Now I didn’t enjoy the book nearly as much Susanna did, or dislike it as much as Slate,  in fact, I’d probably recommend it to anyone who thinks that perhaps, just maybe, they might be approaching dating wrong.  What follows is an AIM conversation between Susanna and I on the book. If you’ve read it please do leave your feedback in the comments.

xoxo,

Miss T

tarynaronson: hi!
susannafrances: hey!
tarynaronson: so, as you’re one of my most attractive and intelligent girlfriends, when you told me to run out and buy “Marry Him” i listened
susannafrances: obviously. i have impeccable taste.
susannafrances: and a lifetime full of neurotic dating issues. well, not a lifetime, but twelve years worth.
tarynaronson: so why did you feel so strongly about me reading this book?
susannafrances: when i read lori gottlieb’s article in the Atlantic Monthly a couple of years ago, i reacted strongly to the idea of “settling” for anything less than instant passion/eternal love.
susannafrances: reading more closely, i realized her point was more that women often place too high a value on the wrong traits in a man when it comes to who is actually a good partner.
susannafrances: especially smart, independent, successful woman who don’t “need” a man in any practical sense.
susannafrances: because we can support ourselves and are often happy single, it seems we often decide that the only thing a man can really do for us is bring passion and endless stimulation on top of an already totally fulfilling life.
susannafrances: unfortunately, passion and endless charisma happen to often go hand in hand with crippling narcissism
tarynaronson: and I’d prefer to be the only narcissist around here!
tarynaronson: i agree with that her analysis on that point. and i really appreciated her comments about “kindness” being an undervalued trait in a guy.
susannafrances: niceness isn’t flashy
tarynaronson: no its not. i felt like such an idiot reading that suggestion too because at 31 it really had never occurred to me to make that a priority in a boyfriend. but it’s a given that i expect my friends to be kind.
susannafrances: definitely. if asked to describe my ideal mate in the abstract i’d say – brilliant, hilarious, successful, hot.
tarynaronson: i‘d say brilliant, hilarious, successful, hot and doesn’t mind driving to long beach.
susannafrances: but i think women, hearing about the title of the book, assume she’s going to say settle for some lame dentist who’s really loyal and nice but totally unexciting or else YOU WILL BE ALONE
susannafrances: i think she’s saying – give the dentist a date.
susannafrances: you might find you like him more than you think.
susannafrances: stop judging people for putting apostrophes in the wrong place.
susannafrances: if you go out with apostrophe guy and he’s an idiot in person then you are allowed to not date him
susannafrances: but maybe he just doesn’t put that much effort into his online dating profile because, i don’t know, he’s busy having a life.
tarynaronson: how dare he!?
susannafrances: to me, though, the best point she made was really that when asked to define what we’re looking for in a man, we name 10 men
susannafrances: often traits are mutually exclusive
susannafrances: so when we dont find all of them (ie always) we feel like the person falls short
tarynaronson: yes. because we’re used to online dating where we get in a mode of looking at men like they are items to buy at a supermarket
tarynaronson: the one thing i didn’t relate to however was the traditional first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage stuff…
tarynaronson: like she talked a lot about the difficulties of dating with a kid
tarynaronson: and i felt like it was just presumed that i want a kid too
tarynaronson: and i better hurry up and stop being picky before my eggs run out
susannafrances: i totally hear that.
susannafrances: the book didn’t account for the breadth of personal goals women have
tarynaronson: but i also think that she presumed im the one doing all the heartbreaking
tarynaronson: just leaving a trail of the dead behind me
susannafrances: i didn’t get that. i think she’s probably just not mentioning the guys you’ve dated who have dumped you who had some of the “bad” traits she mentioned women go for.
tarynaronson: aha! thats an interesting point
tarynaronson: so essentially in not rating kindness a top priority, i am at fault for getting hurt when someone isnt kind to me
tarynaronson: i can deal with that
tarynaronson: so do you think this book has made a long term change in the way youll approach relationships/dating in the future?
susannafrances: in my case personally, i started dating someone nice and stable before i bought the book
susannafrances: it did make me righteous about my choice
susannafrances: and more appreciative of him than ever for not making me feel crazy with unpredictable craziness
tarynaronson: right, which is really the part i appreciated the most about the book
tarynaronson: the idea that looking forward to that insane feeling you get when someone is dicking you around, not writing you back, making you insecure…is just stupid!
susannafrances: i liked when she said:
susannafrances: think about the time you were most excited
susannafrances: you were probably acting like a crazy obsessive freak
susannafrances: bc he kept you guessing
tarynaronson: which then renders you sucky at the rest of your life
susannafrances: totally
tarynaronson: well i expect you to keep me on track as i begin my dating adventures this summer
susannafrances: i will be your sponsor
susannafrances: beware the glamorous guy with the proust references and great bone structure, he’s probably getting hit on by 100 girls a day and will break your heart.
susannafrances: go for the quieter guy who is actually way more interesting and smart but maybe doesn’t have game. he probably also doesn’t have STDs.

