the final hurrah

So I know I pretty much sucked at keeping up with posting. Blogging is a LOT harder than I thought it would be. Coming up with new material, finding a few minutes to sit down at the computer--I thought it would be a cakewalk, but with work, and schoolwork and everything else I had going on with my life this semester, I could barely find the time or energy to blog. I wish I had more time to devote to this, because it was a really cool experience, and I loved the topic that I was blogging about.

Blogs are great, despite what some veteran journalists say about them. It is an opportunity for someone to feel important, to feel that what they are writing means something to someone. I think its a wonderful thing for journalism--and look what blogs have done for the accountability of reputable journalism (Hello, Dan Rather?)

As far as myself as a blogger, I don't know that I will continue blogging. I might blog during my study abroad this fall, but it becomes tricky when you don't have a laptop. I absolutely despise sitting inside at the computer, especially when, this fall, I should be sunning myself along the shores of the Mediterranean. The good and bad thing about blogging is that it needs to be current--if you forget to post for a day or two, or are too busy to post, you become old news.

The blog experience was a good one, as I learned about HTML and all that good stuff, but if I were to continue my career as a blogger, I'd definitely have to get rid of about 786986 other things on my plate. To all those that do blog, more power to you!

Peace out.

work out

So you probably don't know me very well, but if you did, you'd know that I am obsessed with exercising and eating healthy. It's the best thing you can do for yourself. Despite my love for the gym, we haven't discussed workout attire! So let's do that now.

There are a few "rules" for workout clothing that I like to stick to:

1. NO COTTON. Cotton is a four-letter word when it comes to exercising and sweating. When cotton gets wet, it stays wet. It rubs against your skin. Not to mention, it looks disgusting when it's sweaty. Try and stick to technical fabrics that work to wick the moisture off the skin--these fabrics dry very quickly and are ideal when working out.

2. COVER IT UP. Yes, we know that you have a hot bod from working out. But we don't need to see it. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating wearing long pants and long sleeves when going to the gym. I love wearing shorts. But we don't need to see your butt cheeks. Save that for the club, honey.

3. GET A GOOD SPORTSBRA. Ah, one of the most important things in the world, the mechanical marvel known as the sportsbra. Make sure you get one that supports you, but in no way compresses or squeezes. It should fit comfortably, so that you barely know it's there. For gals with bigger chests, check out the brand Moving Comfort--they make a couple really good bras for the D-Cups. And stay away from cotton here, too.

4. GOOD SOCKS. Again, stay away from cotton, in a sock it's a breeding ground for blistering. And I've never been a fan of socks that come up past the ankle--it shortens the calves and makes you look stumpy.

The items I've mentioned are going to be a bit more pricey than you're average Hanes t-shirt and $10 cotton shorts. But this is one of the few areas that I advocate spending a lot of money because the quality is amazing. Check out Under Armour or Nike Dry-Fit--clothing like this is amazingly comfortable during a workout or a run. In socks especially, spending more money is a good thing. A good technical sock is going to outlast a cotton sock by years--they don't go threadbare or get holes like a cotton sock. I have synthetic socks that I have had since sophomore year...of HIGH SCHOOL...that are still great. I thought spending $7/pair was a lot of money at the time, but it was well worth it.

A few things to know about technical apparel:
-DON'T put it in the dryer. The fabric is porous because of its moisture-wicking ability, and if you put it in the dryer with a Bounce sheet, the fabric softener will clog up the pores of the garment, making it much less effective at moving moisture. After they come out of the washing machine, just hang them up. Because of the way this clothing is made, it will dry very quickly.

-You don't necessarily have to wash it before wearing it again. This stuff is kind of expensive, so most people don't go out and buy 7 outfits worth of technical apparel. That's okay. Just take your shirt into the shower with you and give it a good rinse, then hang it up. It will dry in an hour and you can wear it later in the week. Just don't do this too many times before washing it, that's pretty nasty. And I wouldn't do this with shorts because that's pretty nasty too. Just stick to things like shirts and sportsbras.

