It was bound to happen eventually... the 90s are back.

Fashion, they say, is cyclical.  Everyone has heard someone say (or has said themselves) that it's no use throwing away clothes because "everything comes back in style."  (Incidentally, this is terrible advice – by the time it comes back in style it probably won't fit you and/or you'll be embarrassed to ever have worn it.  When in doubt, throw it out!  Or better yet, donate it.)  In a world of seemingly finite ideas, fashion is bound to repeat itself.  And since we finally seem to be coming to the end of the dark days of 1980s retro it looks like the 1990s are on their way back.

Elaine Benes, retro style icon.

Remember when we were all wearing floral-print dresses with big clunky shoes?  Guess what?  It's a bona fide trend in New York.  They're calling it a resurgence of Elaine from Seinfeld, but I remember the shapeless floral sack spreading far beyond that show.  I even had a few myself.  And the socks with granny shoes is sort of a natural combination between this summer's awful socks with sandals trend and the less offensive menswear-inspired Oxford shoes that are all over the place.  Toss in a pair of leggings (and lord knows those don't seem to be going away) and you've got yourself a full-on retro chic ensemble.

Remember yesterday
when I said mixed prints
were a trend for fall?
I give you Angela Chase.

One fashion editor is calling this look "Upper West Side Grunge," which is sort of ironic since the original look was a natural offshoot of the original grunge trend.  So much of fashion in the 1990s was about meticulously putting together a look designed to send the message that you didn't care how you looked.  It was sort of an over-correction for the excess of the 1980s.  Everything was baggy and incongruous and mismatched – and if you were really devoted, wrinkled as well.  Oh, and by the way?  Grunge is coming back in it's way too.  Check out how much plaid Old Navy is showing this fall.  Big plaid shirt + distressed jeans or leggings + boots = grunge.  Only this time around it's a little more polished and less... well, grungey.  We don't so much mind people knowing that we care what we look like now. 

Thanks for bringing sexy back, Katie.

Lest you think it's just grunge making a comeback, the other end of the spectrum is seeing a resurgence as well.  1990s prep is back in a big way – let's go back to Old Navy and have a look at their "perfectly preppy" page, where argyle reigns supreme.  The September issue of Glamour even featured a "how-to" guide for accurately dressing the preppy part.  We can thank Katie Holmes for bringing pegged jeans back into style – she started doing it two years ago.  And let's not forget the oversized blazer, worn with everything from leggings to jeans to those shapeless dresses and everything in between. 

Even our retro is retro!  The whole Mad Men craze sweeping the nation?  The one that has women in full skirts and men in tailored suits?  It feels just a little like the 1990s swing revival, where women were wearing full skirts and hot red lips and men were wearing tailored zoot suits and slicked-up hair. 

There's a saying:  if you're old enough to remember the trend the first time, don't wear it the second time.  It's usually good advice since the things we wore at a younger age look inappropriate once we're older.  But in the case of 1990s wear I think it's safe to say I'll be avoiding some of these rerun trends because I'm still cringing at the pictures of myself wearing them the first time.  (If baby tees and baggy jeans come back in style, I don't even want to know about it.)  So no thanks on the pegged jeans and floral sacks – though I may pick up a plaid shirt or two.

Mostly I think we're safe as long as men don't start shaving stripes into their eyebrows again and as long as we women don't start walking around looking like this:

We call those "mom jeans" now. And let's not even discuss that ruffled blouse.

On Target: Tucker for Target images are online!

Dress $39.99
Reversible Vest $24.99
Camisole $22.99

Target's newest Go International collection is finally up for preview on the Target press website.  The blogs have been buzzing about this newest collaboration – with Tucker by Gaby Basora – for a few months now.  So how are the clothes?

Woven Tee $24.99
Shorts $34.99

So far, they look good.  The line is designed to favor layering which is perfect for transitioning from summer into fall.  There are a lot of dresses and skirts (in varying lengths – I love that everything isn't super short!), paired with layering pieces like vests and sweaters designed with a mind for mixing pattern and color.  Mixed prints is looking like a rising fall trend which makes this line very of-the-moment.  But since it's all separates, it's still accessible to those not so adventurous. 

