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What did I discover while browsing UO? Something totally fabulous that I fell in love with, of course. I present to you, the latest concept in dressy casual: the tux cardi.

Remember when UGG's used to be "ugly" in everyone's eyes? Oh, how the times have changed. As psychologists say, repeated exposure to the same thing actually changes your preferences to the point you make like whatever you're seeing. How true how true. UGG's are rampaging across campuses and no one bothers to criticize how ugly they are anymore.

Well, I decided to return my chestnut UGG's because UGGs can cause back problems. As if my back needs any more help on hurting itself with fencing and my heavy backpack. I also just had a fashion epiphany where I realized tacking designer symbols on yourself does not make you cutting edge--it makes you look insecure, confused, and possibly like a fashion victim. Ensue flurry of returning my Coach purses, my burberry boots, my D&B clutches, my UGG's, and my designer jeans.

Anyway, I poked around to find a replacement for my UGG's: something comfy, with arch support, a similar color, and easy to slip on when I'm running late to class. Behold--my new boot of choice.

[Mantona. Aldo Shoes. Price varies by color.]

No worries, it comes in a nice taupe color too. And size 35. Look at that nice traction on the sole, the simple leather, and almond toe, and the slouchy easiness of it. This would be the doctor-recommended version of UGGs. I can just see myself pull these on, Starbucks in hand, and fly out the door.

Just yesterday my mother's overly priced shiseido skin whitening cream arrived, and I wallowed in my $96 investment which only produced a 1.7oz cream. Sigh. Only for my mother am I so foolish.

Anyhow, to ease the pain I knew I would endure, I ordered myself a nice pair of shoes alongside my mother's gift. I finally got to try them on yesterday (I'd been nervous, shoes never fit me), and they are magnifique! Let me introduce you to the latest addition to my closet:

Rainboots. People see them as funky colored wellies. Something that doesn't need to match your outfit. Something floral and rubbery and not necessarily fashionable.

I got suckered into that mindset. Even though I own a pair of Coach boots (blue optic, hate them because I don't want to advertise Coach all the time) and a Burberry kids boot (hate them too), I was never satisfied. Living in WA, going to UW, puddles are a daily occurence. What's a girl to do?

Well look what I found while browsing my new favorite online store, UrbanOutfitters.com. A pair of perfectly fashionable, practical, and inexpensive rainboots!

[Equestrian rainboots. UrbanOutfitters.com exclusive. $38.]

Yes, they are rainboots. They look JUST like by Banana Republic chocolate brown boots! I'm snabbing a pair in black--and using my 25% off coupon. That's less than $30 for the most amazing rainboots I'd ever seen. Unfortunately, they only have sizes 6&up, so I'm going to line them with fleece boot liners to ward off the extra winter chill. I can already see the envy on everyone's faces.

I've always tried to avoid makeup, citing reasons like mascara-runs, itching, and allergies. Despite my best efforts I was pressured into submission by social standards and high school. However, in the last couple months I've done some hefty thinking and I finally figured it all out. Besides cutting my wardrobe of heavily-branded items (Sevens, Coach purses, etc.) to opt for more comfortable and uniquely "me" clothes, I got in touch with my inner beauty by embracing the fact I don't wear makeup. Usually I don't mention this to my colleagues or peers, but now I proudly pronouce myself "makeup free". Every single day I spare myself 5 to 20 min because I don't even bother with foundation, bronzer, concealer, or any of those things that just cover up my natural, dewey skin. So what did I decide to do? Spread the word. There's plenty of people out there who simply don't need makeup! I want to make a No Makeup Day sometime in the spring and distribute teeshirts all over my campus.

But first, I started with a simple Cafepress store: http://www.cafepress.com/makeupfree

[Medium pin. Makeup Free campaign. $3.25.]

Right now there's only some buttons with the phrase "I AM makeup free" but soon I'll be adding apparel, bags, mugs, and more. Let my catchy-prhase brainstorming begin! All profits are donated to Dove's Self Esteem Fund for Girls.

