I owned a pair of Crocs once. They were pink and super comfortable. I used them as shower shoes my freshman year of college, but I would never be caught dead wearing them in public. Soon they became gross and mildew-ish, so I threw them out. This was probably due less to the fact that they were old and dirty but to the fact that I was teased constantly by my friends on my floor for owning such an ugly pair of shoes.

I don’t know if it’s the style, the loud colors or just the general public opinion that Crocs are ugly that makes them so easy to poke fun at, but we all do. Here’s the thing though: the Crocs company sells shoes and other products that are even uglier than their trademark shoe! Hard to process, I know, but take a look. Read More »

I consider myself a fashionista, a fashion enthusiast, a clothing connoisseur. I keep up with the trends using my two favorite outlets: a fashion glossy and Twitter. And when I’m walking down the street and see that glam girl rocking the maxi dress I’ve had my eye on for weeks? I’m no happy camper.

But there’s one thing I consider worse — walking down the street and feeling the need to check what century I’m in because of a particularly “out there” ensemble. Sure, fashion recycles itself, but some of it deserves to stay in the trash.

Here are the  10 trends I hope fashion leaves behind.

Would you wear combat boots?

Want curls? Try this ceramic iron!

Awesome fall trends you can find in thrift stores.

How to wear leopard print.

Make a sweater dress work.

Face mask obsession.

Shoe giveaway!

Nars Bento Box is all the rage.

Do we like the Croc rain boot?

Rolled chinos are so in right now.

I don’t know about you, but when I first heard that clogs/mules were coming back in style I thought of those black Steve Madden clog/sandals with the elastic band that made your feet sound like a horse every time you walked. You know, the ones you paired with Hard Tails and then traded in for the leather platform version to pair with your Paris Blues Super Bell Bottoms come Fall uh… 1998?

So you can imagine my resistance when I saw the words CLOG splattered all over my fashion bibles. Really, Chanel? CLOGS? I do not need to do/wear anything that resembles my 1998 self in the slightest. The horror! What’s next? Butterfly clips? Lord have mercy.

But then, like all old trends that come back around, I realized the clog came with a bit of a twist. Clogs 2.0 are like Heidi Montag 2.0: Bigger, pumped up and plumped up. And some would even argue, better. These clogs are edgier, chunkier, platform-ier and all around cooler. Read More »

This fall weather is quickly beginning to feel a lot like winter. Sweaters and tights are being traded in for winter fleeces and long-johns. You may think you’re good to go with your new crochet Uggs and long, puffy North Face jacket, but there’s a lot more out there this winter when it comes to accessories. Things that will not only make that walk to class a little more cozy and a little less frozen-snotsicles-dangling-over-your-upper-lip, but accessories that will make your life a whole lot easier.

And more fun.
And festive.
Basically, winter might be somewhat bearable this time around. Read More »

Having just “celebrated” banned books week in America, I started thinking about the importance of reading, the beauty of stories and how much books enrich all of our lives. And most of my thoughts came back to one single theme:

W.T.Eff?

Banning books? Seriously? First Obama gets attacked from those crazy moms who think he’s out to brainwash children by giving them talks on the importance of education and now reading is bad for children, too?

The whole thing is just absurd. Have people even read the books they’re trying to ban? How can a story about a pooh named Winnie who likes to eat honey and play in the woods with his other anthropomorphic friends possibly be bad? It seems like a book that is deemed “good” and “appropriate” these days is a book that will not inform your child of the existence of sex, racism, violence, homosexuality, the devil, bad language, and any other concept that will cause children to ask you awkward questions. The whole banned books thing will probably cause my AP Literature class to be renamed AP Literature That Will Morally Damage Your Soul.

Does this mean we should ban Pokemon as well, since the little animals “evolve,” which therefore enforces the idea of evolution and is therefore anti-Christian and therefore is Satanic? Winnie the Pooh may be the poster child for the obesity epidemic, his friend Eeyore for depression, and Kanga for single moms everywhere, but that doesn’t mean our younger siblings can’t read about them. I happen to like Tigger, even if he does have ADHD. And although Harry Potter may have “witchcraft and wizardry” and whatnot, it’s still one of the most significant contributions to literature in our lives, and as such, should be available to anyone who wants to read it.

