Whit Honea is a slacker, a borderline degenerate, and a daydream believer. He's also our resident expert on casual chic. If it's comfortable, and not heinous, he's all over it. He's quite charming, really.

Ah, summer camp- the tents, the s'mores, the mosquitoes, the ridicule, the years of therapy. Those were the days.

Did you know that camp is chic? Yes, actual camp, as in summer, bonfires and short shorts. We didn't know this either, sure, we enjoy it, or at least watching movies about it, but thanks to the Los Angeles Times we've been given the green light on embracing our inner ten-year-old (not that we ever acted much older).

Every woman should have a quality, stand-by purse. You know, a purse that will go with just about any outfit, is large enough to hold whatever we might want to bring with us, and is classic enough to stay in style season after season.

This MAXX New York Bowler bag, available at Nordstrom for $168, doesn't quite fit that mold, but it has some fabulous qualities of its own.

For some girls, red is the only color for nails or lipstick. With a retro look like this, the details are all important -- smudges and chips are not to be tolerated. If, like Dita, you like a classic red gloss, then you probably also have several pairs of pointy heels, and are partial to false eyelashes and have several vintage cocktail dresses. Want Dita's nails at home? L'Oreal's Dozen Red Roses should do the trick.

It's Friday night and you're looking for the perfect outfit. The only thing clean and unwrinkled is your trusty black dress, and you have some cute shoes, but it just seems a little boring -- you want to stand out. And, as we're sure you know, the easiest way to make that happen is by adding some fierce accessories.

We're the first to admit that Paris Hilton isn't at the top of our list of celebrities whose style we'd like to emulate. But, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, and Paris looked absolutely fantastic at the MTV Movie Awards.

If you've got a fabulous party coming up, this is a look you could definitely steal. Here's how:

Does the idea of strutting your stuff in a string bikini make you cringe? Some women get so concerned about wearing a bathing suit in public that they forget about the one item that should be at the top of their shopping lists for beach season -- a cute cover-up.

If you've got some extra bulges to hide, or just want to be modest, don't settle for an old tee and a pair of gym shorts -- treat yourself to a swimsuit cover-up that you truly love.

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with Candice Gwinn, owner and designer of Trashy Diva, a vintage-inspired line of dresses and separates. What started as a vintage-only clothing store in 1996 has grown into three New Orleans boutique locations, a thriving wholesale business, and a successful e-commerce website. Today the Trashy Diva collection is carried in boutiques around the world, it has been featured in the pages of Elle and Lucky magazines, and has been worn by numerous celebrities.

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with jewelry designer Sharla Oliveri of Sharma Designs. She creates bold, one-of-a-kind pieces for the modern woman at totally affordable prices. Sharla also co-authors a fabulous shopping blog which showcases other independent artists at Rare Bird Finds.

Renee Zellweger and George Clooney have recently been riding the rails for their newest film, Leatherheads. The movie is set in the 1920s, and to go along with the theme, Renee and George have been arriving in dressed in period clothing for each stop on their whistle-stop train tour.

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a sucker for clothing from this period, period. Renee's wardrobe (shown here) is feminine and classy, and George ... well, George looks even more dapper than usual. Sorry, I indulged in a little daydream there. And it was nice.

Anyway, since this season is already showing a number of more conservative, 1960s-inspired styles, what's your opinion of going back a few extra decades?

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with Claudine Hellmuth, a nationally recognized collage artist, author and illustrator. She creates quirky, retro-inspired mixed media collages, including custom commissioned artworks.

Tell me a little about your work. I am an artist, author and illustrator. I create custom artworks for clients using their photos of themselves, their kids and their pets. I weave them into a collage artwork. I would say my look is whimsical with a retro twist. I have also written a couple books about my techniques and filmed 3 DVD workshops. And I create illustrations for various companies for greeting cards, calendars and advertisements etc.

How did you get started as an artist? I have been an artist all my life. I went to art college and graduated with my BFA in fine Art in 1997. After I graduated I knew I had to get some sort of day job and the internet was just really starting out then, so I learned HTML and got a job designing web sites. I did that to pay the bills meanwhile building my art career on the side in the evenings and on weekends. I got laid off from my web job in 2001 and have been working for myself ever since! I was actually so worn out from working both my day job and for my art that by the time I got laid off I was relieved!

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves?
beauty: bare minerals make up and my proactiv system!
fashion: a great pair of jeans!!

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews. Today's interview is with the designer behind Oh So Retro, a line of fun handmade handbags, wallets and accessories.

Tell me a little about your work. I'm Adrienne, a seamstress turned designer hailing from Winnipeg, Canada. As my chosen business name implies, I am a fan of all things vintage and retro from furniture to dishes to textiles and books. I collect a little bit of everything and am always on the look out for vintage stock to incorporate into my designs. I do all of my sewing on a vintage Singer sewing machine from the 1950s which can prove challenging at times but things were made to keep back then. I try to incorporate that mentality in my own designs, to create something that is visually pleasing yet still functional enough to use everyday.

How did you get started running your own business? I started Oh So Retro back in 2004 as a vintage clothing boutique. I had been sewing my own clothing for years before that and took that knowledge into my reselling business by altering vintage clothing and doing custom sewing jobs. I began making matching bags out of the salvaged fabric from floor length gowns and much-too-small tweed skirts and soon enough the bags started outselling the clothing! I knew I was on to something good, and worked on creating my own line of bags and accessories. I was selling well from my own website and did some local consignment but things really took off for me once I started selling on Etsy.com. I'm really happy to have found my home on there.

Who are your favorite designers? The Vintage Zoo does some amazing things with her own brand of vintage + handmade clothing. Nice Face makes the cutest tunics I have ever seen. SRB Designs by Miss Bohl designs the most gorgeous clothing. I want everything.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? It`s hard to be fashionable in the winter, but I try! Right now I`m loving skinny jeans and tunics paired up with bolero sweaters for a little extra warmth. I love flat shoes and I have an amazing pair of mary jane flats from Stops And Starts. I've been using a lot of extra large shoulder bags and still wear my over sized Jackie O sun glasses. I`m very simple when it comes to make up, just a touch of mascara and lip gloss. I use a great lip gloss from The Plaid Mushroom. Thanks to her I've not had chapped lips once this winter!

After several years of "demonstrative, look-at-me" fashion, are designers getting ready to bring us back to the tailored lines and seamless appearances of Jacqueline Kennedy? According to several designers interviewed by the New York Times, the answer is yes -- uptight will be the new sexy.

Michael Kors is one of the designers who will be paying homage to the late '50s and early '60s with his collection. Kors promises, "There is not a minidress to be found, not a platform shoe in sight. And 'suit' is not going to be a dirty word." Even designers who are not embracing the entire concept are incorporating the idea -- Dolce & Gabbana is showing poppy-patterned skirts while Marc Jacobs used vintage style corsets and bras in his show for spring.

I just found out about the amazing collection of color photographs from the 1930s and 1940s that the Library of Congress has just made available via Flickr. This set is comprised of over 1,600 photographs taken during the Great Depression and World War II. Being a history geek and a huge follower of vintage fashions, I naturally found this collection extremely inspiring.

This is a massive collection of photos to sift through. Believe me -- I know because I just did it. But I did manage to gather some of my favorite fashionable photographs from these collections. They are filled with beautiful colors, amazingly coifed hair, utilitarian and military stylings, and loads of fashion inspiration. If you're a fan of vintage or retro fashions like I am, I urge you to take a peek, or check out the Library of Congress blog for more info on this amazing project.

[Via Mental Floss]