Ahh football. An American past-time. Super Bowl weekend is often filled with booze, boys and rowdy reenactments of the scenes on TV. However, if you’re like me, you’ve worked too hard all January for this ONE weekend to knock you off track and you’re probably also hoping to show off the results of your January workouts.

The old College stand-by of a cute cropped jersey is so over — pick up a few trends from the world of fashion to fit in and keep your style at the same time.

Colored denim, color blocking and cute flats will set the tone of this Sunday’s game. Match up your jeans to yours (or your guy’s) favorite team and then add a cute white t-shirt (or other color, depending on the jeans) with a lace cut-out or two. Finish off with sky-high heels if you’re going to a bar with the girls or tone it down with some sparkly flats. Either way, make sure your shoes are girlie, preppy or super fashionable — shoes are the most inconspicuous way to feel comfortable in your skin while trying to blend in just a bit with the crowd.

You can also check out Victoria’s Secret’s collection of game day t’s, although I would recommend saving the sweats for the after party.

Also, a word to the wise — beer will definitely make you bloat, so opt for Cider or Champagne — it’s a long day of drinking and you want to look your best.

As you can probably tell, as much as I love couture, my wallet does not, so I’m always looking for a fun — and affordable — way to wear the trends I love.

Unless you’ve got a trust fund, really wealthy significant other or a magical way of making money in your basement, I’m thinking you agree!

Trina Turk’s Banana Republic collection fits right into my needs — easy to get (at my mall) and affordable. And I really love how Banana Republic’s clothes wash and wear. It’s a resort collection — inspired by Palm Springs according to the Huffington Post – and items will be priced from $49.50-$150. It will debut in June, so now all that’s left is to figure out a way to sneak away to an affordable resort to show it off!

If you liked the Mad Men-inspired collection that came out late last year, I think you’ll love this.

I can’t wait to get my hands on those floral shorts — which is another big trend for spring!

Back-less dresses were all the rage at The Golden Globes and are definitely going to be a continued trend in the spring. Lace cutouts (and cutouts in general) feature prominently on Pinterest boards, fashion sites and Twitpics. If you dare to go a bit bare, you’re probably concerned about making sure your back is in shape.

Self Magazine has a “build a better back” workout that will have your back cut-out ready in no time! And a strong back helps you strengthen your core, which also helps you breathe better. A strong core, according to many of the best health sites, also contributes to better breathing which contributes to better weight management — something we could all use, right?

Having become a bit obsessed with yoga myself, I’m always thinking of ways to stregthen my core and show off my efforts. If you’re worried about being cold, throw on a cardigan, it’s always hot in the club! Another option, while you’re toning your back is to show off your shoulders, which is another popular cutout option.

I’ve called my own bra a “life saver” from time to time — she holds me up when I need a little extra oompf and always makes me feel quite “perky,” but what if your bra could actually save you from a life threatening event.

Talk of this has been around the Web for a while, but recently a pretty version popped up on my radar making me wonder if these are actually things we’ll be seeing in the stores, and quite possibly buying!

Dr. Elena Bodnar created this $29.99 creation, aptly dubbed the “Emergency Bra,” a product that was 20 years in the making. Dr. Bodnar helped victims of the Chernobyl nuclear crisis in 1986 (way before any of us even thought of wearing a bra, or toting it as a life saving accessory) and she insisted that many of the effects of the disaster could have been lessened had these people had gas masks. I don’t know about you, but there’s no way I’m stuffing a gas mask in my Chanel clutch, but I do always wear a bra, and I guess Dr. Bodnar does too because that’s how she came up with the concept. This bra can be converted into TWO masks with a radiation sensor, and the cup is lined with a surgical mask.

The downside? It is only available from 32B to 40C and only comes in red, although I don’t know if that’s a bad thing. Ultimately A and D cups will come soon, but I wonder, if you’re an “A” do you get less protection? This is definitely a trend to watch in 2012.

Your hair defines you. It’s the first thing people see and often, the first thing that allows them to pass judgment about you, your personality and your style. Many start the year off with a new ‘do and if you’re planning on doing that, we want to know what inspires you.

The Wall Street Journal, according to this article in Glamour, called out Justin Bieber and Emma Watson for having the most influential haircuts of 2011.

I personally think Victoria Beckham (or Posh Spice to those of you born in the ’90s) and Katie Holmes started the “short hair is sexy” trend back in ’08 (which is when I hacked my hair off) and everyone has been jumping on the wagon ever since.

It’s fun to change up your look and it’s a great, quick — and relatively cheap way — to make a drastic change.

Are they the “most influential?” Will you change your hair to commemorate the “Bieber Swish” or the Emma Watson pixie? Share with us!

End the year with a bang, after all, if you don’t end on the right foot, how can you start off on the right one?

The holidays are not only a time to get together with family and friends, they’re also a time to show off your fashion chops — and New Year’s is the biggest fashion show of them all. Runways are not only found in the fashion capitals of the world lovelies, they’re found at the mall, in your living room and in your favorite pub. People are always looking, why not give them something to talk about ;).

New Year’s is, unfortunately, always incredibly hyped up, but I’ve got some tips to help you make the best of whatever situation you find yourself in.

Make sure you wear a comfortable, but chic, dress or skirt. I’d say anything black with some sparkles should work — if you’re a thin/athletic type, go for the full on glitz and glam. If you’re a bit curvy, go for something that’s a bit looser. You want to look your best from all angles and in all photos. I like Black because I’m from New York, but also because people tend to be very sloppy in crowded bars and black hides all!