I'm a big denim person. I'm pretty picky about how they fit since I'm so tiny, my butt is larger than most (but very round), and I have fencer thighs. I've been hunting for the perfect petite skinny jean for the entire last season! Especially with winter rolling around, I need something I can slip on into boots and run out for class. I hate stuffing my nice Rock's into suede boots with no zipper, so I've been prowling around for anything and everything. I tried every store and every brand possible to no avail: J Brand, Joe's Cigarette, Sevens, Rich & Skinny, even True Religion (ick). Nada. I went into Urban and tried something there: awful, falling apart cloth. What's a girl to do?

Well, yesterday I got a phone call from the GM at Goodwill University Way telling me I won an ipod nano (4G). I went in to pick it up today and ended up browsing the store. Guess what I found? You bet. My perfect skinny jeans. The most surprising part? Besides the fact they were $11, they were from Old Navy! Who would've known? I'd forgotten all about Old Navy; I vaguely recall thinking, not long ago, that everything ran too big. Well, they started a Petites line and I'm the lucky receiver! What a great day.

['The Diva' Skinny Jean. Old Navy. Cotton, polyester, spandex. $29.50.]

These fit like a dream (okay, there is like a 2in gap in the back for me, but I'm very very very small!) and there is no uncomfortable tightness in the calves. I like the dark wash AND they end at the right length--no alterations needed! For $30 that's a steal!

Today I had the most awesome experience chatting with Karen Jason, designer of numerous collegiate silk scarves for women. Her business started at the windy 2000 Rose Bowl (Stanford vs. Wisconsin) when she realized female alumni did not have something fashionable to wear to support their alma mater; thus she was inspired to found Aksesare (a whimsical spelling of Accessory) which features high quality silk scarves and ties with hand-rolld hems. Although she started with Stanford, she quickly expanded to Cal, UW, USC, and even WSU (gross). Karen has spent days researching the distinct traditions of each campus, so her scarves tells a fantastic story of the school itself. For instance, the UW version has Huksy Crew, Final Bites, Drumheller Fountain, the obelisk, salmon feast, Denny Hall, the Apple Cup, and more!

So how did I learn of this woman? My boyfriend had Aksesare as a client when he worked as a sales rep for the UW newspaper. Unfortunately, Karen had been forced to give up her collegiate licensing when they started talking, so she wanted to sell off her last batch of UW scarves. She graciously gave my boyfriend 2 (one for me, one for his mother) and donated many to the UW Alumni Association (where I work). Because I am currently in an International Business class, my boyfriend put me in touch with Karen so I could talk to her about the business obstacles she encountered (centering around manufacturing in China).

Boy, was I in for a treat. (By now, you're wondering what my blog is about, aren't you?) Well, remember when I twittered on about how great the Hermes website was? Well, I hate to break it to you Hermes idolizers, but Karen (and Aksesare) was there first! Karen had the great idea of tying scarves on mannequins in innovative ways, masking out the mannequins via Photoshop, and have her talented graphic designer draw a figure to replace the mannequin in Illustrator. Let's see a comparison:

[Aksesare]

[Hermes]

Hmm indeed! Well, I love the Hermes design, but bow down to Karen and Wendy (her graphic designer) for pioneering this whimsical online movement!

I just started the finance series a the University of Washington. It was not until I hit them midterm problem I realized how practical financial applications were:

1. Question 3: Let’s say you are thinking about buying a $1000 Balenciaga handbag. However, if you saved the money instead and invested at an 8% return, compounded annually, how much would you have for your 6-month old son when he turns 18 and goes to college? [6]

Answer: 1000(1.08)^17.5=3845.17

If I didn't have finance, I may have made the wrong choice and forgone the handbag!

