My summer thus far has been filled with backyard BBQs, nights out with girls, day-trips and weekends on the lake. Although shorts and tank tops cut it for all these events, sometimes I just want to be girly and wear a casual, summery dress. Cue the Gentle Fawn Wilderness Dress!

This gorgeous dress comes to just about mid-thigh, making it sexy and sassy, without showing off too much. It’s 100% cotton, so it’s super lightweight, but the detailing is what really steals the show. A beautiful eyelet design decorates the upper part of the dress and the unexpected cut of the top make it super unique! You definitely don’t have something like the Wilderness Dress is your wardrobe. Read More »

In July, some people look forward to the 4th, getting exited about the BBQs, beers and bathing suits. Others look forward to outdoor festivals, days spent in sundresses sipping iced coffee, eating lunch outside, FINALLY having weather warm enough to eat fro-yo and wear those 9,000 pairs of sandals and wedges sitting pretty in their boxes.

I, however, am not “some people.”

July for me brings a different kind of excitement. An excitement in the form of warm colors in chestnuts, cognacs and browns, wools and greys… boots and coats, sweaters and scarves paired with slashed prices…well there really is no containing my excitement for all of it!

For me, July is all about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

And it is BACK baby.

And since you are too busy getting your tan on, you might think it’s okay to wait until September to start thinking about fall. But I’m here to tell you that now is the PERFECT time to stock up on some fall staples and wish list items. Besides, your skin will thank you in 15 years for the break (and your wardrobe will thank you in a few short months). Read More »

Feathers have always been huge in the world of fashion — and in the last few seasons, they’ve seen an especially big surge. While in the past, feathers were a glamorous touch added to hats and the collars of jackets, these days the feathers on  clothing and accessories have a more bohemian, earthy feel. Feathers and feather print adorn everything from jewelry to clothing to hair accessories, and I love the way they look with the other seventies-inspired fashion that’s popular this season.

And since feathers are literally everywhere these days, the good news is you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on them. Here are a few great feathered choices for just $20 or less!

[Welcome to Celebrity Chic on the Cheap, where 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 (like fashion winner Whitney Port) are spending $5,000 and more on an ensemble, you an spend way less...and save the rest for Margarita Mondays.]

Kelly Osbourne’s career is a total mystery to me.

So, her rock star father gets an MTV reality show where she gets to be a bratty, gothy, embarrassing teenager in front of millions of people, falls into oblivion after the show is cancelled, stays there for a few years, loses weight, learns how to apply makeup, goes on Dancing with the Stars…and is suddenly a red carpet staple?

Um…what? I’m baffled.

I can’t knock the girl’s hustle, though. I mean, she has the Joan Rivers’ stamp of approval and I don’t, so all I can do is bow down to her greatness…and try to recreate her fresh, young, trendy, bold-without-being-tacky style for myself. Read More »

Just when we were getting used to the black and grays that fall brought us, the fashion gods decided to to have a fling with brights. From adorable totes to patent pumps, sunglasses to accessories, you can find just about every shade of ROY.G.BIV. (What up, 6th grade science class! Bet you never thought you’d hear ROY.G.BIV again, did you?!)

And for a new twist, colored bottoms are back. I knew I should have hung on to my bright blue capris from the Gap circa the late ’90s. (Remember those commercials where they were all dancing in tons of bright colored bottoms?!)

Sorry. Having some nostalgia moments up in here. Reeling it in…

This spring is all about bright bottoms, and mixing and matching big, bold colors. I love pairing two complementary colors together – think bright blue and orange, or pink and green. It just makes everything more exciting.

If mixing colors is intimidating, stick with a colorful bottom and a neutral top and shoe. The key when mixing colors is to always keep at least one element neutral. So if you’re wearing a coral top and a blue skirt, go with a neutral bag and skin tone shoe. If you’re doing a colorful shoe and pant, or colorful belt and pant, keep the rest toned down.

Not sure where to start? Here are three foolproof looks that will brighten your mood and your wardrobe!

[The following is a guest post from our gal pals at CollegeFashion.net. They're like college Rachel Zoe (with a little extra meat on their bones). Have you checked them out yet?!]

