Michelle Obama is known for her down-to-earth personality and love of affordable clothing. That’s exciting, but whenever she wears something from J. Crew or the Gap, the clothes immediately sell out. Check out my inexpensive takes on two of the First Lady’s looks:

• Dillard’s yellow dress, Arden B cardigan, Forever 21 studded belt

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Make sure you check out the limited-edition Loomstate collection for Target!

The 100% certified organic cotton clothing (for men and women) is super-soft to the touch and fits great to the body. The men’s clothing, in particular, stands out with basics like t-shirts jazzed up with graphics.

Check out some of my picks:

• Pelican Tee
• Owl Tee
• Breathe Tee
• Black woven tank
• Plaid shirt dress

It happens like clockwork: each winter I haul out my boots and warmest sweaters and begin to sacrifice style bit by bit in favor of the comfortable and the cozy.

Part of my rationalization for not being more creative is because I know I’m going to put a coat over everything I wear. If that’s the case, why bother trying?

Well, I should bother because there are lots of fantastic (and warm) winter style options.

1. Wear this adorable toggle sweater over a long-sleeved shirt, with skinny jeans, boots and a bright scarf.
2. Most waterproof and practical winter boots are fairly ugly. However, this cute pair from Target has a tie back so you can tighten the top around your jeans (preventing snow from wetting your socks). They also have a subtle wedge heel, which will glam up your outfit a couple notches.
3. This newsboy hat has a Blair Waldorf-like bow on the side.
4. Fingerless gloves are really practical: it’s easier to drive, text and open your chapstick. These have a cool military-inspired look.
5. Shawl-collar cardigans are chic and so comfortable. They look best with a more fitted look on the bottom (either jeans or a pencil skirt, for instance) and really interesting oversized jewelry.
6. If you have the moxie to try out a funky, faux-fur hat, by all means, wear one like this!
7. A traditional holiday sweater like this looks good with more modern pairings. I would try it with dark leggings, flat-soled boots and a great pair of earrings.
8. I would really like to open these Nine West boots on Christmas morning. I can’t lie: I love them.
9. Wear a spin on the traditional Ugg boot style with these cuffed sweater boots.
10. I really like these London Fog boots: they have a little wedge and are fur-lined on the inside.
11. When it comes to scarves, you can’t go wrong with plaid.

What do you like to wear when the weather turns cold?

You can get a lot of style for very little cash, and thank god, because with the current economy, thinking like a frugal fashionista is a big plus.

Check out these 14 hip and stylish winter coats.

My new shopping mantra is no more black, but I couldn’t resist this luxe coat from Target (1). Love the detachable fur collar. This classy wool jacket is also from Target, and is more appropriate for an evening date or for a working woman (2).

A bit more pricey, but exceedingly stylish is this mustard yellow bow-accented coat from J. Crew (3).

For a pop of color, this Forever 21 coat is great, but not too practical. I’d wear this for a date or with an evening dress (4).

DELiAs actually has exceptional coats this year, if you do a bit of digging. The military coat buttons on this navy jacket are what really drew me to it (5).

If you want a more feminine silhouette, try this pink Isaac Mizrahi for Target jacket (6).

This bright, bold fuschia jacket from DELiAs is warm and practical, but not boring (7).

Forever 21 has this genius, vintage-looking faux leopard coat. I’d wear this with very quirky and vintage-inspired pieces: dark/gray tights, a bright-colored dress and maybe high-heeled oxfords? (8). This shorter jacket from Forever 21 is good for a boots/jeans/scarf day, when it’s too cold to dress up (9).

ASOS’s Kylie Minogue-inspired jacket looks almost like a dress. So pretty (10).

I love plaid, and Nordstrom’s bomber jacket with a great black, gray and white print is chic and practical (11).

My absolute favorite coat of the bunch is this bold plaid version by Forever 21 (12).

The most inventive style here is this plaid coat from Urban Outfitters: see the drawstring hemline? (13).

Last but not least is this classic and sexy maroon coat from Urban Outfitters (14).

Take your pick: which coat is your favorite?

One of my favorite fall combinations is boots and bottoms. Bottoms are anything that covers, well, your own bottom. Skirts, dresses, leggings, tights, pants and jeans all qualify.

Here are some really varied combinations of boots and bottoms so you can find a set that fits your personal style.

1. Look 1 from Forever 21 combines the trendy and the retro. Can you guess which is which? Although the dress is from Forever 21, it has cute, 50’s styling. Ankle boots, which were popular in the 80’s, have made a huge comeback. To spice up the look: Add a scarf, headband and black or colored tights. For something more edgy, wear leggings with the dress.
2. Look 2 from Delias is for the daring fashionista. When I saw these boots, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Pink! And plaid! And a button! These boots include so many fashion trends in one small package that it’s hard to figure how to pair them. The best way to make these boots be the stand-out item is to pair them with other solid colored clothing. These black skinny jeans, for example, let the boots stand on their own. To spice up the look: Wear the boots with a contrasting solid color up top. Bright blue, maybe?
3. Look 3 from Urban Outfitters is all me. I like wearing muted patterns and colors–nothing too wild!–and pairing them with interesting footwear and accessories. These boots are versatile and stylish, and I can’t say enough good things about this Urban Outfitters shirt dress. To spice up the look: Add a bright-colored jacket (yellow, orange, etc.), throw on some gray tights and put on a chunky necklace.
4. Look 4 from Target is the epitome of ladylike-chic dressing. This dress is fantastic–I love winter white. The boots, though, are the real catch. Less than $35 from Target, and they look hot. I love the mini wedge. Perfect for winter, perfect with a dress like this. Add some tights or leggings if you get cold. To spice up the look: Throw on some big sunglasses and belt that dress!
5. Look 5 from Alloy is trendy, trendy, trendy. From the colored pants to the low-heeled boots, there is nothing subtle going on here. Step out in confidence–after all, colored pants are all over the place right now and be amazed as the compliments roll in. To spice up the look: Wear something patterned on top. A houndstooth scarf with a simple, chic peacoat would lend a mod edge here.

