FabSugar

On Our Radar: Bid on Keira Knightley's Atonement Dress

FabSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:00:00 PST

I recently featured a Look For Less for Keira Knightley's Atonement dress but now you can get the real thing! Clothes Off Our Back is auctioning the emerald green gown beginning today until March 1. The starting price is $1,000, and though it's a hefty price to pay, take into consideration that you'll be helping Variety, The Children’s Charity of Southern California. Plus, you'll forever have the dress that Keira wore in the Academy Award nominated film. Now that's a reason to be green with envy.

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Whitney's Chris D'Elia Is Back With More Relationship Advice

Annie Scudder — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:09 PST

Single and looking for eligible, normal guys? Don't move to LA, says Chris D'Elia, who plays a lovable and hilarious boyfriend on NBC's Whitney. That's some of the advice the standup comedian dished out in response to our readers' questions. Yesterday he addressed your Valentine's Day dilemmas, and today's he's back to tackle general dating and love debacles.

Is it fair to barter TV shows with my fiancé? As in, two hours of The Bachelor equals half of a football game?

Chris: Look, I don't like football, but if I did and I wanted to watch it, then I would expect to have to sit and watch something like The Bachelor, and I would try my best to get into it, or at least find why she liked it. The other alternative is like, "OK, I want to watch football you want to watch The Bachelor, then let's agree on something else." But then neither of you get to watch what you want to. For The Bachelor, I'd want to watch Dexter.

Where do normal men hang out in LA? If you can solve this mystery (preferably with a chart that includes days of the week, locations, and "type" of guy) I guarantee you could sell it for millions in addition to making this single lady very happy.

Chris: I don't think that's a fair question. I think people move to LA because they're not normal.

What's the best way to suggest to any man that he needs to get some new clothes?

Chris: The worst thing you could do is beat around the bush, or side step it. You got to just say it. But I had an ex, and she was like "you got to get Converse," and she kept saying it - "get Converse." I was finally like, "OK, I'll get a pair of Converse." And I got a pair of Converse. I got those regular Chuck Taylor ones, but I literally got every single color of the Converse, and I wore them all the time. And a year later, she was like "All you wear is Converse." So you have to be careful with that, you'll create a monster.

Why do men need their man caves?

Chris: I think that men think they need their man caves. They don't really do. They think they want them, and then the second they do get them and they have alone time and time away from the girl, and the girl is really cool with giving them alone time, then that's when they, or at least I, start to think, "So, why are you so cool with me being alone? What's wrong with me that you don't want to be with me every second."

How can I ask my husband to do housework without sounding like a task master?

Chris: Don't make a list. Don't pin anything up on the fridge. I'm a dude, obviously, and when I'm not in a relationship, I don't do any of that stuff. I don't do laundry until I want to. But if I live with a girl, you have to do it when she wants to or when we want to, which sucks. That totally messes up my day. So just come out and just say it. Just have a good attitude about it and don't wait until you get frustrated.

How would you describe your perfect woman and how could she attract your attention?

Chris: Tweet at me. That gets my attention. The number one thing is, you have to have a good attitude. Find the humor and the fun in things that aren't even fun. The two things that turn me off completely are negativity and if a girl's cheap. I mean, I'll pay for everything, but if a girl just mentions it, that's a turn off. That and DON'T WEAR FLIP-FLOPS. It's terrible. I mean come on. Put something on your feet. What if you have to run away? You're dead.

I'm moving in with my boyfriend next month and it's the first time I'm living with a man. What should I prepare for? Get the answer and much more advice from Chris below!

6 Strategies to Save More This Year

Kiplinger — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:27:21 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Saving doesn't come easily for us young adults. Entry-level salaries don't give you a lot to work with. And, well, we also tend to spend what we make - and then some - on the latest gadgets and flashiest fashions.

But don’t worry. We’re not doomed to frivolity and the wreckage it can make of our finances. Here's how you can start saving smart throughout 2012:

Periodically calculate how much you spend. What better time to review your budget than at the start of a New Year? “It’s really hard to [track your spending] each month, so aim for just once or twice a year,” says Jill Boynton, a certified financial planner in Newington, New Hampshire.

Just be sure when you do it that you track everything. Boynton recommends filling out a spreadsheet with a month’s worth of spending. Or you can try an online budgeting tool such as Mint.com (See our slide show: Which Budgeting Site is Best for You?). But note: Mint works best for those who deal mostly in plastic as opposed to cash. When you make an ATM withdrawal, the site labels the transaction as “Cash & ATM.” Unless you diligently manage your cash transactions (you can manually edit Mint’s labels), you can easily lose track of where the money goes.

