[In early adulthood there is an activity that plays a large role in most of our lives; nights out on the town. And with those nights out always comes the question: “What am I gonna wear?!?” Each week I’ll be putting together a cute and affordable “going out” ensemble guide (that you can tweak to your own personal style and body type, of course) so that maybe that age-old question can be answered a little quicker than usual. And your friends aren’t waiting - for hours - for you to emerge from your room.]

So the weather’s colder and we’ve said good-bye to the sexy tanks and sandals of summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look sexy & flirty, while still keeping cozy. A perfect fall solution is to pair up those sassy summer dresses with a funky pair of tights and a cute and flirty jacket. You won’t be miserable freezing your bootie off as you bar hop, and I can bet you’ll still be turnin’ heads.

I love this dress from Forever 21 and it’s only $22.80. It’s basic enough that you can wear it multiple times in a plethora of ways. Add a belt, wear different kinds of tights and/or shoes, put on a blazer; all of these things will mix it up and give you a new outfit. Of course, you can find basic cocktail dresses all over the place, so find what suits you and go with that, just make it as basic as possible so you can dress it up with accessories without going overboard. Read More »

British bag designer Anya Hindmarch is known for lustrous, elegant styles and rich colors and is such a hit in jolly ol’ England, her boutiques have been raided numerous times in the last several months.

Celebrities like Anne Hathaway are fans of her bags, which fall into the $500-$1000 range, and now those of us commoners with label lust can greedily grab up one (or more!) of her new limited-edition collection for Target. The line will be available from October 12th until December 26th and will range from just $20-$50.

Hell yeah.

But Anya didn’t sacrifice style for her much cheaper Target line. The collection stays true to her love of elegance and class with gorgeous colors and faux patent leather, and features satchels (the most popular shape of the season), shoulder bags and clutches. As Hindmarch says, “The designs are sophisticated yet practical, simple and streamlined, and the shapes are classic. They add polish and shine to any outift!”

You definitely don’t want to miss out on this limited collection. Snatch em up at Target stores or online at Target.com. Read More »

There is a guilty pleasure many women have that men will NEVER understand: handbags. As my ex once said, “It’s a thing to hold your stuff, for God’s sake!” But it’s more than that: it’s a fashion statement, an accessory, and, for a lot of us, an obsession runs deep.

So whenever a new season comes around, I know I look forward to seeing what the bag trends for that season are gonna be. While there is always a seasonal “it” bag (or 2 or 3) that generally costs more than your monthly rent, you don’t have to break the bank each season to have a trendy bag on your arm. It may be hard to believe, but there are plenty of budget options out there!

As is true with most seasons, this season brings us some new shapes, styles and textures, but there is also a lot of recycling going on. A key with bags is that you don’t need to go matchy matchy, so don’t be afraid to add a pop of color, or if you go with a neutral like grey or brown, you needn’t match all your accessories.

Bags are meant to be a statement piece, so don’t fear going bold and adding some zest to your look with your handbag - be it a clutch, tote, or, this season’s most popular shape, the satchel. Read More »

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 »