I love chick flicks. Lots of them. There are so many amazing movies about women and for women, some about love, and some about life, that are labeled as chick flicks. And I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve watched them more times than I can keep track of.

So with that in mind I thought I’d dedicate this week’s weekly ten to my favorite chick flicks of all time. Some are recent and some are not so recent,  but they’re all pretty damn great.

10. Miss Congeniality. Oh Sandra Bullock, how I love you! It’s refreshing to watch a movie and see a woman who’s more comfortable holding a gun than she is walking in heels. She doesn’t need a man, but she gets one any way and that’s kind of great. Don’t you think?

9. Thelma and Louise. Girl power, ladies. Girl power. This is a story about friendship and fun (and felonies). Even if they do end up driving off a cliff together at the end of it, they do it together, right? Oh don’t look at me like that. It’s a fun movie.

8. Sixteen Candles. Every girl needs to see this movie at least once. It should be a rule. Because yes it’s outdated and yes no one would ever forget a girl’s sixteenth birthday anymore (She wouldn’t let them), but  this one is still so relatable. At the very least, we should all be forced to watch that dance scene before heading off to our own first big dance. It totally puts things in perspective.

7.  Dirty Dancing. Nobody puts baby in the corner. So that line might be a little bit cliché, but it’s also iconic. There’s no way I could make a list of the best chick flicks ever and not have the movie that gave us the time of our lives on here somewhere. Plus, you know, it’s Patrick Swayze.

6. When Harry Met Sally. Can a guy and a girl ever be just friends? Well the answer is absolutely not. And the evidence? This movie. But not only did this chick flick tackle that age-old question but it also gave us Meg Ryan faking it in a restaurant. Best. Scene. Ever.

5. The Devil Wears Prada. It’s Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. Together these two could make anything work. But they didn’t need to do much with this one, a chick flick that wasn’t just about the romance, but rather about the struggle to find a balance between work and real life, and trying to determine how much you’re willing to give up along the way.  Plus, the clothes are  fab.

4. 10 Things I Hate About You. Heath Ledger. Need I say more? But no, really, what could have been just another teen movie, another chick flick about a girl and a guy and prom, does something different.  With its strong female lead, quirky characters, and Heath Ledger singing “I Love You Baby” on the bleachers how could anyone not love this movie?

3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s Audrey Hepburn. I don’t think it’s even possible for her to make a bad movie. But it’s probably the rain scene that lands this one the third spot. That and the adorable cat named cat. Who actually does belong to someone. Just like Audrey.

2. Bridget Jones’ Diary. When it comes down to it I probably love this movie because it’s a modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice. But also because she tries to keep a diary. And because she tries (and fails) to keep the same new year’s resolutions as all of us. And a little bit because of Colin Firth and Hugh Grant.

1. Pretty Woman. My absolute favorite chick flick of  all time. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love this movie (which means I was probably watching it when I was way too young.) And sure you can laugh at say it’s completely unrealistic and it’s about a hooker who falls in love with a sleazy business man. But that doesn’t matter. I love this movie. Because of “I want the fairy tale” and “Big Mistake. Huge” and the infamous piano scene, and a younger, cuter Richard Gere.

What are you favorite chick flicks, ladies?

Between the out-there fashion ensembles that stylist Patricia Field (you also know her work from the drool-worthy outfits we saw in SATC and the Devil Wear Prada) puts together, the adorable and relate-able Becky Bloomwood, and one of my girl crushes Isla Fisher (I mean her hubby is Sascha Baron Cohen, HELLO) I just can’t choose.

What I can confess however, is how much I love her black on black on black ensemble. She makes it look effortlessly classy, sexy and chic, whereas most all black ‘fits end up looking like they would fit in better on the set of Doubt (read: dowdy).

So here is this week’s Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Confessions of a Budget-Aholic

The Dress:

The key with a black-on black look is to highlight some area of skin. It doesn’t matter which, just show off some of your natural assets. In this case, Isla chose to highlight her chest and collar bone, which is sexy yet totally chic. I adore the neckline on the halter dress. Plain and simple: it’s a hot number.

