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Biodegradable Trash Bags:
Did you know that those white plastic bags currently housing beer cans and so-dirty-and-covered-in-dust-bunnies-that-they-can’t-be-salvaged beer pong balls take a thousand years to biodegrade, if ever? Didn’t think so. Lord knows I’m not thinking about how long my trash bag will hang out with Mother Earth when I’m throwing up in it on a hungover Sunday morning.

Well now you can puke with a green conscience. Green Genius has come up with a line of garbage bags that are edible by microbes. The (green) geniuses realized that combining plastic with an additive that bonds organic nutrients to the plastic’s molecular structure miraculously turns the evil material into sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids while it sits in the landfill.

And in English that means one thing: these bags are better for Mama Earth.

iPod/iPhone gloves:
For all you iPhone/touch phone users, I know walking and texting/online shopping/scrolling through your music until you find something you actually like is addicting.  (I get it, but please, for the love of my un-scraped heels, watch where you’re going!) But with winter, well, here, no text is worth frostbite on that finger of yours. After all, after they amputate it texting will be a hell of a lot more difficult (even if your manicure is suddenly cheaper…). While tons of companies are now making gloves where you can peel bag the fingers to allow for phone manipulation, that’s not good enough for me. Thankfully, Tavo has created these gloves that have traction on the actual glove tips so that you can keep keep your hands inside the toasty gloves and text your bff about the totes awk encounter you just had w/ ur ex! They may not be as cute as those gray wool mittens you’ve been eying at Target, but, let’s be real, there’s nothing cute about missing fingers.

Gap Cozy Slipper Booties:
If there’s one thing you should know about this winter, it’s these. In approximately three weeks you will find me on my couch (assuming you know where I live…) watching every season of Gossip Girl (I’m so behind, I know!) in comfy sweats and these bad boys. And not leaving for DAYS. Once you’ve slipped into a pair, you’ll be more than happy I told you about them.

I have a love/hate relationship with Urban Outfitters. I fall madly in love with everything on the racks, but hate how much they charge for shirts, skirts and dresses that usually fall apart after a few go-rounds in the washing machine. But then I fall in love again when those trendy little Urban employees stock the sale racks with all that gorgeous goodness.

The Urban sale section might be one of the only ones I’m willing to elbow, shove and push my way through. They have some of the best deals around on some serious cuteness, much of it $19.99 or less! Here are some of my favorite pieces that are all under $20. The best part: you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your couch or tempt yourself with the rest of the overpriced items en route to the sale section.

This dress will look fantastic with some tights and a skinny belt around the middle. Mix it with an oversized cardi or sweater coat and you’ve got a super cute outfit for a night out.

I. Love. Tunics. They’re big, they’re comfy but they’re also painfully chic. You can pair this one with some leggings, a cozy sweater and some knee boots and look put-together yet totally comfortable for class.

I wouldn’t normally classify a sweatshirt as “cute,” but that all changes with this 80′s-inspired number. The shape and zipper give this comfy go-to an instant update, which gives your going-to-class look an instant lift.

Tights are an essential for fall/winter and colored, textured tights are a great way to brighten up an outfit without going overboard.

Purple and studs are both major trends this season, so this shirt (or dress, depending how you see it) is fashion perfection. Slip this on with some leggings, a pair of ankle boots and a leather jacket. Drool.

The perfectly worn-in tank. It’s super soft and comfy, but also slightly see-through and sexy. And if you feel like venturing out into the cold, it comes in lots of other fun colors in the stores.

While most people can’t really pull off a hat like this, I highly recommend you try. It’s pretty much the only hat I’ve seen that will keep your head warm in the winter while also being totally worth the hat hair.

An over-sized envelope clutch is not only a great way to carry all your goods, this one can really make your ensemble with its teal reptile print.

