I love clothes. I have a closet full of them. And 2 dressers. And an under-bed storage thingy. Yet, when it comes to getting dressed I tend to go for the same things every time. I don’t know if it’s laziness or just a lack of creativity, but I always find myself in the same outfit: a black shirt and jeans.

It’s boring, I know, but I just never feel the desire to try a bunch of things on or mix and match what I’ve got to create a new and more exciting look. I tend to spruce my outfits up with a fun bracelet or a cute clutch; basically, the easiest things I can find.

And I’m 100% confident there is no better way to add some cool to my boring looks than with these Belted and Buckled Booties from Anne Michelle. Buckles are huge this season and I know why. Just adding them to this basic black bootie takes it from just another black shoe to a total fashion statement. Read More »

We all have that friend who can wear the same dress over and over and over again, but each time it somehow looks new. Or different. Or cooler. “I wish I could do that,” you think as you stare at your dress and think that by wearing different shoes you will somehow achieve a whole new look.

FAIL FAIL FAIL, my friends.

Fact is, in order to make a dress look new and different you must change all components surrounding it. If you wore tights and heels last time, wear leggings and flats this time around. If you rocked red lipstick before, do a smokey eye and a muted lip. Add accessories, switch out the belt that came with it for a new chunky detailed belt, throw on a blazer…

Think about that piece in your wardrobe like your favorite fro yo place with an add-your-own-toppings bar: Oreo makes everything better the options are endless! Read More »

One of the must-have items this fall (and the fashion item that has taken the lead role in my dreams) is a pair of boots. Not only are they super functional, but boots are also one of the easiest, most-stylish ways to pull together an outfit.

There are many styles of boots in fashion this season, from shooties (shoe booties) all the way on up to the hottest style of ‘09, the over-the-knee boot. It’s super sexy and a great way to add some va-va-va voom to your basic jeans and t-shirt combo. Yes, without looking trashy.

Boots aren’t cheap, but they’re a versatile addition to any college girl’s wardrobe. The perfect riding boot can be worn with jeans tucked in, or even with leggings or a dress – meaning they can dress up or dress down any outfit.

Boots are so popular right now that even the ugly Sorels of our childhood days are getting in on the action.  These super-functional boots have gotten a makeover so they will not only keep your feet dry in snowbanks, but they’ll look pretty damn adorable in the process.

You want to be warm, dry and totally hot? It’s time to get thee some boots. Tall, short, ankle or knee-high – there is literally something for everyone. Here are a few to drool over inspire you. Read More »

When you’re on a budget you can’t spend your money on just anything. You need items that are versatile, timeless and just plain pretty. And this beautiful dress from ASOS is all that and more.  It is short enough and reveals just enough skin with its strapless design for hitting those clubs on Saturday night. Put on some sexy, strappy heels and you are ready to conquer the dance floor.

When the party’s over, work this dress in a different way. You got a holiday party coming up? Slip it on with a pair of pumps and clutch. A nice family dinner to attend? Put a blazer over the top and you’re good to go. Wanna rock it out? Add a leather jacket, tights and a pair of ankle boots. Read More »

I am a serial shopper. It’s a problem. I’ve accepted it. (That’s the first step to recovery right?)

That being said, I see so many articles of clothing, pieces of jewelry and cool accessories in my daily internet perusals that I am rarely rendered speechless by something in particular. But girls, it has happened. I actually came across something that has stopped me dead in my Internet browsing tracks, screaming inside “OMFG! This is genius!”

Are you dying to know?

They are called Bandits, fabric boot embellishments that slip over the top of your adorable yet simple fall boots to make them fresh, new and totally awesome. Read More »

So, Express isn’t cheap. That is pretty obvious when you walk in and the hot shirt your eying for your birthday party is marked at $49. But every few months, they have a major sale. And I mean major. The kind that makes you giddy and happy and willing to sift through giant over-stuffed racks because the deals are just. that. good.

You see, Express marks their stuff down to really low prices and then gives you an additional 20% off of that! That is some serious saving on a lot of really cute stuff. It’s a frugal fashionista’s dream. And that dream is coming true right now.

I sifted through the (digital) racks for you and pulled 8 of my favorite pieces. They’re all under $20, so you can stock your closet without that annoying guilt getting in the way. Read More »

This past weekend, I went on a bit of a shopping spree with my friend (yes, I realize that I should be saving my money for more important things like, I don’t know, college and my future, but the mall was calling me!). We get there and what do I see?