The drudgery of tracking spending can pay off when you find surprising expenses you could easily cut. At the end of 2011, I crunched my own numbers and found that I shelled out about $200 a month at Starbucks and other restaurants. I’m sure I could cut that by at least half. That’s like finding a $100 bill every month in my back pocket.

Read on for more strategies.

"I'm Trying to Avoid Sex With My Boyfriend"

Tres Community — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:05:45 PST

This week's confession comes from our anonymous Confession Booth group in the TrèsSugar Community. Weigh in with your advice below.

We've had so many sexual problems. I'm 24 and he's 29. We've been dating for close to four years now. He was my first sexual partner. We started having sex after about a year together, although it was very rare. We would sometimes have gaps of up to two months at a time. If I was getting laid once a month, it was a miracle enough - two was out of this world. We had lots of fights about that and he always claimed he was "paranoid" about getting me pregnant.

Earlier on in the relationship, he told me that this wasn't an issue with his long-distance ex, with whom he had been about a year. He told me they sometimes had sex twice a day. He also did many other hurtful things regarding her - i.e., it was very obvious he was not over her – and I suffered through the first 1.5 to 2 years of our relationship. Talk about a sex drive killer.

Read the rest below.

10 Things You Do to Save Money That End Up Costing You More

Wise Bread — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:15:37 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Have you heard of the expression “penny wise, pound foolish”? It’s something I heard a lot growing up, from my parents, and it can have multiple meanings:

You are very careful with small amounts of money, but throw caution to the wind with large amounts. This is akin to someone who eats from the dollar menu every day but then blows a hundred dollars every month on a gym membership that’s never used.
You do things to save money now, only to have those savings cost you more farther down the road.

The second definition is what I’m focusing on today, because it’s a lot easier to fall into the trap of saving money only to have it bite you later on. Here then are 10 things that you may be doing to save money that could actually cost you a lot more in the weeks, months, or years to come.

RELATED: The Case For Expensive Shoes

1. Avoiding Regular Checkups With the Doctor, Dentist, or Optician

It’s something I did in college when money was tight. “Aah, who needs to pay money to a dentist to have him tell me I should floss more?” Well, after leaving the dentist alone for a few years, I paid the price. Avoiding the regular cleanings and checkups left me facing a hefty bill later on when I needed a bunch of costly fillings. I was lucky that I didn’t need root canals or replacement teeth. Now I have a dental plan that covers free checkups twice a year, but even if you don’t, get to the dentist and doctor for health checks. It’s a lot better to pay a co-pay now than pay for major surgery later on. And worse still, it could even cost you your life, especially as so many conditions can be treated if they’re caught early enough.

Read on for more.

The Five Unhealthiest Habits of the Holidays

Leta Shy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:36:21 PST

It's easy to forget about your health during the holidays, since you've got so much more on your mind. But instead of putting it off until January when healthy resolutions make their way back up to the top of your priorities, take time this month to ensure you maintain a healthy lifestyle. How to do it? Make sure to avoid these five unhealthy habits.

Forgetting to sleep: Holiday schedules can mean something's got to give. If that means that your nightly sleeping session has dwindled substantially, it's time to reprioritize. Regular sleep helps keep your energy up, mind awake, and immune system functioning properly, so don't neglect your down time when days get busy. Follow these tips for getting a good night's rest.
Ignoring the danger of germs: Present deadlines loom, and that can mean more than a few days spent braving crowds - and the germs that come with them. In fact, places like doorknobs and escalator hand rails are just some of the potentially sickness-inducing surfaces. Makeup testers, fitting room clothes, and more can harbor nasty pathogens. Remember to wash your hands regularly, or carry hand sanitizer if you know you won't be able find a sink.

Read on for three more unhealthy holiday habits.

15 Smart Things You Can Do With $100

Business Insider — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:15:47 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!

At first blush, $100 is only $100. It's so easy to fritter away on eating out, entertainment, or booking a trip online.

But you should never underestimate how far $100 can go, even in this economy.

"It's smarter to put that money away because once it's in your pocket, it's pretty much gone," says Joel Larsen, a certified financial planner based in Davis, Calif.

No matter where you are in your financial life, we've compiled 15 tips to help you stretch that Benjamin.

Open a college savings account

"A lot of people will say, 'it's only $100,'" says Larsen, but if you were to save $100 a month over 20 years at a 7% rate of return, you would amass $52,092.67. Impressive, right?

Depending on your financial picture, you'll need to shop around to find the right plan based on investment performances, expenses, and tax exemptions.

Andrew Schrage, founder of the personal finance site, Money Crashers, recommends looking into a 529 College Savings plan set up by governments or colleges to help parents save.