Susanna Fogel is a film and television writer living in Los Angeles. Most recently, she co-wrote a comedy for New Line Cinema called “What Was I Thinking” about women analyzing the trials and tribulations of relationships on a hedonistic ski trip.

As a Long Beach resident I am treated to totally fantastic and ridiculously budget friendly vintage fashion pretty much every time I step outside of my house. In fact, my favorite haunt, dubbed Retro Row, is a whole block of particularly amazing vintage clothes and furniture shops that is used quite often as the first pit stop for Mad Men set designers and costume designers.  Being this spoiled makes it a bit difficult for me to get too thrilled about having to venture all the way to Hollywood for a vintage fix. So when I got the invite to the What Goes Around Comes Around Fashion Week launch event, I was excited, but not completely convinced it would be worth the drive. Boy was I wrong!!!

WCAGA Cohosts

Live mannequins in WCAGA Fall Collection

The new boutique in  Space 15 Twenty was packed with gorgeously attired girls and fabulously coiffed boys to celebrate the 1 Year anniversary for the Los Angeles store. Seth Weisser (WGACA co-founder/President) and Gerard Maione (WGACA co-founder/Creative Director) have pulled together an extremely well edited collection of vintage to satisfy even the most picky of tastes. And Grace Hwang and team at Think PR certainly know how to put together a perfect event.  From the sign in table (you were given an actual key to the party to wear around your neck) to the champagne served in cute little baby bottle shaped holders, to the wall of live mannequins showcasing the Fall 2010 What Goes Around Comes Around Collection for men and women, it was all flawlessly executed.

Needless to say, the party had a slew of cool kid co-hosts who were wearing WGACA fashions.

Shenae Grimes of 90210

I especially enjoyed the lovely red jumpsuit Shenae Grimes wore, and thought that Monet Mazur’s Vintage Holly Harp dress was maybe the most perfect green on the planet.

Monet Mozur in WGACA Vintage Holly Harp

Valeria in the "goes everywhere" gold caftan

My absolute favorite ensemble however was the gold caftan worn by party-goer Valeria who told me in confidence, “I’m bringing the caftan back, they go everywhere, from Mexico to New York to Los Angeles.” Touche!

Me with Janine (Harrion Salon and Shear Genius)

Me with Evelyn Black (EB1955.com) and Audrey Kitching

Also in attendance were Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr of WhoWhatWear, Nicole Richie, Lisa Rinna, Olivia Munn, Peaches Geldof, and stylists Tara Swennen and Taylor Jacobson.

Guess sometimes the drive is worth it after all.

What Goes Around Comes Around is located at 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Space #4, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Please note I said “first week” because this break up advice is for those suffering minor heartache only. Like, you never said “I love you,” you dated for less than 3 months, and frankly you were still deciding yourself if you two were meant to be before he pulled the plug. You’re bummed, disappointed, and your ego is bruised, but deep down you know it’s gonna be ok. But, if you’re in full on heartbreak mode, then I’d suggest you refer to Sarah’s wonderful post on on tips for getting over a broken heart and follow her words of wisdom.

Now, for the rest of y’all. Here’s your 5 steps to quick recovery, in rough order of execution.