I'm a big sucker for unique necklines--and that extends to back-lines too. Remember when Hilary Swank totally swept the Oscars in 2005 with her backless Guy Laroche dress? We can't all be that fab, but we sure can add a little sexiness in our lives. So let me show you the most amazing (and very affordable!) sweaters that have taken on a tie-back:

[American Eagle. Cotton. $29.95.]

I love love love this sweater. It is super soft (light knit of 100% cotton), has 3/4 length sleeves to make it a little more casual, a deep V for a bit of sass, and a bowtie back for a flirty finish. It's even on clearance (and available in both XXS and XS!) for only $30! There's nothing more you can ask for, except more colors! I'm going with this black version since it's dressy and would be a great with the pleated yellow skirt I got from Amsterdam. I also love the cobalt blue (imagine that with a pencil skirt and some dangly earrings!) and the heather gray is a comfy spin on the sweater. The weave is thin so make sure to layer something underneath!

If you're looking for something that will make you feel more luxurious, consider the slightly more expensive option:

[Victoria's Secret. Silk & Cashmere. $68.]

Still totally a steal, this sweater takes a more dramatic plunge. I can't see the front, but I imagine it to be a Vneck (it is Victoria's Secret). This sweater is definitely more of a show-stopper, probably not suitable for work, and definitely will make those gym classes worth it. I love silk/cashmere mixes (probably my favorite thing besides cashmere by itself) since the knit turns out to be lightweight but still soft and warm. This sweater is available in a million different colors so go ahead, go crazy!

After a very hectic day, the boyfriend and I came home to make a quick pizza with homemade tomato sauce, prosciutto, shiitake mushrooms, and herbed goat cheese. Just to top it off I sprinkled it with truffle oil (I'm addicted, I confess). While we waited for the pizza to bake, we got sucked into America's Next Top Model in its seasonal "We're going overseas!!!" episode. Watching the ghetto Asian girl slink her way around and embarrass all Asians was well worth an hour of my time. And of course how can you overlook the fact Tyra & co. had the most stereotypical Dutch symbols everywhere? The porcelain windmill she held in her hand was exactly the type you buy for 1E (I know, I gave away many as souvenirs). Yes, American cultural sensitivity at the best (we all heard the bad French accent too, yes?). Anyhow, we were almost ready to turn off our TV when previews of Stylista came on. I forced both my roommate and boyfriend to sit their bottoms back down so we could watch.

The Gimmick

A group of young, aspiring (many poorly dressed) fashion journalists come to Elle magazine to compete for a chance to be junior fashion editor. This is a chance of a lifetime (sort of) and all the contestants are going to bitchfight it out. They have to do menial jobs like prepare breakfast for Anne Slowey (Elle's fashion news editor) and host her niece's (aka crazy braceface) birthday party. Tantrums ensure, boobs are seen, guys act unbelievably gay, and of course lots of expensive clothes are showcased.

Pros

1) The cast. As I sat through Danielle's painful confession on her...double chin...I had to applaud the casting crew. Not only have they got the love-to-hate-her bitch!Megan (with experience, style, and money...anyone remembering Melrose on ANTM 7?), they also pulled in the overconfident!Devin from NYU. What a blemish to the face of the school (and its bullshit majors) but what a fantastic character on screen. William is just awesomely gay with a British accent--great duo there--and how can we forget BOOBS. Oh wait, her name may be Kate? Sitting through her "I love my clothes!" fit was possibly the most enjoyable part of the entire hour. The other characters are a bit more bland, though my boyfriend loves DyShaun (and his Gucci loafers) and my roommate is all for Cologne (terrible name, poor girl). I can already feel the steam rising as Megan eyes Danielle through over-shadowed eyes, and Kate blames everyone for trying to "change her". The next episode promises an ambulance call--and it looks like it may be Jason. Sweet sweet drama. Does Stylista do transformations like Top Model? Because I would love to see Jason's hair go.

