Old Navy might be the next place I'll find my shoe deal of the century. These exceptionally cool, patterned slip-ons just went on sale on the company's website -- selling for a mere $20. I don't how they fit, as I've yet to try on a pair in person, but the flannel design is right in line with the Seattle grunge revival, plus it would be a nice way to give a nod to the crispy October temps.

I had all but given up on Old Navy ever again creating anything that didn't look like it was intended for a generic suburban high school sophomore, so this will be a good excuse for me to poke my head in to see if times have changed.

[via See Jack Shop]

Attention all L.A. girls (and boys)! The most incredible sale of the year is happening this Friday at Studio at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, CA. Doors open at 10am, but you better believe there will be a crowd of deal hungry females hovering outside the door, so get there early.

Why all of the excitement? Well for starters Fred Segal only has a sale once a year and since when do any of your favorite beauty products go on sale? Like never. Take 50% off your favorite products ...

Korres, Perlier, Delux Beauty, Abahna, Too Faced, Soaps From Provence, Exotic Perfumes, Scented Candles, Gifts From L'artisan Perfumeur, Penhaligan's, Mor, Body Lotions, Lip Glosses, Cosmetics, Skin Care, Nail Polish, Haircare, Holiday Gift Sets and much, much more all 50% off original price.

The sale doesn't last long, it ends September 30th. Special thanks to WeLoveBeauty for the tip.

Studio at Fred Segal
500 Broadway
Santa Monica, California 90401
310 394 8509

Coveting the Burberry Prorsum Studded Platform Sandals, but not a fan of the $940 price tag?

Studs and tough girl leather are fashion must-haves for fall/ winter 2007, but because they are trends and not staples it's probably best to get your kicks on the cheap.

The ultra hot Burberry Prorsum Studded Platform Sandals that were a hit on the runway aren't available yet (you can pre-order them at Norstrom.com), but the knock-off version by Jeffrey Campbell sure is for $100 at ShopIntuition.com.

These shoes are great for adding a touch of high fashion to any outfit. The Jeffery Campbell shoes may not be studded in silver like the Burberry version, but both shoes have a 4 inch heels, are strappy, studded, and very tough.

The key to wearing these shoes is not to look like you just walked out of an S&M club. Pair them with something unexpected like a floral print or go simple with a pair of skinny jeans and a tee shirt.

I am not really into sweats, tracksuits, and the likes but occasionally they are necessary. In my world sweats are only appropriate when it's raining in Los Angeles (which rarely happens), relaxing at home, and shopping (low-end shopping only). Due to my limited circumstances I don't own too many pairs of sweats. In fact the last time I purchased sweat pants was back in 2005 when Juicy Couture was really hot.

Today it was raining in L.A. so I decided to enjoy the drippy weather by going out on a little shopping trip, nothing fancy – just Loehmann's. Every time I stop into Loehmann's for some budget shopping I see tons of sweats by 2B Free. I decided to finally try on a pair and seriously, I have been freed by a pair of sweatpants!

Talk about the most comfortable thing I have put on my body in a long time. I am starting to see why people like to dress in "comfortable" clothing. 2B Free is a Los Angeles based brand who specializes in "rock-n-roll" casual wear that Sarah wrote about back during LA Fashion Week last Spring. 2B Free is a favorite among celebrities like Madonna, Paris Hilton (who walked the runway for the 2BFree show), Nicole Richie, Carmen Electra, and Jessica Simpson.

Prices are kind of steep if you buy at full retail. A pair of sweats on their website is about $150 dollars but if you bargain hunt, like me, you can score a pair for $35. To learn more about 2 B Free click here.

I was flipping through the October issue of Elle when I spotted this great quote by Italian shoe designer Paola Bay, who was asked about wearing head-to-toe vintage.

"If you do that, you look like you want to create something that doesn't exist anymore."

I just loved that quote because it is so true. It's 2007, and while vintage shopping is hot and will remain so, the past is well ... the past. Dressing completely from one decade will make you look like you just left your own personal time machine, not a good look.

I became a bit of a vintage junkie while I was living in Arlington, VA. There is this great little shop called Eclectic Threads that has great pieces at great prices. So after visiting the shop every weekend for almost a year, I have acquired a few tips to share with you:

1.) Be patient. Vintage shopping takes time, its unlikely you are going to walk in and find a gem in minutes. Dig through the basket of scarves; go through every piece on the dress rack. It will be worth it.

2.) Ignore labels. Sure it's nice to find a vintage Dior dress for $35 (I've done it) but being a label whore in a vintage shop is sabotage. Go for what looks good and not what is "designer."

