I just love purple clothing and accessories for fall.  The deeper and jewel-toned shade you see in stores this time of year are flattering on everyone, and you feel instantly more sophisticated when you wear it (it is the color of royalty, after all).

And not to mention it looks amazing with gray, my other favorite color for fall.  Here are some great purple items to add to your wardrobe this season for $20 or less each!

I don’t even know where to begin with how amazing this cami is.  Its gorgeous color and ruffles drew me to it at first, but what I really love about it is how versatile it is–you can layer it under a long cardigan for a casual look, or dress it up by wearing it under a blazer or tucked into a skirt.

There are a few reasons that camp shirts like this one have been popular for several seasons: the roll-up sleeves make mean you can wear them in different temperatures,  and they’re versatile enough to dress up or down.  Snag this grape-soda colored one for only $17.99.

This sweater tunic looks so comfortable!  It’s the perfect thing to just throw on the days you don’t know what to wear–just add some leggings or skinny jeans and your favorite boots.  And at $13.80, you can afford to buy a few!

This is the perfect party/going out skirt!  The color will draw enough attention by itself, so keep the rest of your outfit simple by wearing it with a plain black or white top and booties.  You’ll look hot, and no one will be able to guess you only spent $19.80!

Another going out option, this dress will definitely get you noticed!  The faux-wrap style is flattering on pretty much everyone, and the belt both defines your waist and gives you a little bit of an edgy rocker vibe.

This shawl-style cardigan can be worn many different ways to create a number of different looks–and at only $14.99, it’s a steal!

No time to wash your hair before class? This adorable hat will cover up your greasy roots, make your outfit instantly cuter, and keep your head nice and warm.

This boyfriend cardigan is the ultimate casual essential for any college girl.  It’s perfect to wear around your dorm, to class, or even over your dress when you go out at night.  The deep purple shade is just about perfect, and the stripes give it a subtle sporty vibe.  And it’s on sale for only $15!

It’s the merry month of May and that means the school year is coming to a close and many a student will be happily accepting their diplomas.  Ok, maybe not-so happily.

While you are probably busy drinking your face off and burning your books with your friends, there is a larger task that needs to be finished (and you are going to want to do this sober): figuring out what to wear to graduation!

You may be from the “I’m wearing a gown so who cares what happens under it” school of thought, but, trust me, it matters. Photos from your graduation day will be a part of your life forever, so dressing up (not throwing up) should be on the top of your graduation morning agenda.

The proper attire for graduations/convocations is basically what you’d wear to church/temple on a holiday.  You want to look dressed up, but without toeing the line to slutsville. So, leave the sex kitten at home – no short skirts, no low-cut tops and, for the love of god, no going naked. Those gowns don’t have a lining in them, and who knows what could happen if the wind blows….

Here are some ideas for cute ensembles. Just click on the item to get some more info!

Black and white is super popular this spring, so a colorblocked or printed B&W dress is a great way to go. And when graduation is over, you can take off that robe and head right to that delicious celebration dinner in style.

You can’t go wrong with a cute pair of black peep toes (classic), but oftentimes ceremonies take place on grass, meaning you will be digging holes with every step. Best alternative: the wedge. It is very in right now and totally comfortable. It’s also a great excuse to milk the parents for one more shoe purchase before you’re on your own in the real world.

If black and white isn’t really your style, celebrate this occasion with some bright florals. The brights in the dresses below will give you a much needed pop of color to balance out that tired little face of yours from a long night of graduation parties (or a long morning of weeping with your friends over the end of the best time of your life).

Going with a neutral skirt or pair of slacks and a bright blouse is also a good way to incorporate this trend. Bonus: these pieces are all essentials for any office job you may get post graduation, so these looks can work double duty.

For those evening ceremonies don’t forget a cardigan or wrap in case it gets chilly. Oh, and be sure whatever you wear has lots of pocketspace for those tissues. A girl’s gotta be prepared.

Now get out there and make your mama proud!

If you disagree with everything I just said, you probably don’t need this column. But if you’re nodding along because you’re officially an adult and still don’t know how to manage your money, then you might want to pay attention every week, because I’m going to (try to) get you through this, and make you a successful saver and a wise spender.]

Oh, crap. You just spent your holiday gift budget getting a little too happy at happy hour. You have less than three weeks to select, purchase, and wrap presents for your entire family and close circle of friends. Here are some ideas to keep you out of credit card debt (at least until March).

