January 2009

I think the best way to wear Spring’s softer, more feminine styles is to add a little edge.  You never want to do one trend head to toe, so why not break up that flirty chiffon skirt or that ruffled mini-dress with some stud-accented accessories??

Go ahead, embrace your inner rocker-chic…just not the Bret Michaels/Rock of Love kind!

StyleLinks: Gladiator Sandals $14.60, Earrings $3.80, Pyramid Cuff $6.80, Pyramid Stud Tote $32.80, Dress $25.90, Studded Heels $69.95, Circle Stud Handbag $22, Vest $27.80

I know it feels entirely too early to start thinking about Valentine’s Day, but it is right around the corner!  This one-shoulder dress from the Target Go Collection would be just perfect for a romantic date with that special someone or a super-cute dress option if you’re having a girls night out instead! It retails for $39.99 and will be available on-line and in stores on Sunday!

It’s a new year and it’s about time I update my look. The only problem is I don’t know how to go about doing it. Im a college student on a budget and when I do have money to go shopping I never know what to buy. I’m petite with a baby face and I need a new wardrobe that will help keep me look polished but not over done. It’s all so overwhelming…any help would be greatly appreciated!

Dear College Co-ed,

I know how frustrating shopping can be when you feel like you need everything, but don’t know even know exactly what everything is!  If you’re feeling like you need a total wardrobe overhaul, the best advice I can give you is to go back to basics…literally.  I mean start with core items that you can add onto, little by little, to build your dream closet.

As a college student, you probably don’t have use for a lot of work clothes so it’s important-for anyone in your situation- to identify what needs your clothes will have fill.  Do you have a bustling social life or do you stay in most nights?  Do you value comfort over style or are you a total fashionista?  Asking yourself simple questions like these will help you make good decisions about what clothes you actually need to buy.  This will not only make your shopping trip more efficient, but it will keep you from over-spending on items that don’t fit into your lifestyle.

Dillards $28 and $38

So now for the good stuff…the clothes!!  I would suggest you start with two pairs of jeans…a skinny or straight leg and then a trouser cut with a wider leg both in medium to dark washes.  Since you’re still in school, you can easily wear jeans on a daily basis and even wear them out at night just by pairing them with a dressier top.  Having these two essential pieces in your wardrobe arsenal will provide you with the perfect foundation to create many looks.

Urban Outfitters $59.99 and $54.99

Next, you mention that you want to appear more polished and in my opinion, there’s not better way to accomplish that than by adding a blazer or fitted jacket to any outfit.  Jackets are a great layering piece and they help you instantly achieve that perfectly styled look that you see in so many fashion magazines.  And while you may think that a nice jacket will cost you a pretty penny, here are some great options- all priced under $60- that will help you feel more put together.  Also keep in mind that jacket’s don’t have to be paired with pants…they look equally, if not better, worn over dresses or with a flirty skirt!

Alloy $42.50

Finally, every woman needs dresses that are versatile enough to wear to class, on a date or to a cocktail party.  The easiest way to transform the look of this dress, or any look for that matter, is by incorporating fun accessories.  Pair your dress with high heels and a collar necklace for a more formal occasion or add a printed scarf and brightly colored flats for a casual but chic day outfit .  Shoes, belts and jewelry will allow you to manipulate the overall effect of any outfit and with resources like Forever 21 and H&M, you can achieve this on student’s budget!

Over time, you will want to incorporate certain pieces based on the season and more importantly, on your personal style, but I hope this gives you a good start to building your new wardrobe and updating your look for the New Year!

If only we could all look this wintry-chic in the blustery January weather…

She may not be the most talented of actresses, but Cameron Diaz never ceases to amaze me when it comes to her command of personal style.  No matter what the weather or the occasion, this California girl sure knows how to dress!

Here she is walking the streets of New York, looking every bit the New Yorker I might add, in all that black.  You can’t really see it in this shot, but I have to point out her very unexpected and fabulous YSL Muse bag.  So to all those nay-sayers who don’t think a white bag should be carried past Labor Day…you may want to re-think your stance.  I think her bag choice adds an element of surprise and brightness to this otherwise dark look.

Here’s how you can steal Cami’s look for a fraction of the cost:

Style Links: Jeans $38.99, Wrap Cardigan $27.80, Bomber Jacket $39.50, Chunky Beret $14.50, Leather Gloves $19, Suede Wedge Boots $84.99

Jeans are a staple in everyone’s wardrobe, but unlike the last few years when one style has reigned supreme, this Spring we’ll be seeing a multitude of washes, styles and cuts…so here’s the lowdown on some of the hottest trends in Denim for the upcoming season:

The Cuffed Jean

Who: Katie Holmes

How: Try a menswear inspired look and pair these with a button down shirt, but add heels or sexy cut-out ankle boots for a touch of feminine flair!

Where to Buy: Urban Outfitters $29.99

The Ankle Jean

Who: Lauren Conrad

How: The tighter the better on this look but make sure it stops right at your ankle for a fresh update to last year’s styles!

Where to Buy: Alloy.com $39.50

The Boyfriend Jean

Who: Rachel Bilson

How: These look best when worn with flat sandals and paired with boho-chic accessories, like a woven belt or a fringe bag!

Where to Buy: ASOS $55

Update: I know some of you were getting error messages when trying to sign up but I’ve spoken to the IT person at Savvy and they said they are in the process of fixing the error message, but they’ve assured me that they are getting your name/email addresses from the form.  Sorry for the technical difficulties!

