I travel frequently to NYC and although I love hitting up all the new and delicious restaurants around the city, there are times when a man just wants a quick snack or to make his own meal affordably. Trader Joe’s manages to make these times a possibility with their delicious food which is priced reasonably and now there is a new location in NYC! Located at 6th Ave. and West 21st Street, it’s a frugal foodie’s dream come true right in the neighborhood (Chelsea) I’m in the most.

To give a little background, Trader Joe’s has become a kind of cult-like experience for the many people who flock to their cheerful, well-lit stores. It’s kind of the anti-Whole Foods in some ways. There is no pretension served with your produce and everything is relatively inexpensive at T.J.’s (though I love Whole Foods as well). The people who work there sport Hawaiian type shirts and are usually helpful and friendly and the biggest difference between the two grocery chains is the price point, of course.

Trader Joe’s was started in California as a quirky, neighborhood kind of store awhile back until the Albrecht family of Germany (who already owned successful supermarket chains) bought it and gradually expanded it, keeping the homey, fun vibe of the original store intact as their popularity increased, perhaps the key to their success.

Although NYC has other Trader Joe’s locations, this one was met with great fanfare. It is situated in a foodie neighborhood and will relieve some of the packed crowds at the other locations in the city. Customers who have been there are already raving about the new place’s wide aisles and great selection. I can’t wait to check it out!

Relegated to L.L. Bean catalogs and beachwear, the tote bag was an accessory that was more about function than fashion. That is, until now. With the growing interest in environmentally sound products came the popularity of cotton, nylon and canvas bags used for toting groceries (instead of using the usual paper/plastic bags at the supermarket) and shopping. Soon, designers came on board with the trend, including Anya Hindmarch, whose seemingly everywhere “I am not a plastic bag” tote was a big hit, and Marc Jacobs who perennially turns out playful and inventive totes. Now, mass chain stores like Target, small boutiques and even J. Crew and the GAP are churning out the goods. The best part about these chic totes? Many are made from recycled materials and can be used as handbags as well, making them not only a fashionable purchase but an earth friendly one as well.

Here, my top picks for on trend totes that are also wonderfully kind to the earth… Who says you can’t be altruistic AND stylish?

From top to bottom: L.L. Bean, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs, J. Crew, Target and Target

With the recent Emmys, everyone in the fashion and beauty world is abuzz with thoughts on what our favorite starlets wore, or should have, worn. No doubt Joan Rivers, as well other fashion critics (I use that term loosely) are going to be singing the praises of the stars who got it right and bashing the complete misses. Which begs the question, what is appropriate evening wear and how do I know what’s flattering for my style, age and body type? Simply, read  my tips below and in no time, you’ll be the belle of the ball!

-Black may be universally slimming, but you may want to consider other color options. Although chic, it can look matronly or boring at times. Go the unexpected color route, yet reap the benefits of a dark, slimming shade, by selecting deep jewel tones such as eggplant and emerald green. Not only are these shades dark enough to minimize any flaws, they also add a little color to the face and can make you appear younger as a result.

-Consider white. I explained all about my predilection for spring/summer white frocks in this blog, but for the uninitiated, it’s all about the fit and cut of the dress rather than color when it comes to white dresses.

-Show off your assets. Have thin, shapely legs but a middle you want to wittle? Try a cocktail length dress and show off your beautiful stems. Pick a dress with ruching on the middle or sides to slim your belly. More the tall willowy type? Long, flowing dresses play up your graceful height. Curvy and petite? I suggest a ’50s inspired dress that is nipped in at the waist and then goes into an A-line silhouette. You get the idea.

-Shapewear is your friend. No matter how thin or how much you may have it going on, everyone could use a little fine tuning when it comes to their physique. Spanx are a great option. They are sleek, not ugly, comfy and come in a variety of shapes, styles and colors.

-Don’t go too short. Or too tight. Or too low-cut. Ever, and especially not all at once. I don’t care how old you are or what you look like, the idea is to be classy, not trashy. Think of all those great fashion icons who left something to the imagination yet were utterly sexy and chic, like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn.