"One of the primary benefits of a 529 savings plan is that it offers tax protection from the federal government," he says. "Also, you may be eligible for tax protection from the state government."

Read on for more.

Tales From the Fit Community: Unintentional Naked Yoga

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:03:22 PST

Here is a hilarious yet totally embarrassing hot yoga story from reader FunSally, who shared her wardrobe malfunction in our Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

This is a little story of my first hot yoga class. I was surprised to see mostly men there and, out of a class of 20, only three other women. I was already sweating before we even got started. It was really hot, and it wasn't long before sweat was dripping off me. My mat had a pool of my sweat on it, and I was really having trouble not slipping as I did my moves. For one move, I was sitting on my mat, and we reached for our big toes, spread our legs apart as far as we could, and rolled onto our backs.

I was feeling really exposed. When we stood up again and turned to the front of the room. I saw myself in the mirror. I couldn't believe it. My white Danskin was just that - a skin. I was embarrassed that my shorts and top were totally see-through. It was as if I was doing the class naked in front of everyone; everything was in full sight. My nipples were bare, my ass was completely visible, and my lower lips were open and on full display for the entire class to see. I was so shocked to see that every time I turned around. The men around me all smiled and seemed to be loving the show.

I was so humiliated. Finally when the class was over and I had to turn in my mat, my instructor smiled and ask me how I liked my first class. I told him I was so embarrassed. He told me not to worry about it and that it happens to a lot of first timers. I left the building still wet and exposed. I will never forget the moment when, as I was leaving, all the men said, "It was nice to see you."

Are you worried about experiencing a major wardrobe malfunction during a hot yoga class? Read our tips on how to avoid dressing for an unintentional naked yoga class after the break.

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld Designs and Models Lingerie Line For Kiki De Montparnasse

Fashionista — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:40:33 PST

We're excited to announce our new partnership with one of our favorite sites, Fashionista. We'll be bringing you some of their best fashion finds, shopping stories, and style news. Today, they're giving us a peek at Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's new lingerie:

Here’s a sexy little surprise to start off the day: For her first-ever design gig, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld has designed a capsule collection of lingerie for Kiki de Montparnasse. As we reported back in September, Roitfeld mysteriously hinted that she might be working on a lingerie line, but nothing was confirmed until now, which is great because you’ll only have to wait about a week to get your hands on the lacy creations. According to Elle, the collection hits stores next Wednesday.
Julia told Elle of the design process:

"I had quite a strong idea of what I wanted to achieve but had absolutely no knowledge of lingerie design. Lingerie design is very specific: it’s not just about looking good - it’s really about the fit and every detail counts. I had many meetings with the team at Kiki, submitted my sketches, and then it was about seeing what was doable, the fabrics we could play with, etc. I knew what I wanted, but I couldn’t have done it so well without their expertise."

The model/muse/graphic designer/photographer/mom wouldn’t spill any details about her next project, so how about a sexy, stylish maternity line?

Photos via Elle.com

Click over to Fashionista for the complete story.

9 Steps to Get Your Finances Back on Track

Business Insider — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:15:01 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!

As the youngest daughter of two borderline baby boomers, like many other Generation Yers, I grew up watching my parents spend cash faster than they made it and had no concept of financial planning whatsoever.

When I scored my first full-time job after college, I'll never forget the rush I felt seeing all those numbers fill up my bank account. I bought new furniture for my apartment, stocked my closet with fancy new work clothes, and spent paydays filling my shopping cart on Amazon.com.

Ten weeks later, my entire department was laid off.

At that point, I had no savings, my credit score was bad, and I had absolutely no backup plan. I scraped by for two months with a few freelance jobs until I took a $10,000 pay cut just to get by.

Things finally turned around, and a couple years later, I found myself in the same place as many of my friends in their mid-twenties. We're paying rent comfortably for the first time and are able to start building our nest eggs. The problem is many of us have no idea how to start doing it.

Rather than turn into some sort of cautionary tale for future generations, I decided after my last birthday that I was going to take a good hard look at my finances.

I asked for tips from a trio of financial whizzes who broke down a few actions us 20-somethings can take today to start to getting our money on the right track. Here's how I did it and you can too.

Know your numbers

I have something akin to post-traumatic stress disorder from my days when I was in constant fear of overdrafting my account or bouncing my rent check.

But Chris Hobart, president and CEO of Hobart Financial Group, said knowing how much debt you have is the first step to chipping away at it.

I laid out how much I owe in student loans and on my two credit cards, set up auto-payments for each, and worked out a plan to start paying off more than my minimum payments each month to get rid of the debt faster and cut back on interest.

Read on for more ways to get your finances back on track.