Ok ladies, let's face it.  Keeping your hair cute in this unbearable weather (I think last month was the hottest June on record EVER) is not that easy.  When I was down the shore for July 4th, I ran into one of my college friends one night who looked simply adorable- cute top, cute shorts, and cute braid!  I know we're not 5 anymore, but braiding your hair, but a braid- in any form- is an easy, no fuss way to keep you cool and chic this summer.

My favorite is the side braid, a la Lauren Conrad from The Hills.  Maybe that's because my hair has so many layers that no other braids work in my hair.  Regardless, I think it is a great way to change up your look for work or heading out for the night.

Image from stylehop.com

Just grab a handful of hair and start braiding!  For added texture, use a gel spray and scruch your hair. 

What's your favorite summer hair style?

 

...from the clothing store from Victoria's Secret, that is.

I'm actually one of those girls who doesn't shop at VS too often.  But flipping through my VS catalogue this weekend, I couldn't help but notice that the non-lingerie clothing is adorable!  The company offers a wide range of dresses, shirts, pants, workout wear, and accessories.

While I would like to purchase about 90% of the catalogue I just browsed through, I cannot.  Here are my 5 favorite picks for you all out there.  I feel that my choices cover a wide range of occasions to wear each item, and I believe each could become essentials in your closet.

Corset Play Dress in Print, $49 (I prefer the White Multi-Color)

I think the style and fit of the corset dress is just adorable.  This dress would easily go from running errands during the day, in a simple pair of sandals, to night just by adding some height with a pair of cute heels or wedges.  Pair it with a sweater in the fall to wear it throughout the year.

Yoga Foldover Cropped Pant in Pink Graffiti, $24.50 or 2 for $40

I also think that every girl should have a pair of comfy yoga pants, and VS offers just that- I can speak from experience since I own a pair.  I especially love the amount of color combinations offered on the website!  So many colors to fit whatever your mood is, which is fantastic.

Sequin Tunic in Dark Silver, $59.50 (I prefer the Gold)

I firmly believe that you can never have too much sparkle when heading out with your girlfriends, and this sequin tank provides just that.  Pair it with a black blazer in the fall, skinny jeans and some peep toe pumps for a killer outfit.

Fleece Hooded Jacket in Winter White, $59.50

This is the perfect hoodie for running errands, heading to the gym, or for a casual Friday at the office.  Enough said!

Boyfriend Shirt in Black/White Flannel Plaid, $48

Who doesn't love plaid?  This shirt will be comfy, and stylish, whenever you wear it.  Wear it with a pair of shorts or jeans, depending on you rmood. 

What are your must-haves from Victoria's Secret?

[Disclaimer: This product review is not, in any way, affiliated with Arbonne, who's product I review in this post.  It's just something I wanted to do on my own.  In case the FCC comes after me or something]

In the August issue of Glamour Magazine, there is a whole page (pg. 56 to be exact) dedicated to summer hair care.  Ladies, you might not realize it, but your locks are just as susceptible to sun damage as your skin!

If you're like me and love to spend time outside when the weather is nice, specifically down the shore, dry and damaged hair can be a potential problem- especially if it's chemically treated in some way.  That's why I decided to try out a conditioning spray to use before sun exposure to protect my hair.  One of my college friends is an independent consultant for Arbonne, an all-natural, all-vegan skin care, makeup, and wellness company founded in Switzerland.  The products are amazing, but that can be a series of posts in itself.

In anticipation for a trip to the shore, I purchased the BefoRE Sun To The Rescue Hair Protectant Spray.  Simply put, I love it!  I spritzed it on my hair in the morning before hitting the beach and waves.  It's so nice and light and didn't weigh my hair down or make it greasy, which is a plus.  It also acts as a detangler, which is great after spending the day in the ocean and on a windy beach.  The spray's ingredients include arnica, camomile, linden and rosemary to protect all hair types while sustaining a natural, healthy shine.

As if that isn't enough, but it smells incredible, since it's ingredients are all-natural.

I would highly recommend giving your locks some love with this (or any kind of) spray protectant while enjoying your summer days outdoors.  You protect your skin from the sun, so why should your hair be any different?

First things first- if you couldn't tell, I'm a bit of a Gleek (see point 5.3).  Last month, I wrote about Matthew Morrison (aka Mr. Schuester) and his character's fashion and, most importantly, how the fellas out there can dress like him.

Now I'm here for Glee fashion tips for the ladies.  Emma Pillsbury, played by the adorable Jayma Mays, is William McKinley High School's resident guidance counselor.  She is always optimistic, and her chic style reflects that.  Overall, her outfits are simple, yet professional and appropriate, well accessorized and fit her figure well.  Her on screen style might not be everyone's favorite- I'll admit, sometimes all the bows are a little overkill- but you cannot deny how everything looks on her.

