The 4th of July.  An excuse to drink beer, dress up in festive clothes and eat late-night salty munchies… all day. Sounds like a typical college weekend and it is oh-so-welcomed after 2 months of spending our weekend nights at home with our parents playing Scrabble.

But what to wear?

Not only is it day-to-night activities, but you don’t want to pull a George Banks and be a total party pooper (that’s why we invited you!) avoiding the red, white and blue all together, but, then again, you don’t want to be so obviously festive that you look like a walking Old Navy ad (or a pro wrestler). Thank God I’m here!

I can dress you from the beach to the fireworks so all you have to do is show up, grab that Corona and hot dog and enjoy. Read More »

Swimsuit shopping has been dreaded by women for a very long time, but it doesn’t have to be.  Sure, seeing all that cellulite harshly highlighted by the flourecent lights of a dressing room is U-G-L-Y, but there are so many cute suits this season that you may not even notice those ripples.

This summer there is no one-size (or style) fits all for bathing suits.  There truly is a bathing suit for everyone regardless of shape, size, style or skin tone.  No longer are you bounded by the basic two options: the one-piece or the bikini.  Stores are carrying the monokini, the bikini, the tankini — and many variations on each of these different basic cuts. With all the options out there, you are sure to find one (or one for everyday!) that fits your budget and looks H-O-T.

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Nick Jonas is officially a college man.

And the Teen Choice nominees are out!

Is Rihanna gettin’ nakey for Playboy?

When should you apply to college?

The swimwear trends of summer.

[Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like, we love sales, but we hate how we buy stuff we will never wear. Or how we love the summer, but hate shaving our legs daily. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

I’ll be the first to admit that I own a ridiculous amount of swimwear for a girl who lives in a state where the temperature reaches 80° for a maximum of three months. We don’t have real beaches, just lakes and pools. I’m not even a swimmer. I just really like bikinis. For the past few summers, however, the monokini has been a fierce alternative to the triangle top and the brazilian cut bottom. But will I actually buy one? Do I even like monokinis? I’m torn.

Love it:
I was first introduced to the concept of a monokini while watching none other than The Simple Life, when a non-emaciated Nicole Richie rocked the look while auditioning to be a mermaid at an amusement park in Florida. (Well, actually Paris was a mermaid; Nic was a turtle, but same difference.) After swimming, she pulled a denim mini over her suit and went clubbing. Swimsuit and sexy club top? Can’t (or at least shouldn’t) be done with a basic bikini. But with a monokini you’re getting two looks in one!

Aside from that, however no one can deny that monokinis are fierce and moderately new summer look. The fact that many girls haven’t tried the trend means that if you rock one, you’ll probably be getting a lot of looks on the beach. Monokinis are fierce because of their peek-a-boo sexiness. When you wear one, you’re not showing your entire body off, but you’re definitely hinting at and highlighting it. That being said, monokinis may be a good alternative for girls wanting more coverage than a classic bikini would provide without wearing a once piece or tankini. Read More »

In my exploits over many summers to the Jersey shore, I have discovered that a day at the beach must not only be viewed as a day of rest, but also as a day of skill and organization in order to be successful.

This is why I have decided to compile a list that will prevent beach goers everywhere from ruining their day in the sun by making the silly mistakes that can often snowball and cause a tripto the shore to be (gasp!) unenjoyable.

1. Check the Weather- This is the single most important move to make when planning a trip to the beach. The weather will make or break your entire experience. No one likes sitting in a bikini on a cold, cloudy beach and why experience this misfortune when Weather.com is just a click away?

2. Look Hot- Remember that a trip to the beach means massive exposure. Remember to shower and shave all the right spots before you go.

There is nothing more horrifying than laying your towel down on the sand and realizing you have a bird’s nest worth of hair protruding from your armpits. (Gross).

Tousle hair with some Garnier Surf Hair texture paste for natural beach hair before you hit the waves. Pick out some cute sandals, throw on some shades and you’re good to go! Read More »

Solid French Top $36, Solid Hipster Tie Bikini $34, both from J.Crew

I know I recently praised the return of the one-piece bathing suit, but today I stumbled upon the most adorable bikini — and I’m pretty sure I would have died if I hadn’t instantly bought it and splurged on the express shipping so that it will arrive at the currently sunny and delicious Dartmouth College asap.

Only the cool kids have summer school, believe you me, and I plan on spending a good chunk of this beer-infused summer camp sporting this little number. The question isn’t whether it’s appropriate to wear a bikini to class, but whether or not it will help me finally seduce that hot government professor I’ve been eyeing since last semester — that was a strictly theoretical example of course. Read More »

As a regular Vickie’s shopper and website skimmer, I know that this infamous lingerie powerhouse has more to offer than the “Very Sexy” push-up bra or lace-trim hipster undies.

Summer dresses, espadrille sandals and awesome bikinis are all also right there for the taking. And not only are they uber cute with a sexy little edge, but everything’s very affordable — especially when the signature sales come along to tempt my spending urges, like right now…

Absoultely EVERY kind of item is 25-50% off! Swimwear is on clearance. Panties and bras are going fast. Stylish tees and shorts are being bought as we speak.

Grab your credit card before you miss out on … Read More »

So over the weekend as you dusted off your bikinis, you realized that you’re in desperate need of some new swimwear. That old JCrew bandeau just isn’t cutting it anymore and well, you need to show off your new svelte self.

Good news. Now I’m giving you another reason to go shopping for a hot new suit: Blufly.com is having a serious swimwear sale because obvioulsy they knew all of us budget fashionistas needed a little something to enhance those summer months.

With prices as low as $34 a piece, you won’t break the bank. So go ahead, shop the hell out of BCBG, DKNY and many other fab designers.

Need a little celeb bikini style cue? Click here.

After much thought, I’ve decided that my swimsuit of choice for 2007 is going to be a one-piece. I know, it’s a bold move. The bikini, in varying degrees of scandal, has been a staple for the college female since the advent of songs like “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (for you trivial pursuit hounds, it came out August 8, 1960).

In a surprise move, the one-piece has become the rarer breed of swim apparel. The bikini gets all the attention. I mean, why shouldn’t it? It’s smaller, newer, and used to be a symbol of youthful rebellion. Not that I’m advocating some sort of return to traditional moral values (this is what my boyfriend thought when I told him I was writing about one-pieces). I just think the tank has a freshness about it. It invokes sultry women like Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch, and timeless hottie, Sophia Loren. Read More »

Target is like a playland of wonderfulness. There is row after row of things I don’t need, but must own right now. Take for example the adorable spice rack I bought for myself around Christmas time. Four months later, it has yet to see a single spice. But it looks great on my kitchen counter. And the Dollar Aisles? Don’t even get me started.

This past time I went to Target, I actually had a goal: Avert eyes from everything else, head straight for new Proenza Schouler line. I’ve been a fan of them since they debuted, and couldn’t believe Target had grabbed them for the awesome GO International Line. Read More »