Stripes can be intimidating. They’re bold, they’re brazen and they can be a little difficult to wear. Some people fear that horizontal stripes make you look wider (totally not true!!) and they can be a little too bold for the wallflowers among us. So it’s understandable that some would be hesitant about them.

But stripes can also be fun and exciting, injecting a little bit of punk rock into an everyday outfit. Stripes were a big trend on the Spring/Summer 2011 catwalks, and they’re an easy way to get a next season feel right now.  Read More »

Yeah, it might not look like much but this little guy will transform your wardrobe.

The quintessential waist belt was not created to hold anything up. It doesn’t fit into loops, it offers no form of support, it’s not durable and it doesn’t save the world from your plumber’s crack. So what does this basic wardrobe staple do for you?

It works harder for you that you did for your A in Intro to Painting; it creates the illusion of a smokin’ waist.

Your closet (aka the storage bin under your bed) and your body are incomplete without this wardrobe essential.  Nothing gives you that perfect hourglass shape quite like a cinch at the waist. No matter if you have curves or none to claim, a braided belt like this one from American Eagle will not only create them, but let your wallet keep a fat curve of it’s own.

This belt is what saved the shirt-dress trend by mercifully adding some shape to an otherwise baggy and unflattering outfit. There are so many shirts and dresses in my own wardrobe that I won’t dare to wear unless I can find a suitable waist belt or I’m left feeling boxy and paunchy. Even if you don’t have a lot of this type of shirt, this belt is so versatile when worn right.

I love this belt because the braided detailing makes it a lot more interesting than any other belt I’ve got. And if I’m going to invest in a nice leather belt, it’s going to be black, so I appreciate that this cheapie option allows for some new color to enter my wardrobe that I don’t have to make above a twenty dollar commitment to. Read More »

Look, I love the denim/chambray shirt as much as the next person who inhales everything the fashion magazines offer up, but sometimes I feel a little bit like one of the characters from Hey Dude when I try to pull it off with a pair of jeans.

So how do I get my chambray on without rocking the denim tuxedo?
Two words: denim dress.

The denim dress is a fashionable and versatile wardrobe addition. First, it’s a great way to get out of those jeans (that may or may not be giving you muffin top) but still enjoy one of the biggest trends of the season. Second, it’s the ultimate transition piece to take you from summer to fall. Pair it with some wedges or flat sandals now and in two months, rock some tights and a chunky cardigan (or leather coat!) and you’re good to go.

Plus, we all know that dresses in general are the bomb.com because there is so much less thought needed to look cute and put together, and the denim dress is no exception. Throw one on, add cute shoes and a bag and – boom! – you = SO FREAKIN CUTE! Need some help finding the perfect denim frock? I’ve got 8 fun and flattering options right here. No, you don’t need to thank me. I’m just doing my job! Read More »

I hate to admit it but fall is almost here. Major tear.

But while I’m not excited for midterms, wool coats, shivering on my walk to class and being too cold to drink iced coffee, I am excited for boots (and really excited for Pumpkin Spice Lattes). I know, its not easy to think about knee-high boots when you’ve got sweat building up in the crook of your arm (just me?), but right now- while you’re still in summer mode – is really the best time to stock up on boots for the season:

1) Because you can find good deals.
2) You can find whatever you want in your size.
3) You’re so sick of dirty flip flop feet, you just want something soft and buttery covering up those toes.

Those three reasons were good enough for me to go on an Internet shopping spree from my bed last night. And I found some major gems.

This season, embellished boots and more masculine lace-up boots are totally in my closet. Doesn’t seem like you? Wrong. You can wear these little guys with anything. Pair them with leggings and a long button down for the day, or pair with a flirty feminine look for a nice juxtaposition of girly and boyish. Read More »

Ah green. The color of trees. And money.
And really, really cute clothes.

Everywhere I turn there they are, just staring me in the face. The clothes and accessories come in every shade and every style. From mini-dresses to bags, kelly green to army green to sage green, feminine to boyish – green is everywhere and green is cute. And now, green is cheap!

Green is also a great transitional color that complements your gorgeous summer coloring now and works well into the dreary days of Fall. Who doesn’t love a green lightweight sweater-dress with tan flat sandals now and paired with chestnut boots later? No one with good style, that’s who.

So here are some of my favorite budget friendly green pieces for you! Read More »