I’m not always a huge fan of Ashley Olsen’s fashion sense, but I can’t help but love the look she rocked at a recent N.Y.C. screening of Everything at Once.

Ditching the vaguely homeless look, she went for a loose knit top over a mini skirt. Not sure you can pull it off? Making a tight leather mini look classy is not easy, so take a tip from Ashley and pair it with a looser top and sandals–not pumps. And if you’re busty, choose a top that doesn’t put your cleavage on display. A small skirt paired with a tight shirt will you have you looking more like Ashley Dupre than Ashley Olsen.

Here’s how to get the look for less: Read More »

I am a firm believer that the accessories make the outfit. Too many people spend too many hours trying to pair their socks with their polo shirts or their Uggs with their jackets. If you’re decked out with fun accessories, no one else cares what you’re wearing because you’ll look great regardless.

And since I know there are other people out there like me, who don’t necessarily have 10 bajillion dollars to spend on an outfit, accessories are good news. Even if you buy full price from an upscale store, accessories will cost only a fraction of the price you’d pay for pants or a shirt (unless, you know, you’ve got your eyes set on diamond earrings).

Because of all this, it’s a crying shame that girls don’t take advantage of accessories more often. It seems that every girl I see out walking is either tipping the scales with pounds of bling or wearing no accessories at all. It’s not that hard, people. To take advantage of some of my very favorite accessories, read on:

Headbands. The best thing about headbands is their versatility. You can wear them no matter how long (or short) your hair is, and they’re like miracles on bad hair days. They look good no matter what their design, and you can even make your own in a pinch by folding a scarf and tying it at the back of your neck. Read More »

If I had to choose two things that I am totally obsessed with right now they would be handbags and recycling. The former is a given. And, lately, as our earth begins to head down an ugly and hot path, the latter has become a huge part of me. Come visit me at my house and you will find me either 1) shopping for bags online or 2) separating my paper and plastics.

When I was sitting home tonight doing some online bag shopping (after taking my empty Diet Coke bottles out to the recycling center, of course), I came across a designer who takes my two favorite things in life and blends them together beautifully. May I present to you my new fashion idol:

Ashley Watson

A Fine Arts student from Canada, Watson has added an element of conservation to her line of innovative and unique bags. Unlike her fellow designers, Ashley takes old leather jackets to craft her line of handbags, wallets and beautiful accessories. Each bag is designed by Ashley, handmade and completely unique; no two Ashley Watson bags look the same. Read More »

Jessica Simpson, Lauren Conrad, Justin Timberlake, Jes Whats-her-name from Rock of Love, Tila Tequila. What do all these people have in common besides pretty faces? Clothing lines of course!

It seems that every star and pseudo-star is coming out with more stuff for us to buy. You know you want to smell like Britney Spears (booze and cigarettes?) and of course we all need some Lauren Conrad boots. You can even buy Jessica Simpson hair extensions.

Every single celeb has something to sell, and we need to stop them. Immediately. Half the ladies from Rock of Love seem to be announcing clothing line launches. Mia and Jes have ties in Chii Clothing Culture which consists of cheesy t-shirts and hoodies. Nothing very interesting, but certainly helping extend their fifteen minutes of fame.

Jessica Simpson’s clothing line “Sweet Kisses” is exactly what is sounds like. Whore clothes for nice girls. Please don’t let your daughters leave the house wearing this stuff. Unless you are Joe Simpson, then you may use your daughter for your financial gain as much as you please.

Lauren Conrad’s line consists of what I like to refer to as “the bag dress,” and cheaply made scarves and shawls. These things aren’t exactly bargains, although maybe in Lauren Conrad’s world they are. You can also buy 45 dollar leggings. I wonder how long LC had to study in design school to create black leggings. Ugh, my contempt grows. Read More »

So, has anyone else noticed that dolls are getting really slutty?

First, the world had to deal with Bratz. Strange, big headed dolls with too much make-up and really skanky outfits. Dolls that—as far as I can tell—are totally aimed at creating 4th grade fashion disasters.

Besides making it seem cool to be so skinny your head looks like a watermelon, Bratz embody insipidness, sluttiness, and vapidness, limiting girls’ imaginations to taking their dolls to the “mall”, buying their dolls “stuff”, and seeing how many times their doll is mistaken for a hooker on the doll sidewalk.

Gone are the days when girls would be satisfied with a long, frilly pink dress for their dolls. Gone are the innocent one-piece bathing suits and “career” outfits. Now, thigh high stockings, tiny shirts, and skirts so short you can totally almost see plastic doll butt are all the rage.