Leather Cuff:

Adding a fun piece of jewelry gives an extra little hint of fun and fabulosity. The leather cuff makes the look a little edgier and adds some serious sex appeal.  Another option would be an awesome black cocktail ring.

Tights:

Black opaque work best

Shoes:

Another important thing to remember is to switch up the textures if you’re rocking an all black style. Going for a patent or suede will help break up the monochromatic-ness of the look.

 And if you just have to have color:

Sometimes a little pop is all you need and these are cute and cheap.

Though chick lit catches flak for being notoriously breezy and light reading, there’s nothing better to pick you up after a bad day than a book about absolutely nothing. I will personally testify to the amazing power of chick lit, being that it saved me from waxing romantic about a “misunderstood, underestimated” ex-boyfriend who fits neither of those descriptions. As February 14th approaches, there is no better time to read chick lit, even if just to take a break from the steady downhill slide of The City.

1) Chick Lit inspires us to get off our couches, stop obsessing about our boyfriends (or lack thereof), and get going with life. When I finished reading The Devil Wears Prada, I felt like re-enacting the motivational montage where the main character of the movie starts turning her life around with self-help books (that actually work) and incredibly effective gym workouts (I want to go to whatever gym gets results that fast).

2) There is always a reliable disaster that will give us that ‘well at least that didn’t happen to me’ feeling. I had a hard time pitying myself for another single Valentine’s Day when the main character was suffering a spectacular firing, a nightmarish boss, or even worse man trouble than I had. Combined with my two favorite men, Ben & Jerry, chick lit is a proven mood lifter when things suck in life.

3) Chick Lit has deeper lessons involved than the glammed out covers hint at. Even though chick lit is starting to get the stigma that Harlequin romance novels have (completely worthless and shallow, according to some), chick lit has lessons in it that classical literature doesn’t. I can’t remember a single time when I was reading Wuthering Heights in high school that I didn’t feel like going outside and having a car back over my face from the twisted depression that every single character in the book suffered from. Chick Lit instills in us the sense that we can succeed at what we want, and make ourselves happy regardless of what our happiness is based upon. Also, although a romance is usually part of a chick lit novel, it’s definitely not required, reminding us that we don’t need a man just to make us happy; they’re usually just icing on the cake.

4) It’s Valentine’s Day, a day that’s obvi entirely centered love and happiness. Loving yourself is included in the description, so why not enjoy a book with empowered women, fashion, and a guaranteed happy ending? Whenever I watch a movie, a happy ending is usually a must; books are no different. Sad endings that seem to be cop-outs always leave me irritated and unfulfilled, like the way I feel around dinner time after a giant Thanksgiving feast.

5) Chick Lit is a nice break from the serious, grave literature we have to read for classes. Somewhere, there are conspiring professors compiling reading lists, chuckling darkly to themselves as they add yet another dreary book about death and destruction (because, you know, there’s not a lot of that in real life). And who wants to only read about that?

Sometimes reading is like ice cream: you know you should get the low-cal stuff, but you really just want a tub of Brownie Batter and the happy feeling that comes with not denying yourself. Chick lit is my Brownie Batter, and this V-Day I am not going to deny it.

But can it help you lose weight?

Hypno-dieting, a new trend that just emerged in the U.S., has been popularized by its celebrity following, including former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and British model Sophie Dahl. Recently, Lily Allen made headlines when she too endorsed this new type of fad diet, claiming that after several sessions she felt more inclined to choose healthy, low-fat meals rather than junk food. All of which made her lose 2 dress sizes! It’s also helped her give up her beloved bottle of booze, a feat in itself (of which many of my dormmates might take note).

Personally, I think all of this is just hyped-up mumbo-jumbo. I do realize that a healthy approach towards food is a key aspect of living a healthy life, and that counseling could help you get there, but a hypnotist? That seems a little extreme. This reminds me of other weird diets that have gone in and out of fashion, like the Breatharian Diet (yes, a diet based on living off of air- so chock full of nutrients, I suppose) or the diet that Emily from The Devil Wears Prada is on, which she describes as:

“I’m on this new diet where I don’t eat anything until I feel like I’m about to pass out, then I eat a cube of cheese.”

