Weekly List

Summertime is kind of like New Years in the sense that you try to set a lot of goals for yourself. Therefore, summer is about relaxing, tanning and accomplishing. Here are my must-do summer goals:

1 ) Run a 5-mile race

2 ) Wear sunscreen religiously

3 ) No new clothes until a job is in sight

4 ) Check out books from the library every week and try to finish at least three of them

5 ) Master the self-mani/pedi

6 ) Get a credit card (only after doing serious amounts of research)

Two Seconds to Cool

Don't let bummy weather ruin your summer. Here is my instant equation to fix summertime-yet-cold-weather blues.

cotton bomber jacket + tshirt dress + espadrilles

=

happy all summer long

Exercise for Free!

Gym memberships, depending on where you live, can be a super pricey monthly expense. And during this recession of ours, sometimes you may discover that things you once assumed were necessities are actually luxuries. I can just picture Suze Orman yelling at some poor girl "You don't need the gym! Running outside is free!" But not all of us looove to run outside, especially if where you live is super hot or super cold. Luckily, the world has Exercise TV. If you have On-Demand, Exercise TV is built into your TV programming for free. If you do not, check out the free exercise videos on their website.

In addition, as a girl who works out in her living room, I recommend buying a set of hand weights, around 5-10 lbs, to supplement your workouts. These weights can be used to add weight to sit-ups and crunches and to strengthen your upper body to get those oh-so-incredible-Michelle Obama arms.

I'm Crazy For...

Vintage cummerbunds! Trust me on this one. I know they are for men and are standards at formal events like weddings and proms, but their tapered shape and mid-waist location makes them the perfect accessory for a boring white tee shirt. Think loose white tee, dark skinny jeans, heels and beaded cummerbund around your natural waist. To find one, look with the belts and ties in secondhand stores. This is where I have had the most luck in the past. In addition, here is one I found on ebay to give everyone a visual of what I am talking about. 

 

                                   

Celeb Style Under $60

During the summer, gossip magazines become absolutely stuffed with pictures of celebrities on the beach. And to be honest, I don't usually feel that jealous of them, even though I would love to spend my whole summer in Hawaii. They just look so awkward and stiff at the beach, like they are sucking in every inch of their body and trying to stand up really really tall. Everything is planned, from the sunglasses to the color on their toe nails. That's why I was so happy to come across this picture of Beyonce at the beach. She looks totally chill and relaxed, like a good beach day should feel like. And I am absolutely obsessed with her chill dude-esque beach attire. Here is my version of the outfit for under $60:

easy, breezy button-up

ray-ban sunglasses (they come in a bunch of fun colors)

sexy bikini (option one or two) 

Don't Waste Your Money!

Tonight is the season final of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, a show that I have become obsessed with. It's completely trashy and totally cheesy, which is exactly why you should watch it. So to honor the New Jersey gals as they celebrate the end of their first season, I would like to use them as examples of what not to waste your money on. These women have a lot of money and somehow they still look super cheap all the time.

Don't buy silk-esque bright printed tops. They look super cheap. End of story. You can find the same ones at high end stores as in TJMaxx. It doesn't matter, they look terrible. Same goes for dresses in the same pattern/material scheme.

Don't wear thick metallic jewelry. The chain-link necklaces and bracelets, the thick rop-like chains, etc etc look tacky. Simple, elegant jewelry is better for you and your wallet.

Don't wear flip-flops everywhere. I don't care if they are two inches high and covered with Swarovski crystals. Casual footwear should be simple and clean and streamlined. Think thin-straped leather flat sandals. Not hot pink flip-flops with kissy lips on them.

Weekly List

As a fashionista, I believe that fashion has a big impact on how people view you and, therefore, how you view yourself. As a reccessionista fashionista, I think this is more important than ever. In my search for a job, one of the biggest confidence boosts I got was my graduation gift from my parents: a grown-up working woman's wardrobe. Now I can actually visualize myself with a successful career. So if you are in the same job hunt, here are my picks for the modern working girl's wardrobe.

1) A silk shell ( i love the dark buttons )

2) A shift dress in a bright color

3) A sweater in a neutral color but fun, unexpected shape

4) A tulip skirt

5) A leather watch

6) Tiffany's-esque knotted studs

Rain Rain Go Away

Ok so I know that the universe's official date for the beginning of summer is June 21st, but that doesn't mean that we should be getting days after days of rain, right? If you are in a part of the country where there is sunshine, I am super jealous. A couple weeks ago, I was sweaty and tan, ready to enjoy a summer of full-skirted dresses, technicolor sunglasses and easy living. But the only things I have been accessorizing with lately are sweatshirts and steaming cups of tea. 

To keep busy as we wait for some vitamin-D filled rays of joy, here are some fun and cheap ways to enjoy rainy days.

