The U.S. Open Tennis Tournament has begun! It started Monday and continues through September 12th.

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a day, buy general admission tickets, walk around and watch some of the matches and practice sessions held on the outer courts – it’s a great opportunity to see some of the best in the game up close.

You’ll be amazed at how strong and fast most players are, and how hard the men serve. I once sat behind the court when Boris Becker, who had one of the fastest serves in the game, played Yannick Noah. When Becker was serving – at over 120 miles an hour — toward our seats, I found myself ducking every time. Couldn’t stop the reflex even though my brain “knew” it was unlikely someone that accurate would misfire.

If you want to know more about the rules of the game, see my article from July 7th.

If you want to know more about who’s playing, go to usopen.org. You can purchase tickets on the website as well, or through Ticketmaster.

Plants don’t live long in our household (well, except this one). We either water them too much or too little or the cats get to them. It’s unfortunate, because I like having flowers in the house, but refuse to buy cut flowers since they simply don’t last. So one day, on a whim, I bought a beautiful orchid from Whole Foods (they were right by the register and I fell into their little trap). When I got it home and placed it on the mantle, I was really impressed at what a difference it made right away—it certainly classed up the joint. Even better, at $20, it’s about the same as cut flowers and lasts much, much longer (ours last about 6 weeks). With proper care, I’m sure they could last even longer, so for cheap you can always have some classy-ass flowers prettying up your pad. And then you can live like this guy.

“Buy multiples” is one of the best pieces of style advice I can share. And as we wrap up a fantastic month of Personal Style posts, it’s fitting that we reflect on personal style, what it means to each one of us, and what signature pieces in our closets help us define our very own personal style. Are you reflecting? Do you have a mental picture of your favorite jeans? Shoes? Sweater? T-shirt?

Oh, but wait: your favorite jeans got a hole in the back by the pocket last fall and have been stuffed into the bottom of the hamper ever since and when you went to ____________ to find a new pair, you discovered they no longer make them. Sure, you can try and get them fixed, but don’t you really wish you had another pair? Or two? No more regrets. Next time you find the perfect, most comfortable ballet flats in the world, the world’s most flattering chinos, or the softest, curve-hugging tee, buy another.

Because you know what? The stupid manufacturers change the designs every season and you’ll never find them again and you’ll be pissed. I’m looking at you, Banana Republic. However, if you pick up three pair of those fabulous jeans, you triple the time they’ll last. Sure, it’ll cost you now, but ask yourself, how much money have you wasted buying a blazer that you think is going to be like the other one that you love but it never fits quite right and you don’t even wear anymore?

So stock up and you’ll love what you wear everyday.

As promised, I have brewed my own beer… and it’s delicious! It does not taste like soap! It’s a golden-red ale, super sparkling and foamy. Yum.

Quite a relief actually, because for the past few weeks I’ve been slightly concerned that I was slowly brewing a poisonous, foul concoction that would make me sick. I have to be honest: I found the whole brewing process intimidating and confusing, and I was sure I’d done something wrong.

In hindsight, taking a class at The Brooklyn Kitchen would have been a good idea. Instead I just bought this book and the Introductory Kit from Brooklyn Homebrew. It contained all the information I needed, except for the most basic. For example, do you know how to siphon liquids from one container to another? I sure as hell didn’t. Nor did I know how to put the top on the plastic bucket (with a mallet, my husband informed me. I thought it just kinda rested on top. Ha.)

The kit comes with all kinds of equipment: plastic buckets, a thermometer, siphoning tube, more random plastic tubes, a bottle capper, bottle brush, bottle caps, etc… I used most of it but not all. I just didn’t know how! I skipped the whole chapter on the hydrometer (it indicates the alcohol content of the beer) because there were too many charts and numbers. Might be a good idea to revisit that.

