What makes a good handbag?

The material? Meh.
The number of pockets? Not really.
The strap? Sort of.
The number of outfits it matches with? I guess.

As much as we all want to believe it’s the sensibility of the bag that matters, the one feature that makes us swoon and drain our savings accounts is the designer label. Regardless of the color, design, or cliche monogram, the second we hear it’s D&G, Fendi, Prada- whatever you prefer- we’re instantly won over.

The only problem with designer bags? The hefty price tag. While we all may dream of the day we can visit the 5th Avenue Louis Vuitton store and pay for a complete luggage set in cash, most of us are currently stuck with knock-offs, affordable department store brands, or lucky TJ Maxx finds. But just in case you were lacking some inspiration after midterm season, feel free to ooh and ahh at these bags that make the standard $20K Hermes Birkin look like a discounted Liz Claiborne.

Which dream bag will top your 2012 wish list?

When Heidi’s not writing ridiculous articles for CC, she enjoys watching “Lizzie McGuire” reruns, raiding store clearance sections (and ONLY the clearance sections), and pretending her south-of-Boston suburb is the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Follow her rants and adventures on Twitter!

Louis Vuitton has always been the signifier of luxury lifestyle: suitcases, satchels and…contraception? Pictures of a monogrammed condom have been spreading faster than an STI after Halloween, and it’s said to sell for a whopping $68. Because when wrapping it up in such a fashion, the sex will definitely be better than when using the free condoms given out on campus, right?! Talk about getting some serious bang for your buck.

Oh, and by the way, it’s also supposed to be a gift that gives back, since a portion of the proceeds are said to benefit amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Sure, it costs a pretty penny, but can you really put a price on sex that could potentially save lives?!?

This just sounds way too good/ridiculous/hilarious to be true…

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I’m not entirely sure how Louis Vuitton does it, but the brand is fantastic at making women look sophisticated and chic while still flaunting a dangerously low neckline. (I guess that’s why they can get away with charging 3 months rent for a shirt….) I have been having borderline inappropriate dreams about praise this dress from the LV Fall 2010 collection for not only being so unbelievably chic and classy, but for teaching women everywhere that you don’t have to dress like a nun when you want to look professional.

The secret? It’s all in the hemline.

Louis Vuitton has this trademark look going on for fall – the full skirt, belted waist, semi-sweetheart neckline and angled shoulder straps. There isn’t a dress in the Fall 2010 Ready to Wear line that has a hem above the knee. Yet they are all so incredibly sexy. The look is very Carrie Bradshaw during her Paris fiasco, and I’m ready to quit my job and make a mess of my life too just to be able to pull off this look.

Of course, quitting my job would make me even less capable of investing in an LV frock, but let’s forget the price tag for a minute. What easier way to pull off a great look than to invest in a dress like this? It’s an outfit-in-one, no assembly required. Sure you can throw in the gloves and purse if you so desire, but do you really need accessories when you can modestly pull off this kind of cleavage?

So maybe you won’t be wearing it to class, but when you need to be class-y it will be your go-to wardrobe staple. Whether it’s your sorority banquet or dinner with your boyfriend’s parents, this dress (or a much cheaper version that is probably hanging on an over-crowded rack at Forever 21 right now) is working for you. Add a sweet cardigan and skinny belt if you need a little less va-va-voom on top, or just flaunt it all as is. (Unless you’re wearing it to Sunday services, the long hemline will counterbalance any fear of nip-slips.) Read More »

Who or what inspires your style? Many of us use celebrities (like Alexa Chung) or TV characters (like Joan Holloway from Mad Men) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you

Not gonna lie, I could literally write an entire book of how I think everything Sofia Coppola does is the coolest shizz ever.

No big deal, she was only the director of some of my favorite movies, like The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette. She’s just the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, the director of The Godfather, besides being related to some of the coolest people in Hollywood (like Jason Schwartzman, heyo!).

Besides those minor details, she quietly pursues another interest (that she is, unsurprisingly, awesome at) and that is fashion.  She created her own fashion line called Milkfed, unfortunately for me, sold only in Japan. She and Marc Jacobs are pretty much best friendz forever, considering she is also his muse for his ENTIRE BRAND.  Also, the woman interned at Chanel when she was 15-years-old for Christ’s sake.  Wanna know what I was doing when I was 15?  Taking MySpace mirror pictures in my bathroom wearing a “sweet new top*~!”  Therefore, Sofia: 1 million, Cristina: 0. Read More »

And here I thought the discount Absolut was the best part of my Costco membership...

Chanel at Costco? STFU.

