We Speak No Americano.

The final essay for my International Politics class is supposed to include multiple case studies and so the professor is letting us incorporate other groups' case study projects into our paper...

He had called this class a "freshman class" and now I believe it.  Some of the memorable "words" or phrases from the intellectual jackpot:

• "...conventionally and nuclearly." If nuclearly is an adjective, it sure describes how I feel after reading these papers....Like how Kim Jong-Il goes nuclearly about America, right?
• "The disagreements, regarding self-identification, amongst the people of Kashmir speaks to yet another level of conflict analysis." The disagreements must have been so animated that they could overcome basic grammatical conventions.
• "Power is relative because it can only be understood by comparing haves and have-nots." I have not an idea what this means.
• "The story of Pakistan and India is a complex tapestry of interrelated theories and events." I would like to see the rich cultural fibers of that tapestry. Can I buy it at World Market?

Happy writing of the papers with agreeing subjects and verbs!

Morning Glory

If you have already seen Harry Potter and are looking for another movie to see during finals season, check out Morning Glory.  I saw it this afternoon, best movie I have seen in theaters in a long time.  Rachel McAdams is awesome.  Great comedy, romance and coming of age drama - perfect mix of each, but not too much!

Cinnamon Coffee

Gooooood byee creamer, skim milk, half-half, whole milk, fake milk all of it. Helllo dark, strong, black coffee at only four calories a serving plus caffeine.  My dad keeps reminding me that coffee not only turns your teeth funky colors, but when you add lovely cream and sugar it also causes cavities.  I may not eat a lot of candy and avoid sugary foods for the most part, but my coffee habits sometimes contradict this lifestyle as my dad pointed out at breakfast over break.  As a college student, I can admit I am a coffee addict, I have to have multiple cups a day and the habit is taking a chunk out of my bank account.  I have managed to wean myself off the mochas, white chocolate mochas, skinny nonfat hazelnut lattes, grasshoppers.  Sugary coffee drinks require special occasions and my dad did not accept vacation as a special occassion when I justified adding sugar to my coffee at breakfast.  Nowadays, I enjoy a great Americano or Cafe au Lait (Not Starbucks style. You must clarify when you order one because Americans are confused.).  Currently, I am adjusting to simple black coffee with cinnamon.  It has not been too bad and I am beginning to love it.  People say you cannot love black coffee, but the transition is underway and my dad will be happy.  My teeth my have some coffee stains that I can take care of, but cavities are a different story and I want to stay cavity free my whole life!  Cheers to no cavities and being skinny. 

No Weight Gain Chocolate

I found this lovely dark chocolate bar in the Cornell store today.  I was tempted to buy the entire display of different bars.  I decided just to post about this one - No Weight Gain. I also bought the Choco-scopes for a friend obsessed with astrology.  They have tons of other clever bars, I could not stop laughing as I read them and thought of friends who would also find them just as entertaining.  They are made by Bloomsberry & Co. of New Zealand.  These bars are great gift ideas and the website is fun to play around. 

No Weight Gain Chocolate**

**Guarantee No Weight Gain Chocolate

Warning: Manufacturer guarantee is void if packaging has been tempered with, open or torn.  No consumer serviceable parts inside.  May cause weight gain if used correctly. (aka eaten)

The ends say - Do not open.

Hahahahah made my day.  Have not opened it yet - Great motivation for my diet!

GO SMiLE

Go SMiLe - literally does wonders for your teeth. I will not buy any other whitening products. It does not make my teeth sensitive or anything and you see results soo quick. Plus the little ampules are super convenient, no strips. I usually buy it at Sephora, but Gilt has it every few months and it's a steal.

Book Review: College Girl

Okay beach read. Takes places in the 80's or early 90's. UCONN campus, kinda lame. Cute love story, girl with self-confidence issues, poor, first love, nerd. Gets the hot frat star at graduation - BIG SURPRISE. Guessed it at the beginning. Anyways, I would not recommend this book unless you are like 50 and want to pretend to be a "college girl".

Taupe Boots, s'il vous plai.

Taupe boots? No one, not a single sorostitute has taupe boots on campus.  Everyday is a slurry of brown, black and the occasional gray boot.  These Diane von Furstenburg boots are gorgeous.  Any color pant or jacket would compliment these beauties. 

