"So....Emmy....where's your boyfriend?"

Like nearly every other college student on the face of the planet, Thanksgiving Break is something that I am eagerly anticipating. The dorms are always busy and fun, but everyone appreciates a little break now and then. There’s nothing quite like going home, eating my dad’s brownies, watching movies with my sister, and taking my dog along on runs.

I do love the holiday of Thanksgiving as well. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pie, and my little cousins dressed up as pilgrims, all my extended family gathered into my Grandma’s kitchen to say grace. I am blessed with a crazy bizarre extended family, the best kind to have in my opinion, and they are always the highlight of my holidays.

But as much as I love them all to death, sometimes their questions can be a bit too much. While I appreciate their interest in my life, I don’t feel the need to explain the details of the break up with my long term boyfriend to my uncle while waiting in line for cranberry sauce. Similarly, having my conservative aunt question me about boys that I might marry while she calmly serves out pumpkin pie just takes away my appetite!

Now, I understand that my aunt grew up in a very different culture than I do. Yet it truly does make my stomach full of turkey turn to hear this woman I am related to tell me that the most important thing for me to do in college is to meet the man I am going to marry. I love my aunt, but this idea of success disgusts me.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I definitely picture marriage eventually in my life plan. And I have nothing against people in long term relationships. Up until recently, I was one of them myself!

What I do have a problem with is the notion that success must come from somewhere outside of one’s self. I very much believe that in order to be able to contribute to a healthy relationship, you must be a strong confident person in your own right. And in the 21st century, no strong confident woman spends her college years desperately seeking a man. I realize that my aunt might never understand this, but I’m already a success, which for right now includes academic and extracurricular achievement, as well as maintaining healthy relationships with my friends and family.

I know that in the end, all my aunt wants is for me to be happy, so I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to hear about all the fun things I’ve been up to at college. Deflection is my new technique for distracting my relatives from topics I don’t care to discuss with them. (“No, I don’t have a boyfriend… but I did just get elected to student government! And my best friends and I are planning a road trip for spring break!”)

So this year, instead of letting my stomach turn in anger at another one of my aunt’s lectures, my stomach will be happy and full of turkey and love. At least that’s the plan. Let’s hope my aunt takes the hint or I may end up skipping pumpkin pie entirely this year.

And no one should do that.

WTF? So you can sleep with Edward??

When I was waiting outside of the Scholastic store in Soho to buy the 7^th Harry Potter book, I saw a reporter from the New York Post who was walking up and down the massive line and interviewing people for a story about the book’s release. I overheard him speaking with one guy who had a lightning bolt scar on his head.

I know what you’re thinking—“All right, it’s kind of odd that an adult man would dress up for the release of a kid’s book, but it’s not totally unheard of. That dude probably wasn’t any weirder than any of the other people in the line.”

Wrong. This nutbar didn’t just draw a lightning bolt on his forehead—as he told the reporter, he had literally carved the scar into his skin with a razor blade.

And to make matters worse, I was ahead of him in line. Yes, I had arrived at the bookstore before the psycho.

So needless to say, I know a thing or two about what happens when fandom gets extreme. Even so, Twihards—people who are obsessed with the Twilight books and movies—take things a step beyond anything I’ve ever seen before. As of Wednesday, at least 2,100 screenings of New Moon, the second movie in the series, were sold out—and those are only the showings measured by MovieTickets.com. There’s also a ton of Twilight merchandise available all over the web, stuff that ranges from normal (t-shirts, posters) to full-on batsh*t crazy (A shower curtain screen-printed with a giant picture of Robert Pattinson’s face. A life size vinyl wall decal of Edward Cullen’s silhouette, accented by the words “Be Safe.” A pair of underwear that’s illustrated with the sexy vamp’s face—inside the crotch).

io9 has a pretty awesome and comprehensive list of these wacky products. But most of the stuff they found comes from Etsy, which means that it’s specially made by individual craftspeople. I find it even more interesting that Hot Topic, the main source for all things Twilight, has almost 200 Twilight-related products for sale on its website. You can buy a duvet cover with Edward’s face on it, or body shimmer designed to make you look just as sparkly as your favorite vampires. You can buy a Twilight New Moon Vampire Girl Cuff, a Volturi Crest necklace, an Edward Charm bracelet (tagline: “Let Edward be the charms around your wrist”), and a Choose Musical Jewelry Box, which plays “Bella’s Lullaby” (whatever that is) and features “a rotating Cullen crest/Wolf tattoo emblem,” to store them in. There’s even Twilight-brand band-aids, for Anne Rice’s sake.

