"Average Joes and Average Josephines" (11/25/08)

Magazines like Vogue and Gentleman’s Quarterly are required reading for those who are who are literate in style. But while GQ celebrates the average dude, Vogue chastises everyone but the ladies who lunch. GQ features articles about fashion, finance, sports, politics, and culture—everything a man needs to be smart and stylish. Vogue, on the other hand, reduces its readers to beauty dilemmas and carnal conundrums.

GQ celebrates masculinity in its myriad manifestations, but Vogue prescribes a femininity that is blond, buxom, and boy-crazy.

Jimmy Kimmel is one good poster-boy for this contrast. Kimmel is no Adonis. He is more chubby than chiseled, more stout than statuesque. Yet in November 2008, GQ deemed him worthy of gracing its cover.

This wasn’t the first time that the cover model has been more boy-next-door than Bond. Funnyman Seth Rogan, whose film career is based on his ability to be endearingly bumbling and unkempt, was featured on the cover of the August 2008 issue. Though GQ does include advertisements for high-end luxury brands like Prada and Burberry—advertorials featuring big-eyed, bony boys with puckered pouts and très-chic trench coats—lately, some of the men who have graced the cover are more couch-potato than couture.

What does this paunchy pair have in common? Searing intellect, wicked wit, and thriving careers. In their feature stories, these gentlemen are revealed to be smart, funny, and charismatic. They like to make pizza from scratch. Their homes are decorated with pictures of their families. They are passionate about politics and can discuss their views eloquently and with a sense of humor. In short, they’re cool guys with whom you’d like to share a homemade pizza.

Kimmel and Rogan kind of seem like average guys who got lucky. They are talented and successful, but their talent and success seem attainable. Rogan and his friends wrote some pseudo-autobiographical screenplays, and people loved them because they were so comically astute. Kimmel fart-joked his way to fame with fellow Average Dude Adam Corolla on The Man Show. These wisecracking Joes are accessible, lovable characters who resemble men you might meet at the bookstore or sports bar. They’re regular guys—just with enormous paychecks.

In short, both men are on the outskirts of celebrity, well known and recognizable, but outside the glare of the tabloid headlights. They are known for their careers, rather than their clothes or their crushes.

It’s a different story for Vogue cover girls like Reese Witherspoon. A romantic comedy darling and Vogue cover-model veteran, Witherspoon graces the cover of the November 2008 issue. The actress is best known for her work in Legally Blonde, the story of a ditzy ingenue who uses her feminine wiles to charm her way into Harvard Law. She ultimately uses her womanly intuition and fashion know-how to crack the case and save the day. Elle Woods’ sbeauty trumps her brains, and Vogue seems to prescribe the same thing for its cover models.

Witherspoon’s cover reads: “Reese Revealed—New Look, New Man, New Lease on Life.” Inside, long-winded descriptions of Witherspoon’s impeccable physical appearance and blossoming romance with superhunk Jake Gyllenhaal take precedence over any substantive discussion of her likes, dislikes, and views. The characters Witherspoon plays, and the persona that the magazine presents, are unattainable—too pretty and too peppy to be plausible.

The cover choices embody some of the fundamental differences between these two publications. GQ’s motto is “Look Sharp, Live Smart,” and the magazine is dedicated to achieving both ends. The magazine speaks to sartorialists of all tastes, as well as epicureans, bibliophiles, and brainy bloggers. The November issue featured fashion editorial spreads of durable designer outdoor gear, classic trench coats, and modern three-piece suits in addition to a recipe for beer-braised beef and a list of five books each presidential candidate should read to round out his intellect, work on his weaknesses, and broaden his understanding of the American experience.

While GQ is a smart guide to stylish dressing and living, Vogue sometimes reads like a blog written by celebutantes and socialites. Assistant Editor Lauren Davis’s lavish 2007 wedding to Bolivian billionaire Andres Santo Domingo became fodder for a feature story. Famously flaxen fashionista Tinsley Mortimer seems to appear in almost every issue. Her most newsworthy accomplishment to date? A cameo role in a recent episode of Gossip Girl. At times, the magazine feels like a gussied-up version of MySpace—only, instead of the sly, self-shot portraits, the images are exorbitantly expensive, liberally airbrushed pictures of feminine “perfection.” There’s a crowd of It Girls who are consistently featured, and like Witherspoon, Davis, and Mortimer, they all look the part: blonde hair, blue eyes, lithe figures, and expensive ensembles. The women are portrayed as one-dimensional and essentially the same. It feels like reading the same interview over and over again.

