So we’ve all seen the trends for the fall.

Every time I’m in a store, I feel like I was thrown back into my time machine and should be busting out a version of High School Musical of my very own: The 1990’s edition. Okay well, actually, I was in middle school when plaid/flannels and all that other 90’s garb was popular, which left everyone questioning if that girl in the flannel button down and the hiking boots was actually a girl.

But at least this time around some of the 90’s fashions are coming back with a feminine twist. Like Vanessa’s plaid dress: it’s edgy, yes it’s plaid, but it’s gives you a waist AND shows some cleavage (cuz we know V. Hudge wouldn’t go out in public in a drabby table cloth-y thing).

So this week I bring you: Celebrity Chic On The Cheap: Punk-Rock Plaid Goes Glam. I never thought those words would come out of my mouth (much like, “I really like the taste of beer”), but the world of fashion is always surprising me.

Plaid Dress: So this dress isn’t plaid, but it’s tweed and has the adorable bow. Throw it on with some pumps or some chunky black tights and, as it gets colder, a black or white longsleeve shirt under it to give it some texture. It’s adorable and afforadable. (and the same price as a High School Musical DVD)

Other plaid Options: The neckline is on this fabulously plaid dress is retro, the plaid pattern is discreet, and the dress is rockin. Rock it out with a leather jacket in the fall, or keep it sweet with dainty shoes and delicate jewwlry. Read More »

I. Love. Plaid.

I don’t know what it is about that winsome pattern, but I can’t get enough.

I suspect it has something to do with the years I spent looking at fashion magazines with my mother. Every September, from the time I was 11 until I was 17, my mom would come home with a copy of the Seventeen: Back To School issue. And we devoured that sh*t.

And for some reason, every September without fail, that magazine would be busting at the seams with plaid. Plaid dresses, plaid shirts, plaid fricking socks–is plaid in every fall? The answer, my friends, is yes.

I don’t read Seventeen’s Back to School issue anymore (although my mother still does), but plaid don’t fade and neither do my love.

So here, for your viewing pleasure, is the creme of the crop of this season’s fall plaids. Pair with otherwise simple pieces, a smile, and a nostalgia that time will never defeat. Ahhhh. Plaid. Read More »

If you’re a fashion fanatic like myself, then you’re always on the look out for the latest trends and the hottest new designers. Perhaps, like me, you’ve dreamed of being able to design your own clothes, but (also like me), don’t possess the craftiness to do so. Well, thanks to Andrea Marron, now you can.

Andrea Marron, a recent graduate of the University of Rochester, is already on the road to success in the fashion world. She got a headstart, having started Studio 28 Couture while she was still in school. Andrea is different from most up and coming designers, not only because her website is a unique concept in the world of fashion, but because she graduated from school with a degree in optical engineering, not exactly the norm for fashion designers out there.

Andrea took the scientific approach she learned in her studies and mixed it with her passion for fashion and her entrepreneurial attitude in order to create Studio 28 Couture, a company that lets you design your own one-of-a-kind dress and have it custom made for you. The dresses are vintage-inspired, handmade by local seamstresses and delivered to you within three weeks. Read More »

There are some attributes to the summer season that make it less than perfect. One of these is the prevalence of muffin top sightings, and I’ve just got to vent.

It’s not so much the muffin top in and of itself that irks me. It is OSTS, or One-Size-Too-Small Syndrome, afflicting so many girls that just baffles me.

Why do I refer to this…issue… as OSTS instead of the popular, Muffin Top? Well, in my humble opinion, the phrase “muffin top” implies that the offender is what she eats, and likely has a fondness for Oreos and Taco Bell. This simply is not always true. Skin hanging over your waistband does not mean fatness. I’ve seen girls who can’t possibly be any bigger than a size 4 with a muffin top, and it’s not that they’re at all chubby. Instead, it’s that they insist they’re a size two, and the end result in the obvious: OSTS. It’s not pretty. Read More »

Historically, women have always been shoved into a little feminine box. We have always had to be proper - pinky out when drinking tea, crossing our legs at the ankle when sitting on the couch, letting the man make all the first moves. That trend has made its exit in the past 10 or so years, but for some reason, it still stuck around in the fashion world. Frilly dresses, delicate fabrics and beautifully crafted footwear are the staple of many women’s wardrobes.

But that custom’s days are also fleeting.

There is a new look making its way on runways from Paris to New York that is pairing the daintiness of yesteryear with the attitude of the modern day woman. And it is easy to do: the trick is to pump up the hardware on your feet and temper the volume of your dress so you look fresh and strong - not like Avril Lavigne. Read More »

Bright colors are all the rage this summer, and there are certainly some rockin’ choices out there. The difficulty exists in walking the fine line between looking fabulous and looking like Bozo the Clown. Here are a few hot tips to get you started.

