If You’re Ever In: Mountain View, CA

This week, I am vacationing in California. Yesterday, I came across a boutique called Therapy. At first glance, it appeared to be more of an odds & ends store but their clothing & jewelry selection surprised me. I found a lot of cute clothes but very rarely in my size. I’m not sure if it was because they were picked over at the time or because they only order a few items of each size (like most boutiques do). The prices were definitely reasonable. Most of the items I picked out were between $30 & $70.

After having no luck in their clothing department, I decided to check out their rings. I ended up finding two rings that I absolutely loved. I got an over-sized gold bow ring for $14 and a double finger rhinestone ring for $16. A similar double finger rhinestone ring can be found at CoutureCandy.com for $101. If you are looking for rompers, fun print skirts, one shoulder dresses, odd & end gifts or the perfect accessory, you will definitely want to check this place out! They have stores in San Francisco, Mountain View, Campbell, and Burlingame. You can check Therapy out online here – online store said to be coming soon!

Home Decor: Liv-Chic

Today, I stumbled across an amazing home decor website called Liv-Chic. From the second I saw their website, I was inspired. Very few websites & companies can inspire me in such a way but when they do, I never have to question whether to write about them or not. I will start by saying that the furniture Liv-Chic offers on their site is probably not on the typical college student’s budget. I do love discounts & finding great deals, but for unique & fashionable furniture like this, you really won’t find much better. Redecorating? Check out Liv-Chic for unique furniture selection & decoration inspiration.

Trend to Try: Free Spirit

This summer, try this trend on for size with these free spirit essentials:

Butterfly shirts
Crop tops
Cowboy boots
Boho bags
Bangles & beaded bracelets
Aviators
Colorful accents
Stone rings
One shoulder tops
Cutoff shorts

Most of all the free spirit style is about staying true to yourself & being confident in everything you wear. Don’t be afraid to take chances when it comes to fashion!

Spotlight On: FSU’s CLUTCH Magazine Goes Virtual

FSU’s CLUTCH Magazine just announced that they have published their very first online version of the spring 2010 issue. For those of you who don’t know, CLUTCH Magazine is Florida State’s first successful student run fashion publication. I am currently the Public Relations Director for the Fall 2010 issue and intend to do everything in my power to introduce people to such an amazing college fashion magazine. Publishing an online version of the magazine was just one of the many goals that I set for myself this semester. I am absolutely ecstatic to have achieved my goal this summer & look forward to publishing future issues online as well as possibly some past issues. Please check it out & let me know your thoughts! If you are interested in becoming involved with CLUTCH Magazine in any way, feel free to shoot me an email me & I will send you everything you need to know!

Click here to read the spring 2010 issue of CLUTCH Magazine.
Become friends with CLUTCH Magazine on Facebook.
Follow @fsuCLUTCHmag on Twitter.
Check out the CLUTCH Magazine blog to find out what’s going on with the magazine.

How To: Save $1000 on Designer Clothes

This summer, I have found some amazing finds at Off Fifth. So amazing that I have actually saved over $1000 compared to the retail price. Even searching online, the items are at least double the price or nowhere to be found.

1. Stuart Weitzman Hot Pink Espadrilles – I was instantly drawn to these shoes. Hot pink, perfect for summer, Stuart Weitzman and 40% off the sale price? I’m sold! With only one other pair in the store, I was lucky they were my size. With a retail value of $335, I purchased these shoes for $75.

2. French Connection Pink Lady Dress – Again, it was love at first sight with this dress. The color is probably my favorite shade of pink – a popping bubblegum color. French Connection fits like a glove so again I was lucky that I found this in my size. Retail value for this dress is approximately $158, I purchased it for $50.

3. Romeo & Juliet Couture Denim Ruffle Dress – I wasn’t so sure I would like this dress when I saw it on the hanger but have been craving a denim dress so I figured I would at least try it on. This dress is absolutely adorable on and is perfect paired with a brown belt & some cowboy boots. Retail value for this dress is approximately $96 but I purchased it for only $20.

4. Theory Pin-Stripe Blazer – One of the greatest finds of the summer was definitely the Theory blazer. The fit was absolutely amazing but the price was even better! This blazer originally sold for $415 but I purchased it for only $50! What a steal!

5. Current/Elliot Denim Vest – With the denim trend back in full swing, I had been wanting to buy a denim vest but I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on it. Luckily, I found this vest for only $35. Retail price was $232!

6. Free Generation Outfit – The last item did not photograph well but it is a black pencil skirt with an attached black vest. It is the perfect staple for the working girl! Wear it with a blouse, blazer, sweater or nothing at all – it looks great either way! It also fits like a glove & was the cheapest of all of the items. Retail value was around $120 but I purchased it for only $10!

