I used to think that New York & Company was a “mom” store, but as it turns out, I totally misjudged! When looking at their clothes recently, I realized they have a ton of cute, stylish clothes that are perfect for work or for going out! And the best part is, it’s totally affordable!

Check out these great picks for just $20 or less each!

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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 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 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 (Walmart, what?!) and pulled out all the goodness you never realized existed.

To me, New York and Co. was always the store I passed as I walked from Macys to The Gap. Yeah, some of the stuff in the window looked cute, but most of it looked like the stuff librarians wear to work. But one day I decided to pop in and after digging through those Mom jeans and ugly sweaters, I actually found good stuff. No, GREAT stuff.

They have everything from basics, like t-shirts and tank tops, to outfit makers, like sequined dresses and cute cardigans. They have workwear and loungewear, outfits you can wear to class, and outfits you most certainly can’t wear to class. But mostly they’ve just got some really stylish stuff. New York and Co. prides themselves on bringing women New York fashion at a fraction of the price, and speaking as a New Yorker myself, I’d say they’re doing a damn good job. Read More »

When it comes to fashion, I’m like a Magpie; I’m instantly attracted to anything that sparkles or shines. And then I buy it. In four colors.

Lucky for me, metallics have been all the rage for the last few years and the fashion gods have decided to keep it around for yet another season! And I can see why; a metallic piece adds instant glam to an outfit. And you don’t even need much. A little shine goes a long way, whether it’s on a shoe, in a bag, or across an entire dress.

Of course, metallic pieces are perfecto for New Year’s Eve. There’s no better way to start 2010 than with a hot metallic mini-dress or a slammin’ metallic skirt. If that’s a bit too much for you, there’s a wide variety of shiny accessories out there that can add some heat to any look. And with retailers slashing their prices big time, many of these fabulous pieces will cost pennies, putting a very small dent in your Christmas money (and leaving enough for overpriced New Year’s tickets).  Lookin’ for a little shine? Here’s some of the best out there. Read More »

We all have our own personal style. That’s a fact.  However, no matter what your style is, there is one staple that every college girl (and boy for that matter) should have in their closet – a cardigan.

While the cardigan can be associated with our favorite childhood neighbor, Mr. Rogers, the cardigan is no longer just for old men.  A cardigan is easily the most versatile piece of clothing you can own.  Chicer than a hoody, the cardigan goes with everything, be it with jeans or over a dress.  This year is the perfect time to purchase a cardigan (or 20), as stores have pulled out all the stops.  Name a trend this year, and you can find a cardigan that incorporates it. Of course, there’s also basic cardigans in every color imaginable if that’s more your thing.

So whether you’re looking for sequins, plaid or ruffles, there’s a cardigan out there for you. If only there were room in my closet for all 16 of these… Read More »

This recession totally sucks. But, if you ignore the unemployment rate and rising cost of beer, some good is definitely coming from it. And one of those positives is the fact that the plummeting sales of retail chains has caused them to re-evaluate their brand and reinvent themselves for fall. Suddenly stores that used to make me feel nauseous (boasting window displays stuffed with mom jeans and fugly tablecloth patterns), actually have some adorable stuff that us college girls would actually consider wearing.

For the closets of fashionistas, this is great news. Now there are a dozen more stores that we can peruse online during class and drool over on our weekly treks to the mall. (Plus now when my mom calls and tells me she’s going to Ann Taylor to pick up a suit jacket, I can ask her to pick me up a cute skirt to add to my care package!)

Check out my favorite extreme makeovers (that don’t involve sexy Ty Pennington) below: Read More »

[Every week our style guru takes a celebrity look and breaks it down for you, our poor college fashionista. What does that mean? It means that while the celebrities are spending $5,000 on an ensemble, you don’t have to.

All you have to do is click on the goods and - boom - you can buy the entire ensemble. Yes, we know; there is a spot for her in heaven.]

Lately, Katie holmes style has been reminding me of a mixture between my brothers and my mom…circa 1992. Baggie Jeans, a mom haircut – I’m sort of on the fence about it all. And by on the fence, I obviously mean never buying into the trend. Ever.

But, every now and again, I find myself loving a piece of hers, writing it off as “in my dreams,” or “when I win the lottery.” Between her paychecks from Dawson’s Creek syndication and her husband being – um – Tom Cruise, the girl has a budget of Loubitons and lavish meals, whereas I am stuck with Target finds and Ramen Noodles.

That is, until People.com revealed this jacket is only $75.00. Yes, you read that right. SEVENTY FIVE! This little slice of info made my weekly Celebrity Chic on the Cheap more like Celebrity’s Cheap and Chic finds, giving yours truly some extra time to sleep in this Thanksgiving Weekend.

So I bring you this weeks’ Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Katie Holmes’ Mom Haircut leads her to Mom Website, Leads her to Fabulous Find. Read More »

The AP has picked up a news story reporting that authorities seized two display photos from an Abercrombie & Fitch store in Virginia, citing the management on “misdemeanor obscenity” charges.

Looking at the photo on the link as a twentysomething chick, I don’t see much that’s obscene about it, but it does piss me off for other reasons.

Abercrombie & Fitch has been pulling the same shit for years; their entire retail strategy consists of selling clothes through barely-clad models. Excuse me, but if I’m buying a piece of clothing, I don’t want somebody to be taking it off in the ad unless it’s a Victoria’s Secret bra.

Abercrombie, are you selling me a naked man? No? Then change your freaking advertisements. New York & Company was able to run a highly successful ad campaign last year featuring Patrick Dempsey, a known hot man, but there was one key difference: he was actually wearing clothes. Read More »