Ok, so it’s not as crazy as that, but giving someone else control over your mind so they can order you to eat healthier? And for 300 euro/hr? Now, that just makes me laugh.

Have you ever gone on a strange diet like the hypno-diet? And I’m curious, did it work?

I used to love Lo. In fact, I considered my 25th birthday to be one of my favorites because it was the day I got to interview her. Too bad I suck at picking people to love, because that girl is a serious biatch.

I get it, Lo; Audrina is sorta bland and boring and you hate her cuz her legs are ridiculous. But stop being such a bitch. She may not be the brightest crayon in the box (although she most definitely is the tannest), but she is a nice girl and wants nothing but good things for those around her. Plus, she is your best friend’s other best friend and, quite frankly, she looked a lot better than you at She-Pratt’s birthday party. What was UP with your hair? And the red lips? You looked like a crazy cat lady.

And then there is Spencer. Oh Spencer – how many times can I possibly write how much I loathe you? Your life consists of one thing: being a bitch. You don’t work, you don’t have friends – all you do is plot evil plans with Heidi (consisting of either awful music videos, photo shoots or ways to make LC’s life a living hell) and eat Mexican food.

When you showed up to Stephanie’s birthday party just to make Lauren squirm, I wanted to take you by that plastic-looking nose and kick the crap out of you. Then the next day when you showed up at Stephanie’s apartment and compared your relationship with LC to that of Iran and Israel, I wanted to shove your face into a pile of poo. For real? You think your hatred for LC – which stems from the fact that she didn’t like you treating her BFF (at the time) like crap – can be compared to the MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT?

<Breathe, Lauren>

Surprisingly, though, those weren’t what made me hate you most.

It was the baby talk at the table with Heidi that really put me over the edge and won you the honor of Biggest Douchebag of the Episode. (Congrats!) Baby talk in relationships is gross. Baby talk coming out of your mouth should be punishable by death. You are the villain, the hated one; seeing you do supposedly cutesy things makes me want to hurl.

But just because Spencer took the cake last night doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty of other offenders in the episode.

Other things that made me hate everyone on The Hills last night:

1. Whitney’s ridiculous jobs – No, I would never want to work for Kelly “I am Satan” Cutrone, but it just seems unfair that Whitney keeps movin’ up the ladder when all she does all day is hang jeans on a rack.

2. Lauren’s Hair – It is so perfect. I want it.

3. Stephanie Pratt’s hair – No more bangs, but the giant frizz is out of control. Can someone let her know that it is not 1988 and that her hair is not immune to humidity?

4. Kelly Cutrone – Is she channeling Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada? Why is she so evil? Does she bathe? Can she somehow get me fired from my job for saying mean things? I’m scared…

So you’re all set, right?

Wrong.

Unless you’re planning to follow in the footsteps of Andy in The Devil Wears Prada, you can’t always wear whatever is hip and trendy to your job interview. The good news is, though, that there are some easy guidelines you can follow that will lead you to a great interview outfit.

1. Dress conservatively. This is really difficult to do if you have a personality that you like to express through your clothes, but do your best to rein in that desire. It’s fine to wear a shirt with a splash of color or a pair of shoes with a little detailing, but it’s really important not to let yourself go overboard. You want the people interviewing you to focus on you, not on what you’re wearing. Think simple, classy, and professional.

2. The importance of the suit. The suit is a fantastic piece to have during a job interview and, really, throughout life. If you think you want to go the suit route for your interview, you first need to decide if you want a pantsuit or a skirt-and-blazer combo. Once you’ve made that decision, go shopping. Stay away from trendy sets—go classic instead. You want something that fits you really, really well and something that is versatile as well as flattering. If you have some extra bucks hidden away that you can use to splurge, use them on the suit. If you get a good one, you’ll get tons of mileage from it in your life.

