Study for Finals in Style

it's that time again

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The end of the semester is nearing, and the pressure is on. As we prepare for marathon study sessions assembling and re-writing a semester's worth of notes, making schedules, and dotting our desks with post-its, we think we have all our bases covered. Yet, there is yet another challenge for which we must prepare. Finals week brings a slew of style challenges. Inevitably, appearance takes second (or fifteenth) priority, and the result ain't pretty.

You know what I'm talking about. Red eyes. Saggy skin. Coffee in hand. Baggy sweats. Knotted, greasy hair. The end of the semester isn't cute. And while it is only natural that fashion will take a backseat to academic needs at this crazy time, needn't completely sacrifice your look. I promise. Think of it this way: Just as you prepare to endure the academic stress of finals, you may equally prepare for the fashion challenge that awaits you. Here's how:

1)

Set out comfortable, stylish clothing in advance. Act as though you were a stylist prepping a photo shoot, getting all the looks arranged. Comfy pants, jackets, cotton tops, cozy scarves. Identify several go-to outfits to wear during finals mayhem that will be comfortable, and easy to pull off. Think of it as a uniform. Planning ahead will save you from contemplating clothing when you have much bigger things to worry about.

2)

But, how can you lay your clothes out if you don't know what to wear in the first place? I suggest choosing basic pieces that require little thought in throwing together. See Blake Lively's look below:

(IMG) Lively combines trusty basics: black boots, dark-wash denim, a camel coat, and a cozy scarf. You can easily achieve this type of look during exams without a second thought. Just identify your go-to basics and throw them all together. The best part? You can probably get away with wearing all of them several times in the week. Hey-No one's judging!

3)

Make your life easier by simplifying your beauty routine. Do you usually wash your face then follow up with a series of steps? While I don't recommend forgoing hygiene altogether (for obvious reasons), you can get ready for bed in a pinch with makeup-removing face-wipes and a quick brushing of the teeth. If you have time, slap on some moisturizer. Keep it next to your bed so you don't forget!

3 Tips for Refined Fall Style

Hopefully you're all enjoying the transition to Fall as much as I am. Aside from "Snowtober", which hit the Northeast this past weekend, it's been borderline blissful here. I find myself blogging about Fall weather every year. Crisp air, leaves beginning to change (on the few trees I have encountered in Manhattan), and temperatures dropping are all great excuses to dust off your wool blazer or leather boots. Fall is the season of dignified dressing: tailored jackets, dark tights, and capes; could enough to wear your favorite pieces but not so cold that they are obscured by your bulky winter coat. Simply divine.

Here are my favorite ways to feel stylish and take advantage of the opportunities for good dressing that this weather affords you.

1) SUNGLASSES

Remember your favorite shades from summer? Wear them!

Nothing screams "celeb" like the combination of traditional woolen fall clothing with a slick pair of sunglasses. Very Gwenyth Paltrow. [See Below. IMG CRED ]

As you can see, even the chilliest of weather doesn't get between Gwen and her RayBans.

2) LAYER A LIGHTWEIGHT TURTLENECK

Who said turtlenecks have to be stuffy? Shove aside those thick, bulky knits until it's really winter. Instead, I propose you try a thin, dark-colored turtleneck for your fall dressing. Pair it with your favorite peacoat or statement necklace and you'll look slim and sophisticated.

3) COMBAT BOOTS

Did you succumb to last year's combat boot craze? So did I, and I'm dusting mine off for Fall '11. Make the look less punk and more eclectic by pairing preppier pieces, like a a woolen A-line skirt and tights, with your favorite roughed up boots.

Enjoy the season.

XX

Emma

Ralph Lauren Rugby "Tweed Run"

One of the things I love most about being in New York City is that you never know what you'll run into. Seriously. Today, as I headed back from lunch with friends, I came across an unusual roadblock: A cluster of handsome models donning tweed jackets and feathers in their caps. Turns out it was a party at the Ralph Lauren Rugby Store, a shop aimed at a younger, more Gatsby-meets-Hipster audience.

I wish I had snapped a photo of their "bicycle parking". There were rows upon rows of old-fashioned bicycles across from the store.

See their website for more info on the event: http://www.rugby.com/blog/?ab=topnav_styleblog

Sadly, I couldn't stay long. There's work to be done!

XX

Emma

Kiko Makeup Milano: Italia's Hidden MAC

I used to think that MAC Makeup offered a great variety of trendy products at moderate prices until I fell in love with Italy's chain "Kiko Makeup Milano"[See Above]. When I first saw the chain on my way to the train station in Florence, my heart skipped a beat. Sidenote: I am easily distracted from train times by makeup. For me, it was an undiscovered gem. The store's contents did not disappoint, and the low price tags (especially given the poor exchange rate) were a pleasant surprise. It was a glorious sight. Racks and racks of colored nailpolishes, domed eyeshadows doused with sparkles, and a collection of lipsticks that would make Ru Paul feel underdone. Needless to say, I made out like a bandit.

I came home with two new eyeshadows: one taupe and another shimmering black for evening. Three nailpolishes! An orange-toned lipstick to contrast the blue-red hues I'd been wearing. 2 roll-on eye shadows for ease of travel.

The difficulty came in trying to fit it all into my makeup at home...

XX

Emma

Finally, our own domain name!

WELCOME TO YOUNGANDINSTYLE.COM!