DVF  Baton - $495.00

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Eat your face off, but don't forget Kate Moss's audacious quote... 

"nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

Desperate for Chocolate?

Cravings: Why Are Premenstrual Women Desperate for Chocolate?

Random fact that blew my mind -  "We studied the food choices of women with severe PMS who stayed in the MIT Clinical Research Center at the beginning and end of their menstrual cycle. These normal weight women increased their calorie intake by more than 1,100 calories daily when they were premenstrual -- and the calories came entirely from carbohydrates"

This article confused me based on my knowledge of what we need to eat and some knowledge in how the body processes food.  I am going to ask my friend who is studying nutritional science what she thinks.  The article gets torn apart in the comment section as well.  Typical of the Huffington Post.


Either way, no thank you serotonin.

Fast Times at Woodside High

I keep hearing more and more about how distracting cell phones are for students while studying.  I have been on a crackberry diet for the past few weeks, which has been driving my friends crazy.  I have been enjoying every minute of it.  I know as a crackberry addict how distracting my phone really is. The little red LED when I have messages, emails, Facebook, Foursquare, any updates - actually causes some anxiety.  Especially, if I can see it and can't look at my phone. This is especially difficult while I am studying.  Recently, I read a study somewhere that took three students - one was allowed to get high and study,  one had a cell phone and the other studied no distractions.  Obviously, the student with no distractions received the highest grade followed by the student who was high and finally the student with a cell phone.  Still blows my mind.  Not only are cell phones super distracting while studying, but current research is also suggesting they are frying our brains.  Just lovely.

Further Reading...
Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction
Achieving a Healthful Digital Diet
Students and Technology, Constant Companions

Studded Joy

Frye Studded Pull-On Boot - $328.00

Give it up...

We have blogged a lot about rainboots, but this is the end.  Hunter Boots will not give up.  They need to stop their shenanigans and stick to classic functional rainboots.  Hunter rainboots have become so popular because they were originally a farm work-boot. Hunter hit the price point, the colors and insulators/socks - someone did their homework well.  Where they are heading now...well who knows!  The sudden change in design direction shows a lack of market research because they are missing their target market. Then again, Hunter may be trying to jump into new markets because women don't buy new rainboots every year. And now that every college girl has them, they need to start exploring every fugly option available. Personally, I think Hunter need to focus on their core market by finding a designs that makes every college girl think she needs multiple pairs of rainboots.

$495.00

$175.00

$175.00

$225.00

I am not sure what I will do if after Christmas I see girls wearing these types of rainboots. Seriously, they need to stop, it's a disservice for their company...and humanity.

No Shave November, No Point?

Oh google,
I need to know why at boys I should ogle,
During November they grow out scruff,
should I huff?
Compared to breast cancer awareness wealth,
guys still have awhile to go for mens health.
So dudes go ahead and cave,
Just shave?

In 2003, Movember was started by a few guys in Australia...

Major in happiness, minor in fabulosity!

I enjoyed this article in the WM newspaper, The Flat Hat, about choosing a major.  Basic message: Chill out!  Keep calm and choose a major...Keep calm and carry on.

My Major

Very very very undecided.

How to have a revolution

We don't live in times of violent revolutions anymore. In this day and age, they do more harm than good. But that does not mean we don't need a good revolu- tion now and then. The way to make an impact today is not to threaten people, but to look after them. To show them an alternative. To inspire.
All revolutionaries are independent thinkers. All revolutionaries envision a world different than the one we live in today. But today's most effective revolutionar- ies don't throw molotov cocktails five miles away from a G-8 summit, today's revolutionaries are invited to speak at the G-8 summit. Today's revolutionaries don't wear Che Guavara t-shirts, they wear Prada shoes.
Today's revolutionaries are young thought leaders who are invited to counsel politicians and generals. Today's revolutionaries are entrepreneurs who start businesses to build a brighter future not just a bigger bank account. Today's revolutionaries are not pressured to make quarterly results, they are driven to build strong companies that care for those invested in their cause over those who invested in their business.
Today's revoltionaries look like you and me. They are in our companies. They are in our government. They start businesses. They run schools. They look ahead and say "I believe in a way better than this one..."
In today's society, there is no need to throw stones to affect change. But we do need change...the only question is who are you inspiring?
VIVA LA REVOLUCION!

http://sinekpartners.typepad.com/refocus/

Coco's Tea Party - Little Black Dress Detox

 Love this post on Coco's Tea Party. 

