week 4: Dogs

    Few things in life have the ability to bring almost anyone pure joy. Not everyone loves mac and cheese with a passion. Some people hate cats and the allergies that come with them. But, something pretty much everyone can agree that the closest thing to an angel on Earth, is dogs. The happiest, furriest, and sweetest creatures known to man. If you're having a bad day, nothing will cheer you up like a cuddle with your favorite pup. If you're having one of those days where you feel like getting outside, the most fun way to do it is to get out and have fun with a dog. Besides being one of the sweetest friends you'll ever have, dogs are also the smartest. Even if you take time to teach your dogs some cool tricks, (which they'll easily pick up on) dogs are smart enough with they're own intuition. Like working dogs. Herding dogs use their instinct to help farmers with livestock and do a great job. Dogs like that even get bored if they aren't working their brains enough. Dogs that are bred to hunt can help their owners out by sniffing out prey or even retrieving small animals they've killed. Police dogs are especially trained to use their instinctive smelling abilities to sniff out drugs or any other type of danger. Some dogs are trained to help out people with disorders like epilepsy, to alert others when their owner is having a seizure. In any job, one characteristic all dogs possess is extreme loyalty to their owners. Dogs will cuddle you all day if you're sick or sad. And they're more than happy to celebrate and play with you on good days too. Dogs can also be the best judge of character and will protect you in any situation. There is absolutely no possible way that anybody could ever hate dogs. They're helpful, happy, and pretty much everybody's best friend.

week 3: Valentine's Day

   For some, February 14th is one of the most fun and romantic days in the whole year. A day to receive chocolate, flowers, and tons of attention from someone they love. For others, it can be the most dreaded day of the year. Surrounded by couples and their pda, and feeling like a giant loner. For those people, the day is spent brooding and avoiding any mention of the word "love". But there is no reason that the day should be spent drowning your sorrows in discount candy. There are plenty of fun ways to celebrate the love all around us, even without a significant other. Lots of ladies now a days are celebrating "Galentine's" which is just a fun night with your gal pals.  Whether making a night of it and hitting the town, or staying in and bonding over pizza, Galentine's could be just what you and your friends need to celebrate your friendship with each other. Or if you're someone who is brooding over a recent break up, then Hooters has just the deal for you. On Valentine's Day, Hooters has just started "Shred Your Ex" day. This is a day where if you bring a picture of your ex to shred, they will give you a free basket of wings, which seems like a pretty decent trade if you ask me. If free wings and shredding an ex's face doesn't sound like an awesome day to you then there is probably not much that wont make you a Valentine's Day Scrooge. And as a last resort, if you have absolutely nobody to share this fabulous day with, take time alone to appreciate all the happy things around you. There is nothing wrong with finding happiness in the happiness of others. In fact, sometimes that is just what we all need. You could even spread a little love yourself by doing some good deeds. Give a little money or food to someone in need, send someone a text just so they know you're thinking of them. You could even give a random stranger a Valentine, you never know who could use a little extra loving. And if you feel the spirit enough, we could all try to keep the love going every day of the year!

week 2: Thrifting

    When you type "mom jeans" in the search bar for Forever 21, you will find a few pairs of ripped up, baggy jeans. They might even have some weird or flashy pieces of embroidery on them if you're lucky. Most people who take the Forever 21 route will end up paying anywhere from $30-$40 for that 80's looking staple. If you type "Tommy Hilfiger" or "Calvin Klein" in the search bar for Urban Outfitters, you'll find $200 denim jackets or $50 sports bras. While this stuff is all quality and is definitely in style, there is a better option that most people refuse to open up to. If you're a sane person who actually likes saving money while looking good, there is nothing wrong with checking out your local Goodwill, or any other thrift shop. What we sometimes fail to realize, is that the clothes of today, in some cases, were the clothes a couple of decades ago. Searching the racks at thrift shops could leave you with some really cool finds. Those brands that could break your bank at an expensive retail store could cost you two or three bucks at a secondhand store. And even if you cant find that ripped pair of jeans you've been wanting, you could always find a nice piece of denim and distress it yourself. If you'd like to let your creativity shine through your wardrobe, then upcycling might just be the hobby for you. Try thrifting for something old, then adding your personal touch to make it seem brand new. Its a fun way to get creative, while saving money. And if you're lucky enough to find a good vintage piece, it'll be totally one of a kind. When people ask where you got that cute, and exclusive ensemble, you can proudly let them know that it was thrifted. Unique, fun clothes at a bargain price is all a shopaholic could ever ask for!

week 1: 90's trends in 2017

    It is a well known fact that history tends to repeat itself. That is especially true in the world of fashion and personal style. And while there are certainly things that should never make a reappearance, such as shoulder pads and jnco jeans, there are other trends that are worth giving another shot. One style from the 90's that recently made a comeback was wearing a t shirt under something spaghetti strapped. While some people were on board with this look others would rather keep their exposed shoulders. What was so fun about this look was the fact that you could dress it down or up for either a chic slip dress or a cool band tee. Something else that has had a major resurgence in the past year is choker necklaces. This is something that honestly, should never have left.  Besides the fact that they're entirely versatile, they add the smallest bit of subtle flare to any outfit. In the 90's they could be worn by anybody. They were worn by punks and preps alike and somehow fizzled out by the early 2000's. Another trend that somehow slipped away was knee high socks. While this look can be particularly more difficult to pull off, it is a staple that everyone should try to dawn at least once. They add just the right amount of "school girl prep" to any skirt or dress. While on the topic of "the school girl" look, there is something to be said about plaid skirts (or skorts). Anybody can pull them off, literally anybody. They also look even a bit festive, and should definitely be considered for next winter's holiday ensembles.  And last but certainly never least... scrunchies! The ever faithful hair ties that look way better than some boring thin black elastic. And a bonus to wearing scrunchies is they're less damaging to our hair. Hopefully this year we can all learn to channel our inner Cher Horowitz and Kelly Kapowskis' and hop on to some of these cute trends.