Luckily, everything turned out well. Apart from the hydrometer, I really did follow most of the instructions. The most important one was sanitization: everything that comes into contact with the brew has to be clean and sanitized. I found the best solution was to keep a bucket of sanitization solution (a simple bleach and water solution) ready to go whenever I was working on the beer.

The most annoying part of the process? Finding 40 empty bottles of beer. You can either collect the bottles over a period of time, that’s pretty easy. You can even buy empty bottles all ready to go. Even easier. OR, you can empty and clean 40 rancid bottles all at once, like we did. That sucked. Especially since these bottles had been laying out in the sun in my friend’s backyard for a month, rusting (that bottle brush sure came in handy.)

Having done it once, I’m ready to do it again. It’s not a fast or easy process, and learning the process was occasionally frustrating. But the end result is worth it. I have a case of delicious beer that is uniquely my own. I’m so proud!

Next up, barley wine.

Personal style… what does it mean? Well in my case, it’s way less about fashion and way more about dressing for myself. My personal style happens to be centered around the age-old idea of “dressing to flatter”. I don’t care what the latest rage is (short, long, tight, baggy, what have you) I always dress in semi-classic pieces that accent what I’ve got and camouflage what I got too much of. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a pretty gal with a splendid figure wearing too-tight, too-low skinny jeans, a too-tight bra and too-tight shirt all converging to give her the look of muffin-top with sausage rolls. And it’s such a pity. With a flattering top and properly-fitting jeans she would just look dyno-mite. This is where fashion fails us. Or as I prefer to see it, where we fail ourselves, by reading too many fashion magazines. So I’ve come up with a top 10 checklist for you, to keep you feeling good and your dance card full.

1. Mirror. Do you have a full-length mirror? Seriously, if you don’t, go out and buy one stat. And don’t go leaning it too much so it’s a skinny mirror. Suck it up and regard yourself as you are.

2. Jersey. Jersey is no one’s friend. Stretchy cotton jersey is comfy as balls. It feels like you’re wearing yoga pants…and well you should be…at yoga. Jersey shows EVERYTHING! So unless that shit has some couture master tailor’s name on it, leave it be. I have seen a person’s control top and the bunched up panties underneath it, thanks to cotton jersey. When in doubt, don’t.

3. Accentuate. What are your assets? Got a rack that just won’t quit? Are you booty-licious? Got stems that go for miles? Figure out what your best features are and learn to accentuate them. Those daisy dukes, flip-flops and tissue tee may look the bomb on miss 90lb tween down the road, but if you’re sporting a beer gut and thunder thighs…think about how you can translate that look to showcase your stunning ta-tas. Find some sexy, properly-fitting, medium rise, dark jeans, flops and a tissue tee (deep v-neck to show off your unbeatable décolletage). If your gut spilleth over, accentuate with a grand pashmina around the neck, allowing the ends to graze past your belt line. The fraying ends will cause a visual distraction to mask your blub. Voila, you’re still a hot sexy hipster.

4. Accessorize. You can be any shape and size and pull off fab shoes, bags, scarves, and jewelry. I prefer to wear simple staples and jazz them up with accessories galore. I use my small silk scarves for anything from my hair (as a headband or in a knot at the base of a ponytail), to wrapping around my wrist for a bracelet, to tying in a fashionable ascot around my neck. A jaunty hat is always a crowd-pleaser. And don’t underestimate the power of a statement necklace.

5. Hair. Big Forehead? Bangs! Round face? Have your hair cut so it falls below the chin adding length and slimming the visage. Petite? Make sure your long locks don’t overwhelm you. A good haircut can really make or break your look. Stop looking at celebrities and instead look at your face and your hair. Don’t fight your hair’s natural instincts. If it’s curly let it go! A good, properly shaped cut can make curly hair look fabulous. If it’s straight, stop trying to perm it and get it cut in one of those enviable precision cuts that only the straight gals can do.