I know that this isn’t exactly an original question, but I have to ask it anyway—what is it about Twilight that makes people go so bonkers that they would actually buy any of this crap? Wouldn’t even superfans be embarrassed to go out in public with an Edward umbrella? Why is Twilight so good at warping people’s—or, to be more specific, girls’—minds and convincing them to spend their money on this kind of garbage? Or that it’s OK to have some guy’s face in the crotch of your undies?!

I get a seriously creepy vibe from all of these products, which matches the feeling I got when I read “Twilight” in an attempt to understand why it’s so popular. I don’t think I’ll ever really get why a story about a girl and the menacing, much-older guy who stalks her is so big. At least Harry Potter has a sense of humor.

Let’s cut to the chase. In a short 5 days you will be back home and surrounded by every category of person to ever cross your path. Ever. In your life.

The people you never really talked to, but now feel obligated to acknowledge and chat with. The people you didn’t like then and surley don’t like now. The girls who were bitches to you (and now, because of your cool job, want to kiss your ass). The guys who never gave you the time of day. Your old high school crush. New cute boys you never knew existed (or were too old for you when the age difference was 13-18 but now it’s totes okay to make out with someone 5 years older). The list goes on…

Oh yeah, and you’re gonna run into all of them in. one. place.

Yes, I’m talking about Thanksgiving Eve, AKA the biggest bar night of the year. And, yeah, vodka helps. But you know what else helps to make this awkward/but still fun night so kick ass? Knowing you look DAMN good.

Depending on where you’re from and where your pre-Thanksgiving party scene is, there might be a different dress code. So, I kept one thing in mind (looking hot) and created three insanely awesome outfits that will surely leave you looking sexy and feeling confident. So go ahead and bat your eyelashes at the cute guy across the room (who you are pretty certain was in your geometry class in 10th grade – wow he got GOOD LOOKING), and give a big “EFF YOU, biatch” to that girl who made fun of you in gym class. Because, girl, you’re gonna look HOT.

Yeah that’s right. Look at you now. Shasay across that bar, sister.

The Skirt:
Show off that bod in a form fitting skirt (that looks like our designer friend, Herve Leger but without that obscene price tag).  Tuck in the sparkle tank, add some opaque tights and heels (and a push up bra) and those bitches from high school won’t be able to keep their eyes off of you.

Skirt: Lulus, $29
Top: Lulus, $38
Shoes: Forever 21, $19.80
Tights: Hue, $10
Purse: Urban Outfitters, $34
Ring set: Forever 21, $3.80

The Jeans
More casual with a low cut front and, even better in my opinion, a low cut back. Throw on a bold necklace and call it a day.

Skinny Jeans: Forever 21, $27.80
Black Top: Urban Outfitters, $38.00
Patentt Pumps: Forever 21, $24.80
Sparkle Bag: Forever 21, $13.80
Necklace: Forever 21, $14.80

The Leather Leggings
Not just for the bold (and genetically blessed). Throw on the long tunic and anyone can rock this look with confidence.

Tunic: Bloomingdales, $58.00
Liquid Leggings: Bloomingdales, $58.00
Booties: Jessica Simpson, $69.95
Clutch: Target, $16.99
Bangles: Forever 21, $5.80

You already know how I feel about Tarte cosmetics and if you don’t I’ll tell you: I’m obsessed. Their products are high quality and eco-friendly; what more can you ask for?

Well, Tarte has teamed up with Commando underwear to get you covered (from top to [your] bottom) for the upcoming holiday season. They’re giving away up to $750 worth of goodness and all you have to do is enter. And with products like theirs, that is definitely something to be thankful for this season.

Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara is hands down the best mascara I’ve ever tried. Ever. And I’ve tried all of them. Every time a magazine boasted about their favorite mascara, I’d buy it. But they were all the same. I just figured mascara was mascara and started buying whatever was cheapest at Target. But Tarte taught me that there is a difference and not all mascaras are created equal. I honestly don’t know how they do it, but my eyes have never looked better or brighter. Seriously. It’s a miracle product.

Oh, and as long as we’re talking about the best products ever, let me just tell you about The Eraser, a legendary concealer. Not only does this stuff cover up the major black circles under my eyes (tested and approved on a particularly hungover morning), but it has a brush built in so you don’t have to run your greasy fingers across your freshly washed face. Gah! I just love it.

And you know what else I love? Going commando. (True story – I really don’t like panty lines…or doing laundry.) But after Britney and Paris started flashing their lady bits all over town I decided to give undies a try. And they failed me. I thought I was doomed to a life of not-so-stealthily picking wedgies… and then, like a gift from the heavens, I recieved a sample of Commando underwear. This stuff is ridiculous. It has zero seams, meaning it gives you the look of going commando without the fear of accidentally exposing yourself. Plus it comes in all different styles (bikini, thong, girl shorts) and designs (solids, animal print). It still adds to the laundry basket, but when you see how good your bootie looks in those girl shorts you won’t even care.