I love all the looks they put together!

Things I Severely Dislike...

In no particular order:

• Mao. The Chinese language is giving me quite an interesting time. Mao seems like an easy person to blame. Also, he wasn't a very nice or considerate human being.
• Jeffrey Sachs. His ideas and proposals for saving the world are ludicrous. Look at the magnitude of international aid and the the less than stellar results from bureaucracy paper pushing.
• the DMV: The Department of Motor Vehicle's inefficiency and just general roundabout-ness is mind boggling. It's not even comedic like Parks and Rec (love you Amy Poehler!) or disgustingly funny like Selma and Patty.  Its final solution, after waiting on hold for approximately 15-30 minutes, is to PAY ANOTHER FEE!

Happy Wednesday :)

Workout Enigma?

The New York Times had this article in the Well section today. It is an interesting study, makes me feel a little better about only working out once a week lately and why some people are so fit and never work out. Anyways, check it out.

Would you pay 2k for a paper?

I'm often dubious about how some students at my college (or any college) slip 'n slide through their 4 years of undergrad. Sure, some of the kids here wrote papers in high school...but that wasn't when one of their hands was permanently conjoined to a bong, and the other usually carrying a case of Natty. And of course, I remember the kids in my high school who didn't write papers, who questionably wrote papers, who jumbled some thoughts into some sentences and a few run-ons, or who couldn't even compose a coherent paragraph.  While I haven't run into any students from the latter category yet, I know they're out there because those kids from my high school went to college.

My distaste for the early hours and regimented nature of high school was tempered by the promise of the educational community ahead, with its free exchange of ideas and access to great minds. How dispiriting to find out that college was just another place where grades were grubbed, competition overshadowed personal growth, and the threat of failure was used to encourage learning.

Although maybe cynical at a younger age (don't ask me how I feel about the UN),  I too thought College would be a sort-of paradise of thought exchange. Ha. Although at this public ivy I haven't found horrendous writers, I've found fairly bad to crappy writers.

Go read "The Shadow Scholar" from The Chronicle of Higher Education about the wide-spread incompetence of our Ed System -- at all levels and all types of institutions.  The article is written by a writer who works for a custom-essay company.

So part of my job is to be whatever my clients want me to be. I say yes when I am asked if I have a Ph.D. in sociology. I say yes when I am asked if I have professional training in industrial/organizational psychology. I say yes when asked if I have ever designed a perpetual-motion-powered time machine and documented my efforts in a peer-reviewed journal.

 The author doesn't write papers for Biology or Chemistry students. Once again this makes me re-think my decision not to major in a hard science.  This leaves me hoping that when it matters, I will not simply be measured by my diploma, but by my experiences, thoughts, communication skills and Bottega bag dangling off my arm...bought with the 2 grand I "saved" from writing my own essays.

True Joy in Life

This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

George Bernard Shaw

VS

VS - Push -Up Triangle Top w/ Fold Over Bottoms

Finally did it.  Took the plunge, and bought my bathing suit for vacation next week.  Took me about three weeks to decide which one and the big mystery -  how I would actually look in it.  This is soo hard to do when you are bathing suit shopping online.  Every bathing suit looks amazing no matter how ugly it is, they sell because of the bodies wearing them, not the suits. Honestly, this model in this picture might be my best motivation to lose weight because I would like to think I could look this good in the bathing suit as well. (minus the boob job, never eating and working out 24/7).  Anyways, I still am in love with this suit and can only dream I could look this good in it, but I still bought it.  Hopefully, it is here by next weekend and I don't eat for the next week!

Miraculous Push-Up Halter Top

 My roommate really liked this one, I had to agree.  She is a tall, thin and blonde and can totally rock this.  I on the other hand was not feeling so sure about it for myself.  I thought I needed some pattern to distract people..

Is it just me, or is something just not right with this picture?

Polished and Posh

These boots are perfection. The brown of the leather looks more inviting than a worn-in couch and stacked wooden heel is an optical delight.  I wonder how they make a heel with such a detailed design.   Only a super fine, super class lady would or could wear these Elie Tahari boots.  But how practical are these for walking around campus? The cobblestone would likely devour the pretty perfect wooden heels.

