Fall and winter fashion is all about boots, and I don’t mean Uggs. Boots can update any outfit, from that cute dress for the bar to those skinny jeans you wear to class. Luckily, there are tons of different looks to choose from for every style…and every budget.

Check out my boot picks for fall below; from the low end to the highest end, I got somethin’ for everyone.

(Click on the pics for more info/to add em to your already overstocked shoe collection!):

Over-the-knee boots

This thigh-grazing style has been seen on fashionable celebs like Mischa Barton. The look is very fashion-forward and a bit hard to pull off, but when done right can look amazing. They look best with pants tucked in, not with short skirts or dresses with a short hem, which leave you lookin’ like a hooker.

If you are looking to splurge, check out the Joie boots on the left ($475), or, for the rest of us, the Newport News boot on the right is only $49. Bonus: they have a cool fold-over top so they can be worn two ways. Read More »

Hello CC readers!

It’s that time of the week where new music and new DVD releases hit the shelves of your local Best Buy and Target! In the mist of all this financial mess, don’t be afraid to treat yourself to a new movie or CD (or just download them from iTunes).

There are quite of few new DVD releases coming out today, but only the hilarious Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the action packed Iron Man matter.

The new music releases are a different story, depending on what kind of music you like. The list of new albums is as follows:

T.I. - Paper Trail
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God
Anberlin - New Surrender
Bayside - Shudder
Flecktones - Jingle All the Way
Ben Folds - Way To Normal
Jack’s Mannequin - The Glass Passenger
Polysics - We Ate The Machine
Porter Batiste Stoltz - MOODOO
Pete Seeger - At 89
T-Pain - Thr33 Ringz
Connie Talbot - Over the Rainbow
James Taylor - Covers 

Well, there you have it, all the new music and DVD you can handle for the week! Let me know if there is any indie music/movies being released that’s not on the list…

What DVD or CD are you going to purchases this week?

Fashionistas enraged over yet another delay of the U.S. opening of Topshop can take comfort in the latest news: British wunderkind Jonathan Saunders is joining the likes of Isaac Mizrahi, Libertine and Behnaz Sarafpour by creating a coveted, limited-edition collection for Target.Ranging in price from $14.99–$59.99, The Jonathan Saunders for Target collection includes a variety of fall’s “must-haves” including a cropped vest, reversible wide waist belt, long sweater cardigan, graphic tees and mini shift dresses. The exclusive line will be available online and in-store nationwide starting October 5th 2008 until the end of the month.

Check out pics of the line after the jump. Read More »

Do you ever feel like you can’t pull something off? Have trendy pieces in your closet that you would never have the courage to actually wear out? Well take those pieces out, shake off the dust, and continue reading!

In this series, I will choose a different piece that can be difficult to incorporate into an outfit and give you ideas on how to wear it. If there’s anything you would like to read about in the future, please leave a comment!

One of my favorite layering pieces this fall is the sweater vest. It’s so versatile - you can wear it with practically anything and anywhere. Sweater vests should no longer be associated with something your grandpa would wear, because this fall they will be everywhere, in all shapes, lengths, colors, and patterns. With so many options available, it gets confusing to pick out the perfect items to pair with your vest. Read More »

Ah, cheap yet stylish clothes. Does it really get any better than that? Where else besides Forever 21 or H&M can you snag a $5 top on clearance, or track down a pair of really sweet wide-leg pants for less than $30?I suppose Target or Marshall’s might fall into a similar category, but I’ve always considered their clothes to be on a different level. Target is known for stocking basics over trends, and Marshall’s is known for stocking trends… from two or three seasons ago, so we’ll just leave them out of this discussion.

I have this theory: you’re either a Forever 21 person or an H&M person. You are what you are, and you can never switch over—it’s sacrilegious. If you shop at both, let’s face it: your loyalty lies with one, and you’re just cheating on it with the other. Shame on you.

I happen to be an H&M kinda girl. There - I said it. H&M is and always will be better. Is there really a competition? Not even a little bit. Read More »

If you happened to catch the new 90210 last week, I’m assuming you’re in agreement with me that the show itself was rather hard to watch. Good thing there were some cute outfits to add something worth looking at.

Obviously, since most of us don’t live in one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country, we can’t afford to wear designer duds on a daily basis, but achieving the look of the new class of West Beverly Hills High doesn’t have to cost you your firstborn. With a trip to your local Target, Express or Forever 21 (my personal faves for inexpensive fashion) or a few mouse clicks, you can pull together a great 90210-inspired ensemble. Read More »

OK, so you’re running late for your Monday morning class (again). You would have been on time, but you spent all Sunday watching TV (again), and had to stay up extra late to get your assignment done (again). Now, where the heck did you put that assignment? You tear through the pile of papers on your desk until you find it, crumpled and stained with last night’s coffee.

Sound familiar?

Now that you’re in college, you don’t have parents to bug you about keeping your room clean, or to tell you to turn off the TV and do your homework. As Spiderman says, “With great freedom comes great responsibility,” but when you’ve got no one to help you out, how do you stay organized?

You may not like it, but you’re going to have to make a sacrifice or two to get truly organized, starting with your precious weekend. Cancel your plans and put away your going-out top. It may suck now, but in the long-run, it will be worth it.

The first thing you need to stay organized is the right set of supplies. Get yourself up at a reasonable hour on Saturday morning and get your butt down to the school bookstore, or your local Staples or Target. You should buy:

-A notebook for each class - Or, even better, one large notebook divided into sections, so you can keep all your notes in one convenient, not-as-easy-to-lose place.
-A two-pocket folder or small binder for each class - to store all of those pesky class hand-outs that always seem to go missing
-A day planner - Each day should have enough space to write down your class schedule and any assignments you get. My personal fav is the Moleskin Weekly Planner, because it has an extra blank page next to each week, but whatever works best for you.)
-Lots of your favorite kind of pen (or pencil) - Don’t deny it. You know you have a favorite.
-A stapler - Especially if you write a lot of papers—your teachers will thank you.
-An accordion file Read More »

Tell me if this sounds familiar: you’re relaxing in bed on a Sunday with a cup of coffee, coaxing the knot out of your brain left after five margaritas at Cabo Cantina, and flipping through the latest issue of Vogue, Bazaar, or Elle. After two hundred pages of Zac Posen dresses, Louboutin heels, Marc Jacobs bags, and “Smart Splurges Under $500,” you begin to cry.

Even if you traded in that hard-earned internship for a paid job delivering pizzas; even if you dropped out of school and stopped paying tuition; even if you sold a kidney, maybe two, on the black market in Thailand you still wouldn’t be able to afford a pair of $14,000 knee high alligator boots from Manolo Blahnik, or a $20,000 Hermes “Birkin” bag.

If you’re a dedicated follower of fashion like me, but poor as hell (like me), you need to know about these discount shopping websites: (In alphabetical order.)

amazon.com This site isn’t just for discounted books anymore. Amazon’s apparel and accessories department offers equally amazing deals on clothing, bags, and shoes from all the top labels. There are deals for every price range from over-the-knee patent boots from Jimmy Choo for $379 ($620 off the original price) to Seven7 skinny jeans for $18, a 70% mark down.

asos.com As Seen on Screen is a British company that specializes in trendy fashion items that are based on (or the same as) items worn by your favorite celebrities. They’ve got ASOS brand leather knee-high gladiators in the style of Ashley Olsen for £55 (about $102), a studded belt identical to the one Carrie wore in the “Sex and the City” movie for £15 (about $28), and an amazing selection of items from independent designers like a sheer chiffon floral top by To Love Kuvaa for £30 (about $56). Read More »