The best place to add a pop of color is with your accessories. I am always a fan of leopard and red (like these fabulous Fendi shoes I scored from BlueFly for Christmas!), but I also really love the color blocking look or something completely original like this YSL pump. Make your feet stand out and people will be sure to follow you all night long!

Next, add a funky stocking, especially if you’re celebrating in a cold place. Stockings come in all colors, patterns and styles. I’m a big fan of thigh-highs because you don’t have to worry about them falling down. I also really love anything with a pattern, especially if it is lace. These bow back seam stockings from Express are awesome because they give you a 40s glam look instantly. Express actually has a ton of stockings for the winter, including these cute snowflake pattern ones which beat out a holiday sweater any day!

Moving up, I think this skirt from Express would be great on most body types. They’ve also got some awesome dresses, depending on what looks best on you. Remember the most important thing is to be comfortable in your own skin this NYE, so be sure to try it on, dance around in the dressing room and do whatever you have to to make sure this outfit is the one for you.

Next post, I’ll go into some accessories and hairstyles for NYE.

Do you have anything in mind for NYE? Share your ideas with me!

Love Yoga but hate feet? Well, if Blake Brody has her way, you won’t ever see another yoga studio with the offenders again.

Amanda Heart, a Marie Claire editor tried out Brody’s yoga shoes and seemed to enjoy them. As someone who practices hot yoga on a daily basis, I’m not quite sure how these shows would fit into my practice, but I’m always up for buying a new pair of shoes, so I might have to get these for myself. They’re so cute and come in all different colors/designs.

Brody said that she worked with all of her favorite yoga instructors to develop them, so these are built for the way your foot moves, which is good for posture and practice. The shoes are also vegan, so you can feel good about that while you’re working out too.

Would you buy these flats? I think they’d be great for anyone who goes from “studio to street” and needs to look presentable quickly. Or someone who simply doesn’t like bare toes!

Ordering online (at work or home) may be the best way to beat the crowds, but how can you guarantee that you’ll get the gifts on time? FreeShipping.org created a list of order by dates to have you “ho, ho, ho-ing” your way to the nearest dreidel game in no time.

According to FreeShipping.org, Dec. 16 is THE day to buy things because it is Free Shipping Day, where over 2,000 merchants (including Brookstone, Zales, Bloomingdales, Zappos and others) offer free shipping AND guarantee that the presents will arrive by Christmas Eve and since Hannukkah begins on Dec. 20 this year, presents should arrive in time for that as well.

Here is the list of online shopping deadlines for some common retailers:

Best Buy
Standard: Dec. 20, 11 a.m. EST
Express: Dec. 21, 11 a.m. EST

Fastest: Dec. 22, 11 a.m. EST

Lands’ End
Standard: Dec. 14
Express: Dec. 19
Fastest: Dec. 21

DSW
Standard: Dec. 17, midnight EST
Express: Dec. 21, midnight EST
Fastest: Dec. 22, midnight EST

Kohl’s
Standard: Dec. 18 11 p.m. CST
Fastest: Dec. 21, 11 p.m. CST

Nordstrom
Standard: Nov. 30, 3 p.m. EST
Express: Dec. 6, 3 p.m. EST
Fastest: Dec. 7, 3 p.m. EST

Zappos
Standard: Dec. 16
Will you shop exclusively online this year? Don’t forget to check out BlueFly.com’s deals and steals (and hopefully you got the LivingSocial Cyber Monday deal to make it even sweeter!).

Perez Hilton wrote about these amazing roll-up flats that were sold, in Europe, in a vending machine TWO YEARS ago and I have been lusting after them ever since.

@Fashionalities reported on Twitter that these vending machines are finally coming to a bar near you!! And you don’t even need a passport to experience the glory that is vendor flats. 

Of course, these aren’t the most “glamourous” or trendy flats you’ll ever find but boy-oh-BOY are they convenient!!

Perez is reporting via Coco Perez that these vending machines, from Rollasole, will be coming to the Colony nightclub in LA in December and then to the Vanity nightclub at the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas. They’re 20 bucks a pair and he claims they’re stylish enough to wear on their own — I don’t think so, but then again I’m an NYC girl and you know how picky we can be ;).

Would you buy flats from a vending machine? You can check out designs here.

Okay, so I have a vested interest in this post — I have short hair and think everyone (or at least everyone with the face for it) should try it at least once in their lives. Short hair is liberating and actually makes your hair healthier in the long run.

Kate Winslet debuted her short ‘do a while back on the cover of Vogue. A rich platinum color and a spiky, piecey look started Winslet’s short hair path. Last week, at the “Carnage” Paris premerie, Winslet shined in a Stella McCartney dress with a pompadour. While I prefer the Vogue cover look, I think this is a great way to change up your own hair for the holidays – whether it is short OR long. You can easily tackle this style with long hair if you’ve got short layers in the front and enough bobby pins for the back.

The show stopping dress reportedly allows the wearer to appear 2 sizes smaller and costs approximately £900. While we can’t all afford that specific dress, the color blocking pattern is a great one to imitate for holiday parties and family dinners — it allows you to finish off the outfit with a pair of funky heels, especially if you pick an understated color. Or go with the bold color match and pick an understated shoe. Either way, rocking this sort of dress, and attitude, will have to sharing the mistletoe with someone wonderful at the end of the year.

Would you ever wear your hair short? Have you worn it short? Think it changes your attitude? Tell us below!