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 »

As a kid, I was never really a fan of shorts. Unless they were my brothers mesh Umbro’s or later, the - who knows why they were trendy but they were - mesh bulldog shorts.

I found shorts to ride up, leaving me constantly trying to pick a wedgie when no one was looking (yet someone always managed to see). And let’s face it- unless you have legs like Gisele Bundchen walking around on a summer day can be more than quite uncomfortable in a pair of short shorts.

But these past few season’s shorts have been unavoidable. They have been everywhere and they have been CUTE. With heels? Cute. With sandals? Also cute!

Much like that annoying tag-along friend of yours, shorts have found their way into every occasion. From bars to the beach shorts have become appropriate (and trendy) attire.

So it would only be appropriate that before it gets too cold (although I’m sure some freshman girl will be wearing them to the bar- in January- with no coat and you will obviously spend at least five mintues talking about how ridiculous she looks before you realize that you did that too) that I bring you:

Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: YOU Wear Short Shorts!

High Waisted jean shorts- High-waisted shorts make your legs look like they go on forever. Not to mention these are so super affordable! So ladies- start NAIR-ing! (Seriously when was the last time you thought about Nair?!) Read More »

The list of the 25 Best Colleges is out. Is your school on it?

Gwen Stefani: Mama 2.0 Even Olympians get sexiled.

The 10 most popular over-done tattoos.

Worst baby names of all time.

MTV promotes eating disorders.

You are invited to Miley Cyrus’s Sweet 16!

It is a sad world when the only place women are in control is on some crappy reality show. On Fox.

Forever 21 is ruining society as we know it.

Fashion designers hate fat people women over a size 6.

This makes us laugh.

Should these really be considered Olympic sports?

If I had to choose what I love most about this season’s fashions (and choosing one is no easy feat) it’s that purple is THE color to wear. From shoes to bags to dresses and jackets - shades of purple are popping up EVERYWHERE.

You can’t go wrong: neon, plum, eggplant. Deep shades of purple are h.o.t.

“But I will look more like a vegetable and less like a cute trendy person,” you say aloud as you hold up an amazing purple frock. To which I say: NOT SO! Add some black patent accessories, or a fun accent color and you are good to go!

Here are three chicks rockin the neon purple ensemble, but, as usual, the prices of these fabu garments are well out of our reach.

That’s where I come in! Your fashion researcher. Your best friend, the coolest person you “know” to bring you celebrity chic on the cheap: Purple Paradise. Read More »

With the dawn of Fall semester approaching, and the recession in full swing, many of us are facing a dilemma–quality or quantity. And when it comes to fashion, I’m a faithful believer in both. The only way to create a truly personal, awesome and –let’s face it– realistic wardrobe is to incorporate incredible steals with the occasional investment piece.

Yes, it may seem frivolous to blow a month’s rent (and then some) on a single item to add to your closet, but trust me, buying a ton of shoddy, albeit adorable, stuff from Forever 21 will hurt your wallet more in the long run.

When it comes to clothing, I like to use the simple formula Cost/ Number of Uses = True Value. Is it a way to justify my splurges? Yes. But it also proves that sometimes a higher price tag means a longer life span, therefore making that splurge totally worth it.

Consider saving up for these items–and trust me, when you walk out of that designer boutique with a sweet purchase you made completely on your own, you will not regret it.

1. A Classic Handbag.
I’ll admit it, I am a complete label whore. And many a designer house capitalize on this weakness by jacking up price tags just so I can have someone else’s name plastered all over my purse. But the intricate design, meticulous attention to detail (much of the time hand-crafted) and use of higher quality materials also contribute to the higher price tag. Splurge on a bag made of a quality material (like soft, buttery leather) as opposed to a generic cloth or plastic. Yes, they’re hot, and some of my favorite purses rhyme with “Trada” and “Moius Luitton”, but those are status bags and are expensive for the sake of being expensive.

A note of caution: if you’re looking for a deal and the price seems too good to be true, it probably is! Check here for specific ways to spot a fake. Premeditating buying a fake? Don’t waste the money. Any decent copies (in addition to being ILLEGAL) will most likely be pretty pricey ($100 and up)– so you’re better off just saving up for the real thing and enjoying your new bag for years to come. Read More »

I read an article in The New York Times the other day about New York shoppers spending three or four hundred bucks on a pair of sunglasses at stores like Ilori in SoHo. According to the article, market research firm The NPD Group has tracked purchases of luxury goods and, even in this constantly drooping economy, the amount spent on designer sunglasses has gone up while the amount spent on designer purses has gone down.

I’m not at all surprised.

