It's almost Thanksgiving and that means that Black Friday is right around the corner. Malls and shopping centers will fill up with people and stores offering deep discounts. For many people, it can be a very stressful experience. Here are some tips on how to make your Black Friday trip as smooth as possible.

1. Do your homework before. Knowing which stores have the best deals can save you a lot of time and aimless wandering. You don't want to go to a store and realize that their deals aren't as good as you thought they would be. Be strategic about where you are going to go and know how long their sales last.

2. Have everything ready. If there are coupons and special offers, make sure you have them ready.

3. Don't go alone. With the extremely large lines, it helps a lot to go with friends or family. That way, if you need to use the restroom, want to look around, or just get bored, you have someone. Otherwise, you will be stuck the entire time in the lines.

4. Bring snacks! Lines at the food court will be long. Bring snacks and drinks so you won't have to bear those long lines.

5. You don't have to wake up early. Sure some of the best deals are super early in the morning, but many stores continue their sales throughout the day. It is not always necessary to wake up at ridiculous times just to score a deal.

If you decide to go Black Friday shopping this year, I hope you find some great deals. It can be a really fun experience if you do it right. Happy shopping!

Yup, it's that time! Fall is finally here, followed by cool, crisp weather and pumpkin-flavored everything. It's probably safe to say it's almost everyone's favorite season for fashion. But before you put all your favorite summer clothes and accessories into storage for the season, check out these fun new ways to wear them right on through the fall season.

1. Maxi dress - here's your classic floor-length cotton dress that can be dressed-up or worn casually. But alas! Its life is not over yet. Throw a cute, slightly oversized sweater over top and a cross-body and march yourself to the nearest pumpkin patch.
2. Neon accessories - okay, neon colors are usually strictly reserved for sunshine and warm weather, but as long as you keep the neon to a minimum, feel free to rock it! Try a hot pink skinny belt or a bright coral satchel with a more neutral outfit and keep the summer spirit alive!
3. Colored jeans - take the pastel denim into the next season by wearing a more seasonally-appropriate color on top. Go with green denim and a rust-colored top for a more "fall" look.
4. Denim shorts - My favorite! So glad I don't have to give these up just yet! You can wear these babies at the beginning of fall (when it's still pretty warm) with combat boots for a more rugged look. THEN, throw some tights under them to keep your legs warm as the temperature drops. Never underestimate the power of your most simple pieces!

So, as you mourn the end of a beloved warm summer season, gear up in preparation for fashion's favorite season simply by styling your outfits in a refreshing new way! Throw a little of your personality into every ensemble and define your own style.

Happy fall!

Everyone has seen the fabulous posts on Pinterest of gorgeous Essie hues and nails adorned in colors only seen through Instagram filters. Is the only way we can achieve this professional looking manicure with rich color depth by using $8 bottles of Essie nail polish? I think their selection is amazing. Trust me, I do. But something bugs me about paying the same amount for an entire Flame Broiler lunch as a 0.5 ounce bottle of nail polish. I can’t seem to pay for it when brands like Wet N Wild, Revlon, Sinful Colors and China Glaze range from $0.99 to $4. The only problem is, using less expensive nail polish doesn’t have the same rich effect as Essie; I am always left with translucent shades and a streaky finish. Not to mention, I need to apply about 4 or 5 coats to even decipher there is a color on my nails, which leaves a ton of room for error in the hours those coats take to dry!

We have a new solution. Paint one coat of solid white as a primer first! You will be amazed how much better the color pops and gives a deeper hue. I was experimenting with some wild colors like lime, neon blue, cream, etc. and I was disappointed with the way they turned out. I tried applying one coat of white underneath any color, and I was greatly surprised by the final result.

Therefore -- get the same manicure as Essie would give by using one coat of white (I used Wet N Wild for $0.99) under any other off-brand of colored polish. You will be amazed at how much more your color stands out!