1) Catch up on seasons past of your favorite shows. Go to your local library and see if they have past seasons of your favorite TV shows. If they don't have it on location, always remember to check the inter-library system, which usually only takes a couple days. Some of my favorites are Sex and the City, Project Runway, Entourage and Mad Men.

2) Take a "fancy" shower. I always want to take long, steamy showers on chilly rainy days. Make it special by using up a toiletry you have been saving, like French soaps your aunt gave you for your birthday or a sample of an expensive conditioner you got in a package from Sephora. So instead of saving it for a spontaneous weekend trip, indulge yourself for free! 

3) Find inspiration. Sometimes the easiest way to get a new wardrobe is to put yourself in a different style direction. Gather up all the magazines you have lying around and look through each one for pictures or ideas that inspire you. It can be literal, like a new way to wear khakis, or it can be a picture from one of the crazy high fashion shoots in Elle or Vogue. Pick out your favorites at the end and tape them up around your mirror. You'll look at them every time you get dressed, changing all the blahs to tah-dahs! in your daily routine. 

Cheap Alternative

Vera Wang, the uber-feminine designer extraordinaire, started a less-expensive line of clothing about two years ago called Simply Vera Wang, available only at Kohls stores. And everything in the line is currently 20-30% off on the website. While most of the clothes are, may I dare say, mom-ish, there are some really great pieces worth checking out. I think all of this stuff would look great over dark skinny jeans or as additions to a working girl's work wardrobe. Here are some of my favorites.

(from top $27.99, 29.00, 29.00)

Don't Waste Your Money!

An easy way to waste your money is to buy super fancy toiletries that claim to do things that toiletries aren't really made to do. For instance, take anti-cellulite creams and lotions. They don't work! There is no scientific proof that rubbing in a lotion on the surface of your skin helps to get rid of the cellulite that's underneath it. 

It's so tempting to go into a store and get carried away by the packing and the descriptions on bottles of creams, lotions and hair products. Of course everything looks great! That's because there are rooms full of people thinking up new ways to convince you that you need their product. But always remember that the only person who has control over your money is you. If you want beautiful, healthy skin, the $2 stuff from Vaseline works wonders. If you want to get rid of your cellulite, get some cardio in 3-4 times a week, drink lots of water and keep your fat intake down. Creams are a waste of your time and money. 

Working Girl Idol

Anna Wintour, the infamous cold bitch editor of Vogue, is hands down one of the most awesome people alive today. Besides having the best fashion palate in the world, she is ruthless, driven and incredibly creative. I think she has done a great job balancing the current economic realities and the timeless fantasy of fashion over the last year in the issues of Vogue.

Anna was interviewed by Morley Safer in a 60 Minutes episode that aired on May 17th but here is the youtube video just in case you missed it. The best part about the interview is the men singing her praises, clearly because they are afraid of her. God I'm obsessed with her. 

                                                

D.I.Y.

Trying on shorts in the dressing room is probably the only bad part about warm weather. Seeing your thighs in full light for the first time in months can be quite intense and overwhelming. But buying shorts can be avoided with the easiest D.I.Y. idea in the history of working girls : turn your old jeans into cut-off shorts! This is perfect for jeans with rips in the knees that still fit you like a glove, therefore taking away the stress of searching for shorts that fit you and feel comfortable. 

To Do :

1) fold jeans sideways (so the pleat is in the middle of the pant)

2) use sharp scissors (fabric scissors are perfect if you happen to have them) to cut straight across. cut one leg at a time, keeping a super steady hand. make sure they are two inches longer then you want so you can fold over.

3) try shorts on. take them off and make them shorter if you want. if not, fold up edge of jeans and use straight pins to hold the fold in place. just mark the sides and finish pinning the edges after taking the shorts off.

4) hand stitch the edges or run a sewing machine straight around the middle of the fold. if the jeans are a lighter wash, use light thread. if dark jeans, use dark thread, like navy blue. 

Weekly List

Inspired by my baby sister's successful trip to Jcrew, here are my selections for casual summer essentials.

1 ) a cotton high-waisted skirt with pockets

2 ) racerback tanks (in super fun bright colors)

3 ) silk-esque shorts

4 ) tiny gold animal stud earrings

5 ) smocked floral print tops

I'm Crazy For....

Hautelook.com! Hautelook works kind of like ebay, they sell designer stuff for a certain amount of time, usually two days, at really really cheap prices. You have to sign up on their website and then you recieve a confirmation email. You receive daily emails listing the new designers for the day. For example, today's discounted selection included Smashbox Comestics, Rock & Republic jeans and Michael Kors sunglasses. Check it out here.

The tassel's worth the hassel!

I have taken the last few days off but thats only because I graduated from college! Wahoo! I am now a full-time working girl. Therefore I will be spending the summer looking for a long-term job, planning my move to New York City, working my butt off and, of course, shopping. Life is for living not waiting around! I'm going to grab life by its price-tag covered horns and enjoy every minute of it.

So look forward to a summer of good deals and great style!