Building the Modern-Girl Wardrobe

Fess up. We all open our closets and see 3 groups of clothes: the clothes we don’t wear, the 6 pieces we do wear and the 3 “skinny outfits” we store whenever we get our jaws wired shut, get a case of food poisoning or decided to go on that fade liquid diet for 2 weeks.

While going through my closet this week I thought of ways to cultivate a great wardrobe without buying a million new pieces. I realized that the key to a great wardrobe is classic pieces that mix and match well together, giving to the illusion that you have a fat wallet. These are the pieces that I think every girl needs.

Dark Denim Jeans That Make Your Butt Looks Like Beyonce

Every woman needs a pair of semi-dressy, slim fitting jean that you always feel great in. These jeans should be versatile and booty slimming. Some great brands I would recommend are Joe’s, Citizens of Humanity, Diesel and Seven Jeans.

High Quality T-shirts and Camisoles

They go under everything from my work blazers to sweaters and are pretty inexpensive. Try buying a few daring colors to add a pop of color to your outfit.

Crisp White Button-Down

Carolina Herrera is one of my favorite designers and has always made the button down look phenomenal. These shirts are a simple clean must have in your wardrobe. I love throwing one with my dark denim jeans and heels for a sophisticated casual look.

Fitted Blazer

A fitted blazer adds sharpness to any outfit, as well as an instant slimming effect. Opt for styles that clinch in the waist and have well defined lapels. Don’t go for boxy numbers that could cut you off at the waist.

One Fabulous Suit

My job requires me to wear a suit all the time, but even if your job doesn’t require you to wear a suit, still suit it up. Every modern girl should own a lightweight suit in black, gray or my personal favorite navy blue. For even more versatility, get a suit jacket that matches with a pencil skirt and trousers. You never know when that interview of a lifetime could spring up.

Trench Coat

Nothing elevates a woman’s status like a trench coat. I have 2, a navy blue and a khaki colored one. They are staples in my closet and completely dress up any outfit I’m wearing. Go for a more traditional color versus a trendy colored one. You can throw the coat on with anything from dresses to jeans and look fabulous.

Stylish Daytime Bag

A great tote is the easiest way to pull an outfit together. The perfect bag will be roomy enough to fit your life, but structures so you don’t look like Mary Poppins. Camel, brown, black are safe colors because they’re neutral and can match with almost anything, but don’t be afraid to be daring and go for an eye-popping color like red, or cobalt blue like mine.

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Gas Prices Through the Car Roof, Start Saving.

As we can all see, gas is up to $3.60 per gallon, nationally, and I’m afraid to say it, but there looks like no relief in sight. Like many of us, we can’t skip the pump, but we can maximize ever little drop. Here’s how: Auto experts at Edmunds.com tested some old road tricks and found some awesome gas savers.

Try to brake less. When we stop hard and speed up quickly, we burn right through fuel. Ease up on the lead foot and yo

u could save an average of 30% of your gas.

This one is a toughie, but slow down. Those speed limits were created for a reason, so stick to them, by doing so, you reduce gas consumption by about 10%.

If you have long commutes, then cruise around. Using cruise control on longer trips saves 7% on average.

Shut your car off. Are you waiting on someone, while they run in the store to grab something? If it’s more than 60 seconds, turn off the engine and save up to 20%.
With all the craze of the smart phones, why don’t you download these great gas saving apps. Your wallet will thank you.

	GasBuddy and Cheap Gas let users upload gas prices—use them to find the cheapest gallon wherever you are.
	Mileage makes it easy to track your fuel economy.

Also, some places like Winn-Dixie have partnered with gas stations, and give customers discounts off the per-gallon price—and in some cases, the discount grows, the more you shop at that store during a given time period.

Can Men and Women Just be Friends ?

Recently I've taken up the game of golf and signed up with a golf pro named Michael. I didn't realize it at first, but eventually I found myself very attractive to Michael. I didn't know if it were appropriate to cross the line, or even how to approach the subject. We have weekly lessons and always go out with a group of his golf pro buddies to the bar for a drink. We've developed a a great friendship and now I wonder, can men and women be just friends?

Often, when men and women become friends it's because they’ve worked closely together, met each other through family members, or known each other since childhood. Whatever the circumstances, the familiarity makes them feel more like siblings. You usually find that you can act more like yourselves around each other and you don’t feel pressure to impress them, or to look your best all the time.

It's a lifelong question whether men and women can really be friends, for the most part, men aren't usually looking to add female friends to their roster of buddies and vice versa. When you break it down to the opposite sex, we're usually all looking for the one. Until we find our one and only we tend to enjoy casual dating and flings.

If you have a male friend that you love to hang out with ( for me, it's Michael), one of you may want to keep the option open for some sort of connection( that would be me in this situation,) if not right now, then perhaps some time in the future. Most mixed friendships start out as friends with the possible chance for something more, that’s why what makes them so tricky.

Friendships are based on mutual attraction and compatibility and because it’s fun to spend time together. The potential for romance is ripe. Attraction and compatibility are the foundation for close relationships, so the bridge from friendship to romance is technically already built. The question is when, if ever, it will be crossed.

More often than not, we are afraid to take the chance to find out. You don’t want to risk or lose the friendship that is already established and rather live out the possibility of it in our heads.

The bond between friends is forged with acceptance, understanding, respect, trust, and compassion. These are the same ingredients that make for a more serious relationship based on love. For many friends, it’s a endearing moment, a small gesture of affection, or a thoughtful act that sparks the flame and takes them across the bridge.

So, the bottom line is that men and women can be friends, but the bridge to romance – and the possibility of crossing it - almost always exists. I'll just have to wait and see what becomes of my friendship.