-Spice up your hair and makeup. Don’t do long and down and flat ironed. It looks like work hair and is a dated look. Try a new style, please, or change your texture. Also, add some flair to your makeup with metallic eye makeup or a creamy, colored lip gloss.

We all know that ombre patterns have been big in fashion for a while, but the trend has now moved on up to, yup, you guessed it, the hair. I’m a big proponent of natural, easy beauty as you probably know, but there is something to be said for a cool, not looking like you’re trying too hard appearance as well. Which brings me to ombre as a hair coloring technique.

For those who aren’t familiar with it, ombre is when a shade of color fades into the next darker shade of that color, going from lightest to darkest or vice versa. Think of the bottom of Gwen Stefani’s gorgeous wedding dress to get an idea of what I’m talking about.

So, ombre hair color is simply when hair is colored lighter on the bottom and darker on top or the color is left to grow it, thereby achieving the look. I think it’s a great style, but in order for it not to look messy, you might want to try perfect your makeup and polishing up your outfits, so the hair looks intentional and not just sloppy. It’s the perfect way to to save money on hair color and add a little chic to your autumn ensembles.

See the hair color worked to great effect on fashionistas SJP, Rachel Bilson and Alexa Chung.

I like to have a healthy and fit body, but sometimes even I overdo it with food and drinks or neglect my workout for whatever reason. Nothing get me back to living healthily like fasting, however. Fasting kind of flushes out the toxins in your body and is a great way to cleanse your insides. Picturing eating nothing but juice and wheatgrass shots? Think again. Although juice fasting is one way to go about detoxifying the body, there are more moderate methods of fasting as well. Eating according to aruyvedic principles or simply staying from white starches, sugar, alcohol, caffeine and anything processed also works wonders for your body.

A typical juice fast entails eating no solid food, only raw fruit and veggie drinks for 1-3 days, and for the week before you embark on the fast, it’s best to avoid anything processed or too starchy/hard to digest. Stick to beans and fruits/vegetables during this phase. When you do start the actual fast, avoid using citrus fruits in your diet and make sure to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day. Try to either make fresh juice at home or buy it from a health food store freshly made. Most experts recommend having solid, organic raw fruits and vegetables in addition. Leafy greens are especially beneficial for health and should be generously included. Once you are done fasting, you may want to gradually return to normal eating habits to avoid any digestion problems. A variation of this fast includes eating one organic meal with your raw fruits and veggies daily, if this seems a bit extreme for you.

There are a few types of people who should not be trying a juice fast, however, including pregnant women, children and people with certain types of illnesses and conditions. In short, please consult your doctor before trying anything!

I have a confession to make… I recently went to a Carrie Underwood concert and loved every second of it. Carrie Underwood is a good ol’ country girl with adorable style, so it’s about time I gave her some Style Stakeout love. Underwood has also transformed herself from an unknown cute, but kind of plain, girl on American Idol to a Hollywood glamazon in what seems like no time at all, which I also admire. And her hair and makeup are always flawless.

Underwood likes her clothing understated and elegant but always with a bit of age-appropriate feminine frill. Avant garde and overly trendy outfits are not generally in her repertoire, which I applaud, because she knows what suits her. She also favors solid colored fabrics in jewel tones or white with interesting details to keep them from being ho-hum. Although dramatic evening gowns are gorgeous on her (evening is where she usually plays it more adventurous), I like her when she’s sporting low-key outfits with some sleekness. Dark skinny jeans, cute hoodies, elegant tops with flats or heels and small hoop earrings are all usual suspects in her wardrobe.

Now, on to the beauty, my favorite part. Underwood loves to sport loose, sexy waves, side ponytails or half up and half down looks and the length is always long. Not one to play it straight with her hair, she goes for volume, most likely working  mousse into her fine hair, blow drying and popping some hot rollers in. The curls are then brushed out and styled, making it a truly easy style to replicate at home. On days off from the stage, she wears her very wash and wear, in a ponytail or down.

