6/14

STUDDED PRINTED SHORTS
$908 by Philipp Plein

White is hot this summer season. Add some gold bling, and you are smoking! Talk about one hell of a heat flash when I discovered the studded printed shorts by Philipp Plein. These shorts run for a steep $908, but are well worth the extra cost.

Not only does white go well with everything, it spices up your denim from the usual blue. The combination of white and gold has been a major trend this season as well. I really enjoy the double row of gold studs lining the waist. They could easily pass for a built-in belt, and the strings instead of a zipper mean that there is no reason to even wear a belt. I really like the strings over the zipper because you don't have to worry about leaving your fly down and you can make the shorts as tight or lose as you want.

Summer season is shorts season. These shorts can virtually be worn anywhere. They can be played casually or dressed up depending on the occasion. With some cute sandals and possibly a cropped top to show off the gold studs, you can pull together the perfect summer outfit. While these shorts are out of my budget, don't let that stop you from updating your summer closet with these studded printed shorts from Philipp Plein.

6/13 Thrifty Thursday

CUTE BOWKNOT HANDBAG
$25.99 at US Trendy

A new season calls for a new handbag. With the arrival of summer, it is time to find a new bag to match your colorful summer hues and spontaneous shopping trips. Costing only $25.99, the cute bowknot handbag from US Trendy is the perfect purchase for the start of summer and will still leave you enough cash for all those shopping sprees to come!

The clutch combination of coral and mint in a handbag is one thing, but the bow?! My jaw dropped when I saw this purse, and my heart exploded when I saw the price. Clearly, someone had too much caffeine this morning. Nonetheless, I have found the perfect handbag, and it is mine to share with the world.

Similar handbags of this nature usually have a starting price of $50 and can sell for as much as hundreds of dollars. While one may argue that accessories, which get more use than clothing, are worth the extra money, US Trendy allows you to keep your hard earned cash by selling this purse at such a reasonable price.

Both coral and mint are currently two competing colors in the fashion world. To find the best of both worlds on one handbag is genius. Additionally, bows are popping up on apparel and accessories everywhere you turn. This hint of femininity makes for the perfect touch to a cute little handbag dangling off your arm.

The only negative thing about the bowknot handbag I can think of is how annoying all of the compliments will become after you've already received your first 100. This Thrifty Thursday don't treat yourself to something cheap, treat yourself to something useful with the cute bowknot handbag.

6/12 Whine Wednesday

BODYSUITS

Yes, it is summer. No, that does not mean we can turn our grandmother's one-piece swim suit into a shirt. And no, that does not mean we can stretch out our old one-pieces from our baby years either. yes, I am talking about bodysuits.

Bodysuits emerged as a fashion forward piece in the United States last spring season and several years ago in Europe where it is especially popular. Bodysuits are worn as tops but are similar to a swim suit or baby clothing in the way that it connects at the crotch.

I'd assume women enjoy wearing bodysuits to ensure that their shirt stays tucked in at all times, creating a clean and polished look. Or wear them simply because they are in style, regretfully. I, however, do not understand why women wear bodysuits.

My first thought when this trend started was that it would be impossible to wear a bodysuit on a date. What if the date goes really well, you go back to his place and he tries to take your shirt off? Men don't know what bodysuits are! Talk about a major wedgie and some major explaining to do.

My second thought was that in the midst of crop tops and cut-outs revealing as much of the midriff as possible, where do bodysuits even fit in? Call me confident, but I am much more keen to that trend instead of this one.

Lastly, I thought, I don't like the slick, tuck-in look from the 90s. This brings back horrible memories of camisoles tucked into denim jeans. Especially with long legs, untucked shirts give the impression of a longer torso. Bodysuits are restricted to only being tucked in. Not to mention, bodysuits reveal every single curve, roll and pouch on your tummy.