I am going to continue to hoard my boyfriend’s issues of GQ until I can find a women’s lifestyle publication that informs my consciousness, as well as my closet. It’s great to look sharp, but a woman needs to live smart, as well.

"Winter Clothes Woes" (11/18/08)

As temperatures plummet, many Chicago bears want to hibernate until spring. But before you stock up on Easy Mac and barricade yourself in your drafty dorm room, consider stocking up on some cold-weather essentials that will have you looking cool and staying warm all winter long.

Though I applaud the noble efforts of those struggling to strut through snow in stilettos, boots are winter wear du jour. While brands like Ugg, Burberry, and Coach have cozy and coveted options, rubber Wellies are an equally chic—and much cheaper—choice. The Brits are very familiar with rain, so it should come as no surprise that they have perfected the rubber rain boot. Hunter boots, my favorite English export, are tall, trim, and cute enough to wear even when the weather’s dry. The rubber boots come in every color of the rainbow and in a variety of patterns, including lush botanical motifs. Some styles are tailored to look like riding boots, so even the clumsiest among us can dress the part of a polo player. Hunter boots start at 55 euros (approximately $69). Got cold feet? Stay dry and warm with fleece Wellie Warmers from Americana purveyor L.L. Bean. These $20 inserts will keep your toes toasty.

Indoors, however, my feet are always freezing, and my bare wood and linoleum floors don’t help. At home, I bundle up in snuggly slipper boots. Part slipper, part sweater for your feet, these cozy contraptions are perfect for sleeping, studying, or snacking at home. Old Navy carries a variety of styles, from wintry Nordic motifs to classic cable-knit patterns. Each pair runs about $19.

On those sad mornings when you do have to leave your warm bed and brave the blustery walk to the bus stop, cap off a winter ensemble with a comfy hat from Urban Outfitters. Cable stitch berets are boho-chic when tossed over tousled hair. A faux-fur pillbox hat looks retro when paired with a trapeze coat. All of the store’s wool hats ($25 to $35) are whimsical and wintry, and since they’re stylish enough to leave on all day, hat hair is a non-issue.

Don’t be a Scrooge when it comes to keeping your fingers warm. Forgoing gloves is a recipe for dry, cracked hands and freezing fingers. Though you can buy cheap packs of gloves at emporiums like H&M, I recommend investing in a pair of really warm mittens. While thin little gloves look dainty and darling, you won’t look cute wearing them—you’ll just look cold. My gloves may resemble bear paws, but they keep my digits dexterous. When I need to up the style quotient, I wriggle my fingers into a pair of leather gloves lined with fleece. Nordstrom carries a variety of leather gloves with pretty stitching details that are both cute and cozy.

When winter hits the Windy City, it’s tempting to hide in the house. But since classes aren’t postponed while the ice and snow melt, we’ve got to outfit ourselves to battle the elements. Warm, waterproof rain boots, snazzy slippers, cozy caps, and leather gloves will help any shivering student weather the winter in style.

"Mix Master" (11/11/08)

Mary-Kate Olsen went from child star to fashion wunderkind when she ushered in the era of “bag-lady chic” style. Swathed in jersey dresses and oversized cotton T-shirts and swaddled in chunky knits, Olsen accentuates her look with enormous sunglasses and bangles. Olsen combines clothes from fashion houses like Chanel and Proenza Schouler with pieces from thrifty megachains like Top-Shop. The diminutive diva is fluent in high-low fashion, mixing high-end splurges with low-end steals. It’s all about the mix.

You don’t have to be a celebutante to get in the mix. Third-year Virginia Rangos is a mix-master who elegantly and effortlessly mixes high and low fashion. She helped me compile a list of guidelines for dressing the part.

