The only way I’m getting into a “teeny-weeny bikini” is if I make it my mantra to make it a fit and firm summer. I used to be one of those 5-days-a-week gym goers who was able to slip off her heels and slip on her running shoes almost simultaneously. That was about two years ago, when several other factors didn’t zap my energy, three of them being: work, work, and work.

I never buy a blouse, a pair of earrings, or hot heels to wear in just one style. Whether the cost of the item is $10 or $100, it is still an investment that I take seriously. It’s a wardrobe purchase either way! So when it came to my recent buy, an orangeish-red, long-sleeved top from Target, I decided to show the various ways to wear it in front of a group of men and women.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

When it comes to the holiday season, I immediately conjure up images of spending time with my family lighting the Chanukah candles, staying cozy indoors, and baking yummy chocolate brownies for my pals at work.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

The skin is the largest organ of the body. So for me, accessorizing certain areas of my skin with colorful ink seems to be an obvious part of expressing myself. But what about the social stigmas attached to the tattooed subculture of men and women? Or, the most commonly asked, “What will happen when you’re older?”

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

September has always marked the beginning of a new year for me, not only because my birthday falls on the last day of the month, but also because it marks the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. Having raised three children into adulthood, I’ve been conditioned by long practice to be sensitive to the changes in the rhythms and routine that this time of year sparks.

(Written by Lisa A. Trimarchi)

I live in Rancho Cucamonga, California, a city revolving around commerce, raised trucks, and some of the best hot wings around ( Buffalo Wild Wings, people). About 20 minutes from Pomona, where I grew up and lived for the majority of my life, and just over an hour east of the heart of Los Angeles, lies Rancho, one of the more uppity cities of the Inland Empire, you might say.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

Since when did fashion get so serious that a girl can’t shave her head and not make it on every gossip magazine at the grocery store? It’s just hair, people, really. But Britney’s move was definitely shocking…for me to watch, at least. I’ll admit it. I myself enjoy playing around with braids, weaves, and scarfs; how my hair looks is nearly as important, if not more, than the jeans on my butt and the shoes on my feet.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

I’m not sure exactly what turned me on to a day of outdoor modeling. Maybe I was tired of hiding behind the computer. Maybe it was to prove my sister right—that I really am the “cool auntie” my niece would grow to love. Maybe it was to explore a new art concentration. Or maybe, as an avid “America’s Next Top Model” viewer, I just wanted to see what all the hype was about… was it really that difficult?

One word: YES.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

…That is what I remind myself when I stand nude in front of my full-length mirrors studying my hump: size 12 is the new two…size 12 is the new two… size 12 is the new two. O. K. Fine – it should be the new two. Now even though a lady doesn’t reveal her true size (or some bull like that), I’ll admit it – I’m a six-slash-eight. But I will say that I floated in the double digits almost immediately as I turned 21; a time in a gal’s life when she has the ticket to buy alcohol herself before bar hoppin’ and clubbin’, all the while looking forward to a midnight drive-thru at Del Taco with her favorite friend.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

On numerous occasions, my clothing, shoes, or accessories become the topic of discussion. And don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoy the confidence booster when a word like “sassy” is thrown at me. But because my emotions are the sole force that drive me to put on certain pieces, I’m usually oblivious to other people’s perception of what I’m workin’ with. When a compliment is thrown my way, I actually have to look at or touch the specific item to regain my reasoning for wearing it.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)