All images from Fox.com

Emma's style reminds me of many pieces I've seen, and longed for, from Anthropologie: clean, pretty, colorful, romantic.  Check out these Emma-inspired pieces from Anthropologie (and other stores) to create the look on your own!  I chose a simple half-sleeved shirt with a bright, fun skirt (to be tucked in, of course) with heels and big earrings.  Everything is work appropriate, yet doubles as weekend wear.  What more can you ask for?

Curated Tee in Brown Motif from Anthropologie, $48 (image from anthropologie.com)
Circle The Globe Skirt in Yellow from Anthropolgie, $68 (image from anthropologie.com)
Splurge! Ruston Bag in Grey from Anthropologie, $448 (image from anthropologie.com)
Virginia Pumps in Taupe from Target, $29.99 (image from target.com)
Steal! Darling Earring Set from Forever 21, $3.80 (image from forever21.com) 

I just spent the whole week down the shore and my friend Meghan turned me on to the cutest summer look: a nice button up and some casual shorts.  I think this is the most perfect look for a casual summer day, whether you're running errands at home or grabbing lunch at the beach.  It's easy, comfortable, and cute, which to me is what summer style is all about.

Ladies, what do you think?

BDG Breezy Button Down Shirt in Red from UrbanOutfitters, $38 (photo from urbanoutfitters.com)
Love Ady Cuffed Eyelet Shorts from Lord & Taylor, $35.99 (on sale, photo from lordandtaylor.com)
Day Off Top from Mod Cloth, $39.99 (photo from modcloth.com)
Level 99 Carolina Shorts from Anthropologie, $68 (photo from anthropologie.com)
Short Sleeve Puff Shirt from Top Shop, $32 (photo from topshop.com)
Love Ady Cuffed Seersucker Shorts in Khaki from Lord & Taylor, $35.99 (on sale, photo from lordandtaylor.com) 

Hey fashionistas & fashionistos.

Happy July!  I'm here to alert you to an amazingly chic giveaway.  The fabulous Caroline Ann (founder & author of Girl Goes East) has teamed up with Tiny Ocean jewelry designs for a wonderful free giveaway on her blog.  FYI- If you don't read, you should. She is so witty & clever!  Caroline is a great writer.

Photo courtesy of girlgoeseast.com

This is only an example of the beautiful jewelry available for giveaway (and is my personal favorite).

 

So, to enter:

Go to girlgoeseast.com and leave a comment, telling Caroline which is your favorite piece and why by 12PM on July 2! That's it!

You can also score more brownie points by following both Caroline & Simone (designer for Tiny Ocean) on Twitter, or by linking the contest to your blog (like this hehe).

So what are you waiting for? Good luck!

I think every girl in America swoons when she sees Matthew Morrison.  Well known for his performances in Hairspray and Light In The Piazza on The Great White Way, Morrison now stars on the hit Fox television series Glee as Mr. Will Schuester as William McKlinley High School's dedicated glee club director.

Aside from his great singing voice (if you need any kind of convincing, listen to this) and incredible good looks, I think that Morrison also has great style- both on and off the set.  I think that he's always dressed in stylish clothes that fit and flatter him very well.

(All photos from Fox)

[From left to right: Morrison at the April premiere for Glee; Morrison (right) with Jane Lynch on the set of Glee; Morrison (left) with Kristin Chenoweth on the set of Glee; Morrison (left) with Neil Patrick Harris on the set of Glee; Morrison (right) on the set of Glee; Morrison on the set of Glee; Morrison in a promotional picture for Glee; Morrison (left) with Neil Patrick Harris again; Morrison (right) with cast members at the April premiere of Glee; Morrison (right) again with Neil Patrick Harris.]

As you can see, when Morrison works the red carpet, he sports a great suit with an even better shirt and tie to go with it.  I especially love the color of the red stripped one pictured below.  It's so bright and really pops with the blue shirt and navy blue suit.  I'm glad to see that he's not afraid of a little color!

I especially love the clothes he wears on Glee.  As Mr. Schu, Morrison is consistently dressed in a great button up or simple (but APPROPRIATELY fitting) t-shirt paired with a blazer or sweater and a pair of jeans or pants, which I absolutely love.  It's so work appropriate, for business casual settings, and the button up/blazer combination is great at night, whether out with your friends or on a date.

