Ever since the beginning of Gossip Girl (pre and post threesome) and the sensational style of Blair Waldorf, hair flair has rocked the fashion world. What is hair flair, you ask? Um…only the most vital/amazing/and necessary accessory any woman can own, obvi.

Hair flair can transform an entire outfit and conceal your unwashed hair on days when you just don’t have time to shower (i.e. after a particularly long Tiki Tuesday). More importantly, unlike those expensive skinny jeans you picked up at the Nordstrom half-yearly sale, hair flair will always fit regardless of those holiday pounds, the freshmen fifteen, or the beer belly you’ve been sporting since football season (curse you keg stands and beer pong).

Well, if you want the same accessories as the Upper East Siders but don’t have the same cash monay, don’t worry.  Here is a thrifty way to get the fabulous look without paying the big bucks. And if this particular style isn’t for you, something is wrong with you we’ve got another awesome DIY hair flair project you can do instead.

What You’ll Need:

Stretchy headbands/headwraps: You probably have one of these lying around, but if not, these are super cheap and you can pick them up at drug stores like CVS, Long’s, Duane Read or at any beauty store. My favorite brand to use is Scunci No Slip-Hair Grips because they come in packs of 4, are comfortable, and easy to decorate. Use a black headwrap to keep it classy or a bolder color to add some extra pop.

Fabric: A foot or two of any type of cloth fabric in any color/design you want! Most craft stores sell fabric squares meant for quilting, which are perfect for creating your hair flair, as your fabric needs to be cut in a square shape before you begin. Bonus: Many craft stores (Michael’s or JoAnn’s) have tons of leftover fabric scraps that you can get for super cheap. Just ask one of those ladies with the scissors! Read More »

Now that I’m back in school and broke thanks to a few trips to the bookstore, saving money is more essential than ever. But so is a brand new fall wardrobe!

Luckily, American Eagle is a great stop for super comfy weekend/gym/off-to-class clothes on the cheap. There are always awesome deals to be had, and here are just a few of my favorite things. Read More »

For many of you, school has already begun or will shortly, which means new additions to the wardrobe are necessary. Woohoo! But you don’t have to spend a lot to update that 2008 fall wardrobe.  Old Navy is a great place to get cute basics at super reasonable prices. Just pair these items (many of which are on sale!)  with the trendier items/accessories in your closet for a brand new look.

Here are a few pieces I found that’ll be great for the upcoming months… Read More »

This week we take another trip down cheap & trendy lane to Charlotte Russe.  This is a great place to shop if you’re looking for affordable, well, anything. Hot evening looks, basic day looks, super sexy shoes, way cute accessories and everything in between – Ms. Charlotte has it all.  They also recently launched a new line of more upscale/expensive pieces and denim called People’s Liberation that I am totally feelin’. Just not for this, since none of that shiz is under $20.

But this stuff is, meaning you can load up on the goodies and keep that budget in check. It’s a beautiful thing, I tell you. A beautiful thing. Read More »

If there’s one thing I love most about summer, it’s the freedom to flounce around every day in cute sundresses. They’re my go-to look – breezy, easy to wear, and feminine.

Naturally, when I saw this J.Crew Garden Dress I needed to have it.

This is the kind of dress that works in almost every situation: date night, summer cookout, girls brunch, beach-front. With the right accessories, you can even take it edgy.

The Garden Dress is short and flirty, featuring an ultra-flattering fitted bust, and straight cut sillouhuette. The charm of the dress, however, comes from the raw-edged petals that adorn the bust line. If you’re a sucker for ruffles, then this dress is most definitely for you. Just pick your color – navy, papaya, shell, or white – and you have the perfect dress for what remains of summer ‘09. Or, you know, get ‘em all for a little variety.

And, duh, you totally can!  J.Crew offers a 15% discount to college students when you bring in your student ID and shop in-store. Now that you know, run to your nearest J.Crew and grab this beauty and other preppy staples! 15% off means 15% more chinos with flamingos on them!

College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to, there are same characters on every campus. The overachiever, the frat house groupie and the Sensitive All-American.

The Sensitive All-American looks like he walked out of a photo shoot and landed on your campus. He is calm, cool and collected. He has a pristine reputation. Of course, rumors are dropped here and there, but they never stick. He is confident without being arrogant or cocky. He talks about his feelings. He has girls who are friends. Just friends. No benefits or complications.

He is a combination of the sensitive guy, the team player and the heart-throb. Read More »

I am about as preppy as they come. I own the Polo Oxford in every color, wear v-neck sweaters more than is socially acceptable, and think tortoise glasses are the epitome of cool.

So I was mighty surprised when I found myself coveting these sweet sneaks at Foot Locker last weekend.

I don’t know what it is, but I am in love with the retro sneaker that has made its way into every corner of the fashion world this year. Maybe its a deep desire to be cool. Or maybe I’m just sick of my brown Converse. Or my entire “going to the library” look.

I want to buy them, but I’m just not sure, 1) how to wear them, and 2) if they are totally

lame/ugly/horrible. I mean, I rarely get out of the Gap so how am I supposed to know what is trendy?

Help?

What do you think about the colorful sneaker? Love it or hate it?

[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.]

October 23rd marked Brit’s 10 years since Hit Me Baby One More Time hit radio stations and 7th grade girls dance routines nationwide, starting a school-girl frenzy. Everyone wanted to act, dress and be Britney (until she shaved her head and started walking around barefoot, that is). And this past year, Gossip Girl brought back the school-girl prep, showing us that What’s Old Becomes New Again, much like the current fads of 1990s flannels and studded belts.

So, in honor of this still-cute prepster look, which is in stores everywhere, I bring you this weeks Celebrity Chic On the Cheap: Let’s get Preppy One More Time. (Wow, I am so creative with words.) Read More »

I’ve heard the woes from people with cup sizes that are hard to manage. I understand; nobody wants the back pain or the difficulty finding clothes that fit. I, on the other hand, am on the other end of the spectrum. I hit puberty early, was a head taller than everyone in my class for a while, but never got to enjoy the other benefits of those raging hormones. You know…like, breasts.

My mother continually assures me that I’m lucky. “Dresses fit you so well,” she tells me. That’s easy for her to say; I imagine most mothers, deep down, want to dress their daughters in conservative dresses that leave a lot to the imagination, but leave me looking like I’m wearing a sack on top.

Forget showing off cleavage; it’s pretty hard when you barely have cleavage. I don’t mind looking nice in the occasional baggy shirt for a job interview, but how is a flat-chested girl supposed to look Hott? Read More »

Madras, seersucker, Topsiders, oh my! Resort wear has hit the co-ed set in full force. While undergraduates are known as the best of the label whores, sometimes the goal of carefully planning an outfit is more than flattering your figure. It implies, of course, that you’re en route to the country club your parents can afford.

The perk of resort wear is that it’s classy and respectable until it reaches Frat Row. You can be adorable without dressing like a desperate-to-impress freshman, all it takes is a little dedication to the cause.

Collecting argyle sweaters and linen trousers can help you transition into a non-party persona for the workplace with no trouble. Here are some tips for dressing to the yuppie role without coming off as a complete douchebag:

1) Collars down. At all times. Ladies, if you’re going for the cleavage factor and rocking a Lacoste to the bar, pair it with pumps, ass-flattering denim, and go crazy. Unbutton as low as you dare, but find a cute contrasting cami to toss under that pique polo.

2) Set a limit to the number of pastels you go with. Your boyfriend can wear as much pink as he likes, and so can you, but just remember that the phrase “too much of a good thing” came about for a reason. Read More »