1. Photos

Classy portraits of yourself are a great, cheap gift for your family members, while buying cheap frames at the dollar store and stuffing them with the most memorable bar nights (that you obviously don’t remember) are great for friends.

If you’re going in the portrait-direction, see if you can hire a photography student to snap your photo for a small fee, and develop the pics in black and white for extra elegance. If you have siblings, go in on the cost of professional photography, and do family portraits. Sure, you’ll cringe every time you see the pics on your mother’s mantle, but on Christmas day, this sentimental gift is a guaranteed tear-jerker.

2. Free Gift Re-Gift.

Hey, we’re poor. Ain’t no shame in it. I recently got a gift bag at a party, and you can bet the eau de toillette I found inside will be unwrapped by my brother’s girlfriend this year. Besides, the holidays have gotten so commercialized that presents get increasingly more generic every year. So it’s totes easy to re-gift the Godiva chocolate assortment your roommate gave you to pretty much any member of your family that you forgot to buy a present for.

3. Do-it-Yourself Gifts

If it’s truly “the thought that counts,” then we’re in the clear for doling out cheesy, handmade gifts. Bake mass quantities of cookies and brownies and hand out platters to the girls on your floor; knit a scarf for your cousin and a blanket for your grandma. As a pseudo-artist, I can’t even tell you how many years I got away with calling paintings and pottery “presents.”

4. Your Achievements

An even easier direction is to recycle your schoolwork. In creative writing classes, I’ve written poems and non-fiction pieces about family members and gave them the original copies as gifts, complete with teacher’s raving comments. The first time I made straight A’s in college, I framed my grade report for my parents. My brother consistently gives my mom newspaper articles that feature his successful ass, and copies of awards he’s won (I hope my mom never expected diamonds and day-spas). The plus-side? If anyone dares call you cheap, you can argue that they don’t appreciate your many accomplishments. Who’s tacky, now, Aunt Fran?

5. School Shizz

Many universities have a special sale before the holidays, offering discounts at the bookstores so poor college kids can load up on university paraphernalia (and if your school doesn’t, you can always use your book buy-back cash!).

If the book store is still too expensive, give them the freebies you get: T-shirts from sporting events, mugs from signing up for credit cards, and whatever random crap you get when random campus organizations set up tables in the student union.

6. Work Perks.

If you can get anything at a discount price from work, that’s probably what all of your friends and family are getting for Christmas. The year I worked at Starbucks, my family got enough bags of coffee beans to keep them awake through 2045, plus a hosh posh of mugs that I got at a discount. If you work in retail, you’re golden.

Even if you do decide to take the traditional mall-route, see if any stores give student discounts to shoppers with ID. Hey, it can’t hurt. If anyone else has any suggestions on how to complete your holiday shopping without doubling your student debts, feel free to share!

Lately, it’s been so freaking hot where I live (hello, summer) that I don’t even want to turn on the stove for 30 seconds, let alone the oven. Remembering an awesome avocado and egg sandwich that I once had at a New York City deli, I devised this AMAZING veggie wrap.

You need: one wrap tortilla, half a fresh avocado, half a small tomato, one hard-boiled egg, one carrot, a couple tablespoons of cheese (type is up to you), a tiny bit of Miracle Whip, a tiny bit of pesto sauce, a tiny bit of honey mustard, and sprinkles of salt and pepper.

Hard-boil the egg (it takes 10-15 minutes) far enough in advance so that you can cool it down with some ice cubes and cold water in the refrigerator before you make the wrap. When it’s cold, peel it and slice it thinly. Slice the half-avocado thinly as well, and the half-tomato.

Grate the carrot. Grate the cheese, too, if it’s not already grated. I use cheddar and mozzarella, but I think almost any kind would be good.

Once you’ve done all that, set the empty wrap tortilla on a plate. Spread the mayonnaise across the diameter, then spread the pesto sauce evenly next to it.

Layer on the avocado slices, the egg slices, and the tomato slices.

Pour the grated carrot over what you have so far, then the grated cheese.

Finally, squeeze just a little bit of honey mustard over the whole thing, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Roll it up (as best you can; it might overflow), and dig in. YUM yum yum yum YUM. Now that is motivation enough to become a vegetarian.

Reports have surfaced that Will Smith has not only said yes to Scientology, but is openly recruiting other people to join him in washing away their thetans.

As a wrap present on his latest movie ‘Hancock’, Smith allegedly gave out gift certificates for a free personality test at the local Scientology center.

Guess Tom Cruise is really working his religious magic around Hollywood.

Gotta love those alien ghosts!