Is there anything more awesome than seeing college students reach their dreams before they even get their diploma? I’ll answer for you, no. And that’s why we’re so excited to be sponsoring the Styleta Student Design Challenge. It’s an opportunity for student designers to get their fashion designs in front of tons of people. So with no further ado, we present the top 8 finalists and their designs!

initiating the gallery...

If I could raid any two celebrity closets, it would have to be Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s. (Actually, they probably share a closet so I guess I would only need to sneak into one, right?) Oversized sweaters (on top of more oversized sweaters), heavy rings that weigh down their fingers (all ten of them), the highest Louboutin heels and the brightest red lipstick.

Sigh. I think I’m drooling.

How many times have I tried their look but always walked out the door looking like a clown? (Actually, on second thought, let’s not talk about the amount of times I’ve done that.) The truth is, no matter how hard I try, I never look like Mary-Kate or Ashley. It’s such a letdown. And while some people think their style is beyond bizarre-o, I happen to think they know more about fashion than half the “fashion designers” out there (are you reading, Lauren Conrad?). Read More »

Last week, I encountered a situation that every college student has (or will) at one time or another: I accidentally signed up for a credit card. When the (sneaky) sales girl at Nordstrom asked if I’d like to sign up for a rewards card, I cheerfully yelped, “Sure!” I thought this card MUST be similar to my (now defunct) Blockbuster rewards card, which wasn’t actually used for purchasing, but gave me points to earn free popcorn instead.

I was wrong.

Miss Nordstrom had swindled me into signing up for the real deal. Luckily, I only charged a good $110 to my new card (that’s sarcasm), however, in an effort to ensure that I never get myself into this kind of debt debacle again, I decided to stick to buying from people who understand what it means to be a struggling artist (er, writer, whatevs). So, I turned to the online shopping portal Etsy – my favorite place to spend time (& cash) on the internet.

For those of you who have been living under a rock (or without an internet connection or penchant for online purchasing), here’s some quick Etsy 411:

“Etsy is a website that provides the general public with a way to buy and sell handmade items as well as vintage items and craft supplies.” (Thanks, Wikipedia!) Basically, the site is chock full of handmade/eccentric goodies – from vintage handbags to hand sewn dresses, created by regular people like you (or the craftier version of you). A lot of the designers on Etsy keep it eco-friendly, too, which def gets a thumbs up from me.

But, if you’re a first time Etsy-peruser, it can be a little intimidating. So I’m here to break it down for you & showcase five of my favorite E-fashionistas. I found five sites that not only offer swoon-worthy threads, but are safe for your wallet (or Mom’s Visa bill). Read More »

Is bitchiness contagious, cuz Jordana definitely caught it.

So it’s finally time for Fashion Week. Fashion Week that happened a year ago, but a big moment for those designers who made it through, nonetheless. It’s been a long journey. 12 challenges and ots of lost talent along the way (we’re talking mostly to you, Ra’Mon!). But after last night’s episode, I can honestly say that those judges finally did some good…er…judging.

So let’s give a big thanks to Cindy Crawford. You go, girl. And, DAMN, you look good.

Last night’s challenge was to find some inspiration at L.A.’s Getty Center. I’m not quite sure what that place was or what the purpose of it is, but the mayor was quite proud of it so I went along for the ride. Each designer could choose anything in there to inspire a look and then go to it.

I’m not sure what happened along the way, but it seems that Christopher must have taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at a David’s Bridal booth at the Renaissance Fair. The “dress” he put together was heavy, ugly and pretty infuriating if you ask me. And you’re reading this post, so you definitely asked. Read More »

The Final 4. Plus two dudes who are lucky to be there.

That’s it. I am d-u-n-z-o with Project Runway. DUNZO! I love me some Heidi Klum and I think Althea is fantastic, but I refuse to support a show that I just can’t connect to anymore. If you haven’t watched this week’s episode (and you still care what is happening in this snoozefest they call Season Six) I would stop reading now. Cuz I’m about to get angry.

Ok, it’s pretty obvious that the girls are running the show this season. The judges got rid of the only guy with talent (Ra’Mon) a long time ago and it’s pretty much been a battle of the ugly for the dudes since then. Everyone knows Althea and (Meana) Irina will be showing a final collection sometime soon.  And the third spot will most likely be goin’ to Carol Hannah (and her annoying nervous laugh).

But the guys. Oy. Let’s break it all down for ya: Read More »

Much like my relationship with pie (love the pie…hate the 3 hours I spend in the gym after eating it), I am experiencing a bit of a love/hate with Irina. On the one hand, she’s a Jew (and a proud one, flaunting it in all its blingin’ glory) and we Jews gotta stick together. If we don’t support our own people, who will?