Trench $59.99
Dress $39.99
Camisole Dress, $34.99

Most of the pieces look very wearable... although I don't know about those shorts.  (Baggy herringbone shorts?  Really?  Who's going to look good in those?  And why is the shorts and tights thing coming back anyway? But bad retro trends is another post for later this week...)  There's even a reasonably subdued jumpsuit if you're into that sort of thing.  I love love love the vibrant colors and prints.  So much of fall fashion gets bogged down in dark and dreary that it's refreshing to see some hot pink and purple mixed in with the more traditional hues. 

Dress $39.99

The line becomes available in select stores and on Target.com on September 12 and most pieces seem to hover below the $50 mark (though there is a $79.99 bomber jacket).  But I wouldn't advise buying online if you can find these items in a brick-and-mortar store.  The Go International line is junior-sized, which means trying on is a must unless you're used to shopping the junior racks.  Also, it must be said: the fabric quality can be dodgy.  What looks great in pictures can sometimes look flimsy and cheap in person and Target often keeps these lines affordable by skimping on the fabric.  (The Jean-Paul Gaultier line was really bad.) 

I'll definitely be hitting my local Target to check out the Tucker line next week!  If I find any gems I'll post an update – and if any readers check it out, let me know!

A Potpourri of Quickies

Every now and then I look through my collection of bookmarked links and realize that I have plenty of things I want to share with no connecting thread to tie them together.  Today is one of those days.  So instead of sitting on them any longer, here's a round-up of some great style-related links for you:

• More on color trends for fall at Refinery 29.

• The Budget Fashionista recommends seven fall items you can buy right now.

• StyleList has some tips on transitioning your wardrobe from summer to early fall.

• Levi's has released a new denim line called Curve ID, designed to better fit women's bodies.  But there's some controversy concerning the line's sizing and promotion.

• Today was 9/02/10!  Celebrate 90210 Day with the original West Beverly High class and Go Fug Yourself.

• Yahoo's style page has some cute fall coats – all under $100!

 Have a great weekend, everyone!  I'll be back in full swing next week, so watch this space!

Fall Color Trends from Pantone

What colors will you be wearing this fall?  According to the Pantone Fashion Color Report for fall 2010 (you can download a free PDF at the bottom of the linked page), the on-trend fashionista's palette will be made up of vivid brights anchored with neutrals like khaki and chocolate:

"Mindful of consumers' need for practicality, plus their desire for newness, designers offer many options for women to extend and embellish their wardrobes this fall," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Building on the color palette from spring, this season's offerings include innovative takes on fundamental basics, as well as transporting, lively colors that conjure images of travel and adventure, whether real or aspirational."

Sephora Collection Colorful Palettte
in Eternally Purple, $24 at Sephora.com

The concept of carrying color over from the last season for economic reasons is echoed from the Spring 2010 report, which focused on neutrals mixed with primary brights already in most closets.  Shades od coral, red, khaki and green have carried over from the spring and are warmed up with chocolately plum, warm yellow, and fall's hottest shade – purple.

Purple is where's it's at this year!  Makeup and nail polish are hot in every shade from plum to lavender, and purple hues were all over the fall runways.  What's great about this shade is that it's almost universally flattering.  There's a shade of purple for everyone, and it's a rich, saturated color that feels simultaneously warm and vibrant. 

Mossimo sweater, $17.99 at Target.com

The warm gold on Pantone's list isn't as easy to pull off.  If you're pale (like me) or have a cool-toned complexion, yellow can easily wash you out and leave you looking sickly and tired.  If you're feeling daring you can punch up a neutral outfit or black dress with a pair of brightly-colored tights, which will both keep your legs warm in the autumn chill and allow you to wear colors you normally couldn't since the color isn't right next to your face.  Or you can layer a lightweight sweater like this one from Target under a blazer (boyfriend blazers are still big!) or break up the color by adding a scarf at the neck.  That way you get a pop of the yellow without it overwhelming you.   (I think this sweater would look great with some zebra print accessories if you want to combine trends!)

With springy colors like coral and turquoise, it can be tough to know how to transition them into a fall look.  The trick is pairing them with richer shades:  instead of khaki, try wearing your coral pieces with gray, green, or chocolate brown.  Carry turquoise into fall by mixing it with gold.  You can shake up your neutrals, too.  Try gray shoes where you might have worn black for an updated look. 

