If Punxsutawney Phil was correct this year, we now only have 3 more weeks of winter, which means we can soon wash away those winter blues and bust out those spring styles.  This year, Pantone’s top color will be turquoise, which is not only a fun, bright color that can be mixed with everything from neutrals to browns to other brights, but it looks great on nearly everyone.

And with Spring Break comin’ quick, now is the perfect time to nab some turquoise!

Here are some great choices under 20 buckaroos that’ll perfectly highlight spring’s most popular hue.

Sure, it looks like your average tank top, but that scoop neck and racer back gives it a whole new dimension. Put this on with a bright bib necklace and some skinny jeans for the ultimate summer look.

I dunno about you, but I’m def looking forward to busting out my flip flops and showin’ off my fresh pedi once the warm weather hits, and these (paired with the perfect tan) will look totally fab with shorts, jeans or sun dresses.  The ultimate spring/summer solution.

And speaking of pedis, how can you resist this awesome turquoise nail polish? It’s funky, fresh and different. Love it.

It’s like those designers at Target heard my prayers. Behold: the cutest romper ever. Both rompers and florals are sure to be everywhere this spring, and this one (notice those ruffles!) is just too cute for words.

Looking for just a burst of color?  Go for this floral cocktail ring.

Cute, colorful and comfy: your go-to summer skirt, for sure. Wear it during the day over a swimsuit with a white ribbed tank, or tuck in something a little tighter and a lot lower for an evening on the town.

These shoes will be absolutely A-dorable with leggings, skinny jeans or a skirt.

Colored denim will be back this season, so why not throw on some turquoise jeans?  With a white tee and sandals these would be totally cute and perfect for your first spring picnic, those last few weeks of the semester or even a casual dinner date.

I get it. With winter carrying on for another 6 weeks (thank you, Mr. Groundhog) your life really does feel like Groundhog Day since you wear the same thing day after day…after day: jeans and a black top, or sometimes, if you’re feeling a bit crazy, jeans and white one. After the novelty of a cute winter ‘drobe wore off (like the 2nd week of negative temps and slushy snow), it’s hard to put any effort into looking presentable and unique.

But after this article you will see that even if you keep your winter uniform intact, you can make it look like you really cared and make a ordinarily boring ‘fit ready for any occasion just by adding a few fun accessories.  And you can do it all for cheap. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: accessories are the BEST way to revamp an outfit, create a look, change it up, or try out a trend without spending that booze money breaking the bank.

Winter Uniform #1:
Jeans, White Tee and Sweater

I LOVE pink and grey. With this adorable headband drawing the eye up, no one will even notice that you wore that EXACT same outfit yesterday. Throw on some fun bangles, a pretty necklace and – presto chango – you just want from drab to oh-so-fab.

Jeans: Urban Outfitters, $54
White Tee: Delias, 2 for $20
Cardigan: Delias, $39.50
Headband: Lulus, $28
Necklace: Forever 21, $6.80
Bracelets: Anique Michelle, $12

Winter Uniform #2:
Black and Denim

Ah, black. So versatile. So easy to work with. You can dress this look up with pumps and a clutch, or dress it down with Uggs and a tote. The key is big, bold accessories. This necklace is great because it’s dressy and ties in perfectly to the black-on-black top combo. And that ring, sigh, is to die for. It’s the easiest way to completely change this look. Just make sure not to go overboard with the accessories. If you do a bold necklace, stick to more toned down earrings and rings. If you wanna rock a big ring, choose a more basic necklace.

Remember: you want to accessorize, not be a walking jewelry box!

Jeans: Gap, $69.50
Cardigan: Old Navy, $29.50
Cami: Old Navy, $10.50
Necklace: Forever 21, $10.80
Earrings: Forever 21, $3.80
Ring: Charlotte Russe, $8.50

Winter Uniform #3:
Good for Any Outfit

Throw on the scarf, necklace, earrings or ring with ANY solid color ensemble, jeans or leggings, and out you go! My vote is for the circle scarf – cozy AND bright. And these bracelets are SO cheap you can buy 5 and layer those bad boys up!