Splurge on the Staples

Some style experts suggest buying bargain basics and splurging on stylish accessories, but Rangos disagrees. Investing in high-quality basics ensures that your wardrobe will have staying power, both literally and figuratively.

“My strategy of late has been to buy basic things from higher-end stores so that I have some things that are really well made,” she said. “I know that I will be able to wear them for a few years without them falling apart.”

In the fickle world of fashion, trends change in a flash, but well tailored dresses, blouses, and trousers never go out of style. Rangos recently purchased a beautiful midnight-blue corduroy dress with silver buckle accents and a simple, gray long-sleeved sweater-dress from Marc Jacobs. These purchases are versatile and well-made, and will be wearable for years.

Once you’ve built a foundational wardrobe, you can indulge momentary trends. Fashion emporiums like Forever 21 and H&M stock cheap, of-the-moment items that can be used to take a basic outfit from tired to trendy.

“I fill in the gaps in my wardrobe with stylish things from Forever 21, which will shred after I wear them twice,” Rangos said. Fashion-forward items like charm necklaces and plaid headbands can be bought for only $3.40. Dropping the big bucks on basic items will give your wardrobe a sense of timelessness and prevent it from falling apart the moment you take off the price tag; buying trendy items at low prices means that you won’t feel guilty dumping the disposable duds when their moment has passed.

Accent Artfully

Rangos understands than when it comes to flamboyant fashion, less is more. Spandex, crazy colors, metallics, and animal prints should be employed with discretion. These items can add a much-needed “pop” to a basic ensemble but can quickly turn from glam to garish.

“I love my gold Puma tennis shoes, but I don’t wear them very frequently,” Rangos said. “I don’t want to be known as the girl who wears gold Puma shoes.” Distinctive pieces are best used as accents to dramatize a simple ensemble. As Rangos puts it, “You don’t want your entire wardrobe to be different shades of spandex.”

Buy for your Body

It’s not true that you have to be svelte and six feet tall to look stunning; you just need to find a style that compliments you.

“Things that aren’t fitted don’t look good on me,” Rangos said. “They hang off me like a tent.” Instead, she picks figure-flattering fitted tops and high-waisted skirts, as well as belted dresses that emphasize her whittled waist.

Women with a pear-shaped figure may want to wear a dress or skirt that skims the lower half of the body while accentuating the waist, or choose a blouse with fuller sleeves that balances out the wider portion of the body. Women with broader shoulders, on the other hand, might select a dress with dramatic, body-balancing details on the hemline.

Finally, a piece of clothing that looks better on the rack than it does on your body should never make its way to your closet. “I’ve made the mistake of finding something that I loved and just buying it in a size that was too big or too small if they didn’t have it in my own,” Rangos said. “It never works out.” It seems that even a Marc Jacobs dress that doesn’t fit simply isn’t worth the money.

Comfort, not the brand name, is key. After all, it’s impossible to look your best if you’re self-consciously tugging at an outfit that is too skimpy or constricting—fit has to be just right. “Never buy something you have to wear with strategically placed tape,” Rangos said, laughing.

Remember that good fit doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. “The last formal dress I bought was from Zara, and it was only $40,” Rangos said. When accented with costume jewelry, including a $5 strand of fake pearls from Marc Jacobs, the affordable dress became black-tie attire.

Forget the Rules

Rangos’s style is not calculated; she buys what she likes and wears what looks good on her. By wearing what she feels best in, Rangos is always able to look confident, comfortable, and chic.

Rangos’s sweater-dresses, chunky boots, and massive necklaces look stunning on her—but they aren’t for everyone. Just as many of us would look like drowning beetles in Mary-Kate’s multiple layers, we wouldn’t all look great in Rangos’s blue Marc Jacobs jumper. We should all find whatever fits us best and run with it. High-low fashion makes it easy to stay true to our personal styles without entirely disregarding trends. If “bag-lady chic” has taught us anything, it is that sometimes, fashion rules are made to be broken.

"Designer Duds on a Dime" (11/04/08)

Despite the old adage that says nothing comes free, even couture can be had for cheap.