And as always, an easy way to try out a new color is with accessories.  Add a bold scarf to a neutral outfit, or look into a bright pair of pumps or a bright purse.  That's also a simple way to update your look without spending lots of cash.

For some more ideas on fall's hot colors, check out this article at CollegeFashion.net 

Take a walk on the wild side this fall!

Cheetah Print Dress, $24.99 at Target.com

Somehow it seems like fall is synonymous with animal prints.  Maybe it's the warm tones associated with them, maybe it's some subliminal way of embracing the warmth of a foreign safari as the temperature drops, but whatever the reason, I love it.  I wear my leopard print flats year-round anyway!  And I've already got my eye on this cheetah print dress from Target.  (Though it's mis-named:  cheetahs have spots, not stripes.)

Leopard is always a popular look.  I love this cropped jacket – the shape has sort of a Mad Men feel, and you could just as easily wear it over jeans and a t-shirt as you could a little black dress and heels.  It's the kind of piece that will instantly lift your basics into a more polished look.  If you're feeling a little more adventurous, the same site also offers monochromatic leopard-print jeans.

Cropped leopard jacket,
$21.99 at NewportNews.com

Zebra print skirt, $19.99 at Target.com

Target also has a nice selection of zebra this fall.  Zebra is a great print because it's black and white palette and graphic look make it really versatile.  You can wear a zebra print piece with almost any other color.  Mix it with brights and it creates a bold, pop-art look.  I love this cardigan for exactly that reason – the bright pink (or is it purple?) border creates a nice contrast.  I also love that they continued the pattern into the colored area.   Or you can keep your look all black and white and still have the bright pop of the pattern.  This skirt would look great paired with a crisp white shirt and black pumps. 

Snakeskin purse,
$34.00 at NewportNews.com

If you prefer to keep things more subtle, you can still work some wild style into your look.  Try a snakeskin purse – the pattern is a little less flamboyant but you still get the idea.  (This is a better option if you prefer a bigger bag.)  Or remember those leopard flats I mentioned?  Shoes are a really easy way to give an outfit a little pop.  Check out these cute flats at ModCloth, or these from Payless – the Payless shoes also come in a cute blue and black version.  If you prefer pumps, there are plenty of affordable options.

Liven up a solid dress or cinch the waist of a cardigan with a zebra-print belt, like this one, on sale for $29.99.  (It also comes in leopard.)  Or give just a hint of the wild with a leopard print watch.  

"Feline Feisty" flat, $29.99 at ModCloth.com

If you do choose an animal print, make it the focal point of the outfit – I love the look of a bold print with bright colors, but keep the shape and style of your other pieces simple.  Print + ruffles or shoulder pads or any other kind of frippery can become too much really fast.  To keep it classy, keep the focus on the print.  Keep jewelry simple and makeup subdued (though a bold red lip and leopard print do make a classic bombshell combo).  Definitely stay away from actual animal print makeup.

A lot of people shy away from animal prints because they think they're hard to wear.  But really you can tailor them to your own style with the amount and type that you choose.  You don't have to look like someone out of Married to the Mob. 

Even stars love a bargain sometimes

A friend tipped me off to this:

Image courtesy of Yahoo!

 Talk about mixing high and low fashion! What did the adorable Drew Barrymore choose to wear to host the Nylon magazine/Express party this week in Los Angeles? 

This gorgeous $25 metallic-printed 3/4-sleeve shift dress from a thrift store paired with $760 Yves Saint Laurent "Tribute" pumps, of course!

I thought it would be fun to highlight this given my last post about vintage shopping.  It can take some digging, but you can find some really amazing pieces shopping thrift or vintage – and you can almost guarantee that no one will be wearing the same thing as you! 

Yes, Drew is wearing that gorgeous $25 dress with $760 shoes, but a great pair of nude pumps isn't too hard to find at a variety of price points – check out ShopStyle, where you can filter your options by price, size, and even retailer.  Target also has them for just $29.99. 

Trends: the bad and the ugly

Ah, trends.  The terror of the fashion-phobic, the delight of fashion editors and advertisers looking for new reasons to tell you to throw away all your clothes and buy new ones.  I think it's important to be choosy with trends – to find what's appropriate for your own age, shape, budget, and style instead of trying to follow everything.  I love stores like Forever 21 for trendy accessories and accent pieces because their prices are low, so you can experiment without breaking the bank. 

