Relaxed fit pants are the must-have silhouette for spring 2009. With the correct fit, they strike the perfect balance between appearing effortlessly chic and professionally appropriate. They can be worn for a day out, a night out, or even to your summer internship.

But without the correct fit, they can also go horribly, horribly wrong.

When you try them on, make sure they are fitted in the waist and butt. They should be looser and more relaxed over your thighs, and tapered and cropped above your ankles.

Since cropped pants can make your legs seem shorter, wear heels to balance everything out if you’re on the petite side. If you’re taller, pair them with heels or wedges for a dressier look, or flat gladiator sandals for a more casual vibe. Just stay away from ballet flats.

Because you’re going loose on your bottom half, you’ll want to wear a more fitted top. A tucked in blouse works for a more professional setting. When you’re not at work, wear a slim-fitting t-shirt and belt around the pants. Click here to see an example of how to rock this trend on one of my favorite blogs, Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Here’s some more outfit inspiration: Read More »

It’s 9:30 PM on a glorious Thursday evening. You are anxiously anticipating the start of Thirsty Thursday…until your roomie calls to tell you pregame’s at 10! You haul ass home from yoga-lates, scrub yourself in the shower, and shun your razor—baby smooth legs will have to wait for a less time-crunched evening. You barely have enough time to swipe on some mascara and, lord knows, your hair is air drying (embrace the wave).

You throw open your closet, throw on the first cute top you see and wear your butt jeans and sex kitten heels to compensate. You dash downstairs to join in on the Franzia fueled festivities and are greeted by a friend.

“Aw, don’t you look…comfortable?!”

Excuse moi? Comfortable? You weren’t thinking that exactly…just casual. But no – you have now been lumped into that category: you’re the girl who’s dressed down for the bar. Let us explore the positives and negatives of this conundrum.

Pro: Your feet are feeling mighty fine and you’re on your 8th rendition of the “Come On, Ride the Train.” Envious girls stare at you from their perches on bar stools—anything to get them off those blistering platforms. You enjoy the company of many a’ inebriated fella as they embrace your carefree love of dancing (read: drunken spinning and arm movements.) And while homegirl is teetering around on her 4 inchers trying not to slip in bar slime, you and your comfy arches make record time to the front of the line when it’s time to re up.

Con: As Mr. Cheeks would say, “Them high heels got them calves lookin’ right too!” Heels do have that magic ‘lift and strut’ factor, which is incredibly hard to imitate in flats…let alone under the influence of Irish Car Bombs. You will also be dwarfed by men and women alike, so don’t get separated from your girls; it might be a while until you reunite on line for the bathroom. Additionally, you might wake up the next morning with a case of stiletto toe: some girls just don’t watch (or care) who’s feet they step on, and your pedi will be the one to suffer. Read More »

[Every week our style guru takes a celebrity look and breaks it down for you, our poor college fashionista. What does that mean? It means that while the celebrities are spending $5,000 on an ensemble, you don’t have to.

All you have to do is click on the goods and - boom - you can buy the entire ensemble. Yes, we know; there is a spot for her in heaven.]

I love Anne Hathaway. Not just because I loved the Princess Diaries. Not just because her movie Bride Wars seems like the perfect guilty pleasure. Not because her skin is so perfect you want to hate her for it/steal it. And not just because she seems so normal and goofy that you just want to be the LC to her Whitney…

My love for Anne is all about her style; the girl always looks so put together. Even when she’s traveling. Even when she’s wearing nothing extravagant. She doesn’t need it.

Our gal pal Anne always wears classic looks with a hint of trend, as opposed to letting the trends hang on her as if she were a store mannequin (cough cough: every other Hollywood starlet).

So that is why I chose this look for this week’s Celebrity Chic on the Cheap. It’s cute, it’s classic (with a fun scarf and sunglasses to punch it up) and it’s something we would actually wear.

Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Anne Hathaway – The Ultimate in Casual Chic-titude Read More »

(Left to right, Fall 2008 RTW, from style.com: Jill Stuart, Fendi, Fendi, 3.1 Philip Lim)

[Do you ever feel like you can’t pull something off? Have trendy pieces in your closet that you would never have the courage to actually wear out? Well take those pieces out, shake off the dust, and continue reading! In this series, I will choose a different piece that can be difficult to incorporate into an outfit and give you ideas on how to wear it. If there’s anything you would like to read about in the future, please leave a comment!]

Belts are your most useful accessories; they can hold up your pants, make your waist look small (even in the bulkiest of sweaters), and (literally) pull your outfit together.

Belts are a worthwhile investment because they are so versatile. Neutral colors like brown or black will work with most items in your wardrobe, and brighter colors can make a boring outfit unique. Read on for different ways to cinch your waist this winter. (Warning: anything that applies pressure to the stomach is probably not something you’re going to want to try out at Thanksgiving dinner.)

Read More »

The Walk of Shame is awkward. End of story.

Even if you are trolling through a college town filled with kids who fully support and expect it, walking home with last night’s hair, makeup and footwear is never your proudest moment (though mastering the Wheelbarrow drunk the night before came pretty close).

Unfortunately, for many college coeds, the Walk of Shame is inevitable, especially when you combine Dollar Pitcher night at the local bar and a whole lot of good looking boys. But just because you are walking home from some dude’s house early in the morning doesn’t mean you have to look that way.

I am a strong believer in preparing for everything, and the Walk of Shame is no exception. Pack a few things before you go and no one will have any idea where you were last night.

First things first, avoid that “going out bag” and opt for something bigger. You probably already have one, but in case you want an excuse to buy something new, I love this new Tycoon Dome Satchel from Juicy. Cute enough for a night on the town, but big enough to pack all of the essentials.

Read More »