What do you do when you don’t have anything to wear? You go shopping. One detail that people often overlook when going shopping is what to wear when you’re looking for something to wear! Here are some of the things I think about when choosing an outfit to wear to the mall:

Goals:

Keep in mind what you’re specifically shopping for if there is something in particular you need, and dress accordingly. If your aim is to buy new running shoes, either wear socks or bring a pair of socks with you so you can get a practical feel of how your new shoes are going to feel when you wear them to work out. If you’re shopping for sundresses, then wear a strapless bra to the mall so when you try on the dresses, you can see exactly what they will look like when you wear them out. If you’re shopping for swimwear, try to wear thin underwear or a thong so that you can get a realistic perspective on how your booty will look in those bikini bottoms.

Comfort:

If you’re going shopping for an extended period of time, you want to make sure you’re comfortable. Try not to wear anything too bulky or heavy, because as many serious shoppers know, it’s easy to build up a bit of a sweat when on a mission to find cute clothes! Also be sure to wear comfortable shoes that you can walk in for an extended period of time, preferably with some sort of arch support. Six-inch stilettos are pretty to look at, but the mall is not the place to wear them -- it’s the place to buy them.

Functionality:

You’re probably going to be trying on dozens of different clothes when you go to the mall, so it’s important to dress functionally, such that you can easily take off and put on your clothes when in the fitting room. Try not to wear too many layers (big bulky necklaces and bangles count as layers too), because you’ll waste time taking off your jacket then your cardigan then t-shirt then cami, etc. Be aware that jewelry easily snags on clothes, so leaving the flashy costume jewelry at home might be a good idea. When going shopping, I prefer wearing as few pieces as possible with as few bells and whistles as possible -- one of my favorite things to wear when shopping is a cotton maxi dress, because I can easily slip it on and off when I’m in the fitting room. Additionally, I try to avoid wearing shoes with laces or straps, so I can easily slip them on and off.

Here are some mall-friendly, shopping-functional ensembles that are both practical to wear to the mall and cute:

Kensie Bold Stripe Maxi Dress, nordstrom.com, $49.90 (on sale); Pasqualetti, aldo.com, $20.99 (on sale)

Essential Ruffled Racerback Dress, forever21.com, $8.80; Toms Classic Corduroy Slip-On in Plum, nordstrom.com, $53.95

Fluttered Sleeve Lace Inset Top, forever21.com, $13.80; Articles of Society “Mya” Jegging in Scarlet, nordstrom.com, $49; Boating in Gold, stevemadden.com, $59.95

Summer may be heading into its ending stages, but it’s never too late for some helpful packing tips. For any destination and for any reason, there are a few basic items with which you can’t go wrong. Avoid the fees (and arm pain) that come with too-heavy luggage by packing versatile, efficient items that can be worn for different occasions instead of a million different items. For this exact reason, an absolute essential for me a simple black knit body-con skirt.

Knit Body Con Skirt, charlotterusse.com, $9.99

I have this one from Charlotte Russe in 4 different colors, but black is definitely the most versatile. Although this skirt is form fitting, which makes it an obvious choice for a fun night out, with the right top this skirt can also be made casual or even professional. It’s kind of like a blank slate; wear it however you see fit! The knit fabric is also lightweight and flexible, which will keep your luggage light or, if you want to wear it while en route to your destination, will make sure you stay comfortable even on longer flights in those cramped airplane seats.

It’s also helpful to keep your versatile items within a range of colors that mix and match easily with each other. This allows you to have more outfit options without the bulk of many individual outfit-specific items. Accessories in bolder accent colors will help distinguish and differentiate each mixed-and-matched outfit. A bright, vibrant scarf, purse, or necklace can make all the difference to your ensemble!

With these tips in mind, you should be able to easily pack as efficiently as possible for whatever travels face you as summer winds down. Keeping your baggage light and bulk free will give you a lot less to keep up with so you can truly make the best of your trip!