Who says?

Who says fashion has to be limited to clothing? Fashion is about style and style transfuses throughout all you do, wear, and display. It's a self expression, and the space you live in can emulate your personality.

With summer drawing to an end and "back to school" time creeping up around the corner, my mind is on decorating my new on campus apartment and doing so thriftily. But whether it's a dorm room, your bedroom at home, or an apartment, simple accessories and decorations can transform a space into something fresh and new. It's hard to spend time in a room that you don't love. When you can appreciate your space, it becomes a pleasant place to stay, instead of a dull, dirty dorm room or little kid bedroom. This summer, I realized that I wanted to change up the bedroom I have had all of my life, but I didn't want to spend money on all new furniture and paint. Instead, I added small details to the room that altered the color scheme and made it seem more "grown up."

Here are some ideas I have for those of you who want to add a pop of attitude and color to your room, without having to pay to completely redecorate.

1. I love how these pillows could brighten up a simple room. I have a white bed spread, and these throws are a perfect splash of spunk. They're on sale for only 12 dollars at Pottery Barn Teen, which is a great deal, as most throws are at least 20 dollars.

2. The glass bead flower hook is from Urban Outfitters, available in other colors, and only 8 dollars. I envision a row of three of these hooks along a wall with my bright scarves and long necklaces dangling down. Both the hooks and the accessories decorate the room and spice up a boring wall. They also look great with the pillows.

3. The storage bin is 10 dollars from Urban Outfitters. It also comes in blue and orange and is the perfect way to make your mess look good!
4. This paisley Liberty of London frame can be found at Target for 9.99. I always use pictures as decoration, and this just makes them look so good I could eat them up.

5. I love this glass caged ceramic knob from Anthropologie. It's only 7.95 and is what I used to transform my white, youthful dresser into something more mature.


And for those of you who are looking for a room that is mature and neutral, (but still affordable) I picked out these items.

1. This ivory cream ruffle pillow from Urban Outfitters is beautiful, classy, and only 19.99. It is the perfect throw to make a bed, couch, or chair look welcoming.

2. I can't get over how amazing and affordable this rice paper lantern from Urban Outfitters is. Right now, you can get two of them for ten dollars. I can picture both lanterns in a corner of a bedroom lighting up the space ala boho chic.

3. These glass melon knobs are from Anthropologie and are only 8 dollars each. They would look great on black, white, or brown furniture, and they seem to be the perfect match for the ruffle pillow.

4. This laundry bag is the most expensive item I found. It's from Urban Outfitters for 36 dollars, which is definitely pricey for something that holds dirty laundry. The reason I just had to post it is because I hate how my ugly, netted laundry basket looks in my dorm room. It is an eye sore and ruins the chi of the room. This laundry bag actually adds to the decorations.

5. This memo board from Bed Bath and Beyond is 14.99. It's plain but can be transformed with pictures, fabric, and any other keepsakes you'd want to display.

Taste the rainbow.

Brightly colored nail polish is in and my fingers are ecstatic. I remember being 10 and loving to rock blue nail polish everyday. It flew under the radar since then, but it's finally back. And thank God because I was sick of unoriginal, cherry red and gothic maroon. Sure, the nail polish makes me look like I'm 10 again, but it adds attitude, accessory, and POP to a simple outfit and compliments an already bright look. Of course it doesn't help that I am completely inept at painting nails, so it looks like a 4 year old got a hold of my nails regardless of color...but I'll just hope I'm the only one with that problem.

There are definitely people who don't understand the appeal to a rainbow selection of lovely nail polish. For example, the ladies who gave me a pedicure while laughing, pointing, and gossiping in Chinese about my Sally Hansen "blue me away" toenails. But forget them because I like when my nails look like an Easter egg. It's summery, youthful, and the color a girl chooses is a reflection of her personality. What could be better?

The irony of it all is that I spend unspeakable amounts of money on nail polish. The prices individually are affordable, but it adds up when I get a new bottle every time I go into a drug store. I never go with the purpose of buying nail polish, but the bright colors are alluring and always draw me in. I end up picking my favorite color out of the array of options, painting all of my nails, and finally purchasing it as I realize that I will have nothing to touch up my nails with when they chip if I don't actually own the color. I usually get so distracted that I leave the store joyously with my freshly painted nails and accompanying bottle, and I'm half way home before it hits me that I completely forgot about buying what I originally went to the store for. The moral of the story is that nail polish is generally more affordable for those who have better self control than I do (which shouldn't be too difficult to achieve.)

So what do I suggest? Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color. At only 2.99 a pop, I can't help but notice that 5 bottles would cost just 15 dollars...

This price is much cheaper than other brands that provide the same colors. In fact, I think Sally may just have more of a selection. With 30 different choices, including "Green with Envy" and "Virtual Violet," there is no need for any other collection.

Here are some of my favorites!

Green With Envy

Blue Me Away

indecisiveness

There are a couple of up and coming fashion trends that I simply cannot make up my mind about. They're definitely affordable, and therefore worthy of this blog, but it does not change the fact that I'm sitting pretty on the fence over these items.

The first new fad I'm undecided on are long dresses. Now, don't get me wrong, I completely understand that they look amazing on many girls, (i.e. stick thing, Mischa Barton types) but what about the rest of us? If you have hips, thighs, or a butt, they might not be very form flattering. I'm a firm believer in being able to rock anything if you have just the right amount of confidence, but there are other problems with these long dresses. The biggest ish' I have is WHERE to WEAR the dresses. The length makes them seem a little too dressy for a daytime event, but they somehow seem inappropriate for wearing out at night. Perhaps the key is to find the perfect print to match the "dressy" level of where you're going. Regardless, I do love the dresses and think they're extremely cute, but I can't decide if the sometimes unflattering style and confused "fancy level" makes them worth buying. Anywho, here is a really cute dress I found at Charlotte Russe for 28 bucks. If I were to buy one of these dresses, this would have to be the one. What do you guys think?



