The Tastemaker Diaries is pleased to welcome guest blogger, Sarah, brought to you by Victoria’s Secret. She’s a professional stylist who will be sharing her favorite picks from the VS PINK fall line.

We’ve all had those days in college where we hit the snooze button for the 9th time, only to realize that we have the choice of either getting dressed or brushing our teeth. In the interest of not scaring off the cute boy sitting next to you in English class with morning breath, stock up on Victoria’s Secret PINK loungewear. This way, you can wear your pajama pants to class and still look stylish!

With a wide assortment of casual sweats and accessories that are comfortable and easy to throw on but still sexy (they’re from Victoria’s Secret after all!), this loungewear is great for a variety of on- or off-campus occasions.

Go straight from class to the gym in this great foldover yoga pant:

Keep cozy and warm in a pair of thigh-high sweater tights:

While you probably can’t wear slippers to class (fuzzy kittens don’t scream style!), you can have all of the comfort and warmth of a slipper while still being chic with these studded moccasins.

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The Tastemaker Diaries is pleased to welcome guest blogger, Sarah, brought to you by Victoria’s Secret. She’s a professional stylist who will be sharing her favorite picks from the VS PINK fall line.

A great jean is a necessity for every wardrobe. Dressed up, dressed down, just hanging out or going out, putting on the perfect fitting pair of jeans can add to your confidence (and make your butt look even better)!

Even though Victoria’s Secret PINK only launched their denim line in June 2009, they have a range, quality, and style based on years of experience and development! With a style for every body shape and occasion, and great prices, everyday style becomes effortless with these jeans.

Try a pair of comfy, casual, trendy boyfriend jeans for an effortlessly cool look. Victoria’s Secret PINK has done all the work of breaking them in, you just have to wear them!

With the perfect amount of distressing, these flare jeans are great to throw on for an easy, downtown look. These will be your ultimate go-to jeans!

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The Tastemaker Diaries is pleased to welcome guest blogger, Sarah, brought to you by Victoria’s Secret PINK. She’s a professional stylist who will be sharing her favorite picks from the VS PINK fall line.

You worked hard to get into college, and picked your school because you’re proud to go there! While you want to show your school spirit and accomplishments, you can’t really pull that off and still get the look you want with the oversized grey sweats sold in the campus bookstore…

That’s where Victoria’s Secret PINK comes in! They know that you want to acknowledge your school spirit while still showing your sense of style and personality, so they’ve launched their cool and cute Collegiate Collection. With 59 colleges and universities already represented, and two more being added in October, they already have a great range. You can see all schools in the collection here. If your school is not currently included in the collection, you can nominate your school to be added.

Keep warm and stay stylish in a timeless hoodie — no shapeless sweats here!

Show your support at the next football game, while still getting the attention of the football players with a great mesh jersey:

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The Tastemaker Diaries is pleased to welcome guest blogger, Sarah, brought to you by Victoria’s Secret PINK. She’s a professional stylist who will be sharing her favorite picks from the VS PINK fall line.

Ok ladies, let’s discuss a vital component of our wardrobe that is often ignored: bras. Believe it or not, the bra you’re wearing can totally change the way you look, for better or for worse!

So let’s make sure that your bra is working for you, rather than against you. My top bra pet peeves: 1) When you can see the fabric of your bra underneath your shirt — lumpiness is not attractive. 2) When you have to wear the wrong size bra because they don’t make your size. 3) When you have to decide between paying your rent and buying a new bra. Victoria’s Secret PINK has finally come up with a solution that satisfies all of these common bra problems: their new 2 for $32 Wear Everywhere T-Shirt and Push-Up bras.

These bras are brilliant in every way and are the ultimate basis for any outfit. Perhaps the most amazing part is the pricing — they come two to a pack (either black and nude or black and white) for only $32 dollars- and this is for the same high quality as other Victoria’s Secret bras!

