Purple is in right now. I first caught wind of this when my friend was bemoaning the fact that eggplant purple is trendy and that every girl who wears it looks like Barney. However, when we went shopping the next day she tried on a purple top and looked made her look more like Barbie than Barney. She broke down and fell for the color like a supermodel on a slippery runway.

I started seeing it more, especially when I went shopping with my boyfriend. “Shopping” as in we walked around looking at things we couldn’t afford. Purple everywhere! Purple Dior shoes, Armani dresses, Louis bags. Stupid college budget.

Purple is super trendy right now, and though it may be pink’s retarded cousin, it does looks pretty damn hot. So, here are some of the cutest purple finds for the fall, to be worn with feistiness.

I’m obsessed with this grandpa-sweater look. Cardigans are so classic and amping them up with bright plum coloring and cashmere is a definite win.

Not ready for the neon purple? Orchid is a softer purple and jersey dresses are flattering on any body type. Subtle for the office and breathable for bar dancing!

Must. Have. Now. Chloe’s Daytripper bag in purple. Droooool. Seriously I would wear this with anything, all day, everyday. Santa, are you listening?

On the more affordable end, Forever 21 has a cute fuchsia crochet number. So feisty! Perfect for a beach dress or throw a black cardigan on (preferably a grandpa sweater) and dress it up for class or work.

Empire waist is my fave, hides that summer ice cream tummy. Love, love, love the deep purple, it’s like a sexy eggplant!

Madeline gone fashionista! Alright, this is may be a little too much for most, but if you’re daring and can pull it off, snaps!

What do you chicas think about the purple trend? Barneylicious or fabulous?

I rushed home from work to catch up, and even though MTV aired a double feature again, I was left with many questions:

What is up with Stephanie’s bangs?

How does Lauren’s hair go from long to short to long again?

And what exactly is Ms. Stephanie Pratt up to?

The show begins with Lauren’s birthday party. Which, with event coordinators at the door, was much different from my most recent birthday of beer bongs in my friend’s kitchen. All was great until Stephanie arrived and the looks started to fly. Lo and Audrina are both quite upset about her inclusion on the party list, and who can blame them? LC is their best friend and they are worried about Stephanie’s intentions.

Brody feels the same way…and so does everyone else on the planet. But, instead of listening to everyone who cares about her, Lauren insists that Stephanie is a nice person. And they drunkenly discuss it at the bar – “WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE!” I just don’t understand why she is being so dense; how can anyone trust someone with poodle bangs?

I’ll admit, though, that I too wanted to like Stephanie for a little while. I mean, it is not that difficult to believe that she too might hate Spencer. Especially after he moved into her beautiful apartment and told her to wash his sheets. It could be possible that she doesn’t agree with Spencer and genuinely likes LC, right? I know, I’m being crazy. It must be the warm weather (or that bottle of wine I just drank), but I am just feeling really optimistic…

Until I see Steph come into class and stir up the pot-o-drama when she tells Lauren about Heidi and Audrina’s little reunion at the bar. Ugh. How dare this bitch make me believe in her! I hate her even more now.

But let us get back to Heidi and Audrina. I feel bad for Audrina; she is getting dragged into the middle of a Civil War that she doesn’t want to be a part of. For the longest time she has sided with Lauren (probably to get on TV), but maybe she doesn’t want Lauren to tell her who to be friends with or who to date (remember Justin Bobby?). Maybe Audrina likes going out with Heidi – we saw her at Vice with some really ugly chic, so it is clear she likes to hang out with people who make her look better. Who better to do that than plastic Heidi/Barbie?? Whatever her reason, it is clear that Audrina is lying to Lauren and has full intentions of hanging with Heidi again.

[Hm. I wonder who leaked those nude photos of Audrina? Watch your back, girlfriend]

Gosh. So much else happened in the episodes; I just can’t cover it all!

- Whitney impresses Kelly Cutrone enough to make her smile. I am so happy for Whit, but also totally freaked out. It just felt and looked so…wrong.

- Lo hints that she had a thang for Frankie. So cute!

- Lauren gets yet another fabulous (and undeserving) job opportunity all because she helped Whitney take things off a hanger and list them in a computer. And here I sit at a boring job in Michigan. Kelly Cutrone – I know I say you look like the devil/the walking dead and that you never wash your hair, but I am also really good at putting things on hangers! Call me! XOXO

Awesome! I can advertise the truth at last!

There’s no shame in being le broke, whether you’re in college or just out of it. The trick is to live it up without blowing through your checking account. Truthfully, the percentage of recent college grads making bank isn’t that high, we just have a lovely little tendency to live beyond our means and lack patience.

Label whores, I address you first. I’m one of you. The trick here is to get the look without going broke. Sales are where it’s at.

Instead of shopping consistently, go less often and go for classic pieces. Hit up outlet malls (there are some fantastic ones out there. In the tri-state area, I fully endorse Woodbury Commons, where I snagged a pair of Dior shades for $60 this summer and have seen BCBG at 75% off), wait until end-of-season, whatever. If it must be designer, you can tough it out until you can afford it. Trendpieces are best left to Forever21 and H&M.

Foodies. After moving to New York I can only aspire to join your ranks. If wining and dining is what you love, you don’t have to give it up entirely; just do it in moderation. Maybe instead of trying all the fancy new restaurants, limit to one a month. Go places where you can share plates with friends or try everyone else’s (tapas is huge right now).

Seriously, you learn to appreciate food if you’ve got to prepare it, and cooking can actually be pretty fun. Plus it ups your value as a roommate. Just try it. You may surprise yourself!

Social butterflies? Leave the top shelf alone. You do not make the kind of money that pays for Grey Goose. Unless it’s a gift, stick to mid-range or even well drinks. Also, I fully endorse pregaming. You can make your drinks as stiff as you like at home and then minimize how many you buy, and how much you tip, at the bar.

Split a cab with friends or make sure there is a sober driver. And by sober I mean SOBER, not “okay after 3 or 4-ish”. If it’s a true college-town, walk it out.

Movie whores? Wait til it comes out on DVD and rent. Actually, only in NY is this truly expensive, so I suggest a movie night out in lieu of a bar night if you want to save cash and relax. Also, make like a little kid and sneak in your own gummy bears to avoid any astronomical concession costs (I must say, though, movie theater popcorn is my personal weakness and worth every penny in my opinion).

Other ideas for saving those dollas and having fun? Tell us what you got!