Friday, September 19, 2014

10 Fall Staples You Need in Your Closet for $50 or Less

Utility Jacket

An army or utility jacket does some serious wonders for any fall wardrobe. Throw it over basically anything to up the style factor over your favorite outfit, or even just a tank and blue jeans. 

Image: target.com

$45 Target 


Leather Jacket

A leather jacket is a total necessity for any cool girl's wardrobe. Much like the utility jacket, you can throw this over anything and instantly make you look like you put a sold extra 30 minutes picking out your outfit. 


Image: target.com
$45  Target

Grey Sweatshirt for Layering

Throwing a simple light hoodie under another jacket is such a great way to add layers for warmth as well as give your favorite jacket a different look to it! 


Image: old navy.com
$20 Old Navy

Black Jeans

Black denim is a must for a day-to-night look! 


Image: us.levi.com
$40 Levi

Heeled Booties

Heeled booties instantly add a more on-trend element to any outfit. 



Image: dsw.com
$50 DSW

Converse

White tennis shoes, alternatively, can dress down any outfit. (Hint: pair with a little black dress and a leather jacket for a cute but playful day-to-night look.)

Image: dsw.com
$45 DSW

Oatmeal Colored Sweater


Perfect for the fall time! You can pair this with any outfit to make a casual and cozy look or just wear it lounging around the house.

Image: tillys.com
$33 Tilly's

Denim Jacket

Denim jackets are perfect for the awkward transitioning from spring/summer to fall/winter.


Image: taget.com
$30 Target

Little Black Dress

I think this is self-explanatory?

Image:  lulus.com
$42 Lulu's


Black Heels

This season, add a pair of pointed pumps to any outfit to update it and dress it up at the same time!


Image: lulus.com
$23 Lulu's

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Wanderlust on a Budget




I personally believe that some type of studying abroad should be a requirement for undergrads. There is no better way to learn more about the world and yourself than traveling and living abroad. Stepping out of my comfort zone and into the unknown was one of the most rewarding experiences that I’ve ever  had, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I now have the travel bug and a never ending urge to get out and explore. Due to a lack of funds and five months traveling in an expensive country, I’ve dedicated a lot of time into finding ways to budget travel.


I haven’t come across a way to travel cheaply that avoids working. While at first this might seem like a dagger, working abroad allows you to fully immerse yourself in the culture and opens so many doors for new relationships. So, keep an open mind while reading through these ideas. Bon voyage!

1. Workaway- Workaway is a website that is based both domestically and internationally. The aim is to connect hosts in need of some type of work with travelers that are willing to help out in return for room, board, and sometimes extra cash. The jobs range from coffee baristas to social reps to nannies, and the locations for these jobs are literally all around the world. A membership costs about twenty five dollars and gives you access to reviews and host contact information.
http://www.workaway.info/

2.  Helpx- Helpx is very similar to Workaway, although the hosts and jobs differ. Take a look at both. There are so many opportunities! Helpx costs twenty dollars for two years. You can get a free membership, but you will need to upgrade to premier to get all of the features.
http://www.helpx.net/


3.  World Wide Organic Farming- WWOF offers volunteers the opportunity to work on organic farms around the world in return for food and room. Again, there are so many locations. The hours working depend on the farm chosen, so take a look around and find one that suits you!
http://www.wwoof.net/


4.   Au Pair- I have actually have a couple of friends who’ve done this, and they’ve absolutely loved it. This website connects families in need with travelers who are willing to nanny for and live with the host family. The hosts are found globally.
https://www.aupair-world.net/

Monday, September 8, 2014

The 9 Guys You Meet In College

The Gay-Straight Guy

We all know what I’m talking about. He hasn’t technically come out as gay, or maybe he just doesn’t even realize he’s gay. But everyone else knows it already. He probably has mostly girl friends, or girl roommates, and he’s never tried to hit on you. He might even have a girlfriend, but I can vouch from one of my best high school friends, that a girlfriend implies “straight” but it does not guarantee “straight.” Basically, we’re all just wondering when/if he’s going to come out of the closet.

The Good Time

He’s always down to party. If you’re itching to go out, regardless of what day of the week it may be, you’re going to text him. You’re going to text him because even if there isn’t anything happening, he will have you and all your friends over to get blacked out on any given night. The best part about him, you feel no obligation to hook up with him. Like ever. If you don’t have one of these guys in your life yet, you need to get on it.

