Chances are you’ll be spending many days at the beach this summer. And chances are good that a day of sun time can often be topped off by a night of fun time out at the bars.  Heading out for some drinkies with the girls doesn’t mean you have to rush home to get ready; you can rock out the same outfit all day with a few quick fixes (and hey, tousled beach hair is damn sexy). Read More »

Swimsuit shopping has been dreaded by women for a very long time, but it doesn’t have to be.  Sure, seeing all that cellulite harshly highlighted by the flourecent lights of a dressing room is U-G-L-Y, but there are so many cute suits this season that you may not even notice those ripples.

This summer there is no one-size (or style) fits all for bathing suits.  There truly is a bathing suit for everyone regardless of shape, size, style or skin tone.  No longer are you bounded by the basic two options: the one-piece or the bikini.  Stores are carrying the monokini, the bikini, the tankini — and many variations on each of these different basic cuts. With all the options out there, you are sure to find one (or one for everyday!) that fits your budget and looks H-O-T.

Read More »

I don’t get the appeal of the expensive beach babe. First of all, budget beach babe just sounds better. Second, I simply don’t understand the point of spending so much on a bathing suit just because the piping is plaid. What is the point of spending that much on something that isn’t even original. You look down the row of lounge chairs at a hot Miami hotel and it’s like Burberry drank too much last night resulting in a major hangover and then vomited all over the sunbathers.

There are SO many cute bathing suits, cover ups, sunglasses, totes, etc., out there that are muy cheapo but look muy expensivo. Plus, not only do you look like a beach babe, you look like an original that-girl-has-mad-fashion-sense one to boot.

Just don’t forget your SPF. Even I can’t make a person-turned-lobster look cute. Read More »

Are you a procrastinator? Did you forgo the gym all week to cram for that Chem final and now you’re freaking about putting on a bathing suit this Saturday!? Unlike academics, getting a beach body cannot be achieved by pulling an all-nighter. However, lucky for you there are a few tips and tricks that will provide you with a quick fix to looking fabulous.

Any Pilates enthusiast will agree that this practice can tighten your tummy in just one session. Ab exercises that are inspired by the Pilates roll up will give your mid section a flatter look and you will stand taller, which creates the illusion of looking slimmer.

Try lying on your back, legs out straight. Take a deep breath in through your nose and breath out as you pull your belly button towards your spine. Repeat, but this time when you breathe out peel your head off the ground and then – one vertebra at a time, keeping your tummy pulled inward – lift all the way up and over, rounding your back out as you reach the top. This is known as the Pilates Roll Up and to watch how it’s done, check out this video. Done regularly, your stomach will look like amazing every day. Do this move 20x before you hit the beach (yes the very same day) for some fABulous results. Read More »

[I want it, I need it, I can’t live without it. There are so many things on store shelves and racks right now that we want to take home and hang in our closets. Things that are so cute, everyone should know about them. We’ll share ‘em with you here (because we’re that nice), but as far as actually getting them goes….well, you’re on your own with that one.]

If any of you have watched Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches on The Travel Channel, you have without a doubt seen some pretty crazy swimwear. Each episode, Bridget, (who generally looks perfect in everything, even though she says that her “stomach should be firmer”) wears multiple swimsuits and cute cover-ups that make you wish it were summer. And that your body was bikini ready.

Naturally, a show about beaches hosted by a former Playboy Bunny has to feature totally adorable bikinis, and Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches does not disappoint!  Just look at the suit she wore in Croatia or in Jamaica or Turks and Caicios!  It’s clear that Bridget (or the show’s stylist) has great taste and killer style.

A style that I want to emulate.

If you’ve got some a lot of summer cash to spend and want to get a really fabulous bikini, look no further than Beach Bunny Swimwear, who provides many of the bikinis for Bridget’s show. My personal favorite is the Lady Lace bikini in aqua and ivory. The color combination is perfect and will look great with a tan, and the bottoms feature a thick lace band–like Hanky Pankys! Except, you know, with a back. And not a thong. Read More »

Every college library is similar – always too hot or too cold, smells kind of bad but you aren’t sure why, phrases etched into the tables, and a mixed population of students either writing on each others’ Facebook walls or writing 20 page term papers in a single night.

Good times!

I used to be very anti-library (who isn’t), but this semester I have found ways to make it more comfortable, enjoyable and conducive to a productive day/evening/month of work-doing. It’s all about being prepared (for anything) and as long as you have these essentials in that backpack of yours, you can be successful too.

Water bottle: This seems obvious but you’d be surprised. I once pulled an all-nighter without bringing a water bottle and because I was so into the work I was doing, I never felt like going to get water. Stupid mistake! I got tired and sick, and spent my night drooling on my laptop instead of researching on it. The next time I filled that sucker up a few times per hour, got everything done, and felt great the next day. Also, drinking only coffee, tea or Red Bull (or Bawls...) will almost definitely dehydrate you, cause you to crash sooner than without caffeine and probably give you a terrible stomachache (which may explain that weird smell in the libs….).