6. Quality. It’s all about quality not quantity. You don’t need a closet filled with cheap crap. One or two properly tailored pairs of pants and some flattering blouses will get you turning heads in record time. And I don’t mean Dries VanNoten (ok, secretly I do) but even Banana Republic and J.Crew have some excellent, lined, tailored pants that could really take you around the world. Cheap stretchy unlined H&M or forever 21 will only get you to the dartboard and back.

7. Dress for the occasion. Strappy stilettos in January. Yeah, you! You know who I’m talking to. Don’t look like a turd out there. Dress for the weather – a trench in the rain. The occasion – that means no goddamn jeans at the opera. And the time of day – full blown foundation and shadow during office hours be gross.

8. Once-over. Before you leave, look in the full-length and do a 360 turn. Now bend over. Seeing panty lines? Grab a thong. Your underwear? That skirt may be too short. Camel toe? Those pants are too damn tight for you. Back fat bunched around the bra? Buy a properly fitting bra, but in the meantime, don a shirt with a little pucker and ruffle. A sheerish tunic over a sexy tank goes miles for showing your shape without sharing your bumps and bubbles.

9. Swagger. Oh man, you gotta have it in spades no matter how tall, short, skinny, or fat you are. When I’m out and in the zone, really feeling myself, adding an extra wiggle to my walk, I have to beat ‘em off with a stick, boys and girls. When I’m out feeling crummy, frumpy, sad, blue…turns out company doesn’t love misery. And it’s fine if you don’t really have it. You can fake it. Practice switchin’ your hips, holdin’ that head high and lookin’ ‘em right in the eye. They’ll be putty in your hands.

10. Know thyself. Feeling comfortable and happy in what you’re wearing is the biggest key to number 9 (see above). Just because it’s fabulous, expensive, or someone recommended it, does not mean it’s for you. Take time to look around in stores and such, alone. I hate shopping with people. The only perspective I need is my own. And you should too! Trust your gut. And if that gut protrudes, hide it with a well placed hobo bag!

When I found out September was going to be personal style month here at OMFG, I was very excited to read everyone’s articles on what contributes to their style.

Style is subjective and objective. Our parents had first dibs on selecting our style while we were infants. Then inevitably somewhere in our toddler stage comes the day when we tell Mom: “I can dress myself!”. That day is momentous! Our first personal style statement. Style is influenced. Style evolves (hopefully). Our friends, hobbies, travels, books we read, the movies we watch – all this influences our style.

Winning “Most Fashionable” in my yearbook was as important to me as winning an Oscar was for Julia Roberts – seriously. I just always had a love of style and fashion. My mother was a big influence on me. We would take trips to New York City and spend the entire day at Bergdorf Goodman. The goal – to get some “essentials”. My mother was a big believer in quality over quantity. She taught me the importance of investing in classic pieces (the classic little black dress, a divinely tailored black pant, a crisp white shirt) and then mixing it with the trendy stuff. To this day I still spend the big bucks on the best jeans and dresses and then have fun in H&M blending in the fun trends that will not last a season, i.e. Ikat prints.

Accessories. If I had to do it over again, I would have loved to been an accessories editor as I LIVE for accessories.

Jewelry. From Cartier to Costume, jewelry is very powerful. Firstly, jewelry is emotional….we remember when and where we got each piece. Whether it was a graduation gift from mom and dad or a fab flea market find. Secondly, jewelry becomes sacred and one’s collection can be passed through the generations. Lastly, a statement piece can do just that….. just make sure when accessorizing with jewelry not to overdo it… If you think you have too much on, you probably do, so remove a piece.

Shoes. Ladies, I’m sure I don’t have to go on and on about the importance of good shoes, but it is important to have at least a few really good “go-to” stilettos/flats. I know that some brands are as much as a car payment, so keep a eye on those sales racks. At the end of the season try buying staple pieces for the next year, they wind up lasting much longer. Just as essential – find a great shoe repair spot to keep those big investments going.