The Liability

Not to be confused with “The Good Time.” He can be so fun, and such a homie. However, he often raises the question: How can one person drink so much and not die? He has a liver of steel and will outdrink everyone every time. This does not mean, however, that he can hold his liquor well. If there’s pee in your trash can in the morning, it was probably him. If there’s someone passed out on your front lawn in the morning, it’s probably him. If there’s a hole punched in your wall, it was probably him. And lastly, if you hear sirens, you can bet your favorite mascara that it’s probably him. Long story short: proceed with caution. 

The Creep

We all know this guy all too well. He seems nice and cool, maybe even attractive. The problem, once you’ve gotten a little more than halfway through freshman year, you see his true colors. He loves freshman, but mostly he loves anything that will hook up with him. He offers endless shots and way too many hugs. He has no idea what the friend zone is simply because he purposely tries to get there, then makes his move. Be weary because he has an obscenely high “number” and who knows where he’s been. Do yourself a favor and either steer clear, or at the very least. make sure there’s a condom present.

The Frat Star

He. Loves. Drinking. Not to the point of "The Liability", but pretty damn close. You can find him caveman-ing a beer, shotgunning a beer, or buying a new pair of Sperry's. The library probably won't be the best place to look for him, so you should probably head over to the fraternity house. He loves his frat brothers, he loves his team, but most of all, he loves Natty. 

The Geed

The GDI (God Damn Independent), or as I prefer to call him, the Geed. He is prepster meets hipster. Probably a journalism student. Probably has his own business of some sort. He doesn't get all caught up in the fraternity lifestyle, or so he thinks. The Geed can often times be even frattier than an entire fraternity combined. I don't know how this happens, but it is definitely a recurring theme in the Geed. 

The Ex

He’s at every party you go to. You don’t know why. It’s seriously so annoying. It would be cool if you could just be friends with him, but then he makes some gross rude comment that makes you feel a liiiiiiittle violated. DO NOT HOOKUP WITH HIM. It’s the worst. You aren’t going to get back together if that’s what you're hoping for, and furthermore, if you hooked up with him you will be punished in the morning with bad sex, an awkward goodbye, and one hell of a hangover. 

The Potential Love of Your Life

The rarest of them all. If you managed to pull a Rihanna and find love in a hopeless place, props to you. It’s a hard thing to pull. Speaking of pulls, you probably met this guy taking one from a handle of vodka. So romantic right? Or maybe you got a little too drunk on a party bus and made out with him in front of everyone including his ex-hookup (whatever, she sucks anyway). However you met, you beat the odds and found someone worth hanging out with for a while. As long as he’s nice to you, treats you with respect, and you’re the only girl in his life, stick with it because he sounds like one hell of a catch.

The Teacher’s Pet


You don’t know him personally. Thank God. He’s just in your class. He makes jokes with the professor, kisses their ass, and always sits in the front row... by himself. He’s a total frat star (of a mediocre house), probably wears sunglasses inside, and has an opinion on everything. Even the teacher doesn’t like him. Outside of class, you can find him arguing with your professor about a single point on an exam when he already got an A. We all know him, we all hate him, and he is the only thing that actually made your 8am lab worse than the time you puked in a bush on your way there. 

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Cute Ways to Wear Your Shirt On Gameday

It's football season! Which means game day gear every Saturday, and sometimes you don't want to wear the same exact thing everyone else is wearing. So here are a few cute and easy ways to make a regular old T-shirt a little more stylish. (Warning: Don't get as cut-crazy with the scissors as I did.)

Low Back Tank Top


1. Lay the T-shirt down on a flat surface to that everything lays evenly.


2. Cut the sleeves off, keeping a very straight line until about the middle of your ribs. 


3. Cut the collar off. 


4. Flip the shirt over and cut straight down (from where the collar was) to about where your lower back would be, and then around and up again.


It's so easy! Honestly, I'm not very good with stuff like this. The ideas are there, but the skills are not. I tried.

       




Shirt Dress


1. Get a size XL shirt. You mostly just need something large enough to cover your butt, and oversize sleeves. 


2. Pull one arm through the collar.


3. Do the same with the other.


4. Make sure the sleeves are right side out.


5. Tie the sleeves together in the back. (Hint: A safety pin will help hold the loose ends together.)



There it is! Super easy, but really cute ways to wear your simple Game Day shirt. Let us know what other ways you like to wear yours!

Go Ducks!