After suffering through a phone-call with the (actually quite chipper and helpful) customer service guy at GoDaddy.com, I finally bring you THE YoungAndInStyle.Com. It's far easier to remember than YoungAndInStyle.Blogspot.com, and is now easier to access than ever. And doesn't it have a ring to it?

Coming soon: fashionable observations gleaned from my life as a student, subway-rider, falafel-eater and former fashion mag intern in NYC. PhotoCred

XX

Emma

Italian Adventures in Style: The Lipstick

Before I left for my 3-week trip abroad, I decided red-lipstick was my new go-to (see post below). That lasted well until I LOST my only tube of MAC Russian Red! After searching my Florence hotel room high and low, I resolved to buy a new shade at the Italian department store La Rinascente.

There I encountered an intimidating array of makeup counters, each stocked with an Italian artist. At the Collistar counter, I eventually found my new shade of red. The process was not easy. First there was the broken communication with the makeup artist. Then the cultural gap: Do I swipe it on myself? Do I wait for him to put it on with a brush? Apparently in Italy the custom is for the customer to apply it on herself. No hygienic precautions taken. No applicators or special mirrors. Just you and the lipstick!

Once I tackled trying the lipstick on, I was relieved to find that the shade suited me. I'd hate to try to navigate the murky waters of asking to try on ANOTHER . Then came the next hurdle: How do I make it clear, in Italian, that I was ready to check out and no, thank you, I did not want to try their new eye cream? My Italian phrasebook hadn't covered this! So, with a smile and a head jerk in the direction of the cashier, I ended the transaction. It was time to take a breather at the nearest cafe with my accomplice.

Lipstick Accomplished.

More Italian Adventures in Style to come.

XX

Emma

MAC Russian Red

A friend I made in New York this summer inspired me with her go-to look: thick-rimmed glasses, side-swept bangs and a bright red pout. It was eye-catching, yet sophisticated. Her reasoning was "Well, I'm in New York. I can get away with it". I agreed, so much so that upon returning home I hurried to MAC to find my perfect red. Confronted with 10 or so variants of the same color, I faced a difficult task. The look had to be dramatic, but still flattering. After settling on Russian Red, a deep blue-red hue, I went home and traded contact lenses for my brown-rimmed glasses. Soon enough I too had the look.

Above is Penelope Cruz wearing what I believe to be the same Russian Red. The vibrant hue is gorgeous against her olive-toned skin. Of course, this is an evening look. With just some concealer and a swipe of mascara on, you can wear the same lipstick for day. It just takes guts!

XX

Emma

I put my new shoes on...

Nothing brings a fashion blogger back into the swing of things like a new pair of shoes. Laugh all you want at my (borderline unhealthy) obsession with footwear, but be warned: nothing comes between me and my new BCBGeneration50%offLadyGaga-esqueSuede WEDGES. Nothing!!!

Right now these babies are coolin' off from being suede-sprayed. Gotta protect 'em from the harsh elements!

In love.

XX

Emma

Sonja and Anna

Home from a trip to NYC that revived both my love for some good ol' fashion, but also for the city itself. Checked out one of my fave blogs, "Paris Vs.New York" and found my new favorite graphic (See below). Particularly relevant after the quality time I spent lusting after striped merchandise at the Sonya Rykiel boutique on Madison Avenue. With gamine French-accented shop clerks, Upper East Side patrons and a style that spans the cities, the Sonya Rykiel store was the crux of French-New Yorkian style. Who knew such a thing even existed?

The shop located in the heart of NYCs most luxe shopping district was the true meeting place for opposing forces Anna Wintour and Sonja Rykiel.

New York City Dreamin'

XX

Emma

I Say, Wear Black

All you need is black. Black black black. Say it. It sounds almost as delightful as it looks on you in a full length mirror.

Perhaps I'm being a bit dramatic, but you get the point. The color black, when worn well, is simple, sophisticated and versatile. Here are five reasons why you should explore it:

1) Black has no season, and it never goes out of style.

2) You can spill whatever you like on yourself.

3) No need to worry about matching.

4) Hello, it is as slimming as colors get!

5) If you're feeling dangerous, you can spice it up with colorful accent pieces.

Not yet convinced? Then you clearly haven't studied this gorgeous photo! [img]

xx

Emma

Draper Inspiration

Here's something a little glamorous to start your day off with:

With an apacolyptic ice storm hitting the Midwest, and dreary grey weather just about everywhere else, who couldn't use a little style inspiration? The characters of Don and Betty Draper from Mad Men (above) provide just that.

So smack on some Jungle Red lipstick, pretend you're cruising around or that its sunny and 75, and seize the day! Spring isn't too far…

XX

Emma

PS. Are they not beautiful?

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A Tragic Goodbye

To my Kate Spade agenda,

I did love you,

Toting you from class to class, scribbling in you, closing your clasp.

You were, in no other terms, my friend,

A confidante in which I wrote my most heartfelt of to-do lists.

You kept me organized,

Your prim little pages reminders of appointments,

An old-fashioned record of time.

But now,

Oh, how this topic dismays me so!

Someone has taken your place,

A sleeker, newer, shinier you.

One with a glass screen, a touchpad,

With an app for more than you could ever do.

A new friend, a new calendar to track my time,

and truly a new you.

---Just a silly, albeit true post about my conversion from paper planning to digital. Although it feels wholly inappropriate to whip out my iPhone in class when I track an assignment, it is so convenient. Poor planner…

XX

Emma