H&M, which was still under construction the last time I had been at the mall, had finally opened! We did a little jig. Then we ran in and started loading up on everything we needed to try.

I was rifling through a pile of shirts when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a pair of glimmering black sneakers. I dropped everything in my hand and went to them.

They weren’t really low-tops or high-tops, settling on a height in between. What made them gleam was that they were made of black velvet. They came with black shoelaces, a black rubber sole, and a small loop at the back. Now, usually I would say that this was too much of one color on a sneaker, but the rich, deep velvet stood out from the other components of the shoe for a subtle contrast. I also really dug the zippers on the sides, and at only 15 bucks, I couldn’t resist. Read More »

So, I live in the Midwest and that means the onset of October is practically winter. I have only about two hoodies and sweaters that are anywhere near stylish, and I really want to do a complete fall wardrobe overhaul, but there’s just one tiny problem—I have about enough spare cash to buy a box of mints from the Old Navy checkout aisle, and that’s it.

Not even the Budget Stylista can help me out.

I can’t be the only one in this situation, right? Yeah, I thought not. Luckily, I came up with a solution that has seemed to triple my wardrobe and even saved me that extra money for some emergency Old Navy mints. Ready for it?

I reorganized my closet.

That’s right! I know it sounds like the opposite of groundbreaking, but roll with me here for a minute. It took me almost a whole day, but once I rearranged everything—and got rid of a bunch of old clothes along the way—it was like I had completely new stuff. My method was Color Organization, and it’s about what it sounds like—I took everything in my closet and sorted it by color. (Think Forever 21.) So if I had a purple formal dress and purple cut-off denim shorts, I put them next to each other. Yes, really.

You might think that all this created was a disorganized closet, but you’d be amazed by how many killer outfits I’ve put together since arranging things that way. Not only did I reassess everything I owned (most of which I had completely forgotten about!), but I was able to think of what I owned in a completely new way. I tend think in terms of color and what colors might look good together, so this has been revolutionary for me. It makes getting dressed in the morning soooo much easier (and more fun!); I just look at the colors and grab a few things that look good together. No thought, no fuss, no crawling under my bed to find that box of sweaters I put there last summer.

If you’re a color gal, too, give it a try. And if not, try one of these other organization systems on for size: Read More »

As that hint of crisp air creeps into the weekly forecast every couple of days, all of us are looking towards winter, packing away a few more tanks each week and investing in a new winter coat for the season.

But while many girls consider winter wear to be a pair of Uggs and some cashmere sweaters, I go about the fall/winter wardrobe a tad differently. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love both of these things, but my fall shopping is fueled by an unhealthy obsession with the mini-dress-tights-boots combo.

So unhealthy, in fact, that my closet has at least 40 dresses in it. I always find a reason to pick up another one. So it’s no surprise that what I am craving right now is – you guessed it – a mini dress. Read More »

There are some people who always come to school looking like they just picked up whatever piece of clothing was in their line of sight, that may or may not be clean (determined by the ever scientific “Sniff Test”).

Then there are others who are always dressed so fashionably that you wonder if they live in a clothing store. Or how freaking early they wake up to pull an entire outfit together before making the trek to class.

While everyone is fabulous in their own right, we thought we should celebrate the campus fashionistas of the world for their continued excellence in not looking like a hot mess for class. So, we started stalking those girls on campus to get a few pics and get some tips on their personal style. And maybe a restraining order or two. But it’s worth it to highlight fresh, unique wardrobe choices that show personality and the courage to wear what you believe in.

So meet Chloe. Whenever I see her on campus, she always has the cutest outfits on that make you think of picnicking in green meadows and somersaulting across the grassy field. Her style is always really fresh with girly touches like headbands and hair pins, and plenty of gold-toned jewelry to go with. And no one has ever seen her without a cloth bag. Ever. She has defined her own style and done it well. That is why Chloe is my muse of the week.

Name: Chloe M.
Year: 2011
Major: History
Chloe in 3 words: outgoing, treehugger, spontaneous.

1) Describe your personal style.
Feminine with a twist. I love shopping at vintage stores, you can always find something that is unique and so YOU at the same time. And there’s less of a chance you’ll run into a girl wearing the same thing. Fashion crisis averted.

2) You can’t leave the house without your ____.
Hobo bag! You can fit anything you want inside it, a pack of gum, a notebook, sometimes even a laptop. I seriously have one of every color. Read More »