Let’s cut to the chase. In a short 5 days you will be back home and surrounded by every category of person to ever cross your path. Ever. In your life.

The people you never really talked to, but now feel obligated to acknowledge and chat with. The people you didn’t like then and surley don’t like now. The girls who were bitches to you (and now, because of your cool job, want to kiss your ass). The guys who never gave you the time of day. Your old high school crush. New cute boys you never knew existed (or were too old for you when the age difference was 13-18 but now it’s totes okay to make out with someone 5 years older). The list goes on…

Oh yeah, and you’re gonna run into all of them in. one. place.

Yes, I’m talking about Thanksgiving Eve, AKA the biggest bar night of the year. And, yeah, vodka helps. But you know what else helps to make this awkward/but still fun night so kick ass? Knowing you look DAMN good.

Depending on where you’re from and where your pre-Thanksgiving party scene is, there might be a different dress code. So, I kept one thing in mind (looking hot) and created three insanely awesome outfits that will surely leave you looking sexy and feeling confident. So go ahead and bat your eyelashes at the cute guy across the room (who you are pretty certain was in your geometry class in 10th grade – wow he got GOOD LOOKING), and give a big “EFF YOU, biatch” to that girl who made fun of you in gym class. Because, girl, you’re gonna look HOT.

Yeah that’s right. Look at you now. Shasay across that bar, sister.

The Skirt:
Show off that bod in a form fitting skirt (that looks like our designer friend, Herve Leger but without that obscene price tag).  Tuck in the sparkle tank, add some opaque tights and heels (and a push up bra) and those bitches from high school won’t be able to keep their eyes off of you.

Skirt: Lulus, $29
Top: Lulus, $38
Shoes: Forever 21, $19.80
Tights: Hue, $10
Purse: Urban Outfitters, $34
Ring set: Forever 21, $3.80

The Jeans
More casual with a low cut front and, even better in my opinion, a low cut back. Throw on a bold necklace and call it a day.

Skinny Jeans: Forever 21, $27.80
Black Top: Urban Outfitters, $38.00
Patentt Pumps: Forever 21, $24.80
Sparkle Bag: Forever 21, $13.80
Necklace: Forever 21, $14.80

The Leather Leggings
Not just for the bold (and genetically blessed). Throw on the long tunic and anyone can rock this look with confidence.

Tunic: Bloomingdales, $58.00
Liquid Leggings: Bloomingdales, $58.00
Booties: Jessica Simpson, $69.95
Clutch: Target, $16.99
Bangles: Forever 21, $5.80

Post courtesy of StyleBakery.com. These ladies know their fashion, so check em out.

Leggings are already a wardrobe staple, but this fall they will make a statement with metallic hues, embellishments, cut-outs, and bright prints. Leather leggings were everywhere during fall fashion shows, and ripped and printed looks are quickly becoming a popular trend. Think you can’t pull this look off? Here are some ideas on how to rock eye-catching leggings.

Pair printed leggings with a basic, long tank or tee for an effortlessly chic look. Black, grey and white tend to work with most prints, but try and match the tank’s color to a color in the print. For example, a yellow or pink tank could also work with the Rachel Pally leggings (bottom right) because those colors appear in the print. Finish off the look with a sweater or cropped jacket and ankle boots.

Tops, from left to right: GG 750 Long Oversize Pocket Tank, $156 at La Garconne; Aerie Wrapped Racerback Tank, $24.50; Mark and Estel Skinny Long Tank, $120 at Diani Boutique
Bottoms: Topshop Digital Roseprint Leggings, $40; Forever 21 City Knit Leggings, $9.80; Rachel Pally Cropped Banded Leggings, $92 at ShopBop.

Liquid, leather-like leggings are almost as versatile as basic black leggings. Rock them with an oversized sweater, a comfy tank, or a sparkly top for a night out. For the ultimate rocker-chic look, throw on a leather jacket over the tank. Add heels, and your ready to go.

Tops, from left to right: Arden B Studded Crop Moto Jacket, $68; Diane Von Furstenberg Arista Sequined Tank Top, $365 at Net-A-Porter; Topshop Knitted Box Cardigan, $35; Bread & Butter Black and White Stripe Pocket Tank, $97 at Boutique To You.
Bottoms: Arden B Foldover Latex Leggings, $28; Hue Liquid Leggings Panty Hose, $30 at Bare Necessities; Plan B Latex Matte Leggings, $75 at Bloomingdale’s.

Shredded or cut-out leggings are also extremely versatile. Wear them with a long sweater, a graphic tee, etc. Just remember that they might not be super appropriate for class.

Top: Forever 21 Drape Front Sweater, $28.
Bottoms: Silence & Noise Cutout Leggings, $34 at Urban Outfitters.