2) Location, location. Most reality TV shows have the stars living in plush palaces, lit pool and all. At least the Apprentice painted sombre colors on the set to enhance moodiness. Stylista is genius for setting these poor people up in bunk beds with barely a kitchen. How long do I have to wait until Megan rips her couch to shreds and takes Kate's bed? Us viewers are watching for fights--namely, catfights. I can picture cereal-throwing, boob flaunting, and serious sink-space fights in my head already. That Devin girl is going to go psycho soon (maybe she'll realize she has no talent at graphics OR clothes) and claw someone's skin out--and I will be eating popcorn and laughing.

3) The clothes. C'mon--if we're watching, we love fashion. There is nothing better than watching a parade of fashionistas in designer clothes. I may not be the biggest fan of Anne's style, but I think we can agree she's pretty ballin'. Did anyone else spot that humongous piece masquerading as a necklace during the breakfast scene? It looked like a granite slab from the medieval period--and probably costs more than Wharton tuition. I do like Megan's personal style, though Joe Zee was absolutely right about that Chanel on her figure. What I'm really looking forward to is getting a more (envious) glimpse into the closet of Kate Lanphear, whom is always dressed well.

Cons

1) The prizes. There is simply too little at stake. Junior editor for Elle (is that a free internship or something?) and free rent? Oh, don't forget the year's worth of crappy clothes from H&M! C'mon, this show is produced by Tyra Banks--didn't she have any better ideas? Maybe throw in a Goyard trunk or something--those contestants need a little bit of money to keep their sights straight!

2) The firing phrase. "You're not the right fit." That sounds like some sort of pun Tyra would come up with ANTM. What was Elle thinking when they used this? Do they actually fire people with that phrase? Something more jarring would be so much more interesting ("You're just a wannabe!" or even "We don't want you to write at Elle"), plus the crushed look on the dejected contestant's face would be 1000x more sincere.

3) The plot (or lack thereof). There is no buildup. The plot reminds me of what is fundamentally wrong about the new 90210--everyone forgets the last thing that happened immediately. There is no plot buildup. The entire storyline seems very piecemeal and doesn't flow very well. Even the firing section has only a mediocre buildup. What writer is coming up with these challenges? Ok, the breakfast was entertaining because some people were clueless, but the magazine spread? Seriously? How are a bunch of contestants cutting up paper and typing away supposed to keep me riveted to my seat? I don't get it...hopefully something more exciting will happen next week.

4) Anne, Elle, and the uncanny imitation of the Devil Wears Prada. LA times nailed this. Anne Slowey is no Anna Wintour, and really shouldn't act like one. Wintour is repeatedly named one of the most powerful women in fashion; Anne Slowey is not on that list. Also, Anne just seems uncomfortable and awkward--and stiff. Whereas Tyra on ANTM is in her element (being crazy), Anne Slowey seems like she's acting. The way Anne dumps her clothes on her assistant's desk (just like in DWP) and swivels in her chair (just like DWP) and is picky about her food (just like DWP) and has a male assistant (just like DWP) gets me confused if I'm watching a Chinese bootleg of the Devil Wears Prada or a new TV series. Please, stop with the imitations! Elle is no Vogue, so cut the act. Just watch this video of Anne showing us her closet for proof. She is not dolled up, her hair is casually tied back, and she's not a rigid bitch. I bet she just eats cereal for breakfast; no fancy dried mango or little flowers. Watching Anne parade around like a self-righteous prick was kind of grating.

5) It's on at Wednesdays after Bones. I can't sit in front of the TV for two hours.

Final Verdict

I'll probably catch it streaming online. The catfighting is spectacular (Megan and Ashlie till death!), Devin's stupidity shows no bounds (nor does Kate's cleavage). I am looking forward to confrontation, backstabbing, cussing in different accents, crying, and possibly some expensive ruined clothing. I'm waiting for some fashion shows, shows, interviews, and some hard ass style critique. This is still a show I get "in" to because I do want a job of a vaguely similar field (CondeNast, marketing) so watching these contestants and rooting for one of them gives me a vicarious joy. Let the most fabulous bitch win!