3. Comfy, basic shoes. Your job interview is not an opportunity to show off your new pair of Blahniks. Instead, find a shoe that doesn’t have a super-high heel and that is comfortable to walk around in for at least 20 minutes. If you have a pair you want to wear but you can’t walk around in them all day, wear a pair of tennies and stash the shoes in your bag until just before the interview.

4. Details are key. Comb your hair, and wear it up or pinned slightly back. Iron what you’re planning to wear so that it won’t have any wrinkles. A little bit of makeup is OK, but you want to look as natural and presentable as possible. Dress in a way that would wow your friends who are used to seeing you in sweatpants and a ratty old T-shirt. You want people to look at you and think, “That chick has a career.” Because by following these tips, you won’t only look the part—hopefully you soon get to act the part, too.

Some chick lit is pretty good. When I say “pretty good,” I am thinking of books like The Devil Wears Prada and The Nanny Diaries. (See, I’m not the only one who thinks they have potential — Hollywood even made movies out of them!) Confessions of a Shopaholic and The Ivy Chronicles also stand out. Bitter is the New Black is worth mentioning, as well — even though it’s actually nonfiction, it has all of the story and character elements of chick lit.

Unfortunately, there are just as many chick lit novels that I can’t stand. There is a fine line between lighthearted and superficial, but some chick lit coasts right on past into nauseating. For example, I was absolutely appalled by How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls. While most chick lit novels feature a mild moral conflict — “to tell a lie or not to tell a lie, that is the question” — this one was serious enough that it made the main character seem rather mean-hearted and opportunistic. It’s hard to like a book when you fantasize about beating up the narrator.

Chick lit seems to be one of the most formulaic genres, right up there with romance (which is so formulaic that shoppers read the sex scenes in grocery stores). One common theme in chick lit is that the main character is dazzled by all the glitz and glamour of upper-crust society, usually a new thing for her. Think The Devil Wears Prada’s world of high fashion, and the high-dollar bribes handed out like spare change in The Ivy Chronicles. In some novels, the superficiality eventually becomes evident, and the main character gives it up in favor of a moral choice. (Interestingly, it’s the ones that don’t portray wealth as superficial that I end up disliking the most.)

Most chick lit also deals quite heavily with career. In the very beginning of the book, the main character either leaves her old job or gets a new job, or both. And in the very end of the book, she usually gives up her new life in order (here’s that moral dilemma again) to do the right thing. Furthermore, she is almost always rewarded for doing so — usually with lots of money or a new job.

And, finally, there is the love interest. You didn’t think I was going to forget that, did you? Sometimes the love interest is a new one, and if so there’s often an old love interest that she has to agonize over first before she ultimately ditches him. Regardless, there is always a revelation that she has to have first, which ties into — drum roll, please — the Moral Dilemma.

I’m not sure what it is that determines whether I like a particular chick lit novel. Is it the degree of superficiality in the characters or the plot? The authenticity of the romance? Or, perhaps, its ability to stray from the formula and surprise me?

Maybe it’s just that there are two different categories of chick lit. What categories would those be, you ask? Well, those I love and those I hate, of course.

And yes, unlike Jess, I consider Dirty Dancing one of my all time favorite movies and am so excited to see it return to the big screen this week.

Needless to say, when I read an article in the NY Times about the possible downfall of chick flicks, I was devastated. Supposedly there is a disappearance of many of the movie world’s most visible female power brokers and because of this, more male-oriented movies such as 300 will appear and not be balanced out with another female-oriented option.

For someone that cannot stand watching movies full of guts, guns, or any type of violence, this is not okay.

“You don’t see companies saying, ‘More than half of this population is women, we should design a slate to come up with movies like ‘The Break-Up,’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ ” said an independent producer. No more chick flicks out in theaters will mean much less theater going for me.

I’m sure my boyfriend will find this news exciting as our regular fights over which movie to see come down to a chick flick versus a gross violent movie that I will probably have my eyes shut for most of it. Case in point: Last night it was In the Land of Women vs. Fracture. Surprise, surprise…Fracture won.

Oh well, I guess we’ll just have to rely on those oldies but goodies for chick flicks, until some more female power brokers take over the reigns once more. And plus, you can never watch When Harry Met Sally too many times, right?