Let’s face it, when you’re a college chic on a budget it’s hard enough to afford the actual fashion and celeb magazines (what are they these days $4.95?), let alone the glorious, “I will be poor for the rest of my life if I actually buy that” fashions that are inside.

It’s like that boy you love that you know has a girlfriend and yet you flirt with him anyways…a major tease that you knowingly setting yourself up for disappointment only to be left without the boy (or in this case, Jimmy Choo’s).

So what’s a girl on a major budget to do (aside from salivating all over this month’s Vogue)?

Consider me your new best friend (or personal shopper). Your own Rachel Zoe, if you will. Each week, I’ll take a new celeb or couture look and do all the leg work for you. I’ll find a similar style on a real girl’s budget. Now all you have to do is order it, throw it on and go.

This Week: Jessica Simpson’s Red Wrap Dress

Red Wrap Dress from Victoria’s Secret. A wrap dress is such a great wardrobe staple. This one is a little bit of a longer sleeve than the one Jessica is wearing, which is a great piece to take you from summer to fall. Wear it now with a wedge and in October with tights and a great boot… and if red isn’t your color, it comes in Black and Blue too! Read More »

We always knew Reese Witherspoon was awesome, but now she’s proving it.

Reuters and the United Nations report that Reese is the driving force behind a partnership with Avon in a campaign to end violence and discrimination against women.

High-five, Reese!

To fund the campaign, Avon will soon be selling women’s empowerment bracelets online with all profits going toward the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). Avon has pledged to match the first $500,000 the bracelets make, for a total donation of $1 million. Yowza. In a further move of awesome, the bracelets are actually affordable for most women (at $3 a pop).

Reese is the Avon Global Ambassador, which I think is basically a fancy title meaning that she’s one actress who actually walks the walk of helping people in need around the world. If the rest of Hollywood ripped a page out of Reese’s book, I can only imagine how much money and success charities would have.

As long as I’m on the topic of giving Reese Witherspoon high-fives, I’m going to give her another one for dating Jake Gyllenhaal. Talk about a good move!

Great judgment in ethics and in men: that’s our Reese.

Lots of guys know how to dress. It’s definitely a turn-on when they find a style that fits their personalities. And even if they don’t have the know-how, sometimes all it takes is confidence, and even the biggest male fashion blunder can be overlooked.

But girls, we’ve all been here before:

“He’s really cute! Omigod…..well he was before I noticed he was wearing……that.”

“That” could be one of five things that, in my opinion, can make a good-looking, adorable, manly-looking kinda guy go from potential hook-up hottie, to….. “I think I see my friend over there.”

Beware. Counting down to the most irritating, here are the top five things real men should never sport. Ever. If you have a boyfriend who applies to this list, (though I hope that’s not the case) share this with him immediately. Share with everyone you can.

Strappy Sandals. You know the kind. The complicated, brown leather sandals with a slight heel. These monstrosities don’t make any outfit look anything remotely close to good.

Bracelets. Unless he’s wearing a diamond bracelet in hopes you’ll see it and say, “Hey, why are you wearing that diamond bracelet?” and he’ll say, “Oh, it’s actually for you. And there’s a lot more where that came from,” bracelets on guys are unnecessary. Read More »

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that excessive wrist-wear is the hottest thing next to Paris Hilton hitting the slammer. Well maybe not that hot, but you get it.

Thick black and white bangles with printed designer logos to thin multi-color cuffs are populating everyone’s forearms these days. I love it. I mean, yes, the constant jingle, jangle is pretty annoying after a while, but no simple mini-dress or safari-esque outfit looks complete without ‘em.

My latest obsession really is the black Chanel bangle with the white logo coupled with a few other heavy black and white bracelets. (I noticed the combo in the “Green Issue” of Elle magazine on Christina Ricci and decided I NEEDED the look.)

Then again, a wrist-full of color is awesome too. So in an attempt to get both looks, cuffs/bangles - multi/black and white, I’ve found some super affordable alternatives to the pricey designer versions. Thank you Urban Outfitters and Forever21. Read More »

         
Frosted shell-charm bracelet, J.Crew $115; Maritime charm bracelet, J.Crew $130

What better time than summertime to put a little whimsy in your accessories? The hot item for this summer is definitely going to be the charm bracelet. The amusing jingle, the ability to personalize, and the fact that it looks damn good with a white sundress is going to catapult this piece of jewelry to such great heights — if I may borrow a term from the Postal Service. Haven’t heard that name in a while have you? Read More »