In this issue of the Frugal Fashionista, we’ve asked DC- and New York-based celebrity makeup artist Kathy Aragon to come up with a fresh-faced new look that would work for most Washington women. But instead of using her preferred high-end products, she was left with a budget of only $50.

Aragon, who co-owns the Lorton fashion-photography studio Fashion400 with her husband, Luis, says that her favored look for clients is “clean yet strong.” Her number-one priority in a makeup application is to make the skin appear to be glowing from within. “Once the canvas of the face is correct,” she says, “the rest is easy.”

Aragon has worked with CNN, HBO, the BBC, the NFL, Glamour, People, DC Modern Luxury, and the Washington Post as well as high-profile and celebrity clientele from Larry King to Kimberly Peirce, director of Boys Don’t Cry.

What she chose:

As Washingtonians frantically finalize plans for inaugural activities, over at Frugal Fashionista we’ve been brainstorming ideas for a swoon-worthy outfit for less than the price of most inaugural tickets. And who better to enlist for the task than former Miss DC and K Street Kate blogger Kate Michael? The pageant queen and model knows a thing (or 30) about dressing up, but she admits to frequently dropping more than a few Benjamins on dresses and shoes.

Before we got started, Michael was rattling off questions like a pro: Long or short? Was a bag included? Were any stores off limits? Even better, she was offering advice. It turns out that many of her pageant gowns, despite their black-tie formality, can’t be worn to events such as a ball—mostly because they have a train, which would rip or be soiled in a large crowd.

So we made the task hard for this veteran shopper—$200, no more, for a full inaugural-ball-worthy outfit that she herself would consider sporting to an upcoming event.

As far as rules go, we assumed that Michael was searching for a dress she’d wear herself but that her wardrobe was admittedly more limited than it is. We assumed she owned basic undergarments and tights—but nothing fancy.

Here’s what she found:

In the second installment of the Frugal Fashionista, we’ve asked A Not So Capitol Idea blogger Chandler Ramelli to come up with a swoon-worthy New Year’s Eve outfit around $100.

Not familiar with the series? Here are the details: Every other week, we ask a local stylista to complete a fashion task—sometimes seasonal, sometimes fun—on a budget.

We assumed that the 34-year-old Ramelli owned basic undergarments and tights—but nothing fancy.

New Year’s Eve needs a little glitz and glam, says Ramelli, but she knows that a wear-once outfit shouldn’t cost a lot. So she immediately turned to favorite retailers such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls to satisfy her designer tastes on a discount budget.

And Ramelli didn’t disappoint: She came up with not only one but two variations on a look, each for around $100 and suitable for a variety of body types.

Here’s what she chose:

Every other week, we’ll ask a local stylista to complete a task—some seasonal and some just for fun—on a budget. Think of it as a Washington-focused “The Look for Less,” the Style Network TV show that creates a particular look on a budget.

For our inaugural issue, we’ve asked resident DC blogger Makeda Saggau-Sackey of the Glamazon Diaries to come up with a holiday party outfit for under $50.

We gave her an easy go of it for this round, saying she could wear any simple black dress she had in her closet.