The first time I walked into H&M, I blacked out for an hour and lost myself in their full, cheap, and cute racks of clothing.  You mean I can buy this dress, shoes, and a scarf for only that much? Thank you H&M, now I can go buy that strawberry crepe I was willing to sacrifice for a pair of shoes. It seems I had gone to heaven in the form of a clearance rack.

H&M became my go-to for all things trendy. And when I say “go-to” I mean “go-t0-on-a-weekly-basis.” That is, until I heard some interesting and rather disturbing news that has me second guessing my love affair.

Recently, it has been discovered H&M has been slashing unsold clothing items and throwing them in the trash. And not just a few imperfect items; bags upon bags of this stuff were found in a dumpster behind their flagship Manhattan store. Items in the H&M trash bin included gloves with the fingers cut off,  shoes with the instep cut-out, and warm jackets with fiber fill pouring out its slashed sides.

All of these items were in perfect condition (prior to someone taking scissors to them, of course).

The fact that H&M is not donating these valuable items to charity is wasteful and just plain disgusting. Especially for a company that boasts to be “committed to taking responsibility for how our operations affect people and the environment. We donate garments that do not meet our quality requirements to organizations such as UNHCR, Caritas, the Red Cross and Helping Hands. When possible, we also donate faulty garments that have been returned to our stores.” Sounds respectable, H&M, but the last time I checked dumpsters weren’t Red Cross donation bins. And I’m pretty sure it doesn’t matter how many sustainable materials you’re incorporating into your designs when you’re just tossing it all into garbage dumps. Read More »

If you’re like the majority of women, you’ve had it drilled into your head that the “little black dress” is the answer to all your wardrobe issues. It’s listed in every “must-have” wardrobe list because it “looks soooo great on everyone!” But experts now say that in actuality, only 1 in 5 women look good in black.

Cue my heart shattering.

According to some, black has the ability to “severely age” a woman’s face. It can “highlight dark lines under the chin, shadows around the eyes and wrinkles on the face.” Plus, wrinkles and other sunken areas can “appear darker and more pronounced.” (Someone should clue Kelly Cutrone in on this one…) This means the older you are, the more haggard black can make you look. And no matter how slimming that LBD is, it won’t matter when your face looks like this. Read More »

If my dry skin and red nose tell me anything it’s that the brutally cold months of winter are here. (Or that I should really invest in some moisturizer.) And they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re one of the many unlucky souls trudging through the arctic tundra to get anywhere, good luck. Better start layering now, because it’s gonna take awhile.

Luckily, The Gap has come to the rescue with some majorly cute layering pieces (that are all on the cheap!)  that can take your winter from holy-hell-I-can’t-feel-my-limbs to OMG-it’s-really-cold-but-yay!-I-still-look-cute. Because no matter how hard those snowflakes are whipping us in the face, we still deserve to look good. For cheap. There are far more important things to spend our money on, like extra hot lattes from The Bux. Read More »

As winter break winds down, I’m starting to have nightmares of exams, a jam packed calendar, and having my alarm wake me up before noon. But no matter how much I dread it, next semester is coming and it’s coming fast.

Obviously this has me tearing apart my closet, sifting through piles of jeans and tanks and blazers, letting them all duke it out for a place in my tiny suitcase.

After packing my must-have PMS sweats, I moved on to “work attire,” because, sadly, instead of lounging around the house all day eating leftovers, I will actually have to wake up early and go to an internship when I get back to school.

After my pair of black dress pants and a modest sweater dress made the cut, I was extremely bored. Am I really going to go from partying with friends in my leather jacket and sequined mini to a stuffy button up? I felt my fashionista heart breaking into a million pieces.

That is until I stumbled upon Express during a daily web-surfing session and found the High Waist Cotton Pencil Skirt in Geometric. Suddenly a light bulb went off: Just because I have to wake up early and go to an office like an adult doesn’t mean that I have to leave my fashion-forward college self behind. Read More »

As the weather continues to grow colder, wearing our favorite spring and summer skirts and dresses becomes increasingly difficult if not impossible. If you’re a girly-girl, or just one to embrace a year-round feminine look, you’ve probably been trying to adapt to the changing seasons without losing any of your style.

