Holiday Gift Guide: Presents for Tween and Teen Girls

Ah, the mysterious tween and teen. This part of our species has baffled gift givers for years with mercurial tastes and their insistence that you are the most uncool human that ever lived. What to get these complicated young ladies? Read on...

Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies 5-Piece Set with Dollhouse ($99.95) is the uber-cool rock star/designer's fragrance collection reissued in adorable snow clothing. She'll be able to change her scent with her mood with this collection of perfumes inside an adorable dollhouse. Just try to keep from borrowing them.

This is kind of a layup but chances are that you have a Twilight fan in your midst. The Bella Beauty Set ($40) is perfect for your lovelorn young girl and, even better, it doesn't matter if she's Team Edward or Team Jacob.

Unless you've been given very specific instructions, I would avoid purchasing clothing as a gift but if you want to make sure our favorite girl stays warm and looks cute at the same time, I would stick with anything from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's new line for JC Penney's, Olsenboye. This Distressed Flannel Shirt ($24.99) is super cool and way less expensive than your obsession with Elizabeth and James.

Video games are always hilarious fun and I'd recommend either Rock Band or my new fun obsession, the karaoke game, Lips.

Last but not least, you'll need stocking stuffers. This is another layup. iTunes Gift Cards are the best gift you can give them along with a solemn promise to give them one day a week where you won't complain the music is too loud.

They'll love you forever for these super cool gifts...until you make them clean their room. You're on your own at that point.

The Breakover Diaries: Restyling His Leftover Clothes

When you were cleaning out your closet and drawers recently, I'll bet you found some leftover items that your ex might have left over at your place. Please don't judge these items too harshly. There are many uses for his leftover clothes. One of my favorites is captured in the movie Singles, when Kyra Sedgwick winds up using Campbell Scott's t-shirt to clean her toilet after he upsets her. Feel free to turn this item into a household product, but how about using this opportunity to add to your own wardrobe? Here are some new and fun ways to style the items he left behind:


Men's dress shirts are perfect for fall but remember that if the shirt is larger and longer than you to keep other proportions slim. Wear it buttoned with a skinny belt at the waist and pair it with a pencil skirt or a pair of skinny jeans.


Stop sleeping in his t-shirt and repurpose that soft wardrobe favorite. This upcoming season, layer it under a long cardigan or rock it with a statement necklace and a leather jacket. I'm pairing mine with leggings and heels but feel free to rock denim with this item as well.

Did he leave a suit or a blazer at your place? The 80's trend of the boyfriend jacket is going to be huge for fall, so feel free to throw this over a cocktail dress or pair it with a comfy t-shirt, shorts and heels for an edgy take on his old suit.


Belts are back again this season so have his cut to fit you or rock it around the hips with an oversized sweater.


If he left a pair of jeans at your place, congrats! You don't have to shop for a pair of "boyfriend" jeans because you've already been magically gifted with a pair. Be sure to keep proportions on top slim and fitted and rock it out with brilliant jewelry.

Gives a whole new meaning to shopping your closet, doesn't it? I mean, you could be nice and give his things away but why not take this as a sign from the universe that he really WANTED you to keep these clothes? After all, possession is 9/10ths of the law, isn't it? Finders keepers, ladies.