Ladies and gents, it’s called VANITY SIZING.

In short, companies are starting to realize that when their consumers think they can fit into a smaller size, they feel better about their body image. Let’s face it: when we can fit into pants that would normally be difficult to zip, it’s super exciting. As a result, stores are thinking that we’ll keep coming back to purchase more stuff because, well, we are always guaranteed to feel good when we try on their clothes.

Personally, I think that vanity sizing is completely ridiculous, but I’m sure all you business majors know that it’s a great marketing tactic. Just as long as consumers are aware of the size differences, it’s not a big deal. But you see – that’s the thing. People are starting to believe their true size is not what it really is.

Girls are going around thinking that they are a size 6, when they really might be a size 8. For me, it sucks when I try on a different brand of jeans to learn that it is shockingly inaccurate. Plus, how annoying is it that you never really know what size to order online because every company follows a different sizing chart? Let’s face it – not every 34” waists fit the same.

In addition, a lot of girls are in the mindset that they only wear one size and refuse to buy anything bigger than that. As a result, when they do come across a cute pair of jeans, they are more likely to purchase their regular size – even if it fits more snuggly than if they had gone a few sizes up. Little do people know…not all sizes are the same.

How do we fix this? The only way to really tell what size you are is to take a measuring tape and measure yourself inch for inch. This way, you can refer to each brand’s sizing charts and purchase accurately.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, size should not be the main determinant for someone’s healthiness. Yet, when it comes to vanity sizing, it concerns me to hear that stores are doing this. Is it because they are ashamed of their heavy set population or is it because they are promoting larger waist lines? Why is it so satisfying to think that we need to wear clothes that are smaller? Sure, it makes us feel better to hear we’ve gone down a size, but what does it mean if all of that is a lie?

According to Esquire, the biggest vanity sizing culprits include H&M, Calvin Klein, Alfani, Gap, Haggar, Dockers and Old Navy.  The shocker is that stores also do this for guys! And we thought girls only had body issues…

Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do about vanity sizing except for be aware of its existence. Don’t let a store reel you into their web of deceptions. Be informed and if you’re ever unsure, measure out their clothes yourself. You might find that their 27’s are really 29’s. At the end of the day, buy outfits because they make you look and feel awesome, not because of the size on the tag.

If you are the type to use clothes to monitor your weight loss, keep track by measuring yourself every so often and use clothes you already own to see how the fit changes overtime. Do not rely on the latest clothing – the newer the item, the more likely the sizing is off.

All in all, be proud of your body and know that how you feel is more important than what the label says. Wear clothes that accentuate your figure and watch those heads turn (towards your fab abs and lovable legs) as you walk down the street.

What do you think about Vanity Sizing? Twitteroo me @jackelynho.

So instead of getting all brainy on a topic that should be anything but, I offer you a regular girl’s guide to bettering your sexual endeavors.  You will not be tested on this material (at least not in a Scantron sort of way), just print it out and hang it above your bed.

1. Speak Up

Don’t wait for him to ask you what feels good.  If he’s a mildly oblivious (aww, but well-meaning) college dude, chances are he’ll think he’s doing just fine so long as you both leave satisfied.  Problem is, “just fine” isn’t always what you’re looking for.  Help him shoot for the stars by being vocal about what feels fabulous and what leaves you a little bored.

2. Dress Up

Who says costumes are just for Halloween and frat mixers?  I know you’ve got a few choice outfits in that closet waiting for the next CEOs and Office Hoes party.  Break ‘em out and watch his eyes (among other things) get big with excitement.

3. Confess

Admit it, everyone’s got at least one major sex fantasy.  Whether you’re into the run-of-the-mill naughty doctor routine or something a little…less…ordinary, it’s time to indulge and go wild.  One of the biggest factors in a great sex life is being comfortable with your partner.  This is one of the points that will really test your comfort level.  I mean, imagine telling a rando you’ve always wanted to get it on in the library while people secretly watched.  Awk-ward!

4. Play Around

Role-playing is an excellent way to explore the boundaries of your relationship.  It’s kinda an excuse to say anything and, should it not be well received, chalk it up to “getting caught up in the moment.”  Likewise, you may test his limits and find you’ve both wanted to try some of the same things.  It’s a harmless way to ease into some of the iffier conversations and keep the mood light.