Making a Spending Plan

The key to budgeting and making it

work is working with what you have and making a flexible plan that works for you. Often the inflexible nature of budgeting can be a frustrating and a turn-off. Even if you've never been one for budgets it doesn't mean there isn't hope for following a plan that will get your finances on track. I'm not fond of the word budgets, I like my freedom and I think of budgets as a bore,so let's call this a spending plan. A spending plan is a better solution than a traditional budget for those who want a less rigid method for managing your money. It's all about giving your dollars some direction and taking control by taking these 5 simple steps to creating a spending plan.

1. Calculate — Determine your incoming income with a quick calculation: take your monthly income after taxes and subtract your fixed expenses like rent, insurance, and bills. The money left over is your discretionary income.
2. Think Ahead — Look into the future expenses and pick out any expenses on the horizon like vacations, car maitenence, appliance replacements and any other things that you know will put a dent in your wallet.

3. Save — Set aside a certain amount of your discretionary income for savings and for the things you identified as future expenses. I try and save 15-20 percent of my paycheck for what I call "uh-oh expenses."
4. Make a List — After you've deducted the amount you plan to save from your income, make a list of all the things you need on a weekly/monthly basis and another list of all the things you want. i.e. a new suit, a fancy dinner, a facial. Then prioritize your list.
5. Keep Track — Keep track of your spending by checking off any needs or wants that have been fulfilled. That way you can decide quickly if you have the extra funds to catch that concert this weekend with friends. Another great thing too is that you can re-prioritize. You can always save some of those wants for another month and save It's an easy way to get a clear picture of what you can and can't afford.

How to Land Your Dream Job

Wouldn't it be lovely if we could just jump into our perfect career paths and have everything seamlessly fall right into place? Maybe you know what you want to do but you’re not sure what to specialize, or maybe you know what company you want to work for but you don’t have any contact there. Well don’t let little road blocks get in your way. You can have the career of your life and here’s how.

NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK

College contacts are easy contacts for nabbing interviews in your desired field. Contact your university alumni network, your universities career center, and keep in contact with many of your professors and ask if there are workshops, lectures, or networking events in your field that you could participate in. Another option is to email everyone you know. Make sure it’s a tastefully done email asking if anyone has contacts in your desired field. You never know if your friend has a cousin who has a husband that could put you in contact with someone or give you some helpful pointers. Lastly, don’t be afraid to be social at the gym, weddings, and cocktail parties. You can often make the best contacts in relaxed non-working environments.

If you’re currently unemployed, have a set of personal business cards made up with your name, e-mail address, phone number and the general field you’re in like “writer.” It looks professional and don’t have to scramble for a pen and paper that could easily get tossed.

Look for looking networking event in your area. I’ve used Meet Up to find some great women’s networking groups in my local area. You can also find some other pretty cool groups too, it doesn’t always have to be about business.

Make sure to follow up with contacts too. People tend to have a lot on their plate most of the time, so polite follow ups are always great ways to keep you in on someone’s radar.

SEEK OUT INTERNSHIPS

For me, an internship was what opened the doors for me. Yes, it does often mean little or no pay, but if you stick around long enough, do an excellent job, have a good attitude, and impress the right people, you could be offered a full time position, or a freelance job.

As an intern at NBC I didn’t get the producing internship I had originally wanted, but instead got an internship in the marketing department. I only had to complete 100 hours on interning, but by end of summer I had racked up over 300 hours and interviewed for a full time position that had just opened. I ended up getting the job because of the work I had done and for the relationships I had made internally.

Companies are usually flooded with interns during the summer and are dying for help in the fall and spring. If you have the time, those are the best times to apply and remember work hard, it pays off.

Writing a Knockout Cover Letter

A cover letter is basically a one-page sales pitch selling you to a company. It’s not about restating everything that’s already our resume. It’s a chance for your future employer to get a taste of your personality and goals. Always send a personalized cover letter with your resume; most companies will toss your resume if a cover letter isn't attached. Your cover letter should go a little something like this.

The first paragraph introduces who you are, what you currently do, and how you heard about the company. If you were referred by someone, you can say, “Shannon Fallon of NBC Miami suggested I contact you about the position you have open in XYZ.”

The second paragraph describes what you have to offer the company, based on your key skills and experience but keep it interesting. Remember your resume will spell out exactly what you do.

The third paragraph explains the action you’re going to take like, follow up with a phone call ina week. Lastly, always thank them for their time and consideration. The best ways to close would be “Sincerely,” or “Best regards.”

Another great reference for cover letters is going to your local universities career center. There you can find great resources, have your letter critiqued and proofread and get tips on how to better your letter.

The Simplest Burger

I had a little dilemma this weekend when I was invited to a BBQ. Like a good guest should, I asked the host if I could help them with anything. They asked if I could help make the burgers, of course it was the one thing I've never done. I always left grilling up to the men and catered to the potato salad. I admitted to my host that I couldn't help with the burgers, but I’d love to watch and learn, so I did.

Combine 1 pound of ground beef, 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt , and 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce in a medium mixing bowl, using your hands.

Form the meat mixture into 4 patties, each ¾ -inch thick in the center and the edges. Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook both sides until they are medium-to medium-well done (about 5 to 7 minutes on each side). Remember to cook the burgers to at least 160 degrees to protect against E.coli (ew). The juices should run clear when you pierce the meat with a fork.

Voila, simple perfect burgers. Now grilling isn’t just for men.

Another great idea is to make the little mini burgers. They're bite sized and delicious.

If you think you're ready to take it to the next level of burger making, Rachel Ray has great simple recipes that are easy to follow and have delicious results