If you have not purchased a bodysuit by now, chances are you will never become a part of this trend. I do not see this trend lasting any longer than it already has, and hopefully by next summer, bodysuits will have become a shameful joke. The moral of the story is swim wear should stay at the pool and baby clothes should not be worn over the age of 2. Therefore, bodysuits are unacceptable.

6/11 Terrible Tuesday

CICELY TYSON

At the 2013 Tony Awards, Cicely Tyson surprised everyone on the red carpet with her Frank Gehry dress. Looking like a grape, Tyson won the Tony for best leading actress in a play for her role in "The Trip to Bountiful;" however, she should have won the Tony for best actress in a Fruit of the Loom commercial. However, after seeing this dress, I'm not sure Tyson ever left "the Bountiful" either.

If Tyson doesn't look like a grape, well, then she looks like a purple scrunchie from an 80s aerobic class. It wouldn't surprise me if she had spandex underneath her garb except that this dress successfully masks any bodily disfigures.

There is no justification for this dress. While past celebrities featured on my Terrible Tuesday list may have had at least one redeeming piece in their outfit, this dress is so voluptuous, there isn't any room for anything else.

Even though this dress would look just as bad on a 20 year old actress, the fact that Tyson is 79 years old just makes this dress downright inappropriate. Being this old, shouldn't she know better than to wear something as atrocious as this?! After all, it's not like this is her first awards show. When Tyson stepped up to accept her award, they should have just told her to sit back down. Cicely Tyson, get your act together!

6/10 Memorable Monday

JACKIE O

The first lady under the reign of John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, or better known as Jackie O, led the world as a fashion icon of the 1960s. A true socialite, Jackie Kennedy knew how to throw a party and dress the part. Her A-line dresses, three-quarter length sleeves and polished suits created iconic ensembles that would inspire generations to come. During her first year in the White House, Jackie spend $45,446 more on fashion alone than the $100,000 annual salary her husband earned as the President of the United States. Talk about a shopping spree bigger than the White House walk-in closet!

Perhaps the most iconic fashion statement worn by Jackie Kennedy was her pink Chanel suit. Worn on the day of John F. Kennedy's tragic death, the pink Chanel suit has become a symbol of her husband's assassination and one of the lasting images of the 1960s. Even Elle Woods from Legally Blonde knew this was a powerful look when she made her debut in Washington D.C. This inspired look can be pulled together with a hot pink suit with black lapels.

If there was one thing Jackie Kennedy could pull of, it was the A-line dress. Whether it was a ball gown she paired with a triple-strand pearl necklace and above-the-elbow gloves or a sundress with low-heel pumps, Jackie always dressed with class and style. Of all the dresses, my favorite was her apricot silk ziberline dress made by family friend Oleg Cassini. Worn on a daytime boat ride onLake Pichola, this sleeveless, knee-length dress was accented with a bow at the waist.

The yellow gingham dress Kennedy worn on the cover of Vanity Fair is a timeless summer classic. Another Jackie O original was her ruby red strapless ball gown with the classic straight neckline. This Notte ruffled silk-chiffon gown by Marchesa has the high empire waist line, which look absolutely exquisite on Jackie. The firs color our eyes can visually see, red was an excellent choice of color for Kennedy because it attracts all the eyes onto her.

One of my favorite combinations of Jackie Kennedy's color wheel of fashion was the full yellow skirt she paired with a simple black top. The yellow bow on the skirt is a signature Kennedy style and is making its reappearance in the fashion world.

To achieve the ultimate Jackie Kennedy look, though, a tweed dress with a matching, notch-collared jacket is crucial. Pair it with large mod sunglasses and a pillbox hat to complete the look. Tweed says classy businesswoman and always makes me feel put together and important whenever I wear it. Remember, when dressing the part of Jackie O, keep true to wide and modest necklines, A-line skirts, tweed, silk gloves, mod sunglasses, and lots and lots of pearls.

