I can’t get enough of Blake Lively. In my humble opinion, she is one of the consistently most well-dressed celebs. Her street style is always fresh and eye-catching, and her red carpet style never ceases to dazzle. I love how her style is the perfect marriage of California casual, edgy haute couture and pure elegance. Recently, she was spotted on the set of Gossip Girl rocking a perfect laidback summer fashionista ensemble.

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I have come to the final decision that Thumper was right all along. As soon as spring arrived, he could only think about thumping that big foot of his so all of the animals would hear his mating call.  And I totally get it; spring is here and so are my raging hormones.  Boys and their forearms crawl out of North Faces and down comforter coats…and I can’t get enough.

That’s not all, though. Other things start to happen to my body when spring rears its mighty head.  Suddenly, I feel randomly productive.  I clean everything in my sight.  I wash a dish instead of just shoving it into the dishwasher.  I wash my socks instead of throwing them away because they are stained with feet sweat.  (I’m not kidding, I’m a disgusting person.) Let’s just say when spring comes around, everything falls into place and I feel like a giant firecracker is going to explode in my chest with excitement.

The first day I know it’s spring is usually the best day.  My nostrils flair into the wind, I smell smells I thought only squirrels could detect (i.e. dirt, acorn stubs, wet leaves, ant hills).  My fingers tingle and touch the breeze…oh, and what was that?  Did I just feel a soft blowing wind lift my baby hairs on the back of my neck? Happy sigh.

To say I’m smitten for spring is like saying I’m smitten for self-serve frozen yogurt, and anyone who knows me knows that I put way too many Oreo’s on my soft-serve I’m over the moon for both. And how can anyone not be? Oreo’s are delicious There’s nothing on earth as blissful and perfect as a spring day. Read More »

Peppered throughout magazines and blog sites are optimistic articles about delicious summer activities and fashion trends to anticipate and enjoy. However, there is one thing about summer that is so heinous and disgusting that I feel I must warn the masses before it destroys them: flip-flops, fashion’s Anti-Christ.

I can hear the gasps and verbal WTF’s already. I know, I know, flip-flops are practically the poster children for summer fun. Calm yourselves, I have reasons.

1) They Make Any Outfit 1/4 As Cute: No matter how much effort you put into your ensemble this morning or how much you paid for that sundress, if you add flip-flops to the equation it will look instantly less cute. Much less cute. So much so that it defeats the purpose of even trying to make a cute outfit and you should have just worn sweats.

2) Your Feet Will Get Dirty: Want to know why outfits are less cute with flip flops? Perhaps it’s because dirty feet are not cute. On anyone. And dirty feet are inevitable when flip flops are involved. Your toes will turn brown, your heels will turn black and your calves will be covered in whatever crap that flop is flipping up. Seriously, no one wants to see your cracked and crusted feet stomping around in fluorescent rubber contraptions.

3) They Make Your Legs Look Fat: For some reason, colored slabs of rubber are not the most slimming choice for summer fashion. Optical illusion? Perhaps…At any rate, you spent all winter in the smelly gym to look like this, so don’t waste it on flip-flops!

4) Shoes Should Not Be Noisy: Sexy can be defined as the sound of stilettos clacking across a marble floor. The opposite is true for the sound of flip-flops slapping against your dirty feet.

5) They Aren’t Practical: Let’s face it – having half-an-inch of rubber barely attached to your foot is not the smartest choice available in footwear. They lack traction, stability, and could cause bodily harm (or at least a serious bruise to your ego). Who hasn’t flipped out of their flop before, or slipped on a little spilled beer?

6) There Are Cuter Options: This season it is almost a crime to opt for cheap-o flip-flops when there are gladiator sandals and adorable flats! Fringes, patent, and metalwork – oh my!

Now that I’ve stated my reasons, I would also like to point out that nothing beats a lazy day on the beach with nothing but a pair of flip flops and a good book to keep you company. For me, however, the beach is where my flip-flops will stay.

[This story was originally posted by Katie - Michigan State]

Get it? Got it? Good. Want some more? Don’t worry, there are plenty more faves where this came from.

You wake up for class and something is different. It takes you a moment before you realize that – OH MY GOD! – there is sunlight coming into your room! It’s not dark or dreary out!

You pull back the shades (or sheet you’re using as a shade) and let the light in. Your mood is instantly lifted.

You skip to the bathroom to take a shower and hum a little tune to yourself as you lather up. While you blow-dry your hair (no ponytail today!) you plan out your first-day-of-Spring outfit: new bright cardigan, new jeans and – YIPEEEEE – flip flops! You are so excited for the day ahead that you even swipe on a little bronzer.