1. Accessorize.
If you’re feeling a little unsure about bolds, sneak them into your closet in ways that aren’t so obvious. Try a hot pair of purple crocodile-print shoes, an eye-catching tangerine handbag, or a long necklace made of turquoise rock pieces. You can cash in on summer trends while slowly building up your confidence with color. Genius!

2. Get classic pieces.
Buying a pair of lime-green skinny jeans might sound like fun, but think about your ratio of cost to use. Though bolds really shine in the summer, they can (and should!) be worn during other seasons as well. Rather than going all out on an embellished fuchsia tube top that you’ll probably wear a max of three times, you might be better off with something like this, which you can wear over and over again (including in the fall and winter with leggings). Read More »

So, I was in NYC the other day to drop my boyfriend off at LaGuardia. During the 20 minutes we sat in the departures area waiting for a friend to show up, I saw flocks of girls traipse through the airport wearing leggings—ONLY leggings—on their lower halves.

Hello? Is this some infuriating trend I’m missing because I don’t live in the hotspots of NYC?

Thankfully, since I don’t live there, I can provide those girls with a clue. Leggings are NOT pants! Okay?! They are like tights—meant to be worn under something. Something such as PANTS!

Wearing leggings as pants is like painting your legs hoochie black and then walking around. If you think you have amazing legs, then fine. Walk around in a miniskirt or a pair of skinny jeans. But for the love of all that is proper, do not treat leggings and pants interchangeably!

If you still don’t get it, here’s a simple cheat sheet.

Leggings with a minidress? Okay, as long as the minidress is conceivably long enough so that you could wear it with only underwear. Read More »

After a lot of hard work, you’ve finally landed an interview for your dream job (or internship, as the case may be). Sure, what you say is important—but what are you going to wear? There’s that knockout Hermès scarf your rich aunt bought you for your birthday—oh, and that sweet pendant from the vintage store that you snagged last week—and the professional and stylish pleated pencil skirt you bought on clearance that fits you like it was tailored for you. Throw in a button-down shirt and some stilettos, and you’re hot to trot.

So you’re all set, right?

Wrong.

Unless you’re planning to follow in the footsteps of Andy in The Devil Wears Prada, you can’t always wear whatever is hip and trendy to your job interview. The good news is, though, that there are some easy guidelines you can follow that will lead you to a great interview outfit.

1. Dress conservatively. This is really difficult to do if you have a personality that you like to express through your clothes, but do your best to rein in that desire. It’s fine to wear a shirt with a splash of color or a pair of shoes with a little detailing, but it’s really important not to let yourself go overboard. You want the people interviewing you to focus on you, not on what you’re wearing. Think simple, classy, and professional. Read More »

Hottie of the week
Helloooo, Robert Downey, Jr. He gets this because he’s hot. And Iron Man rocked.

My clip of the week
Thank you, Amy Poehler. It’s kinda wrong but kinda right and this is coming from a Hillary supporter.

Song of the week
Rihanna, “Take a Bow.” Whatever you say, Billboard Singles Charts.

Why am I not surprised?
Poor Speed Racer

Fashion of the Week
The good: I don’t watch or care about SATC, but god, do I love this shoot. The clothes are hot, the pictures are hot and I can’t get over that picture with the camera and the floor and what? Wow.

The bad: So this girl, Marche Taylor, and her prom dress. She shows up to her Texas prom wearing a few dinner napkins and ultimately gets kicked out for not wearing underwear.

Do we blame J-Lo for this? Read More »

Dear American Apparel Cotton Spandex Jersey Strapless Ruched Dress –

From the first time that I saw you, I knew I had to have you. It was a cold afternoon in winter when my roommate came in from a shopping trip downtown and announced that she had found a new favorite dress. She went into her bedroom, and emerged shortly thereafter wearing beautiful, classic you. I remember how lovely you looked, so artfully simple with your long cylindrical shape and your sexy little ruched detailing, drawing attention to the tatas. I remember us discussing your versatility, how you so easily went from below the knee to just under the ladyparts with just a bit of bunching. I remember admiring the way you wrapped yourself around my roommate’s body so tightly in your spandexy embrace. It was amour at first sight.

Months went by, but I still didn’t make my move. Then, last weekend, the weather became warm and balmy and my roommates and I decided to have some friends over for a barbecue. Instantly I had a vision of you and I, lounging together in the sun, enjoying a margarita. I knew it was time. Read More »