I first learned about Freitag, a Swiss company, and its products while flipping through a magazine during a flight. What kept me reading the whole article instead of turning up the volume on my headphones to whatever random movie was playing on that mini screen 10 rows up was how they made their products. This wasn’t just another ho-hum ad for a travel bag; Freitag was born from something bigger.

The idea came about when graphic designer brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag wanted a durable and waterproof messenger bag to carry their belongings in. They traveled by bike and when it rained, their designs would get ruined. They were inspired by the colorful trucks that would drive past their apartment, so they made the very first Freitag bag out of a truck tarpaulin with a used car seatbelt as the strap and an old bicycle inner tube as the edging.

And there it was: an awesome looking bag that was practical and eco-friendly. 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.]

Cute bathing suit? Check.
Sunscreen? Check.
Awesomely colorful beach bag? Hmm… Maybe not yet.

Well, Roxy is here to save the day with its cleverly named bag, “Dandy Lion.” The bag is made of durable cotton canvas, and its wide platform bottom makes storing your large beach towels a breeze (sorry, I tried to be as clever as Roxy). It has a back wall zip pocket and a slip pocket for your small items (so your cell phone/iPod don’t get lost in the shuffle) and a magnetic snap closure to keep everything secure. The bag is lightweight and big enough to carry your sunglasses, wallet, change of clothing, and all your other beach essentials (like, I don’t know, snacks?). Best of all, it comes in five, you guessed it, awesomely colorful patterns. Read More »

I love Target. I get all my work clothes from there, plus all the generic little add-ons to my play clothes. I mean, is there anyone out there who isn’t obsessed with this store? So, when I took my weekly shopping trip there this weekend, I was totally stoked to see the newest addition to the Go International line!

I skipped through the aisles. I danced to the dressing room. I filled my cart with every last piece of the line from Richard Chai. His collection features clothes that range from business casual to Plain Jane casual. Chai’s fun yet subtle use of color runs throughout the line, while he still maintains a more sophisticated air than you would expect from a line at Target.

But, while this line has many good things to offer (the colors are fun without being over the top, most of the looks classic), it just fell short for me. (I know, I was surprised too!) A lot of the clothes felt a little too old and the cuts of the shirts made me feel shapeless. It also seriously lacked a fun and flirty side that previous Go collections flaunted. The summer line, for example, was all about, “Look at me! I’m flirty and sophisticated! Wouldn’t this outfit look great with a margarita?” Read More »

Is it wrong to laugh at fat chics? To giggle as you stuff them with delicious, delicious cake? How about if it’s in the form a video game? How about it was created by a girl? That is the controversy that surrounds Sony’s new too-cute-to-be-true game, Fat Princess.

Add one more to the line of cute-n-quirky games that are being put out to attract gamers to shelves. Like Katamari Damacy, the game play is easy, the colors bright, the plot simple: feed the princess, make her heavy so people don’t steal her. Easy! But is it too much?

Some feminists seem to think so. According to this article, feminist gamers from no less than two web sites are up in arms over this. Because she’s a girl. And she’s fat. That’s a problem for feminism. . . apparently.

Now before we proceed, I am a feminist. Ra, ra, fight against inequalities and all that. But rather then be upset about this game, I’ve found a few reasons to applaud this game. Yes, in the name of feminism.

I see Fat Princess as a new wave in gaming. Read More »

Yes, trends come and go, so we should probably just shut up and learn to live with them.

However, that is so not my style.

So, that said, here are the three trends of the summer that I most hate. Agree? Disagree? Couldn’t give a shoop? All fine, but I flippin’ hate these.

(3) Fuchsia Lips

Or, rather, fuchsia lipstick.

Fuchsia lips are an example of a trend that works fine on the runway but fails just about everywhere else. In other words, it looks fine if you aren’t trying to look at the actual person.

In the pictures above, we’ve got two adorable, gorgeous celebrities (Christina Ricci and Beyonce)…and they both look strangely washed out and clowny and old, even with the help of celebrity make-up artists. Read More »