3.) Ignore sizes. Size charts have changed in extreme ways throughout the years, the tag may say size 10 but it may fit like a size 2.

4.) Check for stains, holes, and smells. These clothes are old and could have some minimal damage, so make sure to know how to remedy the problem before you buy.

5.) Make friends with the owner. The shop owner is your best friend when it comes to vintage shopping. They know where the good stuff is hidden and get to know your style which can be very helpful when shopping.

I used to go to Target for fashion back in day and then they went buck wild with GO International lines. I got a little turned off, and just stuck to Target for my basic needs like paper towels and dishwasher detergent.

Yesterday I ran into Target for some basic necessities (shampoo and conditioner) when I decided to take a little cruise around the store for some accessories. My hair is newly cut and for the first time I can wear headbands and little cutesy clips. I went straight for the accessories department and went insane – great accessories all for under $10.

Some stand out items to look for are the metallic braided headbands. Two headbands come in a pack for $6.99 and are in the season's hottest shades; bronze and gold. Leopard and snow leopard prints are going to be hot as well this fall/winter; so the wide leopard print headband (also $6.99) is a good investment.

After I picked up a few (okay 4) more things from the accessories department, I moseyed on over to the hosiery department. Leg wear is a must-have, but paying too much for tights and knee socks isn't for me. The selection of knit over the knee socks was lovely: solids, stripes, and even a funky print or two. I held back from buying a pair in every color (they were only $3.99) and am waiting until I assess my skirts for the season. However, I did pick up a pair of black opaque tights and a pair of fishnets at $5.99 a pair.

Needless to say, I left happy. One thing I will say is "be careful in there". When you are surrounded by deals there is a good chance you will go crazy (like I did) so think before you whip out your cash.

H&M is one of those stores that is good in theory. They have clothes that are affordable, fashionable, and sold at a lower price point. All good things, right?

Then why is that every time I walk into H&M I either trip over a pile of clothes or get elbowed in the chest by a bargain hunter? These drawbacks out weigh the positive for me, which makes me sad because on November 8th Roberto Cavalli will debut his new line for H&M.

Roberto Cavalli dresses Hollywood's finest, and now he can dress the not-so-famous as well. Cavalli follows in the footsteps of other high-end designers like Stella McCartney, Karl Lagerfeld, and Vikor & Rolf, who have all designed collections for H&M.

Cavalli's designs targets young people, who love high fashion, but can't necessarily afford the high-fashion price tag. Cavalli's line for women will include 25 pieces, which includes coats, dresses, pants, blouses, lingerie and accessories. Prices are not yet confirmed, but they're predicted to fall in the $50- $400 range.

I have to say the collection is hot. Maybe hot enough to risk an H&M related injury. I look forward to picking up closet staples like the black trench coat, military jacket, and black tuxedo pants. Of course, I will have to buy some of Roberto Cavalli's signature animal prints like the short giraffe print coat and the short snow leopard dress.

To get more information on Roberto Cavalli's collection for H&M click here.

Students are lucky. They might not know it at the time, but come graduation, they'll probably end up like the rest of us -- bitterly reflecting on the erstwhile days of freedom and reduced-price museum admissions.

Lucky brats. If only they knew how good they have it!

As if I needed any more reason to resent them (I live in a college town, by the way), now student get a 15% discount at American Apparel with a valid school ID. All you have to do is enter your school name and identification number for verification, and AA will send you a special promo code via email to apply at check-out time. There are a few catches, however. The first is that you can only get the discount through the online store, and the second is that the window of opportunity closes on September 24.

So go ahead, Annie Wu, get your shop on, you lucky co-ed!

Mike & Chris has revolutionized the hoodie; their designs are amazing and are a hot item with both fashion lovers and celebrities. Their latest must have is the Baily Hoodie, which has been spotted on Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba, Rachel Bilson and featured in the pages of Vogue, Lucky, and InTouch.

I have tried on this amazing little creation myself but I couldn't bring myself to fork over the $308. It's just too much for article of clothing that everyone will notice when you wear it 1,000 times. The first time you will get oodles of compliments, but once you hit the tenth time people will start talking about you behind your back. Just not worth it.

That being said, although I am anti-knock off girl, I can get behind paying $29.50 for this Mike & Chris inspired piece by Old Navy. This adorable babydoll coat is made out of a soft, warm fleece fabric that is a cotton/poly/ spandex blend. It's got the oversized buttons, box pleats, and side pockets just like the Mike & Chris version (without the price tag).

