Before you head out on NYE with your besties, your most sequined dress, heels and all the worst intentions, do like mom said and make sure you have everything you need before you walk out the door.

We know. You didn’t. It’s okay. We probably wouldn’t either if we hadn’t heard all the worst horror stories from girls who left the house before they had all their last minute necessities.

So, knowing what a hassle it can be to realize you’ve forgotten something after you’re out, we put together a last minute checklist so that you can sip champagne all night long without a care in the world! Read More »

New Year’s Eve…you either love it or hate it.  True, it doesn’t usually live up to expectation, there’s never been a year that everyone makes it to midnight, and you don’t always have someone to kiss.  But there is champagne…God, is there champagne.  But despite all the inherit glitz and glam that comes with ringing in January 1^st, there are still those few annoying people who manage to ruin your night…

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If you think your NYE outfit, alcohol supply and approximate cab fare combine to cost a pretty penny, just be glad you aren’t greeting 2012 from a nightclub in Vegas. It might sound fun at first: there’s a ton of options, the venues are gorgeous, and you can simply walk back to your hotel room whenever you’re ready to change outfits in time for breakfast, right?

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New Year’s Eve is seriously THE most overrated holiday of the year. Valentine’s Day is the day that all lazy boyfriends have to get up off their asses and remind their girlfriends why they should stick around, and Halloween is the night to dress up like someone else and make out with someone whose face you don’t ever really want to see. So why celebrate NYE?

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Let me just state the obvious to start off — New Year’s Eve is overrated. Everyone always gets stressed out and anxiety-ridden making plans and picking outfits for a holiday that is usually a let down anyway. With Hollywood setting up unrealistic expectations for what a New Year’s Eve kiss should really be like, we wake up on January 1^st with a hangover and blurry memories of a sloppy makeout session we had with a stranger.

So why not just stay home for a cozy night in? You’ll save tons of money that would either be spent on a ridiculously expensive cover charge or an overpriced little black dress. This New Year’s Eve, I will be staying in instead of walking around the bitterly cold streets of Chicago in a mini skirt and platforms, and I could not be happier about it. There are tons of ways to stay in and still have fun on New Year’s, and here are just a few.

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New Year’s Eve is, without question, the most stress-inducing holiday of the year.  Think about it.  Figuring out what to wear, what to do, where to go, who to kiss…so much pressure!!  Fortunately (or unfortunately), not much changes from year to year.  Sure, you’re not having sleepovers with your BFFs and watching *NSYNC ring in January 1^st on TRL like you did at thirteen, but the anticipation for midnight’s still there along with the college equivalent of all the same worries.  Think I’m wrong?  Tell me your December 31^st doesn’t look a little like this:

10:00 am- Wake up, check your texts, shoot a few out to see if anyone knows the final plans for the evening (because NYE plans are never final until they’re almost-happening), roll back to sleep.

Noon- Wake up for real this time, but decide clothes are overrated.  PJs are the way to go, plus you’re only heading down to the kitchen for some coffee and maybe a bagel.  Gotta load up on carbs early.

12:20 pm- Plop down on the couch, cell phone right next to you (still waiting for someone, anyone to know what’s going on), and select from one of the many TV marathons that currently running.  Oooh, could that be an episode of Top Chef you missed?  Impossible!  Guess you better watch and find out.

5:00 pm- Okay, finally!  You’ve received word that your selected DD for the evening (poor soul) will start making the pick-up rounds at 9.  Then it’s off to some kid named Mike’s house for some pre-partying.  Then you’ll be taken to your proper destination to ring in the New Year.

5:03 pm- Wait, did that text say 9?  Eff!  You’ve gotta start getting ready!  What are you gonna wear?  Those tights make your legs look chunky, what were you thinking when you put together a mental outfit yesterday?  Idiot, idiot, idiot.  Jump in the shower, worry about clothes after.

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It’s almost the end of the year. As you’re making your New Year’s resolution list, here’s something to think about: punching up your style for 2011.

If you have “budget better” on your list, this might seem like it will counter a resolution to save money, but it doesn’t have to. An easy way to add a little punch to your wardrobe is with accessories! With a pair of patterned tights you can easily change the appearance of your go-to black dress. With a sparkly headband you can add some interest to your in-dire-need-of-a-cut hairstyle. Though Blair Waldorf-esque bow headbands may seem so Constance Billards, adding one with a lot of bling is a way to stray from that UES image.

By adding accessories from head to toe, you can add a lot of pizzaz to an otherwise basic outfit. And I’ve got 15 items to scoop up just in time for the New Year. Read More »

Not as fun as it looks. Trust me.