Sometimes it's tough to choose between picking up on a trend and skipping it.  But sometimes?  Sometimes it's really really easy.  Take, for instance, this list of the year's worst fashion trends. 

Sandal booties?  This might actually be worse than socks with sandals being considered stylish.  What's the point of these things?  It's like wearing socks in the heat of summer but without any of the actual benefits – your feet are still uncushioned and exposed to the elements.  Isn't the whole idea of sandals to expose feet?  I know that fashion is supposed to be innovative and sometimes subversive, but I don't get this new push toward taking shoes designed to be open and making them stuffy and sweaty. 

Also?  They're ugly.  There's no way strap-on cankles are flattering.  And don't even get me started on the pointlessness that is open-toed boots.

The list also includes ill-advised items like harem pants, jumpsuits, and clogs – the kind of things that sometimes work on models in magazines, but almost never work on real people. 

Where I live a lot of teenage girls fall into one of two groups:  the girls who wear barely-decent miniskirts with Ugg boots (ugg is right) in the summer or (for some reason) with flip flops in the winter, or the girls who wear sweats or pajama pants and hoodies everywhere with their hair sloppily pulled up in a bun but with a full, perfect face of makeup.  I'm sure the fact that neither of these looks make any sense to me means I've officially become old, but I find myself wanting to shake these girls and shout at them about frostbite and/or the merits of a comb. 

Then I remember that I once wore nouveau-hippie trapeze dresses, neon, and acid-wash jeans (why are those back in style?!) tucked into my socks.  Youth is made for bad decisions and fashion is no exception.  But as an adult, I'm more confident about developing my own style and choosing which trends I want to follow. 

With that in mind, Refinery 29 has compiled a list of fall trends worth skipping. 

Quickie: Helpful How-tos

The web is filled with all sorts of helpful tutorials for all your fashion and beauty desires.  Here are a few examples:

Liberty of London's YouTube channel has several videos explaining new and interesting ways to tie a scarf.  If you've got gorgeous scarves and don't know what to do with them (or just want some new ideas), check this out.

MAC Cosmetics hosts makeup tutorials on their web page that feature makeup artists showing you how to create a variety of looks using their products.  s the video plays, a list of the products they're using comes up underneath the video window so you can buy anything that interests you easily.

WikiHow is a user-generated collection of "how-tos" for every possible scenario.  Check out the Personal Care and Style section.

Howcast on YouTube hosts a variety of "how-tos" in video form, including this one on how to look good in skinny jeans.

$30 jeans and other sale items at Gap

Over at The Budget Fashionista, you can find five pairs of Gap jeans for under $30!



I love Gap jeans. My favorite go-to jeans are Gap Long and Leans. I usually buy one pair and wear them to death over the course of a couple of years since they run on the pricey side for non-designer denim, but Gap also has great sales like this where you can get their terrific jeans for less. They have plenty of other great deals right now too, like this great menswear-style shirt for $17.99:



They also have some pieces you can use to transition your summer clothes into fall like this cardigan that comes in four colors and starts at $14.99:


I find that Gap's tops and tees tend to run a little roomy and I usually don't need to worry about going a size up like I do some places. The fit of their jeans tends to depend on the cut and style, so you may want to try them on in-store. But if you can't get to the mall, don't be afraid to order online: Gap has a very generous return policy and takes online returns in-store.

If falling into the Gap isn't your cup of tea, check out some other denim options under $40.

All images courtesy of Gap.com.

This season in undies...

Somehow I have accumulated a lot of links to different stories about underwear. They don't necessarily connect in any way besides the core undie topic, so I've been sitting on them. Also I'm a procrastinator – nobody's perfect, right?

Which actually brings me to the first link! StyleList has a pretty comprehensive guide to wearing shapewear in the summer and Instyle.com has handy list of bras for summer clothes (including a backless option). I don't know what it's like where you are, but here in New England it's been hot and sticky, and the thought of wrapping any part of myself in spandex is pretty unattractive. I tend to avoid any clothing form-fitting enough to require stretchy armor in the summer. I'm only willing to suffer so much to be fabulous. But when I do wear shapewear I use a high-waisted thigh slimmer to smooth out my pear shape. Hanes makes a line of shapewear (on sale on their website!) that includes the thigh shapers as well as shaping panties. They work as well as Spanx without the hefty price tag.