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Start with a cute, 50′s-inspired halter dress. This particular style is from Forever 21, but I also found some super cute dresses in this cut (but with fun prints, like leopard) at H&M. The halter cut and the cinched waist do wonders to give a gal that hourglass figure.

For the Day:
You wanna keep it simple, so go with a basic pair of black flats and some black stud earrings. This will keep the outfit casual without being sloppy, and the minimal accessories will draw all the attention where it should be: on the dress.

An oversized red tote is the perfect way to give your outfit a little punch and also to covertly carry around a change of shoes and some extra accessories to make your outfit evening ready.

For The Night:
As the sun sets and the time comes to vamp it up, a quick shoe change, the addition of some accessories and some red lipstick make this ensemble pop.

Red heels always liven up an oufit, and the mary jane/peep-toe mix on these make them the perfect pair to add to the retro look.

An over-sized cocktail ring totally adds to the 50′s style, and if you really wanna go all out, add in a flowered hair clip, headband or hairpiece. Just stop there; between the red shoes and the detailing on the dress, you don’t want to go overboard.

For the ultimate pin-up look, slather on some red lipstick (just choose the right shade!) and you’ll be lookin’ like a vixen in no time flat.

Each week I’ll be putting together a cute and affordable “going out” ensemble guide (that you can tweak to your own personal style and body type, of course) so that maybe that age-old question can be answered a little quicker than usual. And your friends aren’t waiting - for hours - for you to emerge from your room. Just consider me your own (free) personal Rachel Zoe.]

So this weekend is quite a weekend: Friday the 13th, Valentine’s Day and a lovely 3 day weekend, all rolled into one.

In the spirit of the equally loved and hated V-Day, I decided to do a Valentine’s version of Night Styler with a super vampy outfit that those of us in relationships can wow our honeys with, and those of us going out in hopes that cupid points his arrow at us, can wow potential suitors with.

If nothing else, at least this holiday is a reason to rock the red.

I am so totally in love with this adorable dress I found on a recently discovered website, fashionjunkee.com. Of course, red is the color du jour for this particular holiday, but if you’re just looking for a damn cute dress to wear out, you can find it in 5 other colors.

 What better way to sexify those legs you’ll be showin’ off, than with some ultra-high black pumps. You can find both of these at Tarjay for under $30.

As always, Forever 21 is the place to go for all the right accessories at the right price. A small clutch/handbag is the way to go with an outfit like this, and in the spirit of looooove day, why not go with a cute lil’ heart-shaped bag?

You can’t really do a necklace with the shape of this dress, so glam it up with a cute up-do, and some big earrings.

And since hearts, candy and flowers are all associated with this romantic holiday, bring along your own flower, in the form of a fun cocktail ring.

There’s no doubt if you rock this outfit, you’ll be feelin’ the love this Valentine’s Day.

Awards season is in full swing, which has got me drooling over all those leading ladies’ gorgeous gowns and dresses. Of course, I don’t have a few thousand spare bucks lying around to buy their specific pieces, but for a mere fraction of the price I, too, can look stunning and glamorous for that upcoming Oscar party, hot Valentine’s date, or ladies’ night out. I found this entire ensemble at Forever 21 for under $75.

You gotta start with a lovely dress, and while basic black is always a great option, picking an eye-popping color is also a great way to stand out. Dark blue and violet hues work wonderfully because they ad some pop, but they still have the slimming effect of black.

Basic black pumps are the way to go if you’re looking for glamour, and I love the old Hollywood look of these faux suede heels.

Now you just gotta properly accessorize and you’re good to go. You don’t want to overdo it and take away from the simple and sexy appeal of the dress, so a little vintage-inspired jewelry and a clutch are the perfect options.

