Hasta La Ideas

In preparation for spring, we were all about the festive egg-dye pastels and quintessential floral prints, but now that the Easter bunny has come and gone, we at Stylehive are looking for fashion inspiration from some much more stylish critters. Animal print may scare off some traditionally demure girls who have always written off zebra, leopard, giraffe, and boa as patterns suited only for the tacky and fashionably loud and best left on the African Savannah, but the celestial spirits are here to prove that wild prints can be both sophisticated and sexy! For example, Virgos can look forward to brightening things up in an eye-popping orange leopard tank, while Aries girls will keep it subtle and classy in a printed party dress! Whether you’re destined to sport stripes, spots, or scales, you’re bound to look hot while walking on the wild side this week! Check out the slideshow to see what kind of animal print best suits your sign!

Let’s face it — your week is only going to go well if you’re in the right mindset. And what better way to put yourself in the best mood possible than to equip yourself with a brand new bag! Pretty much any excuse for a new purse purchase is a good one in my mind: promotion at work, nothing matches your wardrobe, some extra cash lying around, a sudden change in weather — whatever makes you feel better and helps you justify a splurge in the name of fashion (and practicality, of course). The bottom line is that your satchel, clutch, tote, or whatever the stars have in store for you, can really make or break an ensemble… and personally I’d rather break the bank than break my outfit (just kidding… sort of)! Having a hard time choosing what carry-all will carry you throughout the week most successfully and stylishly? Let the stars be your guide (and you can add “Stylescopes” to your lists of reasons for making the big purchase)! If you’re a Sagittarius, you may be best suited to keep it compact yet girlie with a ruffled Betsey Johnson clutch, and Cancer girls will get to go bright and springy with a teal basket-weave shoulder bag! Check out the slideshow to see which kind of handbag you’re destined to get your hands on this week!

Disclaimer: I do in fact own one of those reusable shopping totes, no matter how often I forget to actually bring it with me to the market…

Every once in awhile I’ll stop into the natural foods market in my neighborhood. Two things always happen on these trips, without fail. First thing- I end up leaving with odd items like a box of instant oatmeal with some strange man’s head printed on the box, or a self-tie bag of some grain I told myself I’d try from the bulk section (because isn’t that what you’re supposed to do in “natural food” stores?) Second thing- the man at the register scowls as he hands me my bag of random, possibly unnecessary groceries. My PAPER bag. Whoops.

The first time this happened (the scowl, not the random grocery-buying), I was taken aback. I just bought $10 almond butter, the guy could at least crack a smile. However, the next time I went, I happened to be carrying a canvas gym tote, and mentioned to the man (same one) that I could just carry my groceries in it. Him? Same scowl on my way out. Where was the nod, the one that says “Ah! You’re doing your part!”? Did he somehow know my bag wasn’t organic? Hmph. Off I went.

There’s no real moral to this story, but there’s probably some truth to the fact that you’re more likely to carry a canvas tote (or remember one, in my case) that you actually like. If it happens to be CUTE, even better! The cute (clean up the earth) bags are crafted from organic cotton and embellished with Swarovski crystals. Part of the proceeds from cute bags go to groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council and Global Green USA. So the next time the Mean Organic Grocer Dude/Chick scowls, at least you can know you’re way more CUTE than he or she is anyway. But please, do it for the Earth! Buy your cute bags here!

I can understand that you might have a hard time parting with your faithful old backpack you’ve been using daily for ages for work or school, but you have to admit that it’s probably seen better days. True, it’s comfy, it’s convenient, and it’s got all those nifty pockets for all your junk and knick-knacks… but is it really all that stylish? It’s easy to assume that in times like these you can’t afford a new bag other than a cheap-quality canvas tote you’d get for free with the purchase of some other necessity, so you may be surprised to know how many sleek, sturdy, and over-sized bags can be found for less than $100! Urban Outfitters has a huge variety of leather totes and satchels of all styles and sizes for super-reasonable prices — some even have just as many zippers and buttoned pockets as that ratty old backpack did, so you can stay just as organized, but this time in style! Nordstrom and other department stores also carry more high-end high-quality brands that go on sale so you can snag them for up to half off! Check out the slideshow for some more big bags you can use for school and work to load up all your loot for less!

What is young, hot, cool and can be seen on the arms of all the young Hollywood “it” girls? No it’s not Zac Efron, but close! Zara Terez handbags! Everyone from Jordin Sparks to Disney cuties Ashley Tisdale and Demi Lovato have been seen sporting these fresh handbags. It’s not just the girls either, The Jonas Brothers and Chris Daughtry love Zara Terez silk ties! The designer, Zara Zimmerman gets her inspiration from everything around her. Whether it’s from her family in Atlantic Beach, NY or her NYC surroundings, these bags are anything but uninspired. The silhouettes are fun and functional with a touch of rock and roll. Embossed leathers, camo prints and interior linings with Guns ‘n Roses prints and psychedelic patterns say sophisticated rocker. The spring collection is split up into 3 categories, making it easy to find what you’re looking for on her site. The “Schlepping” bags include oversize shapes with long handles perfect to carry all your essentials, like the Sunset Park in blue pebbled leather. The “Strolling” bags are ideal for day to night, especially the Central Park West: an oversized camo clutch with handstiching detail. For evening, the designer turns out a bevy of fashionable clutches in her “Clubbing” collection, that are perfect for queen of the party girls, Paris Hilton. Prices range from $150-$650 and are available at zaraterez.com.