Remember how we learned that big butts are trendy? Well apparently that's not the only asset that's "big" right now. Big breasts are in too! Given the amount of implants running around Hollywood I don't know when big breasts were ever actually out, but apparently this "new" trend means lots more gel and push-up bras. I used to wear a gel bra (I'm pear-shaped, remember?). They're heavy and not always terribly comfortable – which is what I'm told by my better-endowed friends is a little like actually having large breasts, so I guess the gel bra wins for authenticity.

But if you want to be trendy and the life of the party? Go with this:

The Wine Rack is a sports bra that holds 750ml of any beverage (the equivalent of a bottle of wine), using said liquid to create the illusion of larger breasts. Once you drink your boob cocktail you can use the attached straw to inflate the bra so you don't look... deflated.

And if you happen to fill that bra with say... beer, which might make you a little gassy? Check out Subtle Butt, a disposable stick-on patch that goes inside your underwear to absorb unpleasant odors. The Subtle Butt's inventor has a series of stick-on clothing innovations, including the Knicker Sticker, a patch designed to prevent the dreaded camel toe if you decide to forgo undies altogether. If you do want to wear underwear but still want to avoid a "frontal wedgie?" Well there's a product for that too.

So there you have it. Everything you need to smooth, suck, enhance, hide, and drink out of your lady bits this season. Enjoy!

New dumb trend: socks with sandals.

One of my favorite things about summer is the fact that I can pack away all my socks until it gets cold again in favor of bright pedicures and sandals. Well, bad news for me, because apparently socks with sandals is now a trend.

I ask you, does this look cute?

Image courtesy of NYMag.com

That's actually not the worst example they've got – you should really check out the slideshow. This look was all over the spring runways, too.

I don't get this. Isn't the point of sandals and open-toe shoes to be... open? Isn't that why they exist in the first place? So we can enjoy one less layer of fabric in a hot season? I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in New England it's hot and sticky. The less unnecessary fabric I can get away with, the better. Even worse, all the socks in the New York Magazine slideshow look like they're mostly nylon – can you think of a sweatier, less desirable fabric to wrap around your feet in the heat of summer?

Sorry fashion world, I'll be sitting this one out. I'd rather flaunt my brightly-polished toes in your disapproving faces than deal with sweaty, hot, smelly feet. Also, I'm not really interested in taking fashion tips from this guy:

Image courtesy of Top10Kid.com

Yet another dumb way to cover your assets.

Remember the Backtacular? The silly-looking bedazzled patch made to cover your ass crack in low-waited pants? Well apparently ridiculous crack-camouflage is a growth industry. I give you the Hip-T:

Image courtesy of Refinery29.com

In case you think your eyes are deceiving you, yes, that is a band of fabric made to do nothing but sit around your waist and look like you're wearing a tank top underneath your shirt. To which I ask... why not just wear a tank top underneath your shirt? Most retailers make nice long tank tops now – I have a long waist and I own plenty that are more than long enough for me. And all of those tank tops cost less than the $14.95-19.95 that they want for the "Hip-T." $20 for a band of useless fabric! For the price of two of these things, you could get a pair of jeans that covers your ass! (I'm sorry, Hip-T calls it "bum cleavage." I guess that's better than calling it a "coin slot.")

I really just don't understand why there's a market for overpriced items like this. This one is especially confusing – what keeps it from riding up? Or just bunching itself up into a rumpled sloppy belt? What's the point of paying money for a glorified ace bandage to mummify your middle? I have to agree with the folks at Refinery 29 who covered this before me: you're better off just buying pants that cover you. Or invest in a few long tank tops for layering.

Weekend Quickie: Hit the Sales!

It's a big sale weekend, so if you have the time, hit the stores for some great deals.

I just got this dress at New York & Company for $19.99, reduced from $56.95:

Image courtesy of NewYorkandCompany.com

It's smocked under the bust which creates a flattering line, and it's super comfortable. Plus the halter top let's you adjust the strap length.