Step 1: Call your Friends and Family

That’s what they are there for! And you’ve done it for them a gazillion times right? Cash it in.  Not only did my girls come over mere minutes after said breakup, and drink wine with me until super late, but they rallied round me for the whole week post breakup ensuring I was out and about, and not home moping.  We also switched out our regular ladies night gay bar visit to a sports bar during gametime. Wow. Why didn’t we do that sooner?!?  My boypals did a great job cheering me up too for the record, and offered the all important male perspective necessary to proper closure.  Finally, if you’re close to your mom she’s obviously a great resource as well. She can remind you that you’ve gone through this more than a few times in the past decade or so, and it’s never been the end of the world, and you can begrudgingly acknowledge that she’s right. It’s a fun game. Try it.

Step 2: Gym it Up

You’re single again! So get your butt in some spandex and hit that treadmill. Not only will the workout make you feel better, it will ensure you aren’t sitting on your couch watching RomComs with your buddies Ben and Jerry. You’re gonna bounce back pretty quickly and when you do, you want to be ready to put on a cute little ensemble and get back out there looking goooood.  I actually got dragged to a group run the day after the breakup and I bitched and moaned about it every second of the way. Then at the end of the run, 2 guys asked the coach for info on me, and 1 even found me on facebook. Who knew heartache made me look so hot?!

Step 3: Take a Road Trip

This is a great time to cash in a sick day and take a trip somewhere. Preferably one where you can drive in silence for a while, and clear your head.  Go ahead. Call in. You’re useless while you’re in a sad fog so it’s in your best interest to get a little distance from your current heartache so you can get back.

(Attn: HR I used a genuine vacation day and got it approved in advance!)

I went down to Palm Springs, but maybe you need a crazy weekend in Vegas. Or a ski trip. Or just an aimless drive up the coast. Doesn’t really matter where you go, I promise you’ll already be feeling better on the drive home.

Step 4: Reinvent Yourself

Once you get back, you’re ready for the cleansing to be formalized in a new look. I totally own that this is a huge cliché, but I always like to dye my hair when I want to signify that I’m making a change. (I also like to dye my hair for no reason at all so it’s not as big a deal as it might sound. ) There’s just something about looking at a new version of me in the mirror that helps me embrace the whole starting over thang.

Special note: this is especially embarrassing because they just highlighted this common post breakup step on Grey’s Anatomy (Alex calls Little Grey out for dying her hair blonde after things fall apart with McSteamy) but I’m gonna toss it in here anyway.

Bye Bye Red and Hello Chocolate!

Step 5: Make Decisions

Are you gonna try to stay in contact with this dude and be friends? Or cut it clean? Are you keeping his stuff as a parting gift, leaving it on his porch, or burning it? I don’t recommend the latter, but whatever you elect, the choice feels better when it’s yours.  Especially if you didn’t instigate the breakup. So make it quick, before he makes it for you. All conventional wisdom aside, I normally try to shoot for staying friends, barring him cheating on me, being a total asshole, or us just not really having much to transition into a platonic relationship.  And most of those guys I kept around are now the people who helped me through Step 1. What better people to remind you that you’re awesome than the ones that decided you were worth keeping around even when sex was off the table?!

Optional Step 6: Sign Up for Online Dating (again).

Since I met my ex on Match I figured I’d mix it up and restart the OkCupid profile that has sat dormant since 2006 (I’m an early online dating adopter remember). Less than a week in and I’ve already got 2 super cute, self deprecating, cat loving, vintage shop frequenting, gainfully employed guys requesting access to my calendar.  Even if you’re not ready to start dating again yet, the flattery never hurt anyone. So just sign up and enjoy the attention.

Ok. Ready. Set. Go.

Let the healing begin!

xoxo,

Miss T

Currently my Saturdays are spent grooming the young minds that will comprise tomorrow’s Beauty Industry at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. I graduated from the Beauty program ten years ago, and so I consider it a special honor to give something back on my weekends. This does not stop me from groaning about waking up early on a Saturday.  My fellow blush blogger, Kim, also teaches a class, so she certainly deserves her place in heaven with me. One of my favorite things about being a part time instructor at FIDM is taking advantage of all the incredible exhibits at the FIDM Museum.

The Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition, an annual favorite of mine, displays over 100 costumes from more than 20 films released in 2009.  Frankly, the exhibit itself is a visual masterpiece, taking 50 people a full year to create! I made my first visit last weekend during my lunch break, but  I’ll definitely be going back before the conclusion on April 15th to more thoroughly explore the vast array of costumes.

Particularly enthralling are the pieces from four of the five designers nominated for this year’s Academy Awards: “Bright Star” (Janet Patterson), “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (Monique Prudhomme), “Nine” (Colleen Atwood) and “The Young Victoria” (Sandy Powell).  The fifth nominee, “Coco Before Chanel,” designed by Catherine Leterrier was unfortunately missing in action.  The exhibit also always showcases 2008′s Oscar winner, so keep an eye out for items worn by Keira Knightley in ”The Duchess,” designed by Michael O’Connor. This year also features two films with costume designs by FIDM Grads: “Aliens in the Attic“, designed by FIDM Grad Mona May, and ”Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”, designed by FIDM Grad Marlene Stewart.

Photo: David James/Weinstein Co.

My personal favorite was Penelope Cruz’s over the top scarlett number in “Nine” (still from movie at left because they wouldn’t let me take my own picture!) but as a whole I most enjoyed the  items from “An Education” (Odile Dicks -Mireaux), “Pirate Radio” (Joanna Johnson) and “Inglorious Basterds” (Anna Sheppard).

Interesting to note here, FIDM utilizes mannequins that are true to the proportions of the actors, so you can enjoy imagining the size of your fave celebs. Remember way back when people said Kate Winslet was too big for Leo in “Titanic,” well I assure you that when you looked at her itty bitty dresses on display that was most certainly not the case. Her dresses are tiny! And coming from someone who is 5’1 that should mean something.

Another couple of fun facts from the FIDM website:

“Star Trek Costume Designer Michael Kaplan was not a fan of the original TV series and had not seen any of the previous movies.”

Star Trek (Designer: Michael Kaplan)

“The Young Victoria Costume Designer Sandy Powell made Victoria’s coronation robe completely from scratch, starting with the fabric. The intricate embroidery from the original robe was recreated by printing and hand painting.”

The free exhibition is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  You’ll thank me. I promise. As will my students, who just got assigned an extra credit project

xoxo,

Taryn

Welcome to February – the perfect month to hit your favorite vintage fashion store and stock up on some unique finds to anchor your closet this Spring.  Remember that January was resolution time and for a lot of people that meant going through their closets and cleaning everything out. This is great news as their has-beens are destined to be your new style -defining pieces!

Now, a lot of people think that vintage stores are just for Halloween costumes or bold party dresses. But I think that they offer a wealth of unique options for the office! Currently my fave way to spice up my work wardrobe are Skirt Suits. With the popularity of Mad Men, you’re probably a little more open to this suggestion than you might have been in the past, but if you’re still hesitant let me assure you that suits do not have to be stodgy looking. While they can look a tad too prim and proper when worn together, a skirt and jacket can offer a wealth of looks when you wear them separately.

Here’s a quick demo:

Look 1) Simply pair the jacket with jeans and some cute accessories and you have a really sharp (but not too formal) look.

Suit Jacket with black jeans

Look 2) Don’t forget about the skirt! All you need to do is throw on a brightly colored sweater and you’re good to go for an important meeting day at work. Add a scarf if you want to jazz it up a bit more.

Skirt with Sweater and Scarf

As you can see both looks are pulled together enough for the office, but communicate a fun love of fashion. What better way to spend your M-F?

Got any predictions for surprise vintage trends this spring? Do share in the comments!

xoxo,

Miss T

A new year is always a good time for resolutions, fresh starts and analysis paralysis. I’m sure all you single folk joined me in making a dating blunder or two last year and I’m here to offer up my past mistakes (and of course the mistakes of my gal pals) as examples of what not to do in 2010 if you’re looking for relationship bliss. Don’t forget you’ve only got about a month to secure your date for “Feel-Especially-Crappy-About-Being-Single-Day”, also referred to as Valentines Day, so time is of the essence to heed my wise words.