I thought the only thing of value they had there was the 40-pack of Trojans for a mere $10. Who knew that between the 80 rolls of Angel Soft toilet paper and the caskets, a myriad of designer brand names could be found at your local Costco warehouse?

New York City residents celebrated the opening of its first Costco by rushing the doors and buying out their stock of Louis Vuitton and Chanel handbags. Oh, did I forget to mention they had Burberry and Coach available for purchase as well? Shock me, shock me, shock me, Costco, with your fabulous merchandise. As if the Costco brand wasn’t designer enough already.

And it doesn’t stop there. 7 For All Mankind jeans? You got it. Michele watches?  No big deal. Paris Hilton’s latest perfume… well I’ll pass on that, but if I ever get the urge to smell like a Can Can dancer, I’ll know where to go.

Costco people are a special brand of human. We live life large. Extra large, if possible. Our carts are always filled to the brim with giant boxes of whatever we can get our hands on. And just when we thought life couldn’t get any better, Costco delivers us the crème de la crème of a shopper’s paradise.

These goodies aren’t available at all Costco’s nationwide (…yet), but I’m just happy to live in a world where it’s OK to purchase a discount case of hot dogs and a Chanel purse at the same time.

A laptop, a weekend vacation, a TV, an entire new wardrobe…$700 can sure get you a lot. But it almost can’t get you a pair of kicks. That is, if you want Kanye’s newest line of Louis Vuitton sneaks that cost $700 (tax not included).

Yes, seven. hundred. freaking. dollars.

So what is so special about these shoes that they would cost more than my entire summer wardrobe? (What? I shop at Target…) I mean there’s gotta be something, right? Maybe a built in trampoline or secret compartment full of diamonds?

Nope!

They come in literally every color and style (so do my Nike Shox, and I’m pretty sure those don’t come close to $700),  and they are from Louis Vuitton (which is pretty cool, I guess). And Kanye made them, so they must be the best shoes in the history of the world. At least according to him.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not buyin’ it (literally). I’m pretty sure nothing going on your feet is worth that much money. Unless, of course, these things actually let me walk in Kanye’s shoes. Since they don’t, I’ll be spending my money much more wisely: on a new laptop.

High-end fashion brands like Brian Reyes and Louis Vuitton showcased several looks featuring big shoulders on the spring 2009 runways. While I’m not advocating stealing some eighties-style shoulder pads from (hopefully deep inside) your mom’s closet, you can still rock the big shoulder trend.

And why would you want to? Well, for one, it’s everywhere. And it’s chic, unlike the shoulder pads of the 80s. Still not convinced? How about the fact that wearing a top or dress with ruffled or puffed up shoulders can balance out wide hips and make arms appear slimmer? Yeah, I thought so.

Here are some of my favorite picks at every price point: Read More »

Designers like Christian Dior, Rachel Roy, Junya Watanabe and Louis Vuitton embraced the exotic this spring by incorporating tribal influences into their collections.

Unless it’s already your style, you’re probably not going to be rocking full animal print outfits to your 9 a.m. psychology lecture or feathered and beaded stilettos to this weekend’s frat party. However, adding a few tribal accents to your look could be just the update your style needs this year. Read More »

U.S. unemployment rate hits new high.

Super special food combos that amp the nutrition.

Who got the American Idol wild card?

Chris Brown pushes real life back to April.

Pepsi…natural?

Paris Hilton gets Lauren Conrad’s sloppy seconds. Seriously, sloppy.

If someone circled my fat, I’d kill them.

Louis Vuitton doesn’t want his goods in crappy music videos.

Canada loves Joshua Jackson.

New uses for your toiletries.

Amy Winehouse looking….good?!

Vince Vaughn engaged?! <Heart Shatters.>

[Photo courtesy of NYTimes.] 

With the economy suffering, a lot of airlines have slashed their baggage allowances.  This season, more than ever, it’s important that you pack wisely when you’re heading out to the golden coast of Spring Break wonderland.  And, really, there’s no reason you should be packing everything but the kitchen sink, because each morning the  “what to wear” dilemma probably consists of the options, “solid bikini,” “patterned bikini,” “string bikini” or “tankini.”

No matter where you’re headed for a week-long holiday this spring, there are a few things you definitely DON’T need to bring.

1. Your laptop. If you can’t go a week without updating your Facebook status or checking out Perez, it’s sad.  And if you can’t go a week in paradise without updating your Facebook status or checking Perez, it’s scary.

2. Your entire shoe collection. Shoes can take up the most room in your luggage, and if you’re heading to a beach resort, you really only need a pair of flip flops for the beach, a cute pair of strappy heels for partying, and a pair of sneakers for touristy excursions.  You’re not going to miss your knee-high boots. Read More »