Other retailers having big sales this weekend:

• Bath and Body Works – Up to 75% off bath and body products, perfumes, and cosmetics.
• Victoria's Secret – Get deals on lingerie, clothing, and beauty products (though the clothing is only available online).
• Gap – I saw better deals in-store than online, so check out the store in person for additional discounts if you can.
• Payless – Select styles as low as $7!

There are plenty more that I've missed, so hit your local mall if you have the time for some great summer deals.

Don't believe what you see!

It used to be you could trust a photograph to show you a factual representation of a source or subject. But not anymore! Why? One word: Photoshop. I confess, I am a Photoshopper. Any photo of me that touches my computer gets "fixed:" teeth whitened, color corrected, blemishes banished. But magazines and advertisers go a lot further than that. They use Photoshop to take an existing image and turn it into something that not only doesn't exist, but sometimes can't possible exist.

For example, Ralph Lauren caused a controversy last year over the image on the right of an impossibly proportioned model (her shoulders are wider than her hips!).

Image courtesy of the Huffington Post.

Before that, Redbook caused a stir with a heavily retouched cover shot of Faith Hill. More recently, ads featuring Demi Moore and Julia Roberts have been so heavily altered that it's hard to tell that these already beautiful women are even human.

Not even Betty White is immune! She's 88 years old and they've removed all her wrinkles. Is it no longer acceptable for an 88-year-old woman to have wrinkles?

In a world where women are expected to aspire to beauty ideals, these types of images create an even more unattainable idea of the beauty norm. (Though if you can find me an actual adult human woman whose shoulders are wider than her hips, I'll consider a retraction.) We're constantly bombarded with images of women who are impossibly thin, ageless, and devoid of imperfection. How can any woman feel comfortable in her own skin surrounded by this crap?

Fortunately, the wide exposure of recent years has started a backlash and is – slowly – beginning a movement in opposition. Jessica Simpson famously posed for the cover of Marie Claire with no makeup and no retouching a few months ago. (And if you ask me, she looks fantastic.) And now a UK department store is openly displaying before- and after-Photoshop shots of a swimsuit model in their stores:

Image courtesy of NYMag.com

It's a refreshing move, but there's still a long way to go. The truth is that Photoshop is never going away. It will always be used to clean up flyaway hairs and blemishes and correct color at the very least (and you can pry my copy from my cold, dead hands!). But until the fashion and beauty industries scale back the usage to those parameters we're going to have to treat every image we see with skepticism. Jezebel has a really interesting gallery of Photoshopped images here. Check it out and see just how much you're being fooled.

DIY Quickie: The 1-Hour Dress

Summer is the time for dresses! And if you like making your own clothes, check out this 1-hour dress at CraftStylish:

Image courtesy of CraftStylish.com

There's some argument in the comments about whether this dress can actually be made in an hour. (I don't sew, so I can't say how accurate those comments are.) But they include a detailed list of what you'll need and diagrams to help you along your way and the instructions were easy enough for a non-sewer like me to understand. I love that the silhouette is simple enough that you can make it in stretch jersey and have a comfortable day dress, or bring up the hemline and use a fabric with metallic threading for a cute cocktail look.

If anyone makes this dress at home, let me know! I'd love to post your pictures and hear how well this pattern actually works.

Finding Your Style

Have you ever seen one of those quizzes called something like "Which Style Are You?" where some magazine tries to pin you down into a category? If you like beaded jewelry, your style is bohemian! If you like black, your style is classic! Those never made any sense to me. Why do you have to pick just one "style?" Where did we get the idea that women can't develop our own eclectic look comprised of a variety of things? I think the idea is to distill the "personal style" question into something so simple anyone can follow it, but to me it's just too restrictive. So I say ignore all that and do things your own way! Here are my tips for discovering and developing your own personal style.

Saturday Quickies

Happy weekend, everyone! Here's a couple of quickies for your style file:

The Budget Fashionista (a great site) has some options for wearing the current skinny jean trend, even if you're not so skinny. I have a few pairs of skinny jeans (I'm a size 12 with not-inconsiderable hips) and I usually make sure to pair them with a long top that has some volume to it to balance out the proportions. Or I'll add a big, bright scarf to draw the eye upward toward my face. The trick with skinny jeans is finding a comfy fit and choosing the rest of your outfit with proportion in mind.