I seriously loaded up on this stuff (20 pairs to be exact) and am officially a member of the underwear-wearing community. Though you wouldn’t know by looking at me in a pair of leggings. These things are genius!

And you can get a whole slew of them and a ton of Tarte beauty products just by entering. So go! Enter! Win! Everyone gets 20% off their next Tarte or Commando purchase just for entering so, really – with a flawless face and no risk of showing everyone your goodies – we’re all winners.

A couple of weeks ago, Miley was voted the worst celeb influence. And while we’ve definitely said some harsh (but true) things about her in the past, I can’t help but have mixed feelings about the tweeny-bopper’s new title. The “influence on young girls” has been tossed around at celebs for decades and I have to wonder if Miley and her various competitions really deserve the rap they’re getting, or if it’s all just hype.

Ok, no argument here; Miley and  does a lot of things that I def wouldn’t want any little sister of mine emulating. Between dating the (much) older guys to the way she dresses, the various and well documented poor decisions with pics and online – the girls just has a knack for acting, well, like a skanky ditz. And if nothing else, Hannah Montana’s literal mountain of merchandise proves that young girls are definitely susceptible to wanting to be like her. Disney has held a reign on her so far (just imagine what she’d do if left to her own devices) but eventually that will end and who knows where that will take her.

But on the other hand, I have to wonder how bad Miley really is, at least in relation to the rest of our culture. Take another former-Disney teen queen for example – Britney. She scandalized with “Baby, One More Time” (I dare you not to get it stuck in your head now!) by wearing a sexy schoolgirl outfit and pigtails. It was an outfit right out of softcore porn and she was immediately labeled as a “bad influence”. Now regardless of how terribly awry Britney’s life went in the subsequent years, the truth is, her in that outfit was the most salacious in the pop world since Maddona rolled around in a wedding dress on the VMAs. And while that schoolgirl outfit might seem tame compared with some of the things Miley has done, take into account that Britney debuted in a world without reality TV, Perez Hilton or, for that matter, the flaming ball of tabloid that was post-”Oops… I Did It Again” Britney. It was easier to get noticed back then, so for tween queens like Miley and her ilk to compete nowadays, it’s not enough just to get up and sing and look sexy – if you want the publicity, you gotta go all the way.

So what do you think? Is Miley really any worse (for the era she lives in) than any of the girls who came before her? Or is it all the same product with slutty new packaging?

Seriously, this is what she looks like 6 weeks after giving birth?!

Is Ashlee Simpson Fall Out Boy’s Yoko Ono?

Welcome to the fad diets of 2010.

Taylor Swift is too busy for her fans.

11-year-old gives birth…on her wedding day.

Uh. That’s Lady Gaga? Holy crap.

I remember watching Say Anything with my sister when I was a kid and wondering if all men were as sweet as Lloyd Dobbler, standing outside a girl’s house with a boom box over his head. Obviously I had a rude awakening when I got to dating age and realized that high school guys were actually kinda jerks. I never got a big romantic gesture, Valentines, or even a cute note in class.

After meeting Matt in college and falling in love, I realized that those high school boys were still pretty eh, but I also learned that it doesn’t take some grand romantic gesture to be a sweet guy. It’s all the little things Matt does for me that really mean the most.

Last week I was in Wisconsin for my grandpa’s funeral. Since it was such short notice, my mom couldn’t afford to fly Matt up with me so he stayed at home while I was gone for a week. When I finally returned to Texas, I was coming down the elevator at the airport to meet him and he walked up the escalator just so he could give me a kiss and a hug a little bit earlier. He totally swept me off my feet, and with him just being his usual impatient self.

I’ve learned that guys don’t really like the big romantic gestures because most of the time they’re afraid they’ll either: A. screw it up somehow, B. embarrass themselves, C. get rejected, or D. all of the above. So honestly, the big romantic things are pretty rare, and while that means they should still be valued when they DO come along, you have to pay attention and enjoy the smaller things.

I for one love to get the random text at 2 in the afternoon that just says “i love you” when I’ve been having a bad day. It turns my entire day around from crappy to awesome. Or when Matt lets me have the last Dr. Pepper in the fridge. Such a gentlemen! I’ve learned not to expect amazing over-the-top romantic nights from Matt and I’m perfectly happy with that. As women we need to stop putting so much pressure on men to be romantic when just letting them be them can make us so much happier.

Face it, you’re not going to have Lloyd Dobbler standing outside your window every day trying to win you back. Or even your guy buying you flowers and cooking a romantic dinner on a random Thursday night. It’s the little things that count; they really do make me love my boyfriend a little more each day.

Whether it’s just a note left on our chalkboard in the apartment, or when he kisses me on my head when I’m still in bed and he’s off to his 8 o’clock class, the smallest gestures can really show just how much your man loves you and make you think “I have the best boyfriend EVER.”