Personal hygiene products: I’ll admit that I’m a little weird when it comes to hygiene – I carry toothbrushes with me wherever I go – but I highly suggest anyone going to the library for an extended period of time should have at least a toothbrush thrown in their backpack. Some other products that always come in handy for me are hand sanitizer, lotion, tissues, chapstick, and deodorant. Trust me, it’s better for everyone if you smell like a “Satin Pear” (whatever that is) than whatever 10 hours in a dirty library smells like for a 9:35 Italian class! Read More »

[Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like, we love sales, but we hate how we buy stuff we will never wear. Or how we love the summer, but hate shaving our legs daily. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

I’ll be the first to admit that I own a ridiculous amount of swimwear for a girl who lives in a state where the temperature reaches 80° for a maximum of three months. We don’t have real beaches, just lakes and pools. I’m not even a swimmer. I just really like bikinis. For the past few summers, however, the monokini has been a fierce alternative to the triangle top and the brazilian cut bottom. But will I actually buy one? Do I even like monokinis? I’m torn.

Love it:
I was first introduced to the concept of a monokini while watching none other than The Simple Life, when a non-emaciated Nicole Richie rocked the look while auditioning to be a mermaid at an amusement park in Florida. (Well, actually Paris was a mermaid; Nic was a turtle, but same difference.) After swimming, she pulled a denim mini over her suit and went clubbing. Swimsuit and sexy club top? Can’t (or at least shouldn’t) be done with a basic bikini. But with a monokini you’re getting two looks in one!

Aside from that, however no one can deny that monokinis are fierce and moderately new summer look. The fact that many girls haven’t tried the trend means that if you rock one, you’ll probably be getting a lot of looks on the beach. Monokinis are fierce because of their peek-a-boo sexiness. When you wear one, you’re not showing your entire body off, but you’re definitely hinting at and highlighting it. That being said, monokinis may be a good alternative for girls wanting more coverage than a classic bikini would provide without wearing a once piece or tankini. Read More »

It seems like just yesterday I was packing my gloves, hats, and facemask to come back to school and start 2nd semester. And now, all of a sudden, it’s spring break. Time is of the essence and even though most people only have a few days or a week to pull themselves together, here are my last-minute spring break tips.

Invest in Sunscreen- I know. I sound like your mom. That’s because I’m quoting my own mom. But seriously its been months since your skin has been exposed to the sun. The only thing more tragic than coming back with cornrows from the Caribbean is returning to school with a 3rd degree burn and 4 inch blister on your face (true story).

Begin Drinking Dangerous Amounts- (And this is part of the blog where I veer away from anything my mom has ever said.) In just a few days you will be drinking more alcohol than your liver could ever imagine and unless you want to die, it’s essential you start building up your tolerance ASAP. I know that a lot of people have midterms this week but that’s no excuse to be letting your guard down. There should be beers at every breakfast and shots with every snack. If there is any point during the day where you could legally drive, you are not preparing yourself responsibly for whats going to happen during break.

Start Sleeping- When you’re not drinking, you should be sleeping. Sleep so much that you will never want to sleep again. Because you won’t be sleeping. Not for an entire week. Chances are that if you’re not in the mood to get some, your roommate will be. There’s no hope for any 8-hour nights in any spring break destination. Read More »

(We’re back with another weekly installment of G.W.W.E [Guys We Want to Eff] and this week we are goin’ all the way to the top. Yes, ladies, we are takin’ it to the Oval Office, a place we have been fantasizing about for years. Barack Obama was a sexy law student, a sexy political organizer, a sexy senator, and now he is our sexy Presidente. His brains, bod and power are the perfect combination and make us wanna eff him on that big oak desk.)

I voted for Obama. Not because he was the hotter of the two candidates, but those pictures of him in a bathing suit didn’t hurt his cause. My love for Obama, however, runs deeper than simply his abilities to lead our country out of this current financial mess.

I think he’s hot. And if Michelle weren’t in the picture, I’d totally eff him.

He’s got everything I look for in a man. He’s smart (Harvard Law School grad), he’s a family man, he’s powerful, he can dance, he’s a great speaker, and he loves to play sports. He also happens to have some roots in the midwest, which just makes him a perfectly effable catch.

And he looks damn good in a suit.

Barack Obama has inspired people worldwide with his message of change and proved that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it.

Is it so bad that turns me on? And that while he may be a bit busy at the moment (dealing with the American Automaker crisis and nominating people like Rob Namors, Peter Orszag and Hillary Clinton to his cabinet) I still wouldn’t mind sneaking into his office for a little eff sesh between meetings?

What? His time management skills are just another reason I want to eff him.

Fall is finally here, and that means the end of bathing suit season! What better way is there to celebrate than with chocolate? And caramel? And peanuts? And popcorn? Exactly–there isn’t.

So light some pumpkin scented candles, throw open your windows and kick off fall with some delicious, sinful goo-goo clusters, and smile smugly about the fact that you can guiltlessly eat three (or four) without worrying about string bikini jiggle. Read More »