"Pearls are always appropriate." - Jackie Kennedy

6/9 Sunday Showdown

J. CREW VS. CHARLOTTE RUSSE
Maxi Dresses

In the cut-throat world of name brand and fashion fast comes one the biggest fashion dilemmas. Name brand and designer clothing means better quality material, more wear, higher prices and let's not forget the pleasure of being able to say it's name brand. Fast fashion means cheaper prices, less wear, can be considered a fake, knock-off or copy and is probably made from a blended material.

J. Crew

Speaking of this fashion dilemma comes the dilemma between J. Crew and Charlotte Russe. This is the second summer season maxi dresses have been trending. Unlike other dresses that can be casual with prints or formal with beading, all maxi dresses are meant to be casual. The similarity shared between all maxi dresses would lead one to believe the price difference between the two maxi dresses from J. Crew and Charlotte Russe shouldn't be all that different.

Charlotte Russe

A J. Crew Collection silk maxi dress costs $398, and a solid halter knit maxi dress from Charlotte Russe costs $19.99. The J. Crew maxi is more of a straight-cut dress and has no body or shape. It appears loose and ill-fitting. I feel like it needs a belt or some kind of tie at the waist to give it more body. The maxi dress from Charlotte is more of an empire dress with the halter neckline. Because of the empire waist, the ruched lines contrasting downwards and the strings to tie the halter yourself, the dress from Charlotte Russe has a much more appealing body and fit to it.

With that being said, name brand or fast fashion or whatever label you want to give the two aside, the dress from Charlotte Russe is the better purchase. Financially, this dress is more economical. Fashionably, this dress is more stylish. The dress from J. Crew is much too bland and should not be listed at almost $400. The dress from Charlotte Russe is simple and chic, appealing and fits nicely and is more budget-friendly. Dilemma avoided; Charlotte Russe makes a better maxi dress.

6/8 Saturday Rave

HIGH-WAISTED SHORTS

You can give yourself a high-five if you have already expanded your wardrobe with high-waisted shorts. The current summer trend originated via the DIY method by taking an old pair of Levi jeans and cutting them down into cut-off shorts. From there, the trend took off with artists destroying the denim and adding embellishments to them as they please. Eventually retail stores began to add more high-waisted merchandise to their inventories as high-waisted shorts became more and more popular, not to mention how fabulous they look paired with crop tops as that trend continues to skyrocket as well.

I began my quest to acquaint myself with this trend in high-waisted shorts by buying my first couple pairs at Charlotte Russe. These were not the typical denim high-waisted shorts, however. I bought a skin-tight pair of black shorts and white lace shorts with a floral design. Dipping my toes into this new and exciting trend, I still wasn't sure if this was a trend I felt comfortable pulling off.

Alas, as summer approached, I began to scour the mall for a pair of high-waisted denim shorts. I found many high-rise shorts, but they weren't high enough for my standards plus my lack of booty didn't fill them out. Finally, I became frustrated enough that I looked to retailers at Etsy for my first pair of high-waisted shorts.

I must say that my obsession over high-waisted shorts has only increased with my latest edition of denim shorts. They are simple and just a little frayed, but they keep everything classy and just a little sexy for the summer months ahead.

Depending on your style, high-waisted shorts can be neat and clean, with a series of buttons down the middle giving off a nautical look, or high-waisted shorts can be frayed, damaged and covered in studs and cheetah spots giving off a more free-spirit look.

High-waisted shorts are most commonly paired with crop tops. However, if you don't wish to show off that much skin, the key is to tuck in your top in order to emphasize the high waist. I especially like the look of tucking in a button-down tank or long-sleeved shirt, which creates a more polished look. For colder weather, black tights look pleasing underneath a pair of high-waisted shorts as well.

Like with any shorts, depending on how dressy or casual they are, you can virtually wear them anywhere. From summer concerts to days at the beach with your friends and night time bonfires to dinner dates and graduation parties, you would not be out of place wearing these stylish shorts.

It is safe to say I am now officially obsessed with high-waisted shorts, and I believe everybody should invest in at least one pair. But believe me, once you make the switch to high-waisted, you'll never want to go back.