Happy 4th of July!

Isn't this just the perfect time of year? Afternoon barbecues, sun dresses, and a summer glow, I love it! Hopefully all three of those things will be incorporated as I celebrate this weekend in New Hampshire at my boyfriend's lake house. Here's some nautical inspired looks perfect for a July 4th weekend.

Image via Polyvore

Get studdin'

My trend obsession right now is the rocker chic look, basically anything covered in studs and maybe a little distressed too. And I mean anything! Bracelets, shoes, bags, tops, you name it.

Image via Polyvore

But this look unfortunately comes with a pretty hefty price. Luckily, New York Design Shop can hook you up!! We've gone a little stud crazy over at my internship, creating designer looks at very reasonable prices. Check out our latest projects below for some inspiration and visit their site to purchase some studs...Happy studding:)

Chic for Cheap gets a cut.

A major cut! Due to an immense amount of summer boredom and a longing for a little more bad ass in my life, I cut my hair this weekend! I'm still freakin' out a little, but change is good. I wanted edgy and modern- as you can see with my inspiration photos.

And the final result...

Strike a Pose.

Last week, I was given an amazing opportunity assisting on a photo shoot for Tano handbags. From the styling to the hair and makeup, the shoot felt effortlessly glamourous and modern. My responsibilities ranged from organizing the wardrobe to helping achieve the perfect smoky eye. Not only am I super excited to see the pictures on their site in the Fall, but I get to rock my blue Tano bag all summer! It's the perfect size for commuting into the city and with all these zipper compartments I don't have to leave anything (mostly my absurd amount of lip glosses) behind!

"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of"

Summer has officially started and I am happy to say that I am getting my chic for cheap fix thus far. I have started an internship in NYC two days a week at New York Design Shop- the do it yourself (D.I.Y.) mecca!

Their site offers a foundation for letting your creative juices flow by browsing their huge stock of D.I.Y. materials, but they also give helpful tutorials for creating runway looks and trends on a budget. Does it get any better than that? I've only been interning for a week but we've already finished some fab projects and the city scene is beyond inspiring.

Check out their site for my D.I.Y. projects...can't wait to show the blogosphere some of my creations!