Stylelist investigates the idea that a "go away gray" pill might be in our near future. I hope so!

Have you heard about the new Huggies faux denim diapers? Personally I think they're a bit silly... since when is it taboo for a baby to be seen in a diaper? But one writer actually hates them so much she cites them as a symptom of a blurring line between childhood and adulthood and rising obesity rates. She even goes so far as to say that "People swollen with fat look like giant babies, the lines and wrinkles pressed from their faces." Yes, she managed to blame all our societal ills on silly-looking diapers and insult overweight people all at once. I for one am impressed.

Quickie: Keep a Style File

A while back I was lucky enough to attend a fashion show hosted by Liz Claiborne's Creative Director and my personal idol, Tim Gunn. Those attending the event were given a free gift – a black accordion folder made of heavy, coated board labeled a "style file." The idea is that when you see a look you like in a magazine, or something you like in a catalog, you tear out the page and drop it in your style file. That way you don't wind up buried under old magazines you're keeping just for one article, and you can easily access all the ideas and inspirations you've kept when you want to update your look.

Any accordion folder will do for your own style file. Or even a binder with internal folders – anything that will allow you to keep things neatly organized. I have mine separated into these categories: fashion, beauty, social, accessories, hair, miscellaneous. I keep pictures of outfits I like, advertisements for products I want to try, makeup tutorials, trend reports, and anything else that catches my eye. That way when I want to refer back to something I have it easily at hand.

Go get yourself some cheap sunglasses...

Christina Aguilera in two-tone sunglasses.
(Image courtesy of CelebritySunglassesFinder.com)

Time to break out the shades, people! (Actually, eye doctors recommend you wear sunglasses year-round. But spring and summer are when the new styles seem to come out anyway.) There's no need to pay for a designer price tag when you're looking for eye protection. Plenty of lower-priced sunglasses will do the same thing and look just as good.

According to EyeDoctorGuide.com you just need to keep a few things in mind:

• Look for a pair of sun glasses that provides UVA and UVB protection. Most glasses providing this protection have a label that designates them as UV safe. If they do not, do not assume that the glasses will protect you from UV radiation. Just because eye glasses are tinted does not mean they will provide you with ample protection from UV rays.

• Look for glasses that are dark enough they will help reduce sun reflection and glare, but not glasses that are so dark you have difficulty distinguishing traffic lights or signs.

• Find a pair of glasses that covers your eyes and line of site entirely.

• If buying children's sunglasses, be sure they also protect against UV radiation.

• Make sure eyeglasses do not obscure your line of site.

This year's sunglasses trends are very retro – oversized Jackie O. shades, the wayfarers look of the 1980s, and 1950s cat-eye shades are all hot right now. Brightly-colored two-tone frames (as seen on Christina above) are also popular. As someone who loves color (the more and brighter the better!), I love the two-tone look. It feels fresh and summery. But the more standard tortoiseshell or black shades are a perennial classic. The most important thing is to find a shape and color with which you're happy – if you're not comfortable, you won't wear them. And no matter how much of a deal you got, no bargain find is really a bargain if it doesn't get worn.

My current pair of sunglasses cost me $8 on sale at Target (my trusty shopping friend). You can see some of their current sunglasses here, but they have a lot more in-store.

GirlProps.com has a few different color options for only $9.99 if you like the two-tone look. (They have plenty of other styles too.) House of Sunglasses has a lot of options, from the classic to the crazy, all for just $9.99. If you want to imitate a celebrity look, try CelebritySunglassesFinder.com - just be aware that anything you find there will probably be expensive. I recommend using this site for ideas and finding a less pricey option elsewhere.

Keep in mind if you buy sunglasses online that you still want to look for that UV protection. Without it you may actually do more damage, since your pupils will dilate from the dark lenses but won't be protected from the sun's harmful rays. And remember – no trend is as important as your confidence! Find a look that fits comfortably and flatters your face and you can't go wrong.


(Thanks to ZZ Top for the post title.)

20 Summer Dresses Under $50

The temperature is going up, which means it's time to break out the breezy dresses! I love the way a good dress is an instant no-work outfit that looks put together and fab. After the jump, 20 dresses for your summer wardrobe under $50...