So let’s take the attention and money away from banning books and focus on some more important things that should be eradicated from this planet. Because in 2009 there are so many things worse than kids in capes flying around on broomsticks or finding a lion in your closet. Read More »

I learned more my first week at college than I did in my entire life. And I don’t mean academically. I mean socially, financially, emotionally and drunk-ly. Some things took longer to figure out than others (that I should visit the ATM before I get to the bar, to avoid extra fees and my tendency to tipsily make it rain) and other things took mere minutes (don’t eat dining hall hot dogs).

But there are 5 things that every freshman should figure out their very first week on campus. Consider this College Life 101: Intro To The Best 4 Years of Your Life.

The go-to hangover breakfast spot: For those mornings when a Gatorade and toast just won’t do the trick, you need to find the most happening breakfast place near campus. This is not only important for the mornings when you need to take things to-go (back to your bed where you can lie in the dark while watching Daisy of Love marathons), but also for the social aspect of morning-after breakfast. Because everyone knows, after the party it’s the after party…and after that and the hotel lobby… it’s IHOP.

So, on those mornings when your inner monologue sounds like “Hahalalala definitely still drunk and my hair and makeup still look great!” you’ll know where you and your girls can go to re-cap last night’s madness while chowing on carby goodness and watching people walk in wearing their clothes from the night before. Read More »

Finally, a benefit of our failing economy!  It turns out that the crocs franchise may not be around as long as we had feared.  Instead of scrambling to keep up with (inexplicable) demand, they are now facing millions of dollars of debt and a surplus of really ugly shoes.

Why are they having this problem?  Well, they made the little monsters nearly indestructible, so nobody feels the need to buy a second pair.  If only no one felt the need to buy the first pair…

Almost everyone I know agrees that crocs are possibly the ugliest things we as  humans have ever put on our feet.  However, most of my friends own a pair.  When I give them my patented look of revulsion and pity, they shrug and give me the same argument: “They’re comfortable.”

Well…so what??!!!  A lot of unacceptable things are comfortable!  You know what else is comfortable?  Mumus.  I don’t see anyone walking around in a mumu because they are BUTT UGLY.  Just like Crocs. Read More »

College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to there are same characters on every campus. The frat house groupie, the sensitive all American, the cool girl, the Unhinged Coed, and the Americanized International.

Allow me to refine this status: Americanization is not to be confused with Westernization, nor is it a put-down.

International Students take up a demographic in most US colleges and universities. They are usually easily spotted on campus. No, not because that of clothing choices or accents, but because they maintain a certain wide eyed fascination and solemn intelligence. International students seem refined and sophisticated. Hard working and goal oriented. They worked hard to get to this prestigious American university and they keep that in mind as they work even harder to graduate.

Most International Students stick together, seeking the comfort of the familiar. They tend to sit back in class and take notes as the more abrasive and comfortable students take over answering the questions, debating the topics and joking with classmates. As soon as class ends, they head to the library or the comforts of their dorm room to get started on the reading assigned. They never join the rest of campus at the weekend parties.

But then something starts to change. As the semester rolls on and these students find themselves more at ease in their new environment, they begin to engage in common American customs. They become The Americanized International. 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 hate how Walmart treats its employees...but we love the low prices! Or, we love how that boy makes us laugh....but we hate that he has no motivation in life. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!

There are so many difficult choices in life (do we love or hate tequila??), so we thought we'd sort through 'em right here. Every week we will discuss another issue we are torn up about. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!]

You’ve heard it all before…

“Uggs are so cute and comfy!” Girl with Uggs on.

“Uggs put the ‘ug’ in ugly.” Guy giving the girl a strange look.

I can see both sides and I’m completely torn:

Love Em:

Uggs are definitely one of the most comfortable types of shoes out there. And unlike the apparantly comfy-but-ugly Crocs (gag!), they actually match your outfit, and can be a cute addition to your winter wardrobe. Uggs come in lots of different colors and patterns, and although they’re a little on the expensive side, they last FOR.E.VER. (OK, maybe not forever, but I’ve had mine for 3 years and they’re as ridiculously soft as ever.) Read More »