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When I lived in New York, I couldn’t walk down the street without seeing a sign for a sample sale, but since moving to Philadelphia, I’ve been feeling pretty left out of the sample sale scene.  I really miss scoring 70% off designers I could never even imagine buying at retail and something about hunting through all that merchandise for just the right item feels oh-so invigorating!!

So you can only imagine how excited I was when I came across TheSavvy.com.  It’s a website dedicated to online samples sales and they’ve hosted some of the hottest designers like MaxMara, Sissi Rossi, Rebecca Taylor and Rachel Roy.  All you have to do is sign up on their site and then log into your account on the day of the sample sale.  Each sale usually lasts 36 hours and once you’re on their site, it’s just like regular old, online shopping…except that you’re getting access to wholesale and even below wholesale prices!

Up next on the site is Bulga on February 4th…so be sure to mark your calenders if you’re in the market for an amazing deal on a new handbag!!  And after a little grovelling, I was able to get yall $10 off your next Savvy purchase with promocode CHICAS2434.  Happy Shopping!!

I’m not sure if it’s my upcoming trip or the fact that I’m feeling in a bit of a color rut, but I’m head over heels for all of this Southwestern inspired jewelry…the colors, the details and best of all, the prices!

Style Links: Turquoise Necklace $7.80, Earings $5.80, Wide Bangle $5.80, Multi Necklace $6.80, Skinny Bangles $5.80

One of the biggest trends on the red carpet was color…unfortunately, these gowns were not the way to do color.   The first dress isn’t even that bad, and I actually like the rich green shade…unfortunately, the overall styling totally missed the mark.

Christina Applegate is usually on my best dressed list, but this green sack thing did her amazing body no favors.  If she wanted to be comfortable, she should have at least upped the glam factor with standout jewelry.  That long diamond necklace totally looks out of place and it only emphasizes the general messiness of the dress.  The earrings look like a solar system hoovering around her face and she really needed pick something more classic and elegant to elevate the casualness of the gown.

And what happened to Eva Longoria??  She truly wowed in that stunning red gown at the Golden Globes, but she must have asked Robert Verdi to dress her again because she’s back to the overdone, over styled prom-queen business again.

My general feeling about tonight’s red carpet looks was …boooooring.  These women left me wanting and expecting more, so let’s hope and pray that the Oscar’s really deliver!

That was easy…when there’s that many fashion DONTS on a red carpet, it makes my job very simple.

Here are the women who actually remembered that they were attending the SAG awards tonight and who decided to actually dress like the movie stars that they are.

Anne chose white, the hottest color for this Awards season, and looked like a goddess in that Grecian inspired Azzaro gown but she should have used a hair stylist in addition to her wardrobe stylist…I do not care for that hair.

Kate Winslet just gets more and more beautiful every time I see her and she’s radiant in this cobalt blue number.  And more power to her for showing us again and again that real women do have curves!

Rounding out my top 4 are America Ferrara in a beautifully draped nude Vera Wang number, which combined two usually blah neutrals and made them totally WOW, and my favorite princess, Amy Adams in a rich Violet Giambattista Valli gown.  I didn’t love Amy’s dress when I first saw it because of the bows, but once I saw the gown up close and realized that they weren’t actually bows, I quickly changed my mind.  The color is striking against her skin tone and the loose column silhouette is a nice contrast to the corseted top.  She looks sexy, yet elegant at the same time.

What do you think?  What were your favorite looks of the night??

These totally put me in the mood for Valentine’s Day…the signature red Louboutin sole combined with that Barbie pink bootie…perfection!  BTW, can you spot these elsewhere on the site??

Really?  That’s what I got all excited about…

The new Shibuya Mon Amour collection (not that 8 T-shirts constitutes a collection, but…) at Forever 21 consists of cute-ish animal prints on your basic T-shirt.  The shirts were designed by LA shop owner Jeanie Lee who owns a very over-priced and non CheapChica-y store called Satine.  Considering the average price point in her store is somewhere around $250, I’m quite surprised that Forever choose her for the collaboration…but thank goodness the prices are more Forever 21 than Satine.  The shirts retails from $12-$14.50.

I think they’re cute, but do we really need another T-shirt line???

So I know it might seem early to be lusting after sandals given that it rarely gets above freezing here in Philly , but I can’t help myself and there’s nothing like a versatile pair of gorgeous Vachetta sandals to get me in the mood for shorts, spring dresses and girly skirts!  The natural colored shoe is one of my favorite trends for Spring ‘09 and with so many styles like flats and gladiators in woven, studded and strappy versions, you’re sure to find a pair that works for you!

The perfectly neutral tone makes these shoes wearable with just about any color and can we talk about how much longer your legs will seem when they seamlessly disappear into a pair of 4″ natural colored heels?!?  My only suggestion is that you might want to consider a little faux sun to tan those mid-winter gams before you strap these on!

Style Links (clockwise, top left): Jessica Simpson Delanco $89, Nine West Kentaro $89, Nine West Jed $78.95, Baker’s Aileen $59.99, Alloy Natural Vibe $34.50, Go Jane Gladiator $16.50, Steven Bianca $64.51

If you don’t already know who she is…you will soon.  Goldman is the woman responsible for many of the fashions First Lady Michelle Obama chose throughout her husband’s campaign and most notably, on Inauguration Day.

Ikram Goldman, whose namesake Rush St. boutique is a mecca for Chicago’s best-dressed set, stands poised to become one of the most powerful players in the fashion industry worldwide.  She is expected to advise our First Lady on what to wear over the next four years and if yesterday is any indication, we’re in for a fun fashion ride!