I’m not naïve to the economic crisis. It’s clearly evident in daily headlines, newscasts, and the lack of shoppers at our local and name-brand retailers. In fact, I just finished glancing headlines: Starbucks and Boeing will cut jobs and the government is considering discontinuing Saturday mail delivery. I’m sure you’ve heard Freeman Jewelers in downtown Allentown has closed its doors after nearly 100 years in business.

That said, I was speaking with a celebrity makeup artist and she mentioned this term that struck a chord in my brain. She said women today are turning into “recessionistas.” Try saying that three times fast! Recessionistas, eh? Is that an elegant term for women who are bypassing the Bergdorf Goodman’s for the Bon-ton’s? Or perhaps that’s what we’re calling women who are hitting the clearance racks more so now than they ever have before because regular-priced items are much too unfeasible.

I recently did a Google search (I admit, I almost said “Googled”) for recessionista and alas, the term exists and has been used by Times Online, New York Times, The Huffington Post, and it’s even a blog. Apparently, as Times Online states, a recessionista is a “marvel who’s a magnet for a good deal” and a “style maven on a budget,” according to New York Times. I’m gathering that recessionista is replacing the ever-popular expression fashionista.

This brings me to my next question: Is it fair to glamorize the stress and hardships some of us are enduring by calling us recessionistas? I mean, I thought a savvy bargain shopper was exactly that–a savvy bargain shopper. Sure the term recessionista rolls off the tongue much more eloquently than savvy bargain shopper, but I’ve been a budget shopper for years now and don’t ever intend to consider myself a recessionista simply because our economy is declining.

I’ve been complimented on many an outfit and I’ll be completely and 100 percent honest with you, that outfit was definitely not full price. Rarely do I ever purchase fashion at retail price mainly because you do not need to spend oodles amount of money to look good. In fact, I consider bargain hunting an art form because it requires some talent to walk into a store, peruse the sale racks, and walk away with a top-quality, fashionable look.

So go ahead, girls. Be that savvy bargain shopper and call yourself a fashionista. It’s a-okay in my book.