All right, we got the hardest part of a planning for a beach vacation out of the way: the swimsuit. Let’s continue to work our way down the ultimate packing list, shall we?

Beach Cover-ups

• This Urban Outfitters coverup is chic, roomy and made of a light, flowy fabric. Wear at home with skinny jeans and a belt (to add shape) so you get more mileage out of it when you’re not at the beach.
• I love this casual coverup from Target. It has a classic dress shape, but an unexpected hoodie on the back and is made of a nubby, towel-y texture.
• This coverup from Target is a bit more classy than some of the others, which would be perfect if you actually want more coveragefrom your cover-up.
• Sarongs are the ideal beach accessory. You can wrap them in different ways around your body, depending on how flexible you are. Me, I’m not super-talented at tying sarongs, but I admire those who can turn them into halter dresses and whatnot.
• This minimalist (as in minimal fabric) cover-up from Bluefly looks like a cute beach dress. Alas, it’s quite see-through and flimsy, so try and limit it to only beachwear, hmm?
• If you want a bit more freedom of movement (read: bloated after that second cheeseburger), this trapeze shape from Victoria’s Secret is ideal.
• One of my favorites here is this cover-up from Jessica Simpson, who apparently now makes beachwear. The open-back is deliciously sexy.
• For a youthful, fun cover-up (with a bit of a scandalous v-neck), this one from Victoria’s Secret comes in this print version and other solid colors.

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Spring is finally here — at least, in name. You’ve felt it, no doubt — those slightly-warmer-than-usual temperatures that tease you into thinking that you might be able to wear a skirt and a pair of wedged sandals. Then you do, and you’re fine, until the temperatures get a little too low for comfort. I know, I’ve done it too many times!

The perfect shoes to wear during fickle weather? Flats and skimmers, of course! Unlike sandals that might give your feet a little too much exposure during the low temperatures of the day, and unlike boots that scream “winter!”, flats and skimmers give you comfort, keep your toes warm, and many are cheap enough to snap up a good number to give you different looks (most of those I’ve included here are from Payless or Target).

Flats and skimmers for the spring should be freshly light-colored and made of material that can weather the occasional rainfall (meaning no suede or velvet — those are materials for the holiday season!).

I’ve never had a reason to wear boat moccasins (seeing as a trip to the water to me means a beach trip rather than a trip to the lake), but I still find this twist on the traditional boat moccasin incredibly cute. Obviously these would be worn on a casual (or whimsical!) day.

Pewter flats are incredibly versatile and can be worn during any season for nearly any look — with black tights and a mini in the winter, with a pair of jeans in the spring, with a dress or skirt in the summer. And because of the neutral color and metallic sheen, you can also match them with any color you choose to wear.

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Ahhh, holiday shopping. It’s exciting, it’s stressful and it’s usually a pain in the…well, you know. I personally hate–really hate–crowds, so trying to navigate aggressive mall shoppers is not my cup of tea.

This year, maybe I’ll try doing all my holiday shopping online. That way I can avoid the pushing and shoving as I near Nordstrom, and I can bypass the evil fat-trap that is the local food court. (”But, it’s only one large ice cream, not my usual two!”)

Some things I’m loving for my fiance:

This chair is quite unique and modern. I could literally shop at uncommongoods.com for hours on end. The gift possibilities are endless, and I know THF (”the handsome fiance,” a nickname of his choosing) would really dig the chair. It’s on the pricier side, but would make a big impression.

THF likes a bargain as much as the next guy, but I swear to god, he would live in Target if he could. Target is on a level he can’t even comprehend: video games, DVD’s, clothes and food…one stop guy-shopping. He’s had his eye on this shirt for weeks. I love the unexpected skyline print on the front and back.

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I mentioned in my last blog about the capsule collection by Hollywould for Target. Yes, Target.

Target has proven itself to be a veritable holygrail of cheap chic clothing, and I have to hold myself back from going shopping-cart-crazy more than once. Well, I must admit, sometimes it’s the fiance (i.e. Brandon) holding me back, saying, “Leave it! Walk away! Be strong!”

In times such as these, it’s important to have a back-up plan. Mine is to discourage Brandon’s presence by using a Target trip as an excuse to buy the most boring things possible. Toilet paper, dish soap, toothbrush, make-up, fashion magazines, pens & pencils…you do what you can to keep the male presence to a minimum.

But I digress.

The Hollywould for Target collection is one example where I’ll need to ignore Brandon’s conscience speaking in my ear.

For instance:

I put these glossy black heels on my StyleFeed and I haven’t been able to get them out of my head. A similar pair of heels from the actual Hollywould collection runs, oh, in the $500 range. These are $30.

This clutch is the perfect marriage of quirkiness and style, and naturally, would go great with the shoes.

As the holidays are coming up, I am feeling the need to stockpile party essentials: pretty heels, clutches, cocktail dresses, etc. Between myriad parties and a number of Christmas concerts coming up, I’ll need to streamline my holiday wardrobe to consist mostly of black items (it’s a requirement for concert attire).

Since the Hollywould for Target collection won’t be a permanent fixture, I would snap up these items as soon as possible, especially before the holiday shopping rush takes off.

What’s your favorite item from the new Hollywould collection?