Get Rid of Any Loose Ends

Ex boyfriends who sext you randomly, midnight booty calls, friends-with-benefits. Whatever you call ‘em, they’re barriers to you finding a new flame. You dumped them (or never started really dating them) for a reason right? So get them out of your life properly to make room for someone new.  I know it’s hard, because there’s something very comforting about having a steady stream of compliments, and knowing it won’t be months upon months before someone sees your new 600 thread count sheets, but it is an absolutely necessary step.

I’d like to note here that a special friend of mine named Nadine (who BTW keeps a delightful blog at JolieNadine.com  that you should subscribe to) recently sent me an email declaring the following:

Unfortunately, I think I need to “lose” the number of my comfy, strapping booty call.  Comfy, strapping booty calls: So 2009.

I concur. So, totes 2009.

Stop Looking in the Wrong Places

I’m not talking about sports bars vs. online dating here kids. I mean the types of guys you’re going for. Get smart and treat this as if it were a big purchase (think: car, not fabulous strappy shoes). Before you get your credit score checked for the new wheels you think about the future a bit right? You obviously consider the flashy exterior, color, size, shape (um, get your mind out of the gutter ladies) but you don’t commit without also factoring in mileage, consumer reviews and resale value.  Apply the same logic to those you date if you’re looking for someone with er, staying power.

The same Nadine mentioned above, who is gorgeous, smart and uber funny for the record (translation: may murder me for quoting her again), also made this statement:

Love is top of my priority list for 2010, so I’m trying to be smart about going after guys that are not completely lame i.e. no more of this: “He’s pretty!  Oh, he’s a waiter who makes $15,000 a year and lives on a couch?  Soulmate!”

Touché

Check that Baggage at the Door

Or, at least invest in an itty bitty carry on. Whatever your ex, or booty call, etc… did or didn’t do in the past, need have no bearing on your future relationship’s success.  Vilifying your ex is almost as bad as still being in love with him in terms of barriers to intimacy. So, if you spent some time in 2009 putting up walls to prevent yourself from getting hurt again, you might want to consider just making peace with your past. I realized over the summer that I’d classified my ex as an “evil genius” of sorts. This gave him a lot of power in my memory and made me constantly on the look out for more like him. Really, he was just kind of an A-hole. In abandoning that old view, I gave myself freedom to stop protecting my heart against the “evil genii” of the future.

And then I met someone pretty great. His name is Chris. Now I just need to try my best not to screw it up by “When-Did-My-Local-Italian Restaurant-Become-So-Frickin’-Expensive -Day.” Wish me luck!

xoxo,

Taryn

Hi y’all,

Happy Holidays!  I can’t really believe Winter is upon us (it’s been mid 60′s in Southern California lately, so donning my favorite winter fashions has been a slight challenge) much less Christmas! And I found myself in a bit of a bind this past weekend when I realized I had left absolutely no time to shop for our annual company soiree. Now, as you can imagine the Blush gang really knows how to party, and more importantly we know how to party in style. Our Moroccan themed holiday party this past weekend was nothing short of spectular! Complete with belly dancers, fortune tellers, a silent auction to benefit Angel Faces, and a full sushi station, this party had something for everyone. For me, specifically there was the joy of seeing our conference room turned into a mini creperie, but I guess I’m just the kind of girl who really appreciates food above dancing.  Here’s a little photographic evidence of the fabulous frocks rocked at the event. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

xoxo,

Taryn

Ps. for those who care about this sort of thing: my dress, bag and headband are vintage, shoes are from Payless last season, and the coat is from Forever 21 circa 1997.

Taryn and Nicole (Beautyfix Director)

Taryn and Meg (Blush Senior Editor)

Taryn and Kate (IB Graphic Designer)

Dancer

Mike (VP of CRM) and his lovely wife Marguerite

Amber (my gal pal), Me, Meg and Sandra (IB Marketing Director)

Taryn and Lindsey (IB Office Manager)

Meg & Lesley (Kronos Director) w/ fashionably attired party-goers

Holiday Spirit!

