Fashion Porn: Beach Cover-up Orgy

It’s starting to get hot, hot, hot outside! While I’m stuck in landlocked Alberta, where no one has pools, I’m sure many of you out there are gearing up to start hitting the beach, or hang out poolside on a weekly (if not daily) basis.

Whether you choose to wear a bikini or a one-piece, you’re going to need a cover-up for going to the beach, or even just covering up a bit to avoid extreme sun exposure.  Lucky for you there are some really cute options this year that will easily transition from the beach to the boardwalk (assuming you dry yourself up enough to avoid those pesky wet marks around your boobs…). Seriously, toss a pair of wedges and a few bangles into your beach bag and you can take these things all over town.

So put on your sunscreen, grab your shades and don a cute cover-up as you get ready to hang out by the water!

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I Love Your Style: Joan Holloway

Who inspires your style? Or better question, WHAT inspires your style? Many of us use fashion icons (like Edie Sedgwick) or celebrities (like Chloe Sevigny) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you!

I’m going to be completely honest with err-body in the club gettin’ tipsy.  I’ve watched Mad Men maybe one time (or less) during Christmas break and wasn’t exactly its number one fan. But for some reason I couldn’t take my eyes off of Joan Holloway’s style and attitude on the show. And that’s probably the only reason I lasted as long as I did…

In the office, Joan wiggles around making the majority of her male (and some female, unsurprisingly) co-workers on the show pull at their collars.  Not because of her bold red hair or even the fact that she lets her curves do the talkin’ when it comes to her tailored-by-a-naughty-secretary office-wear.  It’s that one word we can never stop using: confidence. Read More »


8 Under $20: Alloy

I’ll be honest: I always thought Alloy was for the 12-17 age group, but then I started flipping through their merchandise and realized that they have a ton of cute stuff for us more sophisticated ladies. I mean, how could you not love this dress!?

Their regularly priced stuff is already reasonably priced, but they have a huge sale/clearance section that is even better. Another bonus: they have a wide range of sizes from petites up to plus-size so it’s a great option for you skinny minnies and us curvier gals.  Here are a few of my favorite things (besides raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, of course)… Read More »


Budget Stylista: Falling for Fall Jackets

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If there is one thing I hate this time of year, it’s the realization that pretty soon my iced coffee and flip flops will be replaced with puffy jackets, steaming hot tea and the phrase “I can’t feel my fingers – get me to Florida.”

But there is one thing I love this time of year: fall coats.

You can’t have any ill feelings toward a fall coat. It’s not too cold when you wear them, the trees are pretty, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are in season and they are always so irresistibly cute.

If you live in coat-wearing climates, a great coat is worth spending a little more on because you wear it day in and day out. It’s what most people see you in (i.e. that cute boy walking right next to you on your way to class!) and it’s the best way to cover up a hot-mess-schlumpy outfit. Throw it over sweats and a baggy T-shirt, or the outfit you wore last night and are forced to walk clear across campus in this morning, and everyone will be none the wiser.

Here are 10 great fall coats, from cropped to trench, military to leather, that will make the iced to hot coffee transition a little more bearable. Oh and did I mention they are all under $150?! Booya. Read More »


Shopping Your Closet: 3 Ways To Wear A Black T-Shirt

img-thing[I used to show you how to pull off runway trends in the series "Rock the Look." In this new series, I'll be taking a different item you probably already have in your closet each week and showing you three new ways to wear it. After all, the best shopping tip anyone will give you is to only buy pieces that work with something you already own.]

A t-shirt is probably something you wear to the gym, or to class with a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. However, that plain, boring black tee has a lot of fashion potential.

Here, I used this black t-shirt from American Eagle Outfitters to create three cute outfits that anyone could pull off. Here are three new ways to rock a plain t-shirt: Read More »


Delia’s and Alloy…Not Cool in College?

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(Note: This pic is from a very old Alloy catalog. One I probably owned and worshiped. Please know that all current catalogs have much cuter clothes.)

I’ll never forget my first Delia’s and Alloy catalog spotting.

My then BFF Shanae pulled them out during our 6th grade Social Studies class as our teacher rambled on about the meaning of Thanksgiving. I was immediately drawn to the glossy catalog of teens wearing bell bottoms and midriff baring tops that my friends and I were dying to get into.

Since that day I’ve a been faithful catalog subscriber to both and will probably remain one until I have kids and start to rethink my hatred against these.

As an avid Delia’s and Alloy shopper, I’m shocked by the large number of college girls that don’t buy from them. Where most of the college girls I know either shop at Bloomingdales or Plato’s Closet, Delia’s and Alloy serve as a happy medium. They both sell quality clothing and each host an awesome online clearance bin (I just bought a $100 dollar fire red peacoat from Delia’s for 40 bucks!).

With so many chic, sexy and comfy options, I don’t understand how college girls aren’t causing mayhem at their local Delia’s store, instead letting all the high schoolers get more bang for their buck. Here I’ve compiled some favorites of mine that are perfect for the college coed. Read More »