Scarves. Probably one of the most versatile pieces one can own. Scarves can quietly grace your neckline. They can be used as a belt. Tied a certain way they work as a sarong or even a top! Folded over a few time as a headband or knotted on the handle of a bag; scarves are a fashionista’s secret weapon.

Handbags. Having lived in many different places from the country to the city… I can say that women in cities are definitely more handbag-conscious. It is the one piece that can really sum up and define your style and at the same time needs to be functional enough to carry all those “essentials”.

Style does not just reside in fashion does it?! The car we drive, the way we decorate our abodes is also a further reflection of our style and sensibilities.

I think the most important thing to remember, as cliché as it sounds, is to feel confident and have fun in whatever your rockin’. Don’t be so quick to judge! That gal with the nose-ring and Manolos or the headband and Babour coat may have more in common that we think!

In the words of Yves Saint Laurent; “Fashions fade, style is eternal”.

A couple of months ago, I had to renew my passport. On the form they ask for hair color. Without hesitation, I checked the box for blonde.

When I was 15 or 16, my mother, a hair stylist, had some extra color left over from a family friend whose highlights she had just finished and on what I’m sure was a whim, asked if I’d like her to put a few foils in my hair. I nodded enthusiastically and the rest is history. Or, rather, hairstory.

Except for a year and a half between spring semester senior year in high school and freshman year in college when I reverted not quite to my natural chestnut, but more of an almost-black espresso, I’ve had blonde hair. It’s been pixied, it’s been shagged. It’s been long, it’s been bobbed. It’s had bangs, it’s had layers. And it’s been bleached within an inch of its life.

What does it take to maintain bleached blonde hair? A lot of work and a lot of money. Here’s how it breaks down:

• My hair grows faster than average, so I need to have my regrowth (fancy word for roots) touched up every 6 weeks. At $140 to $220 a pop, that’s about $1500 a year. Luckily my mom’s still a hair stylist, so when I can make it up to Massachusetts for a touch up, that saves me a bit of dough.
• Bleached hair is damaged hair, so is much more susceptible to split, damaged ends.  Which means it needs to be trimmed much more often than healthy hair. Add another $700 to the blonde bill.
• Wet hair is weaker hair, so I have to limit the number of times a week I wash my hair to avoid damage. When I do wash it, it requires ultra-rich, ultra-moisturizing shampoo and conditioner that I comb through and leave in for five minutes. After the shower, I am careful not to rub my hair for fear of damaging the cuticles and I put it up to dry in an ultra-absorbent turban for accelerated drying.
• And it better help the drying, because god forbid I have to spend too much time blow drying it, as that’s no good for damaged hair either.
• In addition to the special shampoo and conditioner I use, once a week I deep condition.
• After my shower, once the turban comes off, I use a wide-toothed comb to get out all the tangles, then apply an ultra-nourishing leave-in conditioner and then an anti-frizz, moisturizing oil to the ends to smooth it out as it dries.
• When out in the sun, I wear a hat to avoid the sun further bleaching my hair and damaging the color. When I go swimming in the ocean or pool, I have to first drench my hair with fresh water and comb through conditioner before submerging to ensure that my hair soaks that up rather than the damaging chlorinated or salty water.

Like I said, it’s a lot of work. So why do I do it? Why not just go brunette and save myself time, energy, money, and a whole lot of trouble? I know it sounds idiotic, but I’m not a brunette—it’s just not me. I’m a blonde. Just check my passport.

Looking through my childhood photo albums I was shocked to realize that my wardrobe hasn’t changed much since I was a young’un. Since I wear jeans and t-shirts every day I don’t know why that was so surprising, but I guess I thought I would have made more progress. After all, I did stop wearing sweatpants! I also made a few other wise decisions:

I decided never to wear tie-dye again. Or match my shoes to my shirt.

Most importantly – all my elastic waist shorts were thrown away. They are not a good thing. I don’t care what you think American Apparel. (Mello Yello, however, is the perfect accessory for this outfit. Why don’t you pose with it for the camera, fatso?)