Taryn and Tamika (IB Purchasing Manger)

Lauren (Glow/Dermstore Copywriter) and her man

Taryn and Stacey (IB Marketing Director)

Last Call

Party Goers at the Roller Jammy Jam 2009

One thing I truly love in life is a good costume party and thus one of my favorite annual events is the Roller Jammy Jam (which features the best display of 1970’s fashions since, well the 70’s) held every November at World on Wheels. My friend Jay started this insiders-only event , which includes roller skates, costumes, and VAST quantities of alcohol, to celebrate his birthday back in 1998. I received my first invite to this amazing party 5 years ago and I’ve made it a point to attend ever since. I normally start the countdown to the Jammy Jam the day after my birthday in September.

Girls on Wheels

This year’s soiree did not let me, or the other 270 guests who attended, down!  Girls rocking gold lycra American Apparel booty shorts, frolicked with shirtless bell bottomed boys in afro wigs.  The Hooters waitress uniform my friend Beatrix busted out was a huge hit, as was my pal Lyndsey’s hula girl costume.  And let’s just say that my mother’s pink and black polka dot 80’s leotard was delighted to make its 2009 debut. 

As you may be noticing there’s no specific theme to this party (although the trend is skimpy, retro and tight) but you can even recycle your last Halloween costume in a pinch. I’ve already decided that next year’s outfit shall be a mid 90’s professional ice skating ensemble.  I’m like a magpie, really, drawn to anything sparkly. The only question is, do I find a date to don mesh with me for the couples skate or find my leading man at the party.

Birthday Boy Jay and Me

Here’s some more pics so you can pretend you were there. I’d advise you work your contacts in order to get an invite next year!

Source: Flickr User Don Hankins

It may slowly becoming clear to the regular Blush Blog reader that my personal life serves as fodder for blog posts. And with my long term affinity for Online Dating revealed last month, I thought it would be remiss of me not to share my Top 3 Online Dating Websites, for you, the reader to potentially investigate. Please note that these sites fall onto this list because of the quality of their users, not necessarily the functionality or overall look of the site itself.

Let’s dive right in!

Nerve.com

Pros:

If you’re in the heart of a major city (Hello: New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco!) and you’re looking for someone who really knows how to woo via the pen, this is your site hands down! Nerve peeps are well-read, well-written, and generally well-coiffed. The LA Nerve circuit is largely comprised of hipsters and screen writers, so know your audience when creating your profile (Read: wearing your glasses in your profile pic will get you laid for once). If the uber idiosyncratic profile is something you adore, you’ll fall more in love with each click. Nerve also pools the personals sections of theonion.com and salon.com so if you’re amused by/appropriately in awe of the content on either site, you will probably thoroughly enjoy connecting with the  nerve user.

Cons:

The site is slow, and kind of buggy. You don’t have to pay to be a member, but you do have to pay if you’d like to enlarge the thumbnails pics to a size where you can ensure that the guy you’re flirting with is not your best friends father. Another potential caveat for some, is that the Nerve user is for the most part smart and attractive enough to date whomever they choose. Thus they tend to be a commitment phobic bunch as a whole. So, if you’re looking for a lifelong partner to raise your babies with, you may wish to move on to my number 2 recommendation. 

Match.com

Pros:

With a much bigger and less hipsterrific user base than Nerve (they partner with MSN and AOL), Match offers you the benefit of an audience who will forgive you for not knowing the lyrics to the entire Modest Mouse catalog. The Match member is quite likely to be dead serious about meeting their next girlfriend/boyfriend online. They’re typically pretty sincere and honest about what they’re looking for, and even the most unseasoned newbie can jump into this site and do well for themselves. If you’re the lazy sort you can just go off the options they send you, although personally I think their formula must be severely flawed because I’ve never once been intrigued by one of their computer generated matches.

Cons:

If you do know the lyrics to the entire Modest Mouse catalog you won’t get an opportunity to show off. You’ll also be out of luck if you enjoy establishing a well played game of banter prior to the first date. The Match user is normally pretty traditional and wants to skip to the first coffee/drink as fast as possible without investing too much time crafting perfectly witty emails. This could be a pro for you if you’re in a rush. You can’t read your emails unless you’ve got a paid membership, so be prepared to whip out your Visa.