Elie Tahari boot, 210 sale at 6pm

Slow Carb, Slow Progress?

Pledge formal is fast approaching...slow carbs = fitting into my beautiful cream/white dress? YAY!  I've been pretty successful (since Monday, hehe) with the slow carb diet - eat all the legumes, green vegetables and lean meats you want and don't eat carbs/sugars - until I researched the glycemic index of popcorn and it's questionable as a slow carb-acceptable food.  Beans supposedly fill you up and replace carbs to boost energy. Eggs, especially egg whites, are necessary for breakfast variety.  Fruits break down into sugars and so are discouraged.  Carbs and any food that is white or can be white are off limits, except following exercise.

Other than my weak spot for Simply Salted popcorn, I may have overindulged in chips and quesadillas after soccer. Eating at the less than/much less than Chipotle here, AKA Zoca, my repeated "burrito" bowl of black beans, chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cilantro and pico has been less than thrilling. Sometimes I ask for extra cilantro, sometimes I ask for extra onion, sometimes I ask for extra beans instead of rice...And that's when the Zoca lunch lady gets sassy and all types of Spanish spicy: "You get one scoop of beans." I doubt she can even speak Spanish. But not like I can either...but is she learning Chinese?! Therefore, I should get that extra scoop of beans. Did I mention, I'm not eating carbs?!! I do feel like I have more energy and am eating less crap AKA everything in the dining halls that has been "prepared." No more questionable carbby, fried food substances.

I'm super excited for Saturday/Sunday. Why you ask? PLEDGE FORMAL! Annnnddd that's the day of the week that I'm designating as eat anything day. Part of supposed slow carb success (not seen here yet) is to eat all the crap you can't eat the other 6 days. This "healthy" binge keeps your metabolism accountable and actually able to continue losing weight while eating responsibly AKA NO CARBS! Must find guacamole.

A sloppy sorostitue's shades...

For the girl who throws everything in her bag topsy-turvy, but still wants to own the College uniform....

Folding Wayfarer Ray Bans, 155

Miss Manners: How to Cut a Line

The scene: Waiting in line for hot chocolate and a free mug. If you got to the acapella even early enough, they would give you a free mug. Random girl cuts right in front of me.
Me: Are you waiting for hot cocoa?  Because the girl passing out the hot cocoa packets has already passed us and is at the back of the line.
Read between the lines: You cut the line. Go to the back of the line.
Line-cutter: No, I don't want cocoa. I don't even like chocolate. I just want a mug.
I cut lines AND dont like chocolate. Definition of lame.
Me: We're all waiting for mugs. The line is for the free mug and hot chocolate. The end of the line is there.
You cut the line.
Line-cutter: Even if I don't want hot chocolate?? I think everyone else is waiting for hot cocoa too. I just want a mug.
I repeat myself in an effort to justify my line cutting. I need my free mug before everyone else in this line needs their free mug. Duh.
Line-cutter turns around and proceeds to brainstorm other ways she can get her free mug even faster.
And Scene.

Maybe I should have just blatantly told Line-Cutter, you cut the line. But I was trying to communicate clearly without making her feel too awkward and giving her a chance to come clean. In the end, it wasn't worth making a scene. But still was personally satisfying to call her out, if only in my own mind. Next time, she'll at least think twice about line cutting...and then skip to the front of the queue.

Lively

Love this lively outfit!

Speak Now

Hello tswift. Every girl I know is in love with this cd right now. Including myself, so it deserved a post! Enjoy!

Pledge Perfection

It's no big surprise that Lily Pultizer would someday do sorority prints. On her website, she has done four houses - Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Delta, Delta Delta Delta and Delta Zeta. All the prints incorporate characteristics of each house relating to colors, symbols and pictures. The prices are also affordable for girls to purchase these as gifts for each other, or perfect lineage gifts! I must admit... I am love with the Kappa merchandise!!

KKG travel bag

KD

DZ

Tri-Delt

my FAVORITE of all... a KKG scarf!!

Miss Manners: Common Courtesy

So we're not too focused on clothes right now...girl has got to embrace the REAL world at some point! HA, but not yet.  But onto a more classy-centric topic...Basic Courtesy...DUN DUN DUN...

