Shopping Cheap (With Chump Change): Don't Knock It Til You Try It!

(Walked in a store next to Trader Joe's last week and walked out with these $1.50 boho chic danglies.)

(A total score at Marshall's - a BCBGeneration "Blessed" band spotted for less than $10 while in line. Was a must-have.)

(The flea market off Melrose and Fairfax is the perfect hunting ground. This $7 turquoise, double-strand necklace is my new fave item.)

If you've never paid for a pair of costume earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace with just a handful of change, I gotta be honest with you: you're not truly living. I mean, you may believe that you're the hottest fashionista to strut your stuff since the 80s catwalk days of Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell...and OK, maybe you are...BUT...what about being a hot style maven who knows how to stretch her dollar while appearing effortlessly gorge?

While luxury accessories will always be sought after by the ultra-chic fashionista, there is something exciting and purely awesome in buying a new, fun item to adorn your outfit with using the change in your purse pocket. (Maybe from that $5 you forgot was left over from your breakfast combo from Starbucks...or possibly from those bucks that used to go toward a pack of Marlboro menthols...)

Ultimately, there is just something really cool and smart in buying cheap costume accessories. Whether you are on a mission ("OK, I have $20! I'm gonna find some great items today!") or you calmly stash your fashion change on an as-needed basis ("There's nothing I really need right now, but I might check out that shop I walk past every day. Let's see what they have in stock..."), keep your options open! Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that quality outweighs quantity, and that investing in brands and designers is an important part of maintaining a fabulous image. (I love my Tiffany jewelry and Betsey Johnson dangly earrings.) But I also believe that if you leave misconceptions, judgment, and nervousness at the door, you are opening yourself up to workable items that you may never have considered before.

Living in Los Angeles, I often walk the historical flea market off Melrose and Fairfax on Sundays, typically walking away with an extra pep in my step because of my new necklaces and hair clips. I also come to a screeching halt when I see local lawns full of yard sale junk treasures. Yup - the Goodwill is also a fun stomping ground for affordable and vintage-y pieces.

Remember: It's all about how you style what you've got. As a fashion writer, I take pride in being able to sit at top designer fashion shows in both LA and New York (inhaling the fabulous scent of couture), while equally proud that I don't give an eff if I'm wearing earrings that cost $1.50 or $100. In fact, I brag more about the former investment.

Do you proudly shop cheap? What was the best item you ever purchased?