Pink Rock Candy – Top fashion trends, news and shopping of 2010

“Oh my God. Oh my God!” is the first thing that came out of my mouth after seeing the amazingly perfect bags from Travelteq— actually, it was more like, “uhmygahd. UHMYGAHD!”

I’ve yet to get a new bag for the beginning of school, and though I’m still in love with the MICHEAL Michael Kors Hamilton tote, the Trash Cougar in red may have just done one of those wrestling moves where you leap off the corner of the ring onto your opponent leaving him gasping for breath while you put him in a sleeper hold until he taps out. Yup, that’s how major this bag is!

I can just see myself hurriedly stuffing my laptop into this bag at the end of class after spending the entire hour and a half chatting on Facebook with friends (professors don’t, or at least pretend not to, know the difference). Then, as I rush out of class I’ll “accidentally” drop my pen (even though there’s a pen compartment) in front of the cute guy two rows over, inevitably starting a conversation and maybe even scoring a free lunch.

This bag would also pair perfectly with those, yet to be planned fashion week outfits. Imagine teetering out of Lincoln Center in your 5-inch heels, cropped pencil trousers and effortlessly chic top, looking oh-so-gamine, only to be tapped on the shoulder by some mysterious stranger. As you twirl around— in slow motion, of course— you see Scott Schuman behind you asking to snap you for The Sartorialist. You gladly oblige, trying to not to look to posed while smizing like Tyra taught you, and before you leave you pull out a business card from the easily accessible business card pocket on the Trash Cougar and hand it to him making sure to mention you write a blog as well. END SCENE.

You can replace Scott Schuman with any sexy stranger asking to do whatever you wish, but the point is, this bag is what dreams are made of. Oh, please Santa, come early and bring me the Trash Cougar! I promise I’ll stop flirting with guys at the bar for free drinks— ok, I’ll cut back, cold turkey is tough— and I won’t keep questioning why some of my friends insist on being trapped in middle America when they could move to either coast. Please, please!

To buy the Travelteq Trash Cougar, or any of the other Trash bags, visit www.travelteq.com.

Tom Binns; net-a-porter.com. Topshop; topshop.com. Shop The Look; shopthelook.net. Forever21; forever21.com.

There’s no denying, when it comes to jewelry, it’s all about making a statement. Lately, the general rule of thumb for necklaces has been go big or go home. From chunky collars to long layers and even knotted chains, gaudy pieces are up for grabs everywhere. However, many forget, sometimes you make the biggest statement by saying little to nothing at all.

In a transitional month like September when the strappy sandals and micro minis are turning into platform boots and below-the-knee swingy skirts, it more than makes sense that the jewelry should follow suit. It’s also fun to juxtapose the crisp lines of seasons past with soft, simple jewelry.

When looking for the perfectly-simple, standout necklace the key isn’t to find the thinnest chain with the tiniest charms— unless, of course, that’s what you want— the trick is to let the effortless nature of the piece make the statement.

Take the Tom Binns necklace for example. The necklace consists of a long strand of crystal pearls (that means fake) and a fun 24K bottle opener (hello 22nd birthday present!). The key to the entire look is the brilliant paradox of a classy strand of pearls and a frat-boy-badge- of- honor bottle opener. There’s also a less obvious juxtaposition in pairing natural objects with man-made objects as seen in the necklace from Shop The Look.

Other fantastic simply-stated necklaces give the big ‘ol finger to the statement necklace trend. The allure of the Topshop necklace is it’s just a long gold rope, while the simplicity of the Forever21 necklace only adds to the “it’s from Forever21” shock value.

No matter your age, style or price range, with beauties like these, you’ll be noticed without having to be, and look, over the top. So, here’s to all the understated and underestimated necklaces that are just screaming to be showcased.

In the fashion industry, there are a few simple truths: something better is always around the corner, money matters, and a famous face or name can get you anything— actually, this is true of most things in life.

Oddly, in fashion, these truths are terribly kept secrets, like Uncle Jim-Bob’s problem with the bottle (no, I don’t have an Uncle Jim-Bob).

Those in high-fashion, who consider themselves “style crusaders” will denounce the word trends and say they are true to themselves, only wearing classic pieces. However, the $300 leather leggings they’re sporting say otherwise. Magazine editors will gasp at the notion that their editorial integrity is even slightly compromised by the magazine’s advertising profits, but we all know the truth. However, the dirtiest secret of all is the most obvious— celebrities rule.

There was recently an article on NY Magazine’s Cut Blog— Has Reality TV Made Rachel Zoe More High-Fashion?— detailing Rachel Zoe’s ability to walk the line between elitist high-fashion and celeb-centric low-brow duds, but in this day and age, if you can’t balance the high and low brow, you’ll get nowhere.

Fifty years ago, celebrities were intangible. They were the epitome of class and maybe even decadence. They were high-fashion in every sense of the word. Today, celebrities are accessible. They strive to seem like your best friend. They have to make you feel as if you can relate, or we, the general public, bitch and tear them apart for being secretive and snooty.

What does this have to do with fashion?

MICHAEL Michael Kors; michaelkors.com. Simply Vera; kohls.com. Modcloth; modcloth.com [Affiliate Link]. Forever 21; forever21.com. Hilary Radley; endless.com.

I’ve spent the last 10 years avoiding a normal backpack. At this point, I couldn’t tell you the appropriate way to walk whilst two straps are latched to your shoulders. I have, however, become an expert on the perfect non-backpack school bags. Kitschy totes are always fun, but as you get older, a more professional bag for lugging around books at school and to carry extra shoes to an internship becomes necessary.

When on the hunt for the perfect school/work bag, I look for the following attributes:

Spaciousness - Bags have to be wide enough to fit my laptop and tall enough to hold folders and notebooks.

Structure - I love hobo bags just as much as the next girl, but a bag with too much slouch becomes bothersome when digging for pens or a cell phone carelessly tossed in the sack.

Universality - I never expect my bag to match perfectly with every outfit, but I do like them to “go.” Choosing neutral colors (dark hues and metallics count) enables me to wear almost any outfit without having to change my bag.

Durability - I plan on throwing lots of books, and the like, in my school bag, so finding a handbag that won’t fall apart at the first sign of stress is a must.

My dream school bag is the MICHAEL Michael Kors Hamilton bag, but I’ve yet to decide whether I want to spend almost $300 on this bag or on a potential plane ticket to visit friends in other states. I really love the bag, though!