Before you head out the door you toss a magazine into your bag. You have an hour to kill between classes and instead of running home and sitting by the heater, you will grab an iced coffee and sit outside people watching (read: secretly hoping that guy you heart will walk by) and catching up on the latest celeb drama.

And now you are ready. Read More »

Big mistake. Huge.

So I was flipping through some old Facebook albums the other day (you know the ones people label THROWBACKS! OLDSCHOOL! And OMG WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!! ) when in between fits of hysterical laughter, I started to catch sight of what I actually looked like. And all I can say is, seriously? I mean, seriously? I know I was young and naïve, but I don’t remember being that naïve.

Unstyled hair.
Poorly applied makeup.
And terrible, terrible fashion choices.

But the thing is, I wasn’t alone in these choices. No, they were all the rage once upon a time. Don’t pretend you didn’t think you were so cool with your Victoria’s Secret PINK sweatpants and ponchos (hopefully not worn together). I know you were right there with me, doing the sideways look in the mirror, thinking you looked so good. But really, none of us had any no clue what we were doing. And now years later, as seasoned fashionistas, we can look back on these fashion disasters and laugh.

Or cry. Whichever you prefer, really.

10. The original Ugg Boot. I already know people are going to rage against this one, but Uggs are not attractive. They’re just not. Comfortable? Yes. Warm? Yes. But not attractive. And although they’re still around today, worn on those rainy/snowy/slushy/extra cold days when nothing else seems quite as appropriate, I will forever think of my high school years as the Uggs-with-skirts years. And those are some very bad years.

9. The Messy Bun. Flip your head over. Compile all of your hair into a ball atop your head. Wrap a hair tie around it. Styling complete. It’s still worn today, but at least in college we can admit that it’s not so much attractive as it is convenient… Read More »

Now doesn't that just look refreshing?

Maybe it’s just the 90 degree heat that‘s making me dizzy has me thinking summer, but June 21st is just around the corner and I’m already starting to load up on sundresses and break out the plaid shorts. In honor of the simply fantastic weather that the northeast graced me with this weekend, I’m counting down the 10 summer must-haves.

Don’t worry, you have a whole month and a half to get everything on the list! Read More »

Ah yes, that time of year has arrived once again: shorts weather. You may love it, you may dread it, you may be torn between the two, but you can’t deny it’s upon us. And it’s time to shave your legs.

Even if you’re hating your pasty white, unworked-out legs these days, there will come a time in the near future that you’ll be so hot you’ll have no choice but to put on some shorts. And when that day comes, you’ll want to be prepared. Good thing there are tons of adorable shorts out there right now that will not only keep you cool this summer, but they’ll keep your wallet full, too. Below, 8 of my favorites. Read More »

It’s been a long, cold winter, but March and Spring Break are finally here! For those of you spending a week in a warm and sunny environment, here are some Spring-Break-I’m-going-to-paradise-and-I-need-to-look-cute-and-show-off-my-bangin-bod essentials for under $20.

And you know what that means: more margarita money. Read More »

If Punxsutawney Phil was correct this year, we now only have 3 more weeks of winter, which means we can soon wash away those winter blues and bust out those spring styles.  This year, Pantone’s top color will be turquoise, which is not only a fun, bright color that can be mixed with everything from neutrals to browns to other brights, but it looks great on nearly everyone.

And with Spring Break comin’ quick, now is the perfect time to nab some turquoise!

Here are some great choices under 20 buckaroos that’ll perfectly highlight spring’s most popular hue. Read More »

On a typical weekend, if you’re at a bad party, you can call it a night, call Safe-rides, and make it back to your dorm in one piece. Then again, if you’re at a good party, you can live it up, sleep until noon the next day, and then relax your hangover away until it’s time to get back to the daily grind.

On Spring Break, however, once you get off the plane at your final destination, you’re in it for the long haul. Though you anticipate your vacay being the highlight of the semester, it can be grueling to go all day, every day, and, being far from home, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Nothing is suckier than getting sick in a foreign place, fighting with your tripmates, or getting into a sticky situation in an unfamiliar place. Make sure you make it back to school in one piece this spring, by taking a few simple precautions.

1. Do your research.

Get some maps, or travel guides with tips, before you leave. Ask people you trust if they can recommend a good hotel. Try to brush up on the local rules or laws of the place you’re headed. The last thing you want to do is get lost, check into a lodging that is reminiscent of hostel, or get in trouble for something you didn’t even think was wrong.

2. Pack wisely.

Flip flops might be a necessity, but what about when you take a day trip that requires walking around all day to take in the sights? Pack a comfortable pair of shoes just in case that long night of clubbing wore out your feet. And even if you think you’re going somewhere tropical and plan to be in a bathing suit all day, it can’t hurt to throw a sweater in your suitcase for when the temperature drops after dark. Read More »