My friend borrowed by beautiful LBD and then the hem fell out.  I don't know if the hem was already falling out, then she wore it and hem destruction was finally complete. The order of events doesn't actually matter. She may have not noticed when she returned the dress, and I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. I forgot to tell her, but even as an outspoken friend, I would feel (just a bit!) awkward asking her to fix my hem.

Case Study 2: We borrow our friend's car all the time and so last time I told my two other car-less friends that we were filling up her tank as a token of our lovely, sincere and deserved gratitude. One of them hasn't given me money and the other gave me sass as the numbers ticked upwards on the gas pump. I didn't feel the need to remind them that zipcar costs 8 bucks an hour. But I probably should have. Sometimes though I like to leave certain things unsaid and count on others' common sense, which on further thought may not include quick economic calculations.

I used to think that  gestures of courtesy are merely superfluous. Mind changed. Sometimes, courtesy is showing that you care, even if caring equals just the thought of caring.  I can't take my friend up on her offer to hem my dress, if she never offered.

We're baaaaccckkkk!

It's torrentially pouring outside!!!!  Ithaca, take back your gross overcast skies and rain clouds (guess who's forgotten 8th grade earth science?).  Williamsburg is depressing enough without a shot (errr, or a week) of SHITE weather. And it's cold. I left all my winter stuff at home and have one red winter coat, which is quite troubling bc I cant wear that with my favorite red skirt...I begin to look like a younger, more mismatched -- but not in an Urban Outfitters acceptable way -- version of Barbara Bush wearing a red power suit.

Leaving the library and retreating back to my bed would probably be the wisest decision, but alas I realized  that being a hermit in bed does not qualify as spiritual recharging. It's not very spiritual and just more all-around pathetic.

Expect more regular posting, even if we did start this semester about 2 months late.  TWO WORDS: slow carbs!

Never fully dressed without a scarf!

This morning as I was getting ready for class, I realized I never feel fully dressed without a scarf. Is it because of where I live, the climate, current trends, insecurity, I am not sure.

No, I have decided, I have an obsession with scarves. A girl(especially at Cornell) can never have too many scarves. There are numerous reasons why I love scarves.

Reasons why I love scarves-
1. Feeling fat?
2. Stain on your shirt?
3. Low-cut shirt, but you do not have a clean cami or bandeau?
4. Cold outside?
5. Need to bring out your eye color?
6. Need to spice up class outfits?
7. et cetera..

The solution to all these questions is simply put on a scarf! What I am trying to get at is - scarves are awesome and I am so excited that it is finally winter scarf season!

Just to fuel my current obsession, my sorority had a girl from NYC come and sell scarves to us at dinner.  Soo not a tupperwear party, soo a scarf party. RAGER.  She had knock- off celebrity scarves(thank you Jessica Alba replica).   A portion of her scarf sales go to your sororities philanthropy. Could you make philanthropy any easier?? Philanthropy = shopping??? The life of a philanthropic sorostitute. If you are still intrigued visit her website Just Jamie's Scarves. She also modeled all the scarves herself on the website..still not sure how I feel about that. 

If you are really in a scarf mood check out Scarf World's blog and store.

Slope Day 2.0 - Kid Cudi

Helloo cold, November, rainy Slope Day 2.0 and helloo Kid Cudi!! I am not a huge fan of rap music or whatever you want to call it, but I am in with LOVE KID CUDI!! After one of the most epic nights ever last year at Union College at his concert(minus my 19th Birthday-thank youu sailing equestrian), my friends and I are soo excited!!  Kid Cudi and Cee-Lo Green tonight at CORNELL!! It is going to be an epic rager! The concert has been sold out since tickets went on sale, kids are paying over $100 a ticket for tonight's show, get ready to rage.  Plus Cee-Lo Green as the opener - sooo "Fuck you" Drake for sucking on Slope Day. 

If you need to catch up on your Kid Cudi remixes, classics and jams I recommend Fresh On Campus and  Good Music All Day.  

Why Men Love Bitches

Thanks to a late night text from Sailing Equestrian - "I need a boyfriend".... I decided this post was necessary.