This bag is great because you can always tuck the strap inside, or put it over your shoulder if you don’t want to be holding a clutch while you boogy; the necklace adds just enough punch without being overbearing; and what’s more glam than an old-style cocktail ring?

Now do your hair up all purty, put on some sultry make-up (smokey eyes or red lips would be great with this look) and go out and strut your stuff on your very own personal red carpet.

The holidays are upon us, and you know what that means — it’s time to give and to get! Okay, they’re about more than that, but who doesn’t want the latest and greatest clothing and accessories? That’s what we thought. Read on to discover this week’s edition of The Best Holiday Gifts, featuring fabulous jewelry!

One Pearl Pink Potato Pearl Strand

Forget your grandma’s pearls — this necklace is so the way of the future. Tiny mismatched pink pearls are accented by a single oversized grey pearl in a strand so long, you can wrap it three times for added glamour!

$75 at onepearl.com

Rachel Leigh Gumball Ring in Plum

This handmade ring is sure to garner tons of attention when it sits atop your index finger — yes, your index finger, not your ring one! But be careful not to chew on this gumball, we wouldn’t want you to chip your teeth!

$68 at rachelleigh.com

Natha Perkins Copper Nests Earrings

We haven’t seen a pair of earrings this inventive in quite some time. Intricately wound bands of copper wire surround faceted crystal studs, forming a sort of target silhouette that just looks gorgeous dangling from the ear.

$80 at nathaperkins.com

mark Make Change Convertible Earrings

Want to feel like a fashion designer? Then these are totally the right pair of earrings for you. The hoop contains an oversized teardrop-shaped silhouette and a faceted jewel hanging from a long chain, each of which can be worn together or separately. You can make them a style all your own!

$12 at meetmark.com

Prismera Design Yucca Hoop Necklace

The yucca is probably one of the most intriguing in the floral family, with its ability to lift its face to the moon at night and emit a heady fragrance. So it only stands to reason that this delicate necklace is unbelievably beautiful.

$64 at prismeradesign.com

Bellissima Jewelry Design Seaside Earrings

Aqua chalcedony drops dangle in between myriad ring-linked gold chains, creating a silhouette that’s somehow both sweet and sophisticated all at once.

$62 at bellissimajewelrydesign.com

Betty Belts Chelsea Necklace

This necklace is totally vintage-y, with an intricately cut red heart hanging from a cool leather cord. We totally wish we could go back to the 60s with it — but we’ll settle for right here, right now.

$24 at bettybelts.com

While I love finding the perfect gifts for people and seeing their faces as they open them, I must admit, all this holiday shopping has got me wanting to get a few gifts of my own. It doesn’t help that there are great sales EVERYWHERE. Unfortunately, those sales are linked to the crappy economy, which means I don’t have the freedom to snatch them up right now, and yet, I want nothing more than to buy myself this ensemble to be lookin’ mighty fine into the new year.

(Note: I found most of these things on bluefly or piperlime, so they’re discounted. Does that make it better?)

I am in love with this Marc by Marc Jacobs shirt. I love the main blue color, I love the plum details and I love that it’s flowy on the bottom to hide those extra holiday pounds, but with the structuring I’m confident it’d make my boobs look quite spectacular.

Pair it with these hot, dark wash skinny jeans by Joe’s Jeans (which always look great on my bootie) and I’ll be accenting the great stuff and hiding the not-so-great.

I’m a shoe fanatic and a firm believer that shoes can make or break an outfit. I’m loving these shoes because of their gorgeous color (which will bring out that lovely plum in the shirt), the t-straps (which are huge right now) and the fact that they’re wedges, which makes ‘em all the more comfy to wear out for a night on the town.

The icing on the cake are these hot jewelry pieces from Lucid New York; beautiful hand-made jewelry at a great price.

And, just because every woman wants a Chanel bag, I have to add it to my list. I know it’s never gonna happen, but maybe? I’ve been a very good girl this year.

Now hopefully my boyfriend took my advice and is getting me a few of the things on my wishlist!

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