Woman of the Week

Tips from the Budget Fashionista

Frugal's the new black!

-Julie Ryan Evans

Kathryn Finney is fashion. Being the founder of The Budget Fashionista, which just celebrated its fifth anniversary on September 8 during New York Fashion Week, she has a lot of tips for the savvy saver out there and you won't be disappointed. The Budget Fashionista is also the #1 independent fashion blog around, bringing fabulousness to a whole new level. Without further adieu, let Betty introduce ... Ms. Kathryn Finney.

What inspired you to start the site?

I started The Budget Fashionista from a love of fashion, but a lack of cash.

What was your career history like prior to starting this site?

I got my graduate degree at Yale and was an international epidemiologist working for a non-profit in Philadelphia, Pa. I loved helping people, but it was a very high stress job, and I was required to travel two to three weeks out of the month, which meant that I had no life outside of what I did. Your career should be a part of who you are, NOT who you are.

Did you have ambitions or any clue that it would grow in popularity like it has?

Not one iota that it was going to be as big as it is now. In life, you try to find something you love and just work hard to try to make enough money to live. It's such a blessing that I get to do what I do, meet the people I meet and help others, while still being able to be a successful business woman.

Speaking of which, just how popular are you? Hits, etc.? Describe how the site has evolved and grown over the years.

The Budget Fashionista has really grown to be a focus of its own. We have around 2 million hits per month and rapidly growing. I've been on everything from the Today Show, to Good Morning America, to CNN. I also have been featured numerous times in the New York Times, Essence, InStyle, People Style Watch, and over 400 other publications. I think it's because I'm from Minnesota; we're talkers.

Do you think that being more frugal has become more acceptable and/or fashionable in itself over the years? In other words, have women become more comfortable proclaiming their prowess at finding bargains?

Totallly. Frugal is the New Black. It's about the thrill of the hunt; it's almost like a game for many of us (how cheap can we find something). Also, the fact that several mid to high designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Proenza Schouler, Richard Chai are embracing lower end lines at places like Kohls, Target, etc. has shown you truly do not have to pay top dollar to have great design.

Are there things you do splurge on or pay full price for?

Every six months I purchase a relatively expensive handbag as a treat, nothing too crazy, usually around the $400-$600 price range. Since I mostly shop at Target, Wal-Mart and Salvation Army, I'm able to save a bit of money and buy myself something special. Last year, I also broke down and purchased a good black coat from Saks during its "end of the season" sale. The coat was a Cinizia Rocca and originally $1,400; I got it for $495, which was still ridiculous, but I needed a quality coat.

What makes a good bargain? Are there some questions you ask yourself before making a purchase?

On The Budget Fashionista, we define a bargain as something you would purchase at full price that is marked down at least 30 percent. So, it could be the handbag you wanted that is suddenly on sale at Loehmanns or a good winter coat that is marked down 80 percent. I also always use the cost per wear, which is the price of an item divided by the number of times you think you'll wear it in a given time period. So if something costs $100 and you wear it ten times, then the cost per wear is $10.

What are your plans for the future? What will the site look like in say five year? What will you be doing in five years?

My goals are to continue to preach the gospel of bargain shopping, and take The Budget Fashionista to other platforms.

Rapid-Fire Questions:

1. When you were 10 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An economist AND a Solid Gold dancer.

2. What type of kids did you hang out with in high school?

I was my class president, so I hung out with everyone.

3. What woman from the past do you most identify with?

That's a hard one because I respect SO many women who have paved the way for me to do what I do now. I feel a kindred spirit with women like Diahann Carroll and Beverly Johnson who've help redefined the American concept of beauty. I also identify with the late, great Shirley Chislom who was as gutsy and intelligent as any one person can be and Coco Chanel who makes women's clothing comfortable.

4. What's your workout?

The mall on a Saturday.

5. Cat or dog?

Dogs.

6. What do you do when you want to completely tune out?

I watch Golden Girls reruns while making fascinators (big handband hats)

7. What book is sitting on your shelf, waiting to be read?

I love to read, so I've read everything. Right now I am re-reading my favorite book, 100 years of Solitude.

8. If you could have dinner with any two people, whom would you choose?

Oprah and Bob Costa; I ADORE them both.

9. What is the one thing you want or do not want the next generation of girls to encounter?

I wish that the next generation could be allowed to be girls and have the chance to gradually develop into women. I feel like our young women are being hypersexualized at a very young age, and not allowed to define themselves.

10. If there were one thing you could change in your life, what would it be?

I don't think I would change a thing because even the bad stuff makes you who you are and makes you appreciate what you have.