March 10, 2009
- 5:00 pm
By Vivian - Rutgers University

I adore vintage stuff. Nothing makes me squeal quite like walking into a vintage boutique and running my hands along the delicate lace dresses and feather trimmed hats. The fact that all vintage shops have such adorably cleaver names just endear them to me more (Hello, Again Boutique? Another Man’s Treasure? *squeal!).
Sigh. Too bad they’re all too damn expensive to shop from. Ever since vintage became fashionable, the prices have skyrocketed. Eighty bucks for a blouse? That’s like, eighty times what it sold for in the seventies! When it comes down to it, I’m not willing to pay that much for a brand new shirt, let alone an old, used one. And don’t get me started on Goodwill – trust me, you don’t want to set foot into the one by me. Not only do they lack anything remotely cute, but the place is pretty gross, smells funny and houses some sketchy people. Ever get hit on by creepy homeless men while digging through a barrel of old nighties? No? Well you can take my word for it – it’s not fun.
Anyway, back to my point. In an act of sheer desperation born from an utter lack of cash, I went rifling through the only other place I knew that could possibly cater to my vintage needs: my 78 year old grandmother’s closet. Oh yeah, I went there… and to my surprise, I actually snagged some great finds! Read More »
Tags: budget fashion, cheap stuff, clothing, costume jewelry, diy fashion, fashion, free, goodwill, grandmother, granny panties, pearls, recycled clothing, Salvation Army, used clothes, vintage, vintage inspired, vintage stores

Hi and welcome to the dead zone of summer. After partying it up on the fourth, the festiveness dies down and your party schedule is wiiiiide open. There are, of course, the random parties and local events to keep you entertained, but for the most part the excitement is dead and the big stuff is over.
With nothing going on, why not bring the party to your place? Cocktails, sun, friends and your bed within reach? What could be better?
Of course, entertaining requires a little prep, but it is a lot easier (and cheaper!) than you think. Below is a handy dandy guide on how to turn your humble abode into the summer hot spot. And all for less than $150. Let’s get started. Read More »
Tags: bar, bare minimum, blender, booze, brandy, budget, cheap liquor, cheap stuff, coke, dead zone, drinking gasoline, drinks, essentials, favorite drink, half measures, handy dandy guide, home bar, hot spot, juice, mixers, name brand products, nasty hangover, perfect time, stuff store, target, tequlla, triple sec, vodka, wal mart, wet bar, whisky, winter bar