We all have our go-to stores that we, uh, go to when we need to stock up on some new wardrobe essentials (or when we just have an hour to kill and the mall reaches out and wraps us in its warm embrace). But what about all those other stores? The ones that you walk past on your way to Auntie Anne’s without a second glance? The “mom” stores, the old lady  department stores, the stores that don’t start with “Forever” and end with “21″? Surprise! Many of those stores are filled with major cuteness that you’re missing out on! (Except Chico’s – keep walking, little lady.) We know you’re not one to pass up a cute cami, so we scoured these under-the-radar shops and pulled out all the goodness you never realized existed.

When you hear LL Bean, what comes to mind? For me it’s hunting gear and unbreakable, sturdy (read: ugly) shoes, neither of which I want in my closet. In fact, the last thing I got from LL Bean was one of those backpacks that had my initials stitched into it. And that was 5 years ago. I never considered that they made clothes and when I found out they did, I just assumed their racks were overflowing with flannel and bright orange.

But to my surprise, and probably yours, they have some really cute clothes. And though they do still sell mom jeans, some of these new clothing options balance out the kakhi-tastic high waistedness of yesteryear. Not to mention most of their products come with lifetime warranties. And if that doesn’t make you want to start reaching for your plastic, some of these options will. Read More »

Summer means beach. Beach means sunscreen, snacks, beach reads, magazines, a towel, a wallet, two pairs of sunglasses (you need some smaller ones so you don’t get those ridonk tan lines), a change of clothes, more snacks…

Basically, a whole lot of crap.

Crap means I need a big ass purse, and by that I mean I’m totes in love with totes that hold all my crap to get me to the beach (even though I still always manage to forget something important….). Instead of dragging your everyday purse to the beach or worse, your mom’s ugly “Acapulco 1992″ straw bag with the sticky sunscreen stains on the bottom, pick up one of these super cute, cheap, totes-cute totes for summer!

And if you’re feeling really creative, create one of LL Bean’s custom-made tote bags. You can pick any of their famous totes (great deal, great size, durable, adorable… it’s no wonder everyone loves them) and pick the colors, the strap length, the shape, etc. to make it all your own. For cheap! Read More »

Remember the days of the LL Bean backpack? You really weren’t cool unless you had one; and you were even cooler if yours had your initials embroidered on it. I had the deluxe size. Which not only made me cool, but it also most likely permanently damaged my posture and caused me to knock over any small child who crossed my path.

In high school, I went through the, “I’m too cool for a backpack” phase and I carried my books everywhere, stopping at my locker in between every class. But that wasn’t really feasible in college. Walking across campus to class, it was impossible to juggle my books, laptop, cell phone, snacks, Venti Latte and various other staples.

Unable to carry it all – and completely unwilling to pick up another LL Bean monstrsity – I needed something cute and functional.

I searched high and low. The good news is: there are tons of cute bags out there. The bad news is: I bought them all.

5 Hot Bags For College:

1) Kate Spade Belle Meade Cana Tote- Kate Spade will have you actually feeling excited to gather your books and head to class. The Belle Meade Cana Tote is made from tumbled cowhide, which pretty much just sounds awesomely luxurious. Of course, the tote packs a pretty price tag at $425, so you may not be able to afford your books after purchasing it. But hey, you can always throw in a few sheets of loose-leaf paper and borrow a pen from the kid who sits next to you. This tote is worth it.

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