I’m always broke in December.

Finals week requires huge amounts of energy drinks and junk food to calm down stress for efficient studying, all worth it after the semester’s grades are posted.

Christmas calls for countless purchases from overcrowded malls to slowly rid the stress of giving gifts to loved ones, all worth it when they open their presents and have that priceless smile on their faces.

New Years’ Eve, however, for some reason, is like some huge competition to see who outdoes themselves and their bank accounts the most for the best Morning After story or the craziest Facebook pictures. And the stress that causes is never worth it, no matter how good that kiss was as midnight. Is it really worth hundreds of dollars to be at a club in Vegas while Jay-Z or Jay Sean or B.o.B. or Beyonce perform for the last twenty minutes of 2010? Do I seriously need to stress out over plane tickets or hotel rooms or my friend’s cousin’s roommate who can’t handle their alcohol?

NYE isn’t Go Big or Go Home; it can definitely be Go Big AT Home with your best friends. So if you want to avoid the “OMG, I can’t believe I spent that much money on a night that totally sucked,” here are the only 5 things you need for a killer NYE.

Bangin’ beats.
It ain’t a party without some jams. But who needs to shell out $75 to go to some bar with a DJ when you’ve already got all the same beats on your iPod? Be your own DJ and put together a playlist of YOUR favorite music of the year. It’s way better than being forced to grind with a stranger to every Katy Perry song of all time.

Sweet sips.
Alcohol is alcohol, and just because it’s served in some fancy glasses doesn’t mean it tastes any better. Vodka makes you just as drunk and happy when you pour it from a handle yourself, people.

Fun friends.
No one likes high maintenance party people, and thank goodness you aren’t one of them tonight. So control your guest list and celebrate the end of an amazing year with those who made it that way.

“Happy New Year!” headgear.
So you’ll know what night it was when can’t remember and look back at pictures. Top hat or headband, take your pick!

Sparkles of some sort in your outfit.
Because it’s New Year’s Eve and it’s practically protocol.

Contrary to what everyone says, you don’t need all that (overpriced) glitz and glamour for a great New Year’s Eve. And if the way you start the year determines what the rest of the year is going to be like, partying with your best friends for the night is definitely the perfect way to start.

New Year’s Eve…you either love it or hate it.  True, it doesn’t usually live up to expectation, there’s never been a year that everyone makes it to midnight, and you don’t always have someone to kiss.  But there is champagne…God, is there champagne.  But despite all the inherit glitz and glam that comes with ringing in January 1^st, there are still those few annoying people who manage to ruin your night…

The Host/Hostess

It’s inevitable.  No matter how laid back you think this person is, when they’ve got hoards of drunk people over at their house they’re bound to get a little anal.  Don’t aim the champagne cork at the windows.  Please use a coaster.  Don’t spill beer on the carpet.  No random hookups in the bedrooms.  The dog really shouldn’t be drinking out of wine glasses.  Ugh!

The Hot Mess

They’re slurring.  They’re stumbling.  They’re trying to make out with your boyfriend.  And in about five minutes their face is about to meet your fist.

The Upper

This person LOVES New Year’s Eve.  Wanna hear her resolutions?  Because she’s about to give you a twenty-minute lecture about how this past year she lost 50 lbs and is going for an additional 15 by May.  Do you care?  You effing better.  This is the best party of her life!  Have you ever seen so much hope in one room!?  OMG the countdown is about to start!  Shhhh…SHHHH!!!

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[When moving into either a dorm or an off-campus apartment, your wardrobe will face two major challenges: 1. A major lack of funding (to add more to it), and 2. A major lack of storage space (for all the crap you've got). For these two reasons, maximizing what you already own becomes essential. That's why you need to learn to Shop Your Closet. Each week, I’ll show you how to wear 1 item 3 ways – with the stuff you most likely already own! – to get the most out of your purchases.]

For many of us, right now it’s all about planning that hot NYE outfit. Sure, we can go out and buy something new (we can even do it on a budget), but if you’re like me, you’ve spent every last dollar stocking up on gifts for everyone and their mother, meaning you’ve got nothing left for that special New Year’s dress. And that’s OK, because you’ve probably already got everything you could ever need to plan the perfect outfit for the big night.

Forget battling the crowds at the mall or spending oodles of money on something you’ll most likely only wear once (either because it’s too fancy for any other occasion or ruined when your friend spills her vodka cran down the front); all you need for the perfect New Year’s look is a little creativity and all those basics you’ve got stuffed into drawers. Read More »