Women's Jeans and Pants at Bank

Superdry jeans at Bank, 54.99 GBP, or $88.70

Everyone has their splurge category when it comes to shopping. You might be a shoephile, a bag addict, accessory-obsessed, or in love with denim. Personally, I spend the most on, as boring as it might sound, clothes. Dresses, mostly, tops and bottoms...I never saw the point that others see in dropping hundreds of dollars on jeans. I mean, they're your most casual pants, should they be your most expensive? But I understand why other people make denim their splurge. Jeans happen to be the most finicky pants to wear - you've got to find just the right silhouette for them to look good, and when you do they have the power to make your legs look amazing. And many people assume that the more expensive jeans are, the more likely they are to look great.

But, if you take a look at one of our favorite sites, Bank, you'll see evidence that says otherwise. Womens jeans at Bank are completely affordable and accessible - however, with their selection, you are guaranteed to find the right silhouette for you. With everything represented from super skinny to super flared, wide-leg to boyfriend, cropped to bootcut - and in every wash - you can find the right classic fit or the denim trend of the moment at a non-splurge price point. You could even get both the classic and the trend for these prices. While perusing the site, you'll also find other must-haves mixed into with the jeans in the pants category, like printed palazzo pants and skinny cargoes. You'll never find the need to drop major cash on designer denim again.

The IOU Project

Here's something pretty cool: The IOU Project, or IOweYou. Designer/Creative Director Kavita Parmar and her team has created this initiative to offer a line of clothing where every single piece is one-of-a-kind(!). Which, when you're someone trying to cultivate a truly unique, head-turning sense of style that is all your own, is a really big deal. You know how amazing and rare it is to get to wear something no one has ever or will ever wear. The idea is inspired by Indian history and the artisans of the past and present who weave unique fabrics that have never and will never be woven again. This makes each article made from that fabric a true original, something so special that can only be worn by the person who possesses it. IOU brings this idea to modern fashion and shopping, with a way to enable us to wear things made from original, woven fabrics - the other benefit is that these items are made by artisans who would otherwise have their talents wasted in favor of machines, and are made with eco-friendly fabrics. Check out the video here for more information: http://www.theiouproject.com/?utm_content=0000-00-00%2000%3A00%3A00&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=%20http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etheiouproject%2Ecom&utm_campaign=An%20Intro%20to%20The%20IOU%20Projectcontent

Fresh Air Fund

Taking a break from fashion for an important message:

"The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families for this summer. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and homes to children from the city to give them a Fresh Air experience that can change lives. It's only for up to two weeks, but it's an experience that can change their lives forever."

For those of you not familiar with this program, it offers inner city kids the chance - a chance they normally wouldn't have - to get out of the city and into nature. It can be educational, inspiring and just all-around beneficial for kids to get away from the reality of city life and experience a totally new environment. It goes without saying that if you serve as a host family for these kids on their fresh-air trips, it's incredibly beneficial to you, too - you could get to know a very special child and it will obviously feel great to help! For more information: http://freshairfundhost.org/#about

Store You'll Love: Fab 208

I have a new favorite store and of course had to share for those of you who live in New York or may be visiting soon. Fab 208 is this hot pink store on 7th street - between First and Second Avenues - in the East Village, a little spot of color and happiness on an otherwise gray urban street. It screams “come in here! We have special things in here!” While some stores painted hot pink might tarnish the color’s vibrant reputation with cheap and tacky wares, you can tell right away from Fab 208’s window display that this store wants to stand out because what it’s selling stands out in a very good way.

Everything lately is vintage. I feel like the fact it’s become so trendy has taken something away from the true vintage lovers who revel in their individualism, who still take thrill in the hunt and the find, who truly appreciate each item for its history instead of grabbing it because it looks cool. But Fab 208 still caters to that crowd. While their things definitely look cool, they’re also totally unique, and owners Jo Custance-Smith and Alan Smith have found a way to make their vintage different. These aren’t the concert tees, plaid pants and fringed jackets of every other vintage shop that clutters the East Village. These pieces are recycled – they’re vintage pieces made new again with edgy embellishments and prints. So there’s a bit of the history and special vintage factor, but with a contemporary twist that makes every piece a true one-of-a-kind. And the prices make it easy to snatch up a few one-of-a-kinds.