Plentyoffish.com

Pros:

Like Match, this site is huge. There’s seriously like a gazillion people on it. It’s also free free free! Can’t beat that! It has it all too: pseudo intellectuals, Hollywood scenesters, religiously minded marriage bound lads, and bad boy assholes. Whatever floats your boat, you can probably find on this site.  And again, it’s free. The other neat thing is that when you are online, you show up in the top banner and guys will email you by the hundred. If your self esteem is in need of a boost, this is your site. Where you can wait weeks for a note on Nerve, POF will get you more mail than you can even consider reading. This will make you feel popular, and that will in turn make you feel prettier.

Cons:

Since it’s free you’re potentially dealing with some non-serious users who are just having fun. People can be notoriously flaky on this site so don’t be shocked if someone you’ve exchanged a few emails with disappears entirely. There’s also a high douchebag factor. Lot’s of shirtless, faceless shots. Lots of “hey baby, you be lookin fine, hows about we keep it real at my pad tonight aight?” openers. Get ready to keep your cursor poised on the delete button. On a plus, even those messages will make you feel popular, and that will in turn make you feel prettier. (Do not, under any circumstances, look at the ratings you are getting on the hot/not feature. It’s crushing to your soul!)

I think that about sums it up. The sites are not in any particular order because my usage of each really does depend on my current dating goal. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to hearing what your favorites are, so please don’t hesitate to leave comments.

xoxo,

Taryn

Hi y’all, As I recall we talked online dating last time I posted, and that was a couple weeks ago, so I think we are long overdue for another Recessionista Report.  And since I already annoyed the heck out of everyone here at the office with my ”look at me I’m a fancy world traveler” pics of Italy, I figure we should stay more local on this round. But don’t worry there will still be pictures. And there will still be Golden Rules. And of course there will vintage fashion.

In fact let’s start off with a recap:

Golden Taryn Rule 1: Never ever miss an opportunity to hit a local flea market when you travel!

Golden Taryn Rule 2: Never underestimate the power of a full skirt!

Now, let’s move onward.

Amber

One of the easiest ways to not spend money (or a negligible amount), is to go green. Welcome to  Golden Taryn Rule 3: Recycle and Reuse.  Outside the 101 Coffee Shop on Franklin in Hollywood, we see this rule in action.  Please note the pic below, where my super wonderful friend Amber took an Urban Outfitters eyelet lace dress that she’d already worn the living heck out of for years, and gave it a new life with a little RIT dye.  It was becoming the outfit we made bets she’d show up in at every party, so retiring it was crucial. But I barely recognized it the other night when it made its debut in a new blue-gray shade. Extra points to Amber for imagination! Her outfit is completed with an adorable sparkly Topshop cardi that she picked up at Crossroads Trading Co. The purse was a gift from me that I found at the sale rack at Old Navy, but I bet she’s just finding that out for the first time right now. I’m a Recessionista across the board ladies!

Taryn at the 101 Cafe

Let’s head back to the Westside now to introduce Golden Taryn Rule 4: Always combine your mass market cheapie finds with something vintage. This one is an absolute must if you want to get away with rocking stuff from Target as often as I do.  This combo that I wore for a post work dinner in Manhattan Beach includes: a little silk dress I spied at Anthropologie on sale ($29.95 major score!); a jacket from Forever 21; fake vintage earrings from Target; and my mom’s early 80’s Italian leather boots. Just took a quick trip to my shoe guy to get these babies re-dyed and they look good as new.  Apparently my mom borrowed money from my uncle for them, because they were so gosh darn expensive my dad would have divorced her when they showed up on the visa statement. If your mom isn’t as awesome as mine, or if you don’t wear the same size (seriously if it’s just one size smaller what’s a little pain for fashion you big baby?), you might want to start kissing your other older female relative’s collective asses at every family event you’d normally  use work commitments to bail out on .  I promise you it will be worth every single hour you put into it if you luck upon a something you end up loving as much as I worship these boots.

Taryn in Manhattan Beach

And while on Rule 4, did everyone jot down that Jimmy Choo’s H&M line debuts on Nov 14?! Im considering myself mega lucky that this happens on a Saturday, because I imagine anything in a size 5.5 will be gone almost instantly.  If this is the first you’re hearing of it, head on over to Fabsugar and do some research!

Until next time!

xoxo,

Taryn