5. Get Dirty

Dirty talk isn’t just for phone sex and text messages.  Newsflash: it brings about amazing results when used in person, as well.  And don’t be embarrassed, that’s key.

6. Think Outside the Bed

Try the floor.  Try the couch.  Try the stairs.  Try the top of the dryer.  Just make sure these aren’t communal places and that no one’s home.  I mean, unless you’re fulfilling #3.  In that case, just try not to get caught.

7. Make Him Surprise You

It’s like potluck dinner, but better because it’s not dinner- it’s sex!  When you keep an open mind and allow your partner to bring his own selection of tricks to the table, you might just stumble upon something great.  As an added bonus, he’ll get an ego boost knowing you trust him enough not to give directions all the time.  No one wants a control freak in bed (unless you’re exploring tip #1, but be kind about it).

8. Watch Together, Stay Together

Watching porn can do a lot of marvelous things for your sex life.  Not only can it provide some DIY ideas, but porn also serves as great foreplay and will help get you both in the mood for the main event.  Be sure to remember, not everything in the movies is quite as epic as real life.  But that shouldn’t stop you from trying!

9. Keep it Real

In light of #8, I have this to offer: Don’t have unrealistic expectations for sex.  Try to avoid mumbling, “That was it?” and realize it takes two to tango.  You’re half the equation, so it’s equally up to you to bring your A Game to the bedroom.

10. Satisfy Yourself

How do you expect anyone else to know what works for you if even you don’t know what works for you?  Masturbation is a beautiful thing and a necessary part of a stellar sex life.  Find what brings you to orgasm on your own so you know what you like once it’s sexy time plus one.

I’m not the only one who thinks Hendricks and her curves are sexier than Megan Fox and Adriana Lima combined. Why? She beat out both of them in Esquire’s Best Looking Woman in America. Hendricks took the number one spot with 30% of the votes over Adriana Lima (2nd) and Megan Fox (3rd). It’s about time! Hendricks is known for her yummy curves, and she should be recognized. The woman is absolutely stunning.

Honestly, I’m ecstatic. Not only does this mean I may or may not go treat myself to a scone later at Starbucks (hint: I will), it means curvy women are making an impact in Hollywood, where the definition of sexy is often created.  That is empowering! It is reassuring to know sexy is becoming easier and more natural day by day, beginning with covers of Christina Hendricks flaunting all that her mama gave her (with Megan Fox no where in sight).

Work it, girl.

When I walk into class every morning in my carefully planned outfit, complete with meticulously-matched accessories, it really disappoints me to see all the boys looking – how shall I put this? – less than stellar. If Cher was not expected to swoon over baggy pants and a backwards cap, than neither am I. Nor should I melt for crusty armpit stains, shower sandals (and long, nasty toenails), or eye boogers that have yet to be removed.

After living on a college campus and experiencing countless pairs of basketball shorts paired with mac-and-cheese-stained hoodies, I had completely lost hope that boys know how to dress.

And then I saw this.

Esquire magazine went on a hunt to find the best dressed guys in the country. Not guys who have been made over, but guys who know fashion and wear pants without an elastic waistband it well. While some of these boys are a bit too buttoned up for me, it is moments like this that restore my faith in men.

Some guys do know how to dress. And some guys do plan their ensembles instead of picking them up off the floor and sniffing them to see if they are clean.

Why guys like this aren’t roaming my campus I’ll never know, but it’s heart (and loin) warming to see that there are guys out there who put a little thought into their daily ensembles. Yes, even college boys.

Dan Trepanier, call me!

…and perfect make-up for you!

Be ahead of the game: hair trends for Spring ’09!

Ok, iPhone lovas…here are some tips to keep your battery going

Would you rock these to Thanksgiving with the folks?

Posh Spice will always be hot…always.

Angie vs. Jen: will it ever end?!

Hugh Jackman is the Sexiest Man on Earth…seriously.

Baby cockfights… so wrong.

Merry freakin Christmas!!! Vince Vaugh on the cover Esquire and he is lookin mighty fine!