Greatest book EVER!! Well, sort of... a lot of my friends read it over the summer after freshman year hardships and heartbreaks.  Yes, we realized our dreams were not coming true and none of us are marrying the boys we met during orientation week.  We thought they were perfect and obsessed over them all year and many drunken escapades....how dreamy, but unfortunate and reality checked in eventually.  It does not matter anymore and the important thing is we all learned our lessons... The good news is, we are back, new semester....whole new ball game boys and newly declared bitches on the prowl; thanks to this book.

We thought we were ready to take on every frat star on campus, and mold him into the perfect ivy league boyfriend.  Half-way through the semester...being a classy bitch has worked great for one friend... the rest of us have not been so successful. Either way, this book was insightful on many things I was doing wrong.  Most importantly it gave me confidence to be who I am, especially when it comes to a relationships. With new confidence, I attempted it.. still failed.  Maybe I will read another great relationship book over break and have a new approach to try next semester!

Entrepreneurs Can Change the World

Freestyle Watch

Freestyle watch

LBD Necklace

Love, love, love, love this necklace! It would look amazing with a little black dress! Thank you shop-bop!

Fall Watch Bliss

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

FiveFingers

"The benefits of running barefoot have long been supported by scientific research, coaches, and athletes who’ve offered ample evidence that training without shoes allows you to run faster and farther with fewer injuries.

Motion studies demonstrate that when running barefoot, one naturally lands on the forefoot, directly below your center of gravity. This results in optimum balance, increased stability, less impact, and greater propulsion. According to Dr. Ivo Waerlop of the Vibram Biomechanics Advisory Board, “Running in FiveFingers improves agility, strength, and equilibrium, plus it delivers sensory feedback that allows runners to make immediate corrections in their form. This greatly improves running efficiency.”

No footwear comes closer to recreating the experience and natural sensation of running barefoot than Vibram® FiveFingers. It delivers all the health and performance benefits of barefoot running—with less the risk of injury. Our patented Vibram® sole acts like a second skin to protect you from elements and obstacles, so you can reap the rewards of barefoot running.

When you go barefoot, your movements become the movements of a child—playful and sensitive, yet purposeful and confident. You experience the unbound joy of stepping, hopping, and running across any surface on earth, simply to get from here to there.

Vibram FiveFingers® allow you to relive that sensation. Unlike conventional shoes that insulate you from your surroundings, FiveFingers footwear deepens your connection to the earth and your surroundings. FiveFingers enhance your sense of touch and feel, while improving foot strength, balance, agility, and range of motion. Because wearing Vibram FiveFingers is so close to going barefoot, you’ll enjoy the health and performance benefits of barefooting without some of the risks."

Sounds like a lot of fun and a great marketing pitch. Over the summer I read the book Born to Run and it got me thinking about running and equipment, etc. It really advocates for barefoot running and a sort of counter culture to the modern running phenomenon. During cross country in high school we had weekly barefoot runs and I always loved being barefoot. So last week I caved and splurged on a essentially a fancy - heavy duty pair of toe socks, and love them! I have been wearing them everywhere, the library, the gym and I even fell asleep with them on the other night. I have had a lot of people ask me questions about them when I am in public and have never seen them before, or people just staring at my feet. They are definitely not the most popular shoes for 19 year-olds, but they are worth all the questions and harassment from my friends because they are soo comfortable!


****************


I have been running with them for about a week now, they are awesome to run in. I did not mention this before but the ones the purchased are the FiveFingers Bikila. These are made for running and fitness with a thicker sole and some arch support. One compliant is so far, smaller uneven surfaces are more challenging. I am clumsy, but I trip and stumble more. I think this is part of the process of getting used to them. Also, my running step is much louder when my foot hits the ground. Finally, I love sprinting in them, I feel so fast and what runner does not love that!

Going like hot cakes

Shopbop's own exclusive label.

Bop Bijoux - Boho Cool Tiedye Hair Tie Set

This set of 18 tie-dye elastic hair ties features a knot detail at each. Assorted colors. Can also be worn as bracelets. - Is that really the selling point? Bracelets? Have I mentioned how expensive they are? Try $45 for 18 hairbands. Silly.

I cannot believe girls are actually buying these. Some girls can pull them off, others just look silly like they have ratty fabric in their hair. They are all over campus, I have not decided yet how I feel about them. Wonder how long this fad will last..