I like good deals: the five-dollar lunch special at Wok ’n’ Roll; the discarded, oversized leather couch my roommate and I found in an alley and dragged up two flights of stairs; and, of course, the two for $20 T-shirts at The Gap. My preference is for easy, durable basics in muted color palettes that allow me to look like a million bucks for less than the cost of a deep-dish pizza. But some frugal fashionistas aren’t content to shop down-market. Still, label-lovers don’t have to lease a room in their apartment to pay for a pair of pants. There are numerous ways to don designer duds without breaking the bank.

Some of the best deals can only be found early and under the radar. When shopping in a stylish city, keep your eyes peeled for fashionable activity taking place in alleyways and warehouses. Sample sales are veritable fashion jackpots, opportunities to score beautiful clothes at less-than-boutique prices. These sales, which occur at the end of a season, are essentially massive purges of a designer’s leftover inventory, and clothes are priced to move. In September, my mother and I were strolling down Lafayette Street in New York when we noticed an army of well dressed women making a beeline for a seemingly empty building. Following their lead, we stumbled upon a sample sale for Matta, a designer who creates luxurious skirts, blouses, and dresses full of rich, brightly colored textiles and hand-stitched detailing. Five dollars bought me a beautiful high-waisted black skirt (original price: almost $200).

While I fell into fashion fortune in that instance, it’s generally crucial to plan ahead. Sample sales are fiercely competitive, full-contact sports. While they’re perfect for those of us with light wallets, sample sales are not for the weak of heart. The best items go early, so plan to wake up with the sun. Once you brave the morning, prepare to face off against the other shoppers. Fighting over items is par for the fashionable course. Since most sample sales are held in warehouses, they rarely have dressing rooms; so check your modesty at the door, or think about investing in a leotard. Many sample sales are not widely advertised, but google “sample sale listings,” and you will find databases specific to all of the major fashion destinations—including Chicago. Remember to bring cash, because many sales don’t accept credit cards or checks. Finally, examine all of the items closely before you pay for them, because all sales are final. If you find a tear in a pair of pants after paying for them, the pants—and the tear—are yours.

Discount designer clothing stores such as Loehmann’s, Filene’s Basement, and Barney’s Co-op are similar to sample sales in that they offer expensive clothing at accessible prices. Like sample sales, the inventory is usually a season behind, so you can’t show up in December looking for a winter coat. These stores are notoriously jam-packed with clothes, so they can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate. However, with patience and a well trained eye, you can find some amazing bargains.

Thrifty fashionistas who can’t commit swear by Bag, Borrow, or Steal, an Internet service that allows members to borrow designer purses, watches, and sunglasses. For a fee, members can rent purses by Louis Vuitton, Prada, Fendi, Gucci, Coach, and other luxury brands for a week or month at a time. Bag, Borrow, or Steal is like NetFlix for purses: You just rent and return. Coach purses start at just $15—that’s the equivalent of brewing your own coffee for five days instead of splurging on Starbucks.

On eBay, a wealth of designer wares await at reasonable prices, but buyers should be cautious. When it comes to eBay, you don’t always get what you pay for. I ordered a “D&G” t-shirt that looked just like one I had seen in a magazine and was immensely disappointed when the package on my doorstep bore a screen-printed American Apparel baseball tee. Be sure to read the reviews of the seller’s transactions, and take seriously the feedback from other buyers. A seller who doesn’t have a rating of close to 100 percent probably has a stockpile of American Apparel T-shirts ready to be sold to less-savvy sartorialists. While you can ball up the T-shirt and hide it in the back of your dresser, you might not be able to get a refund on your money—or your pride.

Also, don’t assume that designer clothing is always astronomically expensive. Sneaky sellers sometimes push an item for far more than its market value. Though $149 might seem like a steal for some chic Marc Jacobs rain boots, don’t be sucked into the scam. Before you place a bid, visit the designer’s website to check the market price of the product. You might save yourself a small fortune: Marc Jacobs rubber wellies sell for only $29 online and at the brand’s Soho boutique.

In our current economic climate, it seems crazy to pay full price for designer items—there are simply far more pressing, pragmatic uses for a few hundred dollars. But with so many budget-friendly ways to buy designer clothes, fashionistas can have their shoes and wear them, too.