2008 was an interesting year for fashion. Gone (thankfully) were the maternity tops of 2007, replaced by blasts from the past inspirations from the 20s through the days of our best pals on Beverly Hills 90210. We saw everything from the mom-jean to the 90s flannel button down. Some of it was fab, and some of it… not so much. So, let’s take a look at this year’s fashion highs and fashion oh-hell-no’s.

Because without the crap we can’t appreciate the couture.

Here are my top 5 fashion must-haves from 2008:

The High Waist

Sure we spent years trying to get people to stop wearing them only to bring them right back in, but let’s face it: we should be thankful that we don’t have to look at butt cracks and muffin tops a day longer. These pants look good on just about everyone… as long as they aren’t acid washed…or paired with a denim jacket.

The Vintage Scarf

There is something about Hollywood starting trends of cold-weather wear in warm weather regions that seems to catch on like hot fire. First we saw Uggs popularity soar back in 2003 with stars in shorts and boots trudging around LA. This year it was the scarf that made its way to the West Coast. Everywhere you turned, there was Jessica Alba in another fabulously printed scarf. These colorful scarves spruced up wardrobes, covered hickies (for those of you who still get them), and made any drab outfit instantly chic.

The Plaid or Gingham T

I was admittedly resistant to this trend at first. After all, my brothers wore these with hiking boots and Cavariccis to high school back in 1996. I didn’t like them then and I didn’t think I would like them now. Until designers – from the Couture to Forever 21 – made them tailored and colorful and so. freakin. cute, especially when tucked into a pair of those mom jeans I’ve come to love so much.

The Belt

Whereas 2007 was all about hiding that belly under too-big tops, 2008 brought us the cinched waist. Thank you, fashion peeps of the world! Now everything – jackets, dresses, tops – come paired with a belt for an instantly chic and flattering look. The best part: you can take all those maternity shirts from last year and glam ‘em up instantly with this year’s hottest accessory. And if by chance you get knocked up? Just remove that belt and, Viola!

Bright Colors

The little black dress was obsolete this year with the addition of bright colors and jewel tones. Seriously, everywhere you walked looked like a gay pride parade! You name your favorite Crayola crayon color and I will find you a shirt, dress and pair of skinny jeans in that hue.

The Oh-Hell-No Looks of 2008:

One-Piece Jumpers

I don’t care if Rhianna rocked them; they look good on no one. Unless, of course, you are a fan of the camel toe.

Leather Leggings

Leggings as pants can be tricky when not worn in a flattering way. Add the fact that they are leather and you have yourself a recipe for disaster. Leather leggings make women look like they are walking on lumpy sausages. Does that sound even remotely sexy to you? I didn’t think so. These bad boys are never flattering. Not ever. Not even for a second.

Each week I’ll be putting together a cute and affordable “going out” ensemble guide (that you can tweak to your own personal style and body type, of course) so that maybe that age-old question can be answered a little quicker than usual. And your friends aren’t waiting - for hours - for you to emerge from your room. Just call me your own personal Rachel Zoe.]

This week’s styler puts emphasis on mixing up textures and styles to change the entire look of a piece/give you something fantastic. Liquid leggings became popular earlier this year; they’re leggings that look like leather that you, literally, poured onto your body. To be honest, when I first saw them I thought, “Lord, what is going on in fashion?!?” but once I tried them on, I realized they look pretty dang hot.

I’m a curvy girl who’s got some junk in her trunk and am always worried about stuff making me look bottom heavy, but these slim me down, are fun to wear, and are uber-comfortable to boot. The shirt you wear with them is muy importante, however, because these can go from fab to “Grease Lightning” in an instant. By mixing them up with a flowy chiffon shirt, you put together two really different styles, but the effect is pure magic…

You can find liquid leggings all over the place now. I got mine from American Apparel, but tons of lines carry them. Some of them can be a bit pricey, but look around; I spotted a few pairs at Filene’s Basement a couple weeks ago for just $17. Just make sure you get the right size for you: too tight and you look like a shiny sausage, too loose and you end up with a saggy butt.

Just like the pants, the trick with the top is getting the right size: you don’t want it to be too loose, but in the same breath, anything too tight or too short could leave you lookin’ trampy. (If you’ve got curves, you want to flaunt them, but you don’t want to wear a skin-tight ensemble from head-to-toe.) A good way to balance it out the look is to wear a cami underneath a chiffon blouse – you still get the effect of accentuating your body, but the flowing chiffon takes away from the Super Hero/Catwoman effect. I love this blouse from Old Navy, and the color is fab for fall.

For this look, booties are the way to go. I am a fan of the slouchy, peep toe booty look with it; you can go with black, but a nice worn gold hue would add a little more oomph to the outfit.

For your accessories, throw on a bunch of bangles and some big hoops and you’re set.

One last tip: when picking out a coat to wear over this outfit, make sure you pick a mid-length, looser fitting coat. It’ll look much better (and more balanced with the tight pants) than a more slim-fitting blazer or a shorter swing jacket.