Even more so than a purse or shoes, sunglasses are the first thing people notice about your outfit. You wear them all day and some people, like myself, wear them everyday. So why not drop as much on a pair of Gucci shades as you do on a pair of Manolo’s if you’ve got the spare change?

In recent years sunglasses have become the new It accessory. Pictures of Nicole Richie in oversize glasses that engulfed her tiny head became as ubiquitous in tabloids as pictures of Britney Spear’s cellulite, and the Olsen twins are now more famous for their Ray-Ban Wayfarers than their Balenciaga Motorcycle bags. Even wearing sunglasses at night has become popular with hundreds of pictures of drunk hipsters wearing the Kanye West designed shutter shades in dark clubs on websites like lastnightsparty.com. Read More »

Accessories are a great way to complete an outfit and add a little zest to your look. This year we see many old trends re-emerging, a few newbies and a few twists on those oldies but goodies.

Big jewelry continues to be a major trend, so one key tip is that if you’re gonna go big on the accessories, you need to go minimally on the clothes so you don’t end up looking like a walking Vegas Strip.

Nature is a main theme throughout jewelry pieces for the summer; you’ll see flowers, leaves and moons & stars in everything from pendants to rings and especially in drop earrings, so go ahead and get in touch with nature.

One of the “must have” pieces of the season is the not-so-subtle medallion. Medallions and pendants are back, as designers turn to the seventies and eighties for inspiration. A sub-division of this trend is another one; zodiac pendants. Say good-bye to wearing your name or initials on your neck, showing off your star sign in silver, gold or even diamonds is the way to go. Read More »

The Sex and the City Movie left me slightly depressed. No, not because the movie made me all mushy and introspective, wondering when I am going to find my Steve, Harry, Big or Smith. That sentiment wasn’t even a blip on my radar.

Rather, the SATC movie left me depressed for admittedly superficial reasons. Forget Freuds Penis Envy — the SATC Movie left me with major, MAJOR bag, clothes, and shoe envy. I felt like having a tantrum circa 1983 (But mom I waaaaant it!!!!!).

I am not exaggerating when I say that I was salivating at the sight of Miranda’s Norma Kamali Swim-suit and Carrie’s 5,000 pairs of Manolo’s and Louboutins. Suddenly my flip flops and white terry zip-up made me feel like a hot-mess.

Maybe I should have dressed up for the movie (I say this now with extreme sarcasm, because I still think movies go hand in hand with sweatpants and popcorn; not patent leather pumps and thigh highs). But when the movie was over, I had an itch to go home, freshen up and put on my best Carrie Bradshaw imitation. Read More »

Sunglasses are in year-round, but summer is definitely a time to show off how style-savvy you are with your specs. Whether navigating the city, laying on the beach, or bike riding along the boardwalk, sunglasses are a fun way to accessorize while also protecting your eyes, and are a small piece of an ensemble that can express your own personal style. This year we’re seeing many of the trends of years past, with a few newbies thrown in, and some minor changes to add a new look.

Oversized Frames: This look has been around for a few years now and was taken mainstream by the likes of Nicole Richie and the Olsen Twins. While it’ll eventually go out of fashion, don’t expect that to happen for the next couple of years. This look doesn’t work for every face shape, but if you can rock it, it can be a blast. You can go for many different shapes; square, round, oval. We’re even seeing octagonal and heart shapes! And the color combos are endless. Classic black gives an Audrey Hepburn look, while going for a fun, funky color and shape allows a whole new feeling. The best advice is to try these glasses on and make sure they don’t take over your face, then have fun with it! Read More »

I never thought I would be an ‘80s kind of girl. In fact, in my youth, I went so far as to declare the ‘80s to be a horrible decade and said I hoped that sh*t NEVER came back in to style.

What an idiot I was.

However, now that I’ve embraced legwarmers and neon Flashdance shirts, I’ve transferred my old animosity for the 1980s to the 1990s. I look back at Lisa Turtle’s gear in old episodes of Saved By The Bell and think, thank god I’m not eleven anymore.

But if I have learned anything in my old age, it’s that fashion is 100% cyclical, and, inevitably, magazines and fashion designers will declare ‘90s style hot again and Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters will follow suit. Below is a list of items from Clinton Era Pt. 1 that I think are most likely to make a comeback in Clinton (and of course, Obama) Era Pt. 2…whether we’re ready for it or not.

The sweater vest – Dudes wore ‘em, chicks wore ‘em, and they were perfect for school pictures. If 90210 is coming back, these can’t be far behind.
Bib overalls – I have actually seen these in stores already, but I have yet to see someone actually wear them. I did, however, overhear a girl in Starbucks the other day say she wanted a pair for summer. Of course. Read More »