[In early adulthood there is an activity that plays a large role in most of our lives; nights out on the town. And with those nights out always comes the question: “What am I gonna wear?!?”

Each week I’ll be putting together a cute and affordable “going out” ensemble guide (that you can tweak to your own personal style and body type, of course) so that maybe that age-old question can be answered a little quicker than usual. And your friends aren’t waiting - for hours - for you to emerge from your room. Just call me your own personal Rachel Zoe.]

Another weekend, another opportunity to figure out what to wear. This weekend, it’s all about shine and dazzle with sparkle, jewel tones, and a sleek look that can also be easily transformable from day to night. If you are interning or working somewhere that requires business wear, throw a blazer over this ensemble and you’re good to go.

Jewel tones are everywhere this season, so go for a lovely satin jewel-toned top. I love this halter top from The Limited. The ruffles add a little interest, and the cut is sexy and sophisticated. Bonus: If you put in the promotion code 561 at checkout before November 30th, you’ll get 20% off. Cha Ching! Read More »

[Do you ever feel like you can’t pull something off? Have trendy pieces in your closet that you would never have the courage to actually wear out? Well take those pieces out, shake off the dust, and continue reading!

In this series, I will choose a different piece that can be difficult to incorporate into an outfit and give you ideas on how to wear it. If there’s anything you would like to read about in the future, please leave a comment!]

Ruffles always look so elegant and feminine – but that’s not why I love them so much. The best part about ruffles is that they can balance out your body. Small bust and big hips? Put on a top with some ruffles and – poof – an instant chest! Need to add some oomph to your bottom half? Throw on a ruffled skirt! Seen on the runways of Givenchy, Just Cavalli, Giambattista Valli, and others, ruffles are possibly the easiest way to emphasize and enlarge areas that you want to be on display while making other ares (i.e. your waist) appear slimmer. Read More »

Japan is a weird place. From its movies to its festivals to its dining habits, the country has a long history of giving birth to some truly bizarre sh*t, then sending it overseas to our eagerly awaiting, comparatively bland Western hands.

The most recent weirdo Eastern trend to show up on American shores is the fashion movement known as Lolita. Despite the fact that is sounds like some filthy daddy-daughter fetish scene, Lolita, according to most enthusiasts, has nothing at all to do with sexuality and everything to do with embracing your inner well-behaved Victorian-era prepubescent girl.

Ladies who practice Lolita do so by dressing themselves like the porcelain doll that your got for your eighth birthday, then going online to connect with other girls who dress like the porcelain doll that you got for your eighth birthday, then getting together to do things like sing karaoke, drink tea, and attend animae conventions.

Huh.

According to one Lolita site, the movement originated in the 1980s when Japanese teens would kick it every weekend in downtown Tokyo jamming to rock bands and getting all gussied up for each other. A small faction of girls on this scene, for one reason or another, started sporting Little-Bo-Peep-esque ensembles; a few key trendmakers picked up on the look and started companies like Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and Manifesteange Metamorphose temps de fille that specialized in producing the frilly, old-fashioned clothing, some Japanese rock bands embraced the trend, and thus the Lolita subculture was born. Read More »

Fall is just around the corner, and soon we’ll have crisper weather, changing leaves and new fashion trends. The upcoming season is an interesting mix of sexy, classy and manly (yes, manly!) and the main color to watch for is purple.

As always, the trends come from the designers on the runway, but there are plenty of options out there for less expensive pieces that give you a similar look.H&M, Forever 21, Target and other regional mall stores (Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, etc.) all carry up-to-date trends for inexpensive prices. Express, Nordstrom and Macy’s are other, slightly more expensive, stores to check out, and I’m a huge fan of discount stores (Loehmann’s, Filene’s Basement, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, etc.).

Without further ado, here’s a list of what to grab up this season… Read More »

For most people, Fall means three things: football, candy corn pumpkins (my absolute fav.) and midterms.

And for those of us not living in California, Texas, Florida or any place with a year round temperature of hot and hotter, Fall means crisp cold air, hot caramel apple cider and sweater season!

No?

Anyone?

Well, maybe no one else out there adores Fall as much as me because none of you have seen the fabulous new sweater trends taking over the (cold part of the) country as we speak. Heading back to school means torn up sweatshirts and stuffy sweater sets no more. With my pal Marc Jacobs on the loose setting trends and taking names, curling up on the couch with a warm beverage and a warmer sweater never looked so good.

Inspired by his Fall 2007 collection, designers from Vuitton to the people behind Forever 21 are upping the ante and going all out for Fall. What’s in store (literally!) for you this season?

Belted Sweaters: Nothing says cozy like an over-sized sweater. But, nothing says dowdy like an oversized sweater, either. So, what do we do to make it chic? Belt it! You get the best of both worlds – cozy glamour – for a walk to class or a day at the library. Throw in a sexy camisole and you have the perfect ensemble for a night out with the boy. Read More »