Headbands… these also had to go. I understand the power of accessories, however I wore the I wore them so far back on my head they were practically falling off. I just don’t know why.

If I didn’t have a headband, I had earrings. Huge, enormous, dangly earrings. The bigger the better. Or – the weirder the better. Plastic fruit, christmas trees, etc… anything I could find at Claire’s.

Sadly I can’t say that I’ve abandoned this. I still love big weird earrings. I am trying to keep it a little more tasteful and adult-appropriate (silver is a little nicer than plastic) but I it’s true what they say – habits are hard to break!

And now, for a fun break, enjoy some kick ass looks, set to good music:

So it’s mid-August and it’s safe to say that I will successfully make it to fall without  owning or purchasing a pair of flip-flops all summer. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a flop. They’re easy, cute, and casual, but unfortunately, Burger also loves them. In his mouth. And after that happened earlier this year, I just never brought myself to buy another pair for this season.  See, I refuse to spend more than like, $5 on flip flops, I’m sorry. All those $18+ Havaianas can find another foot to fashion cause mama’s not havin’ it. I also don’t buy costly pens, umbrellas, or sunglasses, because a) I lose things like that and b) I rather not sweat it too much when I do.  It pretty much comes down to an embarrassing level of laziness, as opposed to personal style, that led me sandal-astray this year. I straight-up did not want to trek to an Old Navy. Bottom line.

Instead, I’ve been rocking shoes. Three pairs of slip-ons, to be exact. These shoes have been my sole-sisters on vacation to Miami, a cruise, trips home to the pool, being at bars, a million degree dog walks, and general out-of-houseness, and honestly, I haven’t really missed slipping my piggies into some thongs at all. If flip flops are g-strings, my feet prefer boyshorts.

Let me introduce you!

The boat-shoes. I bought these Sperry Top-Siders at Shoegasm on 23rd st. for $80.  I hesitated over the price for about 3 minutes before following through because I knew in my heart that I’d wear the shit out of these bad boys on the daily. And boy have I. They are super comfortable, have cute little silver accent piping, and the color goes great with almost anything. I usually rock them with denim cut-off shorts and a baggy t-shirt, a casual mini, or even a few light dresses. Despite their fancy-pant nature, they’re the most casual of my summer shoes; sorta preppy and classic, but also totally backyard bbq and obviously, yacht-fucking-rock.

Next up, the Keds. A step up on the casual ladder, I bought these for $40. The newest Ked collection is pretty awesome. Tons of patterns and colors and materials. I rock these with shorts and skinny jeans. They’re loud, but not obnoxious. A nice little accent to an all-black or mostly black outfit, as well as complementing red and white really well. My feet are pretty wide and these run pretty narrow so it took a few dates to really start feeling comfortable with each other. Even still, they tend to hurt me from time to time, but god love ‘em! Story of my life.

Lastly, meet my Melissa’s. Rubber babies from Brazil. Plastic, I guess, technically, but whatever. I bought these for $50 at a little boutique in Jersey City. I went into the store looking for a beach bag and fell in love with these little guys. They’re like jellies, but not. So fucking comfortable, it’s stupid. Fit like a glove and go with everything. They add a little dress-up to most things casual, but are also easy enough to slip on for a trip to the beach or to the store for some milk. ‘Cause dontcha just wanna skip to the store for some milk in a little checkered dress wearing these? I do. And do. I feel pretty in them. Lady-like. Dainty. Demure. And easy to kick off when ya gots to chase a bitch! They come in lots of colors and patterns, too. I mostly wear them with a nicer pair of shorts and dress-tanks, skirts, and summer dresses. They’re my flat high heels, have you. Also, I can clean them in the sink with the dishes. Not that that I do. Cough.

So there you have it, guys! You can live flip-flop free, too! It’s easy! And chic! So get those hogs out of my face and cover yourself up! Hussy.