Fellas: recreating Morrison's look on Glee is really easy, since you (as a man) probably have these pieces in your closet already.  You just need some nice jeans, a button up, a casual blazer and a belt!  It sounds simple, but it's amazing how put together and great this outfit looks together.  Trust me.  I even did it for you! :)

INC International Concepts Jacket, Miles Blazer from Macy's, on sale for $34.99 (photo from Macys.com)
Merona Washed Poplin Shirt from Target, $19.99 (photo from target.com)
UO Saddle Leather Belt from Urban Outfitters, $24 (photo from urbanoutfitters.com)
Bootcut Jeans from American Eagle Outfitters, $29.50 (photo from ae.com)

Image courtesy of nymag.com (via Dove)

Dove's Real Beauty Campaign is well known for promoting "real" beauty in women everywhere and disprove the unrealistic images of "beauty" in our society today.  In the campaign, he models in the ads are real women, not models or actresses.  This video shows the world how skewed images can be in regards to beauty:

After watching this video, you can image my confusion when I read a post on The Cut today about the next round of this campaign.  Dove posted an ad on Craigslist for an open casting call for women, aged 25-45 of all nationalities.  Sounds "real" enough, right?

As you read further down, the ad calls for women with:

"Flawless skin, no tattoos or scars. Well groomed and cleaned.  Nice bodies.  Naturally fit.  Not too curvy, not too athletic."

That is only one line out of a 6 paragraph casting call advertisement, and as the ad goes on, the requirements for these "real women" get more and more specific.  You can read the whole casting call here.

Sounds a little contradictory to me.

Editor's note: Dove released a statement on June 29 stating that the Craigslist ad was not approved before posting.

The Tony Awards combine two of my most favorite things in the world: theatre and fashion.  This year's awards show, which aired on Sunday, June 13, didn't disappoint...for the most part. Here are some of my favorite- and not so favorite- looks of the night.

All photos are from Broadway.com, which is the only place I could find photos of attendees other than Scarlett Johansson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and other movie stars on Broadway right now.  For full-length pictures of [most] of these looks, click here for the New York Times Red Carpet slideshow.

Now, there are some looks where I liked some elements, but not others.  Those ones are included in the favorites and not-so-favorite categories, depending on how much of the look I liked or didn't like.

Here are my favorites:

Angela Lansbury; Bernadette Peters; Helen Mirren; Catherine Zeta-Jones (Michael Douglas just looks old); Idina Menzel and her mother (can you believe that?!); Ryan Reynolds and Lucy Liu; Matthew Morrison SWOON; Paula Abdul; Scarlett Johansson; Sean Hayes (adorable, as always); Montego Glover; Laura Linney

Seriously, how classy and handsome are all of these looks?  Especially Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters and Helen Mirren.  All three women are so beautiful for their age (all are over 60, at least).  The men looked dapper in their fancy tuxedos, and it's always nice to see them dressed up once in a while.  Idina Menzel looks amazing for a new mom- she gave birth to her son, Walker, only last September! I love the red nail polish paired with the black and white in the dress.  While the dress isn't as flattering as other gowns she's worn in the past (and is a little prom-y), I think the ensemble works as a whole.  It is age-appropriate, the make-up/hair/dress work for the style.  And hey, first big red carpet appearance less than a year after her son was born?  I gotta give her props for that.

Now, a few of my not-so-favorites (and why):

Kristin Chenoweth: As much as I want to like the dress, I think it's a little young looking and too short (ven for her, and she's pocket sized!). When she pretended to faint on stage and fell over, though, I was worried that we might see a little too much.  If only it was an inch or 2 longer.  And the shoes are a disaster, they don't match the dress at all.  Better luck next time, Cheno.
Christopher Walken: He looks a little creepy if you ask me :-/
Melanie Griffith: She's had WAYY too much plastic surgery in the past.  It looks like her face will melt off at any second and I think it looks a little scary...
Lea Michele: Let me say that I LOVE the Zac Posen dress and the color.  And Lea is beautiful, but I don't think she pulled this off.  If I were her (or her stylist), I would've worn the hair down in soft curls or waves with this dress, as the flows and sweetheart neckline give it a romantic feel.  I don't like those harsh, straight bangs across her forehead and the lipstick color is not right.  And if you look on the New York Times slideshow of pics above, she looks frumpy in the dress by herself.  Her posture wasn't flattering at all.  Just didn't do it for me.  Jonathan Groff is nice as arm candy, though...
Cate Blanchett: I'm not sure how I feel about her new haircut, but the shiny tuxedo has to go.  (On a separate note: I LOVE Daniel Radcliffe and think he looked great).
Jada Pinkett-Smith: I just have to ask, "What is going on here?" the dress is really short, and I don't think I understand it.  The dress is too big and too busy for her little frame.  Plus, her hair is pulled back so tightly.  I don't think it's flattering for her.

What are some of your favorite and least favorite looks from the night?  Who did I leave out on either list?