1. Lots of people are going to be seeing these things (and I’m not talking about the people you bring home…), so it’s time to toss out the ratty high school t-shirts and invest in something cute.
2. Lots of people are going to see you, so if you tend to sleep in the buff I’m pretty sure your roomie would much prefer to see you in some jammies than, well, see your naked butt. Factor in the unexpected fire alarms/friends barging in at all hours of the night, and you’re going to want to have something to toss on even if you have a room to yourself.

Lucky for all of us, there are tons of options when it comes to cute and cozy PJs. No matter how much or how little you’ve slept in in the past, there’s something (or lots of somethings for those 6 week runs between laundry days) super adorable for you.  And if you feel like channeling your inner Holly Golightly while your roommate studies 10-feet from your face, there’s a mask for you, too.

Some of us are the Charlottes who are happy knowing at the end of the day there is a guy that will be thinking about us before we fall asleep. Some of us are the Samanthas who are happy knowing we have a guy we can shag before we fall asleep. Ahh, and then there are those in between-ers like myself. We want someone to love and shag us before we tuck in for the night.

Whichever category you fall into, it’s no wonder we’re all looking for that special person to “complete” us.

Having a boyfriend brings about a sense of pride and accomplishment. It gives us all feelings of worth, self esteem and validation. Oh, and a serious case of the butterflies.

As sad as that may be, it’s the truth. Sure, the powerful and independent woman can find all of that on her own, but the fact is we’ve been taught our whole lives to want a boyfriend. Case in point: romantic movies. Those friggin’ things don’t do jack sh!t for a single girl besides motivate those starry-eyed expectations of how the majority of real guys act. Homegirl, I’m not talkin’ only about movies along the lines of “The Notebook” either. Those Disney Princess movies of carpet rides and glass slippers laced our childhood hopes of boyfriends with metaphorical crack before we got our training wheels off.

So yes, I want a boyfriend! You want a boyfriend! Your dog wants a boyfriend!

And there is nothing wrong with that. It is normal to want to have someone to talk to at the end of the day and to remind you how amazing you are. Someone who is going to give you bear hugs, forehead kisses, and be an olympic gold-medalist cuddler. It’s a part of the human moral fiber.

So for those cynical singles who won’t admit at the end of the day that they truly do want “that special person,” stick that in your juice box and suck it! Claiming you don’t want one may make you feel better about the fact that you don’t have one, but I truly feel that everyone deep down wants a boyfriend.

Thoughts?

There are so many difficult choices in life (do we love or hate tequila??), so we thought we'd sort through 'em right here. Every week we will discuss another issue we are torn up about. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!]

You’ve heard it all before…

“Uggs are so cute and comfy!” Girl with Uggs on.

“Uggs put the ‘ug’ in ugly.” Guy giving the girl a strange look.

I can see both sides and I’m completely torn:

Love Em:

Uggs are definitely one of the most comfortable types of shoes out there. And unlike the apparantly comfy-but-ugly Crocs (gag!), they actually match your outfit, and can be a cute addition to your winter wardrobe. Uggs come in lots of different colors and patterns, and although they’re a little on the expensive side, they last FOR.E.VER. (OK, maybe not forever, but I’ve had mine for 3 years and they’re as ridiculously soft as ever.)

Loathe Em?

They are a bit clunky and awkwardly-shaped. (But it’s all for good reason, right? Why so chunky, my dear Uggs? To hold all the warm and fuzzy fur inside, of course!) They also look eerily similar to the bedroom-slipper your mom might wear, due to the sheepskin outer layer. (But that’s what makes them warm!) And, obviously, they add quite a bit of unflattering mass to the calves, making even the skinniest leg look a little chunky.

It’s a love/hate relationship between me and my (4 pairs of) Uggs, but that doesn’t seem to stop me from buying and wearing them 6 months out of the year. Still, I have to wonder if the warmth and comfiness is really worth it all….and why on earth girls wear them with mini skirts.

Whether she wanted it or not, this Grandma got something rather unusual for her b-day.

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