That’s just lame.

The Five Unsexiest Women Alive list, compiled as a direct response to Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive article, is a negative, annoying editorial meant to do nothing except pick on aging stars and go after girls who are already suffering.

Explaining #5 on the list has “about 23 pounds of Funyun pudge”, Maxim goes after the easiest target of 2007, Britney Spears. Yes, she used to be hot and now she looks a little rough. Yes, she used to be a badass dancer and now thinks stumbling around constitutes a performance. Yes, she’s a bit of a media whore…but the girl has problems. Big, intense problems. Let’s give her a bit of a break, shall we?

Besides, when was being “not skinny” having “pudge”?

“Madonna traded pioneering sexuality for, like other old Jewish women, self-righteous bellyaching and rapid postnuptial deterioration.” Maxim goes on to say about it’s #4 unsexiest woman, the Material Girl herself. I mean, I know the woman has taken exercise to a militant level, but the almost-50-year-old mother of two recently signed one of the biggest music deals in history and still looks good in a pointy bra. What have you done lately, writers of Maxim?

Calling Sandra Oh “Dr. McSkinny” and blaming the real woman for the character flaws of a person she portrays on a failing (come on, it used to be good, but who cares anymore?) drama, Maxim dips to another level of lameness by deciding a “boyish figure” is enough to make a woman unsexy.

I agree that Amy Winehouse, #2 on the list, could use a little work. It certainly wouldn’t hurt for her to get off drugs, gain some weight, and lose the weird beehive, but like Ms. Spears, calling Winehouse “unsexy” is almost a moot point. She certainly could be sexy, she’s just got to straighten out her life first.

Going after another accomplished, older actress, Maxim names Sarah Jessica Parker it’s #1 unsexiest woman. To be honest, I’ve never really found her that attractive myself, but that doesn’t mean this is list is any less stupid.

Whether or not these chicks are “sexy” to me or anyone at Maxim isn’t really the issue. The list itself is the thing I disagree with. Why waste words and energy being mean when you’re not even really being that funny?

Just write about boobs instead. No one can argue with that.

We all know insipid magazines like Cosmo and Redbook give men the impression the women are all about “Impressing Them in Bed!” and “Finding That Position That Makes Our Orgasms Last for 78 Minutes!!” and “Shoes!!!”

But have you ever wondered what guy mags like Stuff and FHM say about us? One women thinks they teach dudes to objectify us.

How groundbreaking.

Rosie Boycott, a former editor for Esquire magazine and freelance journalist for the Daily Mail says that men’s magazines are becoming more and more sexually explicit, and the women allowing themselves to be photographed are partially responsible.

“The Nuts website has a page called Assess My Breasts, in which readers are invited to rate the breasts and bottoms on display.” Boycott writes, “Every one of these has been sent in by a young woman.”

According to Boycott, the increasingly “cold and cruel” sex portrayed in men’s magazines is teaching males that women “are there to be used sexually for [their] pleasure and all women – secretly or not – are longing for rough sex and plenty of it.”

None of this could be possible, however, without the thousands of eager and willing girls who allow photographs of them splashed across the pages.

Arguing against the fact that men’s magazines exploit women is stupid, because they do, but saying that a lot of the blame rests in the hands of women is also a little skewed. Women (for the most part) aren’t the ones who are buying this stuff. They’re not the one’s proving that smut sells.

Are more girls than ever deciding that being outwardly and overtly sexual is cool? Yes. Is that trend a little disturbing? Yes. But we’re not making these decisions in a vacuum.

Instead of blaming one gender more than the other, how about we look at society as a whole, and figure out why everyone’s so obsessed with showing strangers not just their bodies, but their wallets, diary entries, and their little black book of bedfellows.

According to Esquire.com, “Brandon Smith and Jeff Cole, (who’s still in school), have created the wonderfully efficient—and free- iConcertCal , a personalized concert calendar that tells you when the artists in your iTunes library are coming to town”.

How cool is that? -A calendar inside my iTunes Library, that tells me when and where the artist I am listening to on my ipod is coming to town? What will they think of next? A car that can park itself? Never.

Read the article. Download iConcertCal now.