Her makeup generally puts an emphasis on softness, echoing Underwood’s delicate featured and fair complexion. She loves pink lips, a big trend for fall, blush, flawless skin, and dark eyeliner/mascara. She also mostly sticks to neutral shades in terms of color, making her makeup look pretty consistent and embodying my own “easy wear” philosophy.

We all want to help the environment, but some of us don’t know how or don’t have the time to volunteer. With Smartly Green, helping is easy. The site acts as a kind of philanthropic search engine. You can look for any type of item, from cleaning supplies to clothes or a song from itunes, through the site and be linked to other sites that have what you’re looking for. Each time you search through Smartly Green, money is donated to an environmental cause, so it’s a win win situation. 50% of the commissions raised to go to an organization, Cool Earth, that aids in stopping rainforest destruction, a major cause of climate change. Best of all, when you shop through Smartly Green, the prices are exactly the same as they would be directly from a store’s own site. What’s not to love?

Layering your hair can be a beautiful thing. Not only are layers stylish and versatile, they also add body and volume to blah hairstyles… But not everyone is cut out for wearing layered locks. It takes a very specific hair type and personality to pull it off and some people might be better suited to wearing a blunt cut. Not sure whether to layer your locks?

Take into stock your individual hair texture, thickness and density first. Most manes can be classified as straight, wavy and curly with some variation. Thickness obviously refers to the width of each individual strand of hair while density covers how much hair is actually on your head. The two don’t always correlate… A person can have thin hair but a lot of it, for example.

Once you have settled on what type of hair you have, follow these guidelines. If you have truly curly hair, DO NOT get a blunt cut. This will give you the dreaded pyramid cut, with lots of fluff and volume at the bottom. Have your stylist cut well-blended, gradual layers so the effect is not so harsh. It’s also better to keep curly locks shoulder length and shorter, particularly if you have thin or sparse hair (so it doesn’t appear stringy) and because it’s more up to date. This will also give you more options if you want looser curls or to style your hair straight. I recommend going to a stylist who specializes in curly ‘dos because this can be tricky to pull off.

Wavy hair looks nice with layers as well, but does not need an as intense layering technique. A few long, face framing layers in front should do the trick if you have fine or medium thick hair or a not so dense mane. Have thicker, wavy hair? Try a similar effect but have your stylist cut longer, face framing layers all around the head.

Lastly, straight hair is the hair type that looks best in blunt, or all one length hairstyles. In fact, fine, straight is ideal for a sharp and mod bob with clean lines. This will beef up the texture instead of cutting into it. If you have straight and thick hair, you an also rock a one-length style but make sure to keep your mane on the longer side so it gets weighed down and some of the volume gets flattened out. If you have a slight wave to your eye and want to play up that texture, layers might be a good option as long as your hair is not too thin (check out that pic of Cameron Diaz for reference).

Also, take stock of how much time you’re willing to put into your style. If you’re going for an edgy, rocker look with layers, make sure you have the time and desire to keep it looking good and that it matches your overall style.

There’s been something underfoot with manicure colors this summer…. The boring neutrals and vampy, dark purple/black shades of nail lacquer we saw last year have gone the way of square-shaped nails, and all but disappeared from the hands of discerning fashionistas the world over. In their place? A new shade called “greige”, a combination of gray and beige, as the name implies, that is totally chic and acts as it’s own kind of neutral. Less dated and expected than creams and pale pinks, but not as drastic as the sultry dark shades we’ve also been seeing, it’s nearly the perfect nail polish color. The shade looks great on most skin tones and with a variety of looks (just look at the celebs pictured here sporting the nail polish shade, from Karen O to Megan Fox, for evidence)… It adds sophistication to a more edgy ensemble and makes the classic shapes and colors we’ve seen on the runways for Fall 2010 more fun and trendy. It’s also an inexpensive way to perk up your style and update older looks. I suggest wearing this nail color again on a shortish, rounded nail and make sure your nails are well-groomed! The grayish beige tends to look sloppy on unkempt nails. The color has been popular since last spring, but is becoming more mainstream presently (for those who fear the trend is a bit risque for them). I recommend trying Chanel’s nail color #505 or Revlon’s Steel Etto for a more affordable option.