Push up:

This is great for when you need a little extra va-va-voom, but still keeps it classy. It gives the perfect amount of lift and shape.

T-Shirt:

This is the best basic bra there is, holding up to daily wear beautifully, and it converts into a racerback to expand your options even more.

Men seem to have trouble deciding on what to get their significant others. Unless they have a specific list, the only things that come to mind are gift certificates, perfume or electronics. Mind you: those things aren’t bad, just a little staid.

If your boyfriend seems stressed about gifts, show him this link. Most of these gifts are less than $20 and all are covetable in their own right.

1. Stocking – This plastic to-go cup is environmentally friendly and budget-conscious too. You can save up to $30 a week making your own coffee at home, but still carry the familiar cup in your hand. $20.00
2. Christmas Eve – The Night Before Christmas was originally titled A Visit from St. Nicholas. Find an early edition copy for a lovely and nostalgic Christmas Eve gift. $10-25
3. Stocking – J.Crew makes lovely gloves, like this yellow fingerless pair. Slip the mittens over your fingers if you get chilly! $12.50
4. Christmas Eve – Christmas Eve pajamas are a must-buy. Make them sexy, but with some holiday-ish print. Victoria’s Secret has great options. $39.50
5. Under The Tree – Take tons of photos with this adorable pink fisheye camera. $48
6. Under The Tree – More of a couple present, this wine accessories kit is a great deal, comes in a nice boxed set and is the perfect thing to bring along on a spring picnic. $12.50
7. Stocking – Starbucks has this great gift set of holiday blend coffee featuring characters from A Charlie Brown Christmas. $40
8. Under The Tree – With everyone so busy these days, it’s hard to find time to read a long, exhaustive novel. Try a collection of short stories for quick pick-me-ups. $12
9. Under The Tree – To make perfume buying easy, get this collection of popular scent samples. $50
10. Under The Tree – Every girl loves shoes. Just find the right size! $48
11. Under The Tree – Turtlenecks are a wardrobe must-have, especially in the winter, as you can wear them over and over. Try them under summer dresses to extend your wardrobe when the snow flies. $10 each
12. Stocking – Adorable gingham headbands at an amazing price. $2.80
13. Under The Tree – Every woman loves flowers, but try these more earthy, elegant arrangements for something different. $50
14. Christmas Eve – You must have slippers to go with your new Christmas pajamas. May I suggest these from Old Navy? I have them and adore them. $20
15. Under The Tree – The entire series of Sex and the City is the kind of decadent gift every woman wants, but would never buy for herself. Wrap it pretty! $95

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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When I pack for vacations, I tend to fall into the following two traps:

1. I pack too much. And by “too much,” I mean that I literally have to sit on my suitcase to get it closed. It then resembles something my sister fondly refers to as “the bloated whale.”
2. I pack too much black clothing. It’s easy, yes, because everything matches, but it’s boring.

For a beach vacation, you shouldn’t pack too much (think about all the shopping you’ll do!) and you also should not pack black, unless it’s a swimsuit. Who wears black skinny jeans at the beach?

Here are the absolute essentials you’ll need to pack:

