While you continue to cope with April showers, I’m here to remind you that it’s nearly time for May’s flowers! If the rain has you in a slump that not even Cee Lo on repeat can get you out of, you might have to take some more drastic measures. Like busting out those spring clothes that channel your cheery, summer self.

And what better way to channel spring than with bright, happy florals?

Even though the flowers might be a little scarce in your area at the moment (hell, even the sun is scarce in my part of town), now’s the time to start pulling out your bright-colored, floral print items for spring. Why? Well, for one thing, maybe that great floral top will inspire Mother Nature to get a move on with the spring weather. And if that doesn’t work, well, at least you’ll be looking splendidly springy until she does.

The wonderful and surprising thing about spring florals is that there really is something for every kind of style; there are lots of small floral prints in light colors if you like to dress girly, and large graphic floral prints in bright colors for those of you looking to make more of a splash (and not the April rain puddle kind). From skirts to dresses to bags to undies (??), everything’s coming up florals this season. And here are 15 items to get your garden wardrobe started. Read More »

Back in the early days of college, whenever it would rain, I used to just put on a hoodie and my old sneakers, throw my hair into a ponytail and go to class like that — carefully avoiding puddles whenever possible, but inevitably soaking my feet and the bottom of my jeans. Eventually, I got a pair of rain boots, which helped things by letting me walk through puddles without getting my feet and jeans wet, but I still dressed pretty sloppy on those days. I just figured since I was bound to get wet anyway, there was no point in trying to look cute.

However, as I started to pay more and more attention to the way other women dressed in the rain — including women on the street, not just those on campus — I realized the error in the way I’d been thinking (and dressing). Even on the rainiest days, it’s possible to stay dry and still dress fashionably and do your hair and makeup as usual, with just a few additions to your closet.

Here are a few to get you started — and they’re all just $20 or less! Read More »

[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 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.]

I love most things about fall – anything made with pumpkin, cozy sweaters and my TV shows starting back up – but the one thing I’ve never been a fan of is the dampness and rain that comes with all these wonderful things. At least until I invested in a pair of good quality rain boots. Now on those damp days my toes can stay warm and dry, even when I decide to go puddle-jumping (or am forced to when I try to cross a street and find myself ankle-deep in water).

If you have to walk any distance to school, you should own a pair of rain boots. Period. They are functional (keeping those tootsies dry), yes, but super fashionable as well. There are so many colors and styles out there and they’re just plain cute. And when the temperature starts to drop, many styles even offer fleece liners to keep your toes extra dry and toasty all through the winter, making them a very good investment piece!

For this week’s Shop Your Closet, I chose a pair of black boots that go with everything, but a lot of these looks could be adjusted for patterned or colored rain boots as well! Read More »

Forever a dreamer, I have lived through movies. I wanted to change the bad boy like Reese Witherspoon in Cruel Intentions. I wanted a wardrobe like Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada. And mostly, I wanted to dance my way to sex like Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing (and not in the frat party/grinding sorta way).

Keep dreaming, right?

However, after spending lots of time analyzing my favorite movies, I’ve realized that it’s not so hard for the everyday man to create a movie moment in everyday life. Sure, finding a Leonardo DiCaprio to sketch my naked body on a sinking ship might be hard (and not ideal considering the ending), but many of the most romantic gestures in movies aren’t so hard to manage, even without a script: Read More »

It’s been a busy week of jumping through puddles and praying that the sun will come out tomorrow. Or, I don’t know, yesterday? But a new month starts next week, and so does a new fresh start to the beloved season.

To kick of July with a bang, we get to choose from our lovely collection of swimsuits to show off at the beach, (paired with our handy T-shirt tote bag, of course,) spice up our outfits with a scarf and maybe take a day off from work using the clever period excuse (even if we’re lying about it).

What we won’t be doing is getting the new iPhone, lest we get too fat to fit into our swimsuits. Or having some  casual sex because, although it may seem like a great idea in the moment, it’s not that great the next morning. And, most importantly, we will not be asking men anything, because it makes us want to pull a Will.I.AM. move on every man we see.

On the brighter side, we’ve got some awesome new jams we heard about, and it looks like there really are a bunch of jobs out there for all those post-grads. So after doing some soul searching, we can fill out some applications.
AND no excuses for not working out, because we got some awesome tips to relieve that muscle pain.

They say April showers bring May flowers – so while we’re waiting for those flowers to bloom and for summer to mosey its long lazy days our way, why not have some rainy springtime fun? I know it sucks when it rains and you have to trek across campus with fingers crossed that your hair won’t frizz, but with these latest styles, at least you can put a little spring in your step. Read More »

It’s rainy. It’s windy. You haven’t seen sunlight in days, you didn’t do so hot on today’s pop quiz, and you really don’t feel like reading about the Enlightenment for history class. What better way to beat the dreariness and procrastinate than by having a comedy movie marathon to boost your spirits and make you laugh?

When fall settles in and it’s not as much fun to walk through campus on a chilly, dismal day, grab a bunch of kids from your hall, pop some warm, buttery popcorn, and veg out in flannel pj’s and sweats. You’ll feel better, you’ll have fun, and best of all, these movies sure as hell beat anything that sprung from the Enlightenment! Read More »

Nothing can put a damper on those sunbathing plans like a summer rainstorm. But never fear; there are still options out there to have some good ol’ fashioned summer fun.

Go to the movies: Summer is the season of blockbusters, so when the rain comes pourin’ down, head into your local mutliplex, grab some popcorn, Milk Duds and indulge in some heavy caloric intake and a couple hours of mindless entertainment. It might not be the best thing for your bikini bod, but a lil’ indulgence never hurt anyone.

Get lost in the bookstore: Being stuck inside is a great opportunity to get caught up on your reading and to check out that new bestseller you’ve been hearing about, or an old classic you haven’t picked up since your days in high school Lit. Plant yourself in your nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders, grab an iced latte and read away.

Check out a museum: Many cities have great museums, and not just of the artsy genre. Check out what you have in your area. Chances are, you can find a museum chronicling the history of all kinds of interesting topics; aerospace, film, maybe even sex. Whatever floats your boat. Take the chance to soak in some educational information; it is a lot healthier than soaking in the rays. Read More »

You know that Rihanna song you’ve been hearing all summer? The song which has spawned it’s own line of ridiculous rain gear? That song you want to hate but can’t quite deny the catchiness factor?

Well, someone else has reluctantly admitted it’s awesome.

Mandy Moore, one of those “normal” celebrities who doesn’t whore herself out or shove drugs down her throat, recently covered the pop hit of Summer 2007, doing it a cool, folky justice. Read More »

The world is ending, I’m convinced. This weather is absolutely insane and I, for one, can no longer just wing-it and not check weather.com before getting dressed in the morning.

I’ve been finding myself being utterly unprepared for whatever temperature or different act of nature that seems to occur on a freaking DAILY BASIS.

So basically I went on the prowl for (cute) spring rain-gear that might make getting up early and getting dressed just a little more fun (but not really) and lo-and-behold I found everything I wanted at the beloved Target.

The Umbrella – You have two choices here. Option one, you can use a small, indiscrete umbrella that fits into your bag andshort, patent leather version you can pop out at a moments notice or option two, you can use something like this clear, bubble version.

If you choose the latter, you’re basically securing that your hair will not touch water at any point in time and if a typhoon suddenly occurs, you were the only prepared one.

Read More »