Sunglasses are in year-round, but summer is definitely a time to show off how style-savvy you are with your specs. Whether navigating the city, laying on the beach, or bike riding along the boardwalk, sunglasses are a fun way to accessorize while also protecting your eyes, and are a small piece of an ensemble that can express your own personal style. This year we’re seeing many of the trends of years past, with a few newbies thrown in, and some minor changes to add a new look.

Oversized Frames: This look has been around for a few years now and was taken mainstream by the likes of Nicole Richie and the Olsen Twins. While it’ll eventually go out of fashion, don’t expect that to happen for the next couple of years. This look doesn’t work for every face shape, but if you can rock it, it can be a blast. You can go for many different shapes; square, round, oval. We’re even seeing octagonal and heart shapes! And the color combos are endless. Classic black gives an Audrey Hepburn look, while going for a fun, funky color and shape allows a whole new feeling. The best advice is to try these glasses on and make sure they don’t take over your face, then have fun with it! Read More »

While at the airport this week, I observed a woman clutching a scraggly toy-sized dog decked out in a Ralph Lauren polo shirt made for a six-month-old child. Ew. Just because owning an animal is like having a child does not mean that the dog’s fur has stopped acting as its clothing. Now even dogs are subject to the materialism of today’s society.

Maybe it started with Paris Hilton or the talking chihuahua in Taco Bell commercials, but the dog trend never really sunk in on a personal level until I visited my former college roommate…and her new puppy.

It scared the hell out of me. Not the dog himself, he’s a teeny dust-mop-esque guy that legitimately bites your ankles, clothing, and anything else he can get to. What frightened me was the idea of what people are getting themselves into (please see single, childless friends referring to themselves as parents) and the fact that I really am that big a commitment-phobe.

Sure, many of us grew up with pets, but there was no actual “raising” going down on our end. It wasn’t our job to shop for pet carriers or plan out potty schedules, that’s what our parents were for. Now that we’re on our own (ish), so many people who want an animal are just looking to use it as an accessory. Puppies are like a new pair of Chanel shades, right? Only they love you back? Read More »

Last semester, I woke up one day and realized I was completely out of money. I guess going to the Ralph Lauren Outlet a weekend earlier had been therapeutic for my mind but not my wallet. What’s a girl to do?

Instead of freaking out and starting to dumpster dive, my anxiety mobilized me to act. I started by cleaning out my closet. I isolated the items that sat in there and gathered dust (which was nearly everything) and spent a day listing them on eBay. A week later, I had made three hundred bucks off of old clothes and handbags (and, tear tear, brand – new discount Ralph Lauren Oxford shirts). I took the stuff that didn’t sell on the net to a resale shop in my neighborhood and scored another $20.

The best part was that most of the things I sold I hadn’t bought in the first place (thanks mom!), so I accrued a maximum profit. I’m the farthest thing from a business major, but I know that’s pretty sweet.

So if you’re short on cash, ditch your material sentimentality and purge your closet. You’ll end up with more than just monetary rewards: ebaying my life ended up being more therapeutic than the discount shopping. After I had shipped away my things, I felt the weight of hundred pounds lifted from my shoulders. Out with the old and in with the money! Next stop: MBA.