Hot trend number 2: The boot sandal? My biggest problem with these kicks is that they just seem confused. Which season are they promoting: summer, winter? I can't tell. It's undeniable that they add oomf to an outfit, but I'm finding it dificult to get past the awkwardness of the whole thing.
I found this pair on overstock.com for 19.99, which is obviously a killer deal, and I love the color choices. hmmm. To follow the trend or not to follow the trend?

Pass the dressing please

I'm pretty sure you all can think of a million reasons why you love summer. One of the top reasons on my list is DRESSES. Whether it's a beach cover up, simple sundress, or a little black Gucci dress, one thing remains consistent: dresses are comfortable, flattering, and perfect for the season. Plus, there's nothing easier than throwing on a cute dress and simply adding accessories to form a complete outfit. I see no need for a top and bottom when I have the option of being lazy and just tossing on a dress. Here are some great, affordable dresses.


I found all three of these dresses at Heritage1981 on forever21.com and all shoes and accessories at charoletterusse.com


It can't be denied that this dress is just right to wear as a bathing suit cover up. Cost? 14.90. Can't complain about that.


This sundress is 24.90, ridiculously cute, and perfect for picnics, outings, and all of the other outdoor gatherings that come with summer. Match it with these 12.99 shoes and this 9.50 belt to complete the look. Ahh. An entire outfit for just about 47 dollars. What could be better?













I actually own this dress in black and think the cut out back makes it just right for going out at night in the summer when paired with heels and flashy jewelry. What I love about it, though, is that it could also be a casual outfit if desired. And did I mention that it's only 14.90?

The pumps add the splash of attitude and color that this dress needs to make it perfect for a summer night out. And for only 20 dollars, they're definitely worth it.

Work it!

If you have a summer internship, you probably have come across the problem of figuring out what you're supposed to wear. Finally having an excuse to dress up and be sophisticated is definitely something to look forward to, but it can be tough if you can't afford to buy cute and appropriate work clothes, especially if you have an unpaid internship. One way to dress right for work, without using up all the money you make, is to mix and match. I suggest buying a few basic bottoms, such as pencil skirts, black pants, and even a long dress. Then, buy about 5 shirts that go well with any of those bottoms. That way, you can form different outfits out of just a few items of clothing. Buy a cardigan or belt to go with the dress, so that you can wear it different ways. The key is to make sure the clothing is stylish, while still being appropriate for a work setting. This way you avoid being the most gossiped about employee by your female coworkers (and the most loved by the men.)





This Forever 21 dress (Heritage 1981) dress is only $14.90. It's an appropriate length for work and also comes in blue. A belt would work perfectly around the cinched middle. It can also be accessorized with a long necklace (pearls would give the outfit a more dressed up look) or tights to make a whole new ensemble.







I love this Charlotte Russe open front lace top, and for only $20.00, it's a definite must have. It's perfect with a pair of blak pants, but also can be worn with a pencil skirt and a tucked in tank top underneath.

So many colors, so little time

One of the most expensive accessories are purses. It's pretty easy to find cheap ones, but it's also pretty easy to tell that they're cheap. I happened to be browsing around the Longchamp website recently, when I found a dirty little (affordable) secret. If you're looking for a small handbag, especially one from the popular Le Pliage line, then you can get it for much cheaper if you customize the bag on the longchamp website. It seems crazy that a customized bag would be less expensive, but it's true. You do have to follow some guidelines to make it cheaper, but I think it's worth it. Start off by following this link. http://www.longchamp.com/en/home-e-shopping/home-sur-mesure-usa/sur-mesure-etape-1-561.html. Then, select handbag size 1. This bag is no smaller than the smallest Le Pliage non customized, it is just a different shape. Then, move on to step number 2 and select the short handles. These handles are cheaper than the long ones, and look slightly more proportional too. Step 3 is my favorite. I love the stripe down the middle that you can only get with the customized bag. Longchamp bags are so popular that the stripe allows you to be unique by adding own personal flavor and spicing it up with color combos. I have yet to purchase one of these bags because I can't decide which combination I like best. If you don't want the different colors, you can always pick the same color for both the main color and stripe. I also love that you get a choice of metallic accessories. Step 4 is adding your initials to the bag. I'm not a huge fan of having my initials on a big, and if this step is skipped, the entire handbag will cost only $90, and you got to add your own twist. I love it. I want it.

Don't Sweat it

Sweatpants and zip ups are a wardrobe staple, especially if you're in college and have to roll out of bed for your 8 am. Of course, those sweats should be cute to minimize the extent to which we look like hot messes strolling into class. So, it's too bad that one pair of sweatpants usually cost at least 50 dollars...until now. H&M has made cute sweats affordable. Right now, they have cropped sweatpants in all different colors for $15 and matching zip ups for $19. That means you can get 3 pairs of sweatpants from H&M for what you would normally pay for one pair. The zip ups also come in striped patterns. Ok, so they may not say love on them, but they are great for mixing and matching. Splurge on a brand name hoodie and then getting matching solid color sweatpants from H&M, and you have yourself a perfect, casual outfit, for less.