Illustrating this disgusting theory even further is Barbie’s—or rather, Mattell’s—answer to the Bratz dynasty: My Scene Barbie. Read More »

If there is one thing I have learned how to do well since leaving college it is shopping cheap. It used to be that I would pass my time between classes stocking up on designer jeans and over-priced coffee concoctions. That, of course, was when my parents were footing the bill and I could tell my mom I bought 2 pairs of jeans, 3 shirts and an oh-so-necessary text book for the price I really spend on some new oh-so-sexy boots.

Those days are long gone.

Now the only person reviewing (with a mixture of shock and horror) and paying my credit card bills is me, so I had no choice but to do a little switcheroo on my spending habits. That doesn’t mean, however, that my love for fashion has changed. At first that made things difficult; it isn’t easy having an obsession with the latest runway styles on a post-graduation limited budget. But I soon found it was possible to be tre fabulous on a tight budget.

And here are the stores to visit:

Kohls: This store didn’t need the new Simply Vera by Vera Wang to be a go-to for women on a budget. Even before the uber fabulous line made its way into stores across the country (and my closet, obvi), Kohls had beautiful and stylish clothes at super affordable prices. Mix and match this stuff and it won’t be hard to make people think it’s from Neiman’s.

Target: Obviously. Take your pick of awesome clothes from their GO designers to their staples like Mossimo and Isaac Mizrahi; this store really does have it all. And taking weekly shopping trips will not kill the budget (or force you to choose between eating and dressing). Read More »

As much as I love a great outfit, I’ve never really loved the process of shopping. Especially living in New Jersey, shopping can be a tedious day of avoiding teenybopper mallrats, parking lot rage, and bad dressing room lighting.

It seems though, despite my lack of love for the sport of shopping, somewhere along the line, I have become a bag lady.

After reading that the average woman owns 111 bags in her lifetime, I decided to survey my own collection. And for someone that’s not crazy about shopping, I have a crazy collection of purses.

I currently have 37 bags in my possession. From clutches to oversize totes, bright red to basic black, I can pay off a good chunk of my student loans if I opened up a used bag boutique.

Out of the 37, I only regularly wear a handful and have never even touched a few of them after buying them. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t own any fancy (read: hideous) designer bags; most of my totes come from H&M and flea markets. My current favorite, a bright red leather oversize bag was gleefully excavated from a table full of bags at a Pennsylvania flea market. For $2.50. Seriously. I carry a purse that costs less than a Happy Meal. Read More »

Confession: I have a closet at home that is filled with handbags, and handbags only. Not a drawer in my dresser, not the top shelf in my coat closet—an entire closet, filled with bags.Now, when I say that my closet is filled with bags, I’m not referring to those envelope-sized purses flaunting a designer logo that spoiled teenagers sport with hideous velour sweatsuits.

I’m a fan of big, shapeless, and most importantly, cheap totes. Let’s face it—a typical college student’s wallet is a lot chummier with the letters H&M than with D&G. With my budget, splurging means hitting up smartbargains.com for a discounted leather hobo from Liz Claiborne.

But the New York Post’s roundup of fall’s hottest bags is having my peek at my savings account to see what, if anything, I can afford. Sure, their absurd idea of a “mid-range” bag ($500-$1000) bemuses me, but if loving them is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.

My favorites:

Isabella Fiore “Let Go My Deco” Satchel

What’s hotter with a chic all-black outfit than red pumps? A red patent bag! This shiny satchel is eye-catching and functional, with side pockets for easy access to your cell phone and iPod. Pick it up at Saks Fifth Avenue for $625. Read More »

Cocktail rings are a daytime or nighttime spring staple. So make sure your gobstopper-size finger accessory is bold, bright, and not too matchy-matchy to your outfit.

According to Harper’s Bazaar magazine, “this season it’s not just about the big single stone. More intricate designs with a boho bend are exactly the thing to give our flirty dresses a down-to-earth feel.” You definitely don’t need to pay Harper’s Bazaar prices; I’ve found some great steals from Forever21 and Urban Outfitters that will give you the high-fashion look at a low price.

$4.80, forever21.com $4.80, forever21.com $16.00, urbanoutfitters.com

I’m a lover of accessories. They’re my absolute favorite thing to buy since they can spice up any terribly boring ensemble. Like a really gorgeous handbag with my usual going-to-class-wear (a.k.a. sweatshirt and jeans).

So where-oh-wear do I locate all of my fab fashion finds? I swear by 80′sPurple.com. This site has such a unique mix of cool apparrel, jewelry and my favorite, handbags. I tend to spend way too much time there, sifting through practically everything.

And today, Monday, where I tend to avoid anything and everything that has to do with school work, I found some wonderful bags that would not only be awesome for carry annoying notebooks, but everything else. Best of all, they’re really affordable.

       Stil V-Shaped Hobo ($45)                                            Stil Distressed Zip Bag ($58)

Stil Jessica’s Favorite Drawstring Hobo ($35)