1. More than 2 swimsuits and less than 5. If you take 5 or more swimsuits, you won’t ever wear them all as you’ll end up wearing your favorite over and over anyway. Besides, leave some space for picking up a new one at the local boutique. Mix and match bikinis, one-pieces, tankinis…whatever you prefer.
2. 2 beach cover-ups. Make one more athletic and casual, and one a little more dressy.
3. 1 sarong. Tie it around your waist, at your bustline, or turn it into a halter dress. Make sure it’s large enough–don’t skimp on size. Look here for some tips on tying sarongs into different shapes.
4. 2 dresses. Like the cover-ups, you should aim for one dressier piece and one more casual dress, but don’t go too overboard: beach towns are generally laidback and you shouldn’t have to worry about feeling underdressed. You’re on vacation! Leave the Spanx at home!
5. 2 pairs of flip-flops. Bring one pair in a fun color and the other pair in a neutral color, like brown or black.
6. 1 pair of dressy sandals. Try some with ankle ties or beading.
7. 1 pair of comfortable flats. Just in case you do some serious shopping or walking, pack your most comfortable flats.
8. 1 blouse/shirt with sleeves.
9. 1 tanktop or sleeveless shirt.
10. 1 pair of stylish shorts. Look for linen fabrics, cuffed bottoms and a slightly baggy style (avoid the Daisy Duke syndrome!)
11. 1 hoodie or light sweater. It’s sometimes cool at night by the water, so don’t forget a layer.
12. 1 beach tote. Keep it a little more formal than a backpack so it can double as your handbag for going out.
13. 1 wide-brimmed hat.
14. 1 pair of sunglasses.
    
15. Self-tanner/sunblock.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging…I’ll post my suggestions for all of these items over the next few days. Let’s get the one that causes us gals the most consternation out of the way, shall we?

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Whether you have a significant other or not, everyone needs to spend some quality time at home eating delicious food, watching good movies and getting some old-fashioned relaxation.

The key to relaxing at home after work or on the weekends is to have proper loungewear. Abandon those Juicy sweatpant combos and try a chemise or slip instead. Fashioned like a dress, but far more comfortable, pajama-like and yes, even sexy.

Here are some of my favorite affordable chemise/slip choices.

• The Gap sleep shirt below is a good choice if you want something to lounge AND sleep in. It looks like something you might have taken from your boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend) and neglected to give back.
• I also like the affordability of this Forever21 chemise.
• This Forever21 slip has a cool crinkle effect on the fabric, and black flatters all body types.

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Color, color, and more color! After the drab and dark days of winter, I am so happy to see bright, fun colors taking over my favorite shopping spots.

I wear a LOT of monochromatic colors like black, gray and white, with the occasional pop of navy or taupe, but I am determined to wear a lot of fun colors this spring and summer. And why not? Just looking at the page above from People Style Watch makes me feel better about my day. Imagine a double-page spread of black clothes? Not nearly as exciting.

Check out some of my favorite (and, as always, affordable) finds for spring.

Blue

My favorite spring shade is an eye-popping cobalt blue. Blue with black is no longer taboo, so feel free to match these separates with black accessories or other items at your heart’s content.

Jackie’s Favorite Blue Picks: These deep blue Forever21 slingback platforms are super-inexpensive and have a great glossy patent finish. These could be worn with jeans, pencil skirts, dresses…they’ve got a really versatile quality. I also love this cobalt blue peacoat. Since it’s still a little cold in DC, I’m still gravitating towards warmer clothing!

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Anyone who reads lots of fashion or style blogs should have heard of The Sartorialist. It’s an intelligent, photo-filled fashion blog filled with inspiring photographs of everyday people in interesting outfits on the streets in various cities.

A lot of the time you have to assume that the people Sartorialist founder Scott Schuman photographs are wearing vintage or secondhand finds because of the uniqueness of their clothing. Schuman does not often snap someone in identifiable clothing–i.e. anything with bold logos or recognizable graphics. The exception to the vintage assumption is, naturally, NY Fashion Week. The photos he takes in and around Bryant Park feature a lot of stylish women probably wearing a lot of expensive clothing. I doubt women wear anything from a secondhand shop to Fashion Week…unless it’s secondhand designer!

How can you emulate the cool, street-style of these women given their 15 seconds of fame via The Sartorialist?

I’ll show you.

This girl has managed to look both stylish, individual AND comfortable. Luckily, Victoria’s Secret makes a dress similar to the one she’s wearing:

Her gray shoes add a bit of flavor, where black shoes would have just melted into her tights. Try these from Payless. They’re cute and really inexpensive. To finish off, a black coat with a great cut and trendy quarter-length sleeves.

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