-You CAN find wicked cute workout clothes if you look in the right places. Check out Niketown on Newbury Street, Marathon Sports on Boylston Street, and City Sports, also on Boylston Street. They sell some really cute workout clothing that looks fab whether you're sweating like a man on the stairmaster, or kicking around the house on a Sunday morning.

THERE IS NO REASON THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FRUMPY WHILE WORKING OUT. Kick those sweatpants and t-shirt to the curb and treat yourself to the good stuff.

shut up!

I know I have been totally delinquent in posting lately. In my defense, I've been working a lot. I've also been spending every free moment watching "What Not to Wear." I know, I lead a sad, sad existence. I'm over it.

In watching this fantastic show obsessively, I've developed something of a girl crush on Stacy London, one of the co-hosts. And now she has her own talk show on TLC. Normally I HATE the fact that everyone thinks they can host a talk show (Hello, Rachael Ray), but I think this one is going to be so good! It's on Fridays at 10pm...which means I basically will be staying in on Fridays for the forseeable future.

A note on What Not to Wear. Although the pieces they select are usually pretty expensive, because TLC is footing the bill, its a great show to watch to get ideas on outfits and accesory pieces. And it's pretty funny, too.

onlne shopping...if you're into that kind of thing

I must admit, when it comes to online shopping, my purchases are basically limited to textbooks. I also bought a backpack that I liked and couldn't find in any of the six stores I went to. I've never been big on shopping online for clothes, shoes or accessories. To me, the fun in shopping is bracing yourself for a day of store hopping, or happening into a store on your lunch break. Where is the fun in sitting at your computer in your skivvies when you could be out and about, trying things on, finding a fantastic bargain buried at the back of a clearance rack, and people-watching?

Plus, sizing is so tricky, especially for a girl like me (and billions of other gals out there), that you run the risk of buying something online only to find that it doesn't fit, or worse, makes you look like you're about to drop twins.

That being said, check out Bluefly.com.

The site offers the best designer clothing, shoes and accessories for a discounted price, sometimes up to half off! For example, check out this Vera Wang dress, marked down to $297 (from a whopping $650!) It's still very expensive, but only half as expensive as it should be. If you have money to burn and like to wear only the best, Bluefly is great. I've never actually bought anything from Bluefly, but I like to look on the site occasionally and see what they have, just for kicks.

conspicuous consumption

It seems to me that jeans have replaced designer purses as the new status symbols for American women. I found a Slate article from November 2005 that discussed this in ways far more articulate than I could. Check out the end--this piece was written a year and a half ago:

When it comes to fashion trends, it's difficult to say what is fleeting and what will endure. There are already signs that the premium jeans market has peaked. With too many cognoscenti, too many who speak the language of the back pocket, it is bound to lose its appeal. Perhaps we'll even see a return to a conspicuous consumption of a more conspicuous nature. I recently saw a Seven for All Mankind cropped jean cuffed with real rabbit fur, for $295.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure the premium jeans market is still alive and kicking. Everywhere I look, I see girls in R&Rs and Citizens of Humanity, and Sevens are EVERYWHERE. Its true what the author (Louisa Thomas) says in the article--that designer jeans are the perfect example of inconspicuous conspicuous consumption. We only buy them because we know people will be checking out our butts!

And it's not for the boys. We buy these jeans so girls will check out our butts. If you look good, boys don't care whether you're wearing Earnest Sewn or Target. It's our fellow women that we are trying desperately to impress.

Check out the entire article here

you're kidding, right?

The other night I was at Vox with a friend and we were approached by some guys. We were sitting and talking with them and my friend Amanda was telling one of the guys, Steve, how I'm her most stylish friend. He agreed with her and looked at my purse and asked if it was Gucci.

I got it from Target for $14.99.

HOLLA.

ikea? brilliant!

Rather than boring you with the same old text-on-a-screen deal, I've gone high-tech! Check out my podcast about my furniture-buying escapades here. I tried my hardest to keep my Boston accent out of this, but I'm sure you'll notice it.

Rock on, kids.