On my recent first trip here, I bought this amazing sleeveless flannel shirt, an old men’s shirt that had been reinvented with gold spike-studs along, well, everywhere – yet somehow still subtly. They line the collar, the placket and the patch pockets. I wore it yesterday and couldn’t stop looking down at it – I’m pretty sure it’s the coolest shirt I own. I can’t wait to go back for this delicate white blouse that’s been toughened with a printed gun, or any of the lush-colored dresses in fabulous vintage silhouettes with modern, urban prints.

Another thing you should know, especially if you’re like me and hate trying things on and hate dealing with the people working in the stores usually since they’re all about the sell: the shopping experience here is nothing like that, and is nothing but pleasant. The owners will – nicely, of course! – tell if you try something on and it doesn’t work so perfectly, and they’ll help you find something that does, and then make you feel great about it. I’ve never been so comfortable stepping out of the dressing room in whatever I’m trying on. In short, go here. I promise you’ll be walking out with at least one thing that will change your closet forever.

- Image from GigMagNy.com

More Spring Newness from Thirteen Vintage!

Got some more upcoming spring newbies from Thirteen Vintage for you! These are just some of the many too-cool-for-words offerings coming in. I'm basically obsessed with the maxi dresses, especially the silhouette of the striped one. And the shoes. The shoes. How cool would those Jeffrey Campbell platform boots look with the crocheted dress? The red ones would be a nice touch, too. The denim ones are just those perfect wear-with-anything summer shoes. But the piece de resistance is undoubtedly these disco-extreme Jeffrey Campbell rainbow platforms. They. Are. Crazy. In a good way. A really good way. I'll be buying these so stay outta my way.

Eggcream NYC

I've fallen in love with a new line, and it's easy to see why. Eggcream NYC is sharp, edgy, total downtown New York, yet with a feminine twist. It's a different approach to dark and twisty dressing that departs from baggy grunge shapes and purposely tattered clothing. Instead, it's sexy, high-fashion, mod, contemporary-cool and, frankly, badass. The tone of the line "combines Mod Black, New Romantic and Glam hints, topped with geometric distortion," as explained by designer Dawn Han. You can fall in love with the line, too, browsing images at Eggcream's site of the spring line, which is available at DDC Lab, 427 West 14th Street in New York. And, for a taste of what's to come, check out some looks from Eggcream's recent presentation at New York Fashion Week:

* Images via MyFashionJuice

Lucky for us, Eggcream will also be available to shop online soon - I'll keep you posted! Price points fall between $198 and $500, which means with some saving it might be possible to give your entire wardrobe a street-chic makeover!

Icifashion - Shop There Now

Tax time doesn't have to be the most dreaded time of the year - why don't we just change our perspective? Think about it: tax returns fall into place at perfect timing for spring shopping! I'm not advocating blowing your entire government check on color-block pieces and minimalist sheaths, but taking a reasonable percentage to make your wardrobe new season-ready is just good sense. It's an investment, people.

With that in mind, I bring you another insanely good online shopping option, kindly waiting to take some (but not too much thanks to super friendly prices) of that tax return cash: Icifashion.com. An easy and pleasant shopping experience with trends in all areas on tap, Icifashion is especially ripe with party dresses. Are you ready for this? I mean, really, are you sitting down? Probably, because what kind of person goes surfing the internet standing up? Anyway, dresses run, on average, $29.99 to $39.99. I know. I know. And not those flimsy Forever 21-type dresses, these are on-trend, yet wear-forever, flirty, feminine dresses that you can slip on any day with metallic gladiator sandals or dress up with wedges for a summer soiree. The prints, silhouettes, etc. are sure to turn heads, as these babies are both stylin' and perfectly pretty. A personal favorite is this fresh-from-the-runway color-block look, just $29.99:And then there's this tres cute, city-girl favorite for $39.99:

Then, you know how you get this amazing dress and then you realize you need accessories to go with it? You can find them right on Icifashion, so you never have to leave the site to put together the whole ensemble - which means you never have to leave your chair or the PJ's you're wearing while you shop. And you haven't even heard the best part yet. If you shop between Friday, March 18th and Sunday, March 20th, you, my precious readers - and only you because you're ridiculously special and better than everyone else - can receive 15% off anything and everything when you enter the code 15TW at checkout. If that's not motivation, you're just beyond reasoning.