Who needs some expensive gift when you’ve got that?

Lace is easily one of the most popular fabrics this season. No longer just for your undies (though there are many, many pretty lace-y underthings available), Lady Gaga’s VMA outfits, or your Grandma’s doilies, lace has found it’s way onto every type of clothing and accessory imaginable this season.

Whether you wear lace tights or a lace trimmed top, there is a way to add a little lace to your everyday look.  In stores, lace is appearing in unexpected places adding an unexpected touch of sex appeal to your basic t-shirts, tanks and jewelry (!).  But lace is doing more than turning up the sexy;  lace patterns found on fabrics this season add texture and visual interest. And simply adding lace – at the neckline, for example – adds a touch of playfulness, covering you up but still letting a little skin peek through.

No matter how you want to wear lace this season, there is the perfect piece (or many, many pieces) out there for you. I’m lace-obsessed and here are a few of my favorite things. [Click on each photo for shopping info.]

Guys can benefit from acting like a lady. At least that’s what our friends over at YourTango.com are saying. They argue that men should embrace some “girly” trends and we most definitely agree (especially when it comes to manscaping….a little clean up never hurts).

But the same can be said for women. And I’m talking about more than landscaping.

There are some aspects of the manly lifestyle that we women should embrace. Mindsets and activities that will make us happier, healthier (well, mentally at least) ladies. So here are just a few ways that channeling our inner macho man can enhance our daily lives.

Boys night.
There has to be a reason why guys are always so relaxed, and why your boyfriend calls you after a guy’s night and doesn’t have aching arches and raccoon eyes. While we all love girl’s night out, and the stiletto dancing that comes with it, we could all use a more relaxing night once in a while. Get the girls together and head out to a bar, order a bucket of wings and some beers, and chat the night away. You might be surprised how much bonding (and relaxing) can be done in a big booth in the back of a dive bar.

Let em’ roll.
Things really get to us. When we hear that our friend commented on how ugly our dress was after we left, we give her the silent treatment for a week. When we get dumped, we hole up in our bed with a pint of ice cream and a box of tissues claiming we will never love again. Perhaps once in a while we should just let things roll off our backs like the male population. If they get dumped, they are out the next night on the prowl with the boys. And they could care less if Tony said their shirt was ugly; it’s just a shirt. Taking a cue from the guys: don’t sweat the small stuff.

Make him wait.
You text that guy you’re totally into from class and then spend the entire night checking your phone and justifying to your friends why he’s probably super busy and hasn’t had time to respond. Us girls are way too over eager – waiting more than ten minutes to answer him back is torture – but once in a while it might be a smart move to wait a day. Your heart skips a beat when you finally see a message in your inbox from him and, chances are, if you make him wait a couple days his heart will flutter too. Take a cue from the guys and make him sit by the phone waiting for your next call. Then – hook, line and sinker – you’ll be playing tonsil hockey by Friday.

Think with your genitals.
Women are emotional; it’s not our fault, it’s our genetic programming. But not everything has to be so complicated. Face it, you’re not going to marry the hookup from Saturday night’s party, so do as men do and enjoy it for what it is: a little physical pleasure. Even if you’re seriously dating someone, it doesn’t always have to be so serious. Drop the fight about him not calling last night and just invite him over for a quickie before class.

Just do it.
Men are impulsive. They’ll randomly go for a pizza at 4 am and they’ll drop their textbook to meet the guys for a beer. Many women, on the other hand, plan everything down to the minute. Of course we can’t meet a friend for some dinner in the caf. in 5 minutes – we’re studying from five to seven and then going to the gym. Take a heads up from the guys and drop what you’re doing once in a while. A little impulsivity makes life a lot more interesting and lot less stressful.

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money?

Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll share the best and the worst with you.

What it is: Dior Skinflash Primer- Radiance Boosting Makeup Primer

Why this should be in your bag: This product is pricey at $40, but it is multi-functional.  You can use it as a primer underneath your makeup, then throw it in your bag and apply it during the day to even out your skin and eliminate shine.  It includes Photo-smart pigments.  Okay, I have no idea what that means, but it must be good because it adds light to your face for an instant glow and makes you look refreshed even if you were up super late studying… or partying.  Instant wonderful glow.

How to use it: This primer has a built in brush, which makes it portable.  Just twist the base and the primer will flow into the brush.  Apply the makeup to the back of your hand and swirl the brush in, then apply to your face to make your foundation last or to look instantly refreshed.

Could my money be better spent on a bottle of Absolut? Tricky question.  If your skin tends to get oily and you need a primer, then the portability makes it worth it.  If you just want something to carry around to refresh your face throughout the day, there are cheaper products.  And if you want something that does it all, this is definitely a trade up from a bottle of Absolut.