I purchased over $1356 worth of clothes for only $240 by shopping at Off Fifth. If you live near an Off Fifth or are traveling to a place that has one, I highly suggest that you check it out. Off Fifth continues to be my favorite place to shop with great prices and great selection. Whether you want French Connection, Free People, Alice + Olivia, Roberto Cavalli, or Oscar de la Renta, you can find it at Off Fifth!

Click here to find a location near you!

Cheap Finds: Free People 34th Street Tunic

Last week, I featured a post inspired by ABC Family’s new hit show Pretty Little Liars. For the outfit inspired by Hanna, I used a cute tunic/dress from Free People. I say tunic/dress because I actually purchased this item under the assumption that it was a dress but Free People refers to it as a tunic. If you read the reviews on FreePeople.com, you will find that a few people did complain that the item was either too short to wear as a dress or too long to wear as a shirt. Everyone else referred to it as a dress & loved it. I am fairly tall with long legs so finding dresses that hit me at the right length are hard to find. This dress seemed to be the perfect length. I will warn you, however, that the fabric near the bottom of the tunic is sheer so if you plan to wear it as a dress, make sure you wear something light under it. It also ties in the back so you can give the dress more shape if you want.

I originally purchased the Free People 34th Street Tunic for $70 (original price being $98) but it is now on sale online at FreePeople.com for only $30! You can purchase it here.

Bracelet: Juicy Couture;  Ring: Dorothy Perkins; Shoes: Steve Madden; Vest: Current/Elliot; Purse: Topshop

Home Decor: Decor 2 Ur Door FSU Bedding

Earlier this year, I featured an amazing site which carried creative and fun dorm room bedding & accessories. Decor 2 Ur Door now offers bedding specifically designed for Florida State seminoles. What I love about this collegiate bedding is that it doesn’t scream FSU yet would tie in perfectly with a roommate who swears by decorating the room in complete garnet & gold or just showing your school spirit.

For all of you non-seminoles, this same bedding is available in other colors upon request. They also offer a variety of different collections including sorority bedding!

Head on over to Decor 2 Ur Door today to purchase the FSU bedding set.

College Life: Design Your Dorm

If you are moving out of the house and into a college dorm room in August, this site is for you! Design Your Dorm’s website gives you the most realistic view of how your dorm room will be set up. Just go to the site, create an account, select your school and the dorm you will be living in then start designing, decorating & shopping. While you decorate, Design Your Dorm will keep track of everything that you have added to your dorm room so that you can easily purchase the items you have used. It’s that simple! You can also use their move-in checklist to make sure you have everything you need for college. I first featured Design Your Dorm back in June of 2009 but since then, they have added over 140 schools to their database. One of the best additions though is the Meebo bar – it allows you to chat with friends via your social media accounts directly on DesignYourDorm.com. Great way to connect with your new roommate and discuss your ideas for your dorm room. You can also check out their blog for great tips & advice for college students. This summer, they have been giving away a lot of amazing prizes. They are now hosting a YouTube video contest in which you can win a giftcard to Organize.com for sharing your disaster dorm story. To enter & for complete rules, check out their blog.

Head on over to Design Your Dorm today!

Inspired By: Pretty Little Liars

This summer, ABC Family launched a new original series called “Pretty Little Liars.” It instantly became a hit with the drama, suspense, and, most of all, fashion. If you haven’t seen this show yet & love Gossip Girl, then you will fall in love with Pretty Little Liars.

The show follows four very different girls, each with their own distinct style.

Emily Fields is a swimmer. Her style is casual & athletic. Aria Montgomery is all about dark colors & layering. Most often, she can be found wearing tights, a leather jacket and/or boots. Spencer Hastings is brought up in a family that lives to be perfect. Her style is up-tight and, well, perfect. Hanna Marin is the IT girl. Her style is feminine & effortless. No matter what your style, you are sure to find something you will love by watching Pretty Little Liars.

Tune in next Tuesday at 8pm EST to watch the Pretty Little Liars marathon & new episode on ABC Family!

Musical Obsessions: Christina Perri

On this week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance, Billy Bell and Kathryn McCormick danced to a beautiful piece of music titled “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri. At the age of 23, Christina is living in Los Angeles and recording demos for her debut album. If her debut CD is anything like this song, I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t be an instant success. Definitely a girl to keep an eye out for as she has already danced her way into the top 10 on the iTunes pop singles chart!

Download her single today on iTunes.

Photo Credit.