And homegirl sure knows how to make a faux fur vest. That thing was gorgeous. Although I might be biased considering it was a blustery 38 degrees and rainy when I got home last night. But, still, I wanted to make Irina my new BFF and cozy up inside that vest until April. Or, in the Midwest, July.

But, and there’s always a but, Irina is a big, fat bitch. She’s arrogant, she’s mean, she’s judgmental….and just like 40% of the girls in my high school. The girls I gave the finger to as I pulled out of the parking lot that last day and swore never to see again. The girls who pretend to be confident only to cover up some raging insecurity. Perhaps Irina hates the annoying way she talks? Or she was on the flag team in high school and never got over it?

I don’t know, but she’s a cold-hearted snake.

Although, I guess you can’t totally fault this girl for the things she says. She’s kinda like Kanye (minus the whole Hennessey thing); she is simply saying what everyone else is thinking. And maybe if she was a bit wittier in her insults (a la Michael Kors) we wouldn’t care who she was talking smack about.

And we all know there is plenty of smack to be talked with some of these designers. Read More »

In days of yore, clothing lines were created by people like Jeanne Lanvin, CoCo Chanel, Hubert de Givenchy; people with skill, talent, vision, taste. You know, fashion designers.

But nowadays, it seems like any celeb with some cash and spare time on their hands can slap a few pieces together and call it a collection. And while some lines knock it out of the park (why hello there, L.A.M.B.!), a vast majority fall more in the category of utter hot mess. Below is a sampling of the messiest of the hot messes.

5) The Kardashians: DASH – Oh, Kardashians. Kim becomes famous (?) by hanging out with Paris, nailing Ray J on tape, and having a mega huge ass, and the rest of the family rides on the coattails of her, um, success. Taking this into consideration, I suppose the Kardashian sisters’ line DASH makes sense; tacky, trashy, cookie-cutter and distinctly substandard, DASH looks very much like the $4.99 rack at Forever 21, only the items cost anywhere from 11 to 250 times as much. But I heard that every item is sprinkled with magical butt-expanding powder, so maybe that’s where the mark-up comes in.

4) Travis Barker: Famous Stars and Straps – I don’t like ghetto style. Baby Phat, Ed Hardy, gold tribal embellishments on jeans, air-brush aesthetics, ew. No thank you. But while a line may not suit my tastes personally, I’ll still give it props for being good for what it is (insert a nod to Apple Bottoms). Unfortunately, Travis Barker’s Famous Stars and Straps has the double issue of going for an aesthetic that is inherently fug and is badly done. From an uninspired/outdated logo that’s plastered on EVERYTHING to graphics that scream seventh grade, Famous is the clothing equivalent of the suburbs: generic, boring, and painfully white trying to front like it’s fly. Read More »

Life in prison for this fashionable felon.

President-Elect Obama loves YouTube!

Paula might be leaving American Idol.

Is Kim Kardashian really engaged?

Hulk Hogan & Co. are a bunch of douches.

Anderson Cooper watches Real Housewives of Atlanta.

ESPN is stereotyping your school.

Makeup trends for the holiday season.

It’s a hard-knock life for your RA.

The idiot’s guide to networking.

If there’s one thing I learned from Gossip Girl last night, it’s that you can have sex with whomever you want, and the person you actually have feelings for (but aren’t banging, for some reason) will completely understand, and forgive you, and maybe even like you more.

If there’s one thing I already knew, it’s that when you’re the poor, unpopular kid on the Upper East Side, your life will be a continuous cycle of being walked over, speaking your mind, putting your foot in your mouth, and then being magically forgiven and allowed to advance to the next round.

Did you miss last night’s episode? Let me fill you in.

Within the first minute of GG, Nate mentions the inevitable party that will tangle everyone up in some drama that will continue to be played out next week.

Other expected GG staples: Catherine and Nate talk money; Serena and Dan are together but have issues (did I miss them deciding to be a “secret” couple?); and Jenny has some great ideas for her fashion internship, but she’s a lowly intern and isn’t allowed to have opinions.

The best thing about the first half? The mini gossip girls who approach Dan and throw in their two cents. If you missed it, two tweeny-bopping brunettes are on Dan’s side, and one tweeny-bopping blond is on team S. The blond asks Serena how she can kiss Dan, knowing his tongue has been in Georgina’s mouth, which seems a bit much when you consider the girs were, what, 11? The tweensters were obviously comic relief, but for some reason their opinions caused an awkward rift between S and Lonely Boy…which I was over by the next commercial. Read More »