Tights are the perfect solution for this dilemma: they’ll keep you warm, make you look stylish, and can totally change your look–for the better! Much better than a bare leg this winter, I’ll show you the season’s trendiest tights and how to wear them! Read More »

I’m a fan of packing heat. From my blow dryer that is. Sadly, I have burned through three blow dryers in the past year. Much like Tiger Woods, 2009 was not good year for them. And then Christmas happened. I asked for one thing and one thing only: the Bespoke Labs T3 Evolution blow dryer.

Let me tell you, this badboy is AH-MA-ZING!

In this video (the first of the new year!) I’m breaking this thing down so you can decide if it’s worth the investment. And if you think it is, then start saving! I think every girl should invest in great, long-lasting tools, and this is something well worth your money.

Got something you wanna see? Learn? Know about? Share your ideas below!

I will be more daring with my fashion choices.

Every year we make countless resolutions: lose weight, study harder, be more organized, be nicer to our family, not drink so much.

And usually, we don’t keep, well, any of them. Especially that last one, unless if by “not drink so much” you mean “throw up in the actual toilet more.” If that’s the case, then we get better and better every year!

But what about fashion? Sure, from the surface it doesn’t seem obvious that we should make fashion resolutions, but why not? Fashion is an extension of who we are. It’s the first thing people see when they meet us, therefore judging us by whatever fashion mishaps we might happen to be dealing with. And with a decade closing its doors, not only will it hopefully be leaving some of the fashion trends behind (uh, harem pants?!), but it’s the perfect time (a new year and a new decade) to think about what your fashion choices say about you.

So take a moment and think about what you want to look like in 2010. Here are just a few fashion resolutions for all of us.

1) I Will Be Original. We all love trends but do we need to walk around as cloned Urban Outfitters mannequins? This year, don’t let the trends wear you. You can be fashionable and trendy if you want to, but put your own unique touch into your wardrobe, be it a certain accessory, a pop of color, or a signature piece. Find your own personal style – that signature look that your friends will see and say “that is so (insert your name here).” Read More »

Hard to believe that in only 2 days we’ll be ringing in the new year and it’ll have been a decade since all that Y2K mumbo jumbo.

I know; that whole “only 2 days” thing freaked me out, too. Not because I’m not ready for 2010, but because I’m not ready for NYE. I’ve been so busy unwrapping presents and relaxing in front of the TV that I have yet to secure a NYE-worthy ensemble for the big countdown.

But it’s OK. As usual, Forever 21 has come to the rescue with some pretty fantabulous frocks and smocks for under $20. So grab that wad of Christmas cash (don’t worry, you won’t need much of it here!), and head over to the mall. Here are some of the goodies our BFFs at F-21 have to offer for the big, bold and boozy night. Read More »

By this time of the season I’ve worn most of my winter stuff  (sans the adorable items I got for Christmas) and I’m starting to get bored with my wardrobe.

Being that 1) I’m a college student 2) it’s right after Christmas and 3) I’ve been celebrating the end of the semester at the bar for about 2 weeks now, it’s safe to say that my bank account is dangerously close to the negative. So going out and buying new outfits isn’t really an option.

Which is why I am interested in investment pieces to update my tired winter wardrobe. I want something timeless that is going to last, not another sweater from Express that will only make it through one season’s worth of laundry cycles before pilling and fraying.

And I have hit the jackpot with Michael Kors’ Gold Runway Watch with Glitz.

I am hopelessly in love with menswear watches, which is what drew me to this in the first place. The sturdy band, the oversized face, and the three sub-dials are masculine and classic. But the boyish charm is accentuated with feminine details that balance the piece from being too heavy: a brushed gold surface, crystal detailing and elegant numbers written in a whimsical font.

It’s the perfect mix of stately sophistication and playful girlishness.

To. Die. For. Read More »

We’re all guilty of retail therapy. I know nothing makes me feel better when I’m down than a warm new cardigan, or a brand new party dress to boost my self-esteem. However, retail therapy can also go VERY wrong. When emotions are high, it’s all too easy to make impulse buys that will leave your closet full of regretful purchases and your wallet empty.

Retail therapy doesn’t have to turn into compulsive shopping! With a little rational thinking and some brainstorming, I’m here to show you how you can turn your frown upside down for under $50!

My Retail Therapy Recommendations:

Read More »