I can't speak for Old Navy quality because I don't wear Old Navy, but I do know that Mike & Chris is of exceptional quality. I own a few of their garments. If you want a disposable piece of clothing you might want to try this piece from Old Navy, and be sure to let me know how it goes.

How did this one slip past me? While being caught up in the swirl of having every celebrity on the planet designing their own clothing line, I guess I didn't even notice that magazines had followed suit. Elle magazine has a collection at Kohls! Oh gees, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

Why on earth did anyone think that was a good idea? Anyone who reads Elle doesn't shop at Kohls. Soccer moms shop at Kohls to get their kids back to school outfits, they aren't going into Kohls to get real fashion. And people looking for real fashion certainly aren't stepping their Manolo covered toes into Kohls.

Elle, was Target all booked up for the season so you thought the next best thing was Kohls? Why are you designing clothing anyway? You are a fashion magazine, remember? You write about clothes and show them off on too thin models. I am so disappointed in you. I really am. You were my favorite fashion magazine and now I feel like you cheated on me with the trashy girl up the street. I didn't know you were the type to go against all you believe in for a few measly dollars. You know good and well you wouldn't be caught dead in a $27 dress. Just like you know you don't promote size 18, which is the highest size your cheap clothes go up to.

My head hurts.

If you care to check out Elle's sellout line head into Kohls or buy online here>>

For all of you gals who don't live in the fine city of Los Angeles, you totally missed out on the Rachel Pally Warehouse Sale. Let me fill you in on what you missed ...

Nestled in the heart of scary town, aka S. Santa Fe Avenue (okay, fine it's not that scary), was the Rachel Pally Warehouse Sale. They were selling the Spring '07 collection and previous collections for 50-90% off retail. It was really a can't miss sale. I went a few months back and made out like a fat rat.

The warehouse is packed full of people, rolling racks of dresses, and stacks of cardboard bins filled with discounted goodies. Dresses ranged from $35- $70, tops and skirts started as low $15, and accessories like headband and belts could be purchased for a cool $6. With prices like that it was no wonder that the place was crawling with women who were digging through bins like a homeless dude combing the garbage for dinner. Sale hungry chicks were stripping down in their skivvies like they had no shame all because the dressing rooms were too full. It was a serious sale.

I personally am not one for trying on clothes during a sample sale. Part of the sample sale appeal is taking a risk, and when you go with Rachel Pally you are pretty much guaranteed a perfect fit. All of her garments come in XS, S, M, L, and XL and are totally true to size.

I walked out only spending $100.69 (to be exact) with a bag full of goodies. To see my purchases click here>

For most of us, buying nothing but designer clothing would be out of the question (assuming we still wanted to eat and pay rent, that is), if it weren't for discount stores. Rummaging through the racks of second-run shops and "bargain basement" style outfits like Last Call Neiman Marcus is the only way I'm able to afford anything that isn't a knock-off.

But all that might change, now that the Supreme Court has lifted a ban on manufacturers' ability to enforce the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). To be honest, I've never seen a price in a retail shop that matched the MSRP, and had always assumed it only existed so discount outlets could use it as a marketing gimmick -- so the outlets could "prove" to customers how much they'd "drastically reduced to all-time-low prices." I can't imagine how much more expensive it will be to shop for designer clothing now that this ban is no longer in place.

That said, there's always thrift and "vintage" stores -- where you'll have to dig a lot harder to find quality goods, but you'll still definitely save some money. Plus, I'm sure designers will still operate their own outlets -- but if you don't live close to an outlet mall, you're out of luck. Even then, now that there will be less competition from other retailers, I doubt those designer outlets will reduce prices as much as they do currently (which isn't much).

So...um... eBay, anyone?

Did someone say "shoe sale?!?"

Barney's is having a massive designer shoe sale and fashion blogger Kristopher Dukes has scouted out the best of the best. Sky high heels, wedges, and platforms -- all of your favorites shoes that you could never find an excuse to buy are finally on sale, so go get them before someone else does.

My eyes are on the Christian Louboutin red and white platform espadrilles (originally $195 now $165), which will go perfectly with my 4th of July outfit. I will be sporting a pair of denim booty shorts, my navy blue Omni Peace top, and an over-sized straw hat. I am keeping it sexy/casual so I can get down and dirty with some fireworks at the Hollywood Bowl and if I am really feeling naughty, a hot dog.

Have a 4th of July sale tip? Leave me a note in the comments section because isn't Independence Day all about shopping?