It's Pretty Simple

So I've been in an Economics state of mind lately.  With that in mind, I found this "confession" both humorous and very, very practical.  But then again, you don't need money to be classy. But it sure doesn't hurt.
From Bundle:

I know you pulled out $75,000 in student loans to finance an engineering degree that you hardly use even though your job title is “Engineer.” And I know you think I’m a peon because I’m just a lowly drafter without a degree. But in reality, I bring in more cash every month than you because I actually do this crazy thing: I SAVE MY MONEY. That lease you have on your 4Runner? I take that $400 a month and invest it. That $600 per month you spend on student loans? Could have gone to community college. That’s what I did: I paid $300 per class, never took out a loan, and worked and saved money the whole time. Oh, and I just got into a Top 50 college — on scholarship.

Wanna know what else? When you make fun of me and act like I’m a peon that doesn’t understand simple calculus, I laugh inside, because at 29, and in a deep recession, my husband and I are nearly millionaires because we understand the simplest of all mathematical concepts: compound interest.

You don’t deserve your beautiful, intelligent wife. She will figure it out as soon as she gets sick of mothering you. And then she will just look at you with the same contempt you so happily give me. But she will actually be justified in doing so.

Economics, Snooki Style!

From NBC Philadelphia:

Have you been wondering how the Puking Princess of Poughkeepsie can afford all of the designer purses swinging from her burnt-umber arm?

Well, it ends up that fashion powerhouses like Gucci and Coach have been allegedly sending the “Jersey Shore” train wreck expensive designer bags.

The kicker: Coach is not sending "Snickerdoodle" Coach bags. They’re sending her Gucci bags, and any other competing designer product they can put into her Guido-grabbing hands.

Who knew the strategies of Game Theory would come so naturally to the fashionistas who think a $5,000-price tag for a handbag is a reasonable marketing move?

 In the vein of Game Theory, wouldn't it just be better for Coach and Gucci if neither company sent Snooki a handbag?  In the end, both companies are getting bad press (is Snooki really the exception from the mantra "all press is good press"?)...but that's the beauty of Game Theory?  Companies, not just individuals!, are self interested.

The Importance of Being Thankful

My dad has always stressed the importance of writing Thank You notes.  Thank You's can strengthen a good personal impression and also keep you fresh in the recipient's mind.  Most importantly, with just a few sentences you can express gratitude.  I don't believe that all favors - or dinners at a friend's house - are necessary of a written note - this is when my dad might disagree with me.  But I believe that some gesture of gratitude, whether an email or facebook message, is never out of line.  After a job interview, lunch meeting for career advice, or receiving a present...just a few sentences can express gratitude.

Lined envelopes are the best...my favorite stationary ever is Crane single-ply yellow notes with yellow envelopes that were lined with a fun multi-colored print.  Of course, I could only find a half pack in my mom's dresser.  These bee cards aren't as great, but they'll easily do the trick for my Thank You's.

Crane Engraved Bee Notes - 25 for $34.

Updated Rain Coat

The fusion of a rain jacket and biker leather jacket....

Andrew Marc black Louise rain jacket at Ruelala for 189, regularly 350.

I think this is such a clever version of a rain jacket, you would never know just looking at it! But at that price, you're pretty close to an actual leather jacket.  Also, I like my raincoats to have a hood because I'm anti-umbrella.

Tortoise HAHA

We love Tortoise. Just not this type of tortoise:

Nike Air Assault High for $90.

Fashion Econ?

I am at a loss - chunky,oversized watches have become a very, very popular trend. Everyone is wearing them, every housewife has one, sorority girls share them, grandmas at the farmers markets sport them. Thanks to Sailing Equestrian I first got into watches about three years ago. I am not looking forward to drooling over girls watches at school, when last year it was just a click of watch wearing gals. It all really hit me the day I saw Wal-Mart had knock off Toy Watches, Wal-Mart had knock offs!! Can something be more trendy?

Now this makes me wonder, is fashion evidence that trickle down economics really does work? Republicans might want to try to use this evidence with Beohner as speaker, and while defending spray tans.

To be continued...fashion economics

Lovely Wool Jacket

I love jackets, and not only because where I live you wear jackets about 8 months of the year. I love this Marc Jacobs wool jacket because of the great color and fun frill on the bottom. You cannot go wrong with a classic cut red jacket, and you also get the added touch on the bottom.