College Gloss: Jourdan Miller

Showing posts with label Jourdan Miller. Show all posts

Should You Move in with Your Other Half?

On the fence about whether or not moving in with your guy is the best idea? While it may seem daunting to compile all of your belongings into the same apartment, share a bed every night and spend almost every moment together, there are many positives when it comes to living with your man. Read on for a few reasons why you should take the big leap...

1. You Save Money

Having an apartment with one bedroom makes rent go down dramatically. Plus, you and your guy will start to share pretty much everything—from laundry detergent to vodka and groceries.

2. Every Night is Date Night

Snuggling in front of the TV and ordering in Chinese while you watch your latest Netflix delivery is just as romantic as a night on the town. Light a few candles, pour a glass of wine and it automatically becomes the perfect date night.

3. You Can Get a Pet Together

With two people in and out to take care of a cat or dog, having a pet is much easier when you’re cohabiting. Just think of how fun it would be to snuggle in bed on a Sunday morning with your kitty, or take your puppy for a walk and then grab brunch on the weekends.

4. You Won’t Need to Schedule “Boyfriend Time”

Living with your guy means you see him in the morning and at night everyday of the week, which means getting out to meet the girls on the weekend is easier. You no longer have to struggle with choosing between your guy and the girls.

Independence is a virtue, but sometimes it’s okay to go a little soft. Just think about all the snuggling and simple moments that will make you love him even more!

*Note from the Editor: Although living together can be a wonderful experience, it will also change the dynamics of your relationship. Make sure you're ready to take this step before taking the plunge!

By: Jourdan Miller | Image: Source

How to Look Gorgeous in the Summer Heat

As summer approaches and temperatures start to rise, simplifying your beauty routine is key to staying cool, comfortable and to save more time for warm weather fun. A cheap and easy way to spice up your summer look is to add a pop of color.

Lips and nails are some of the most playful and creative areas to add a brighter shade. Adding a punch of color in a few places allows you to simplify your beauty routine.

Nails are the best way to try out a trend like animal print or neon. Make a trip to your local drug store and peruse the nail polish aisle; it’s full of creative ideas.

For lips, find the right tone that complements your complexion, and watch the complements flow your way. Blushes work well for fair skinned ladies and more orange shades complement olive and darker skin tones.

So get carried away, and share your new ideas with us!

By: Jourdan Miller | Images: 1, 2, 3

UW's Fashion Mag Introduces the World of Fashion Blogging

University of Wisconsin fashion magazine, MODA, dubbed the week of March 19 Madison Fashion Week and celebrated by bringing in some of the Midwest’s best-dressed fashion bloggers to share tips on getting started with a personal blog.

The panel included bloggers from southern Wisconsin, Indiana and the Windy City.

“You need to be a storyteller,” said What I Wore blogger Jessica Quirk. “Your blog doesn’t need to be about what’s happening at fashion week. Blogging is almost like a resume in and of itself; you can show it to employers. It’s something you can be proud and passionate about.”

Quirk said she began by showing an interest in photography and taking pictures of her daily outfits while working in New York City. Four years later, after a relocation to Bloomington, Indiana, Quirk’s blog is now her career.

A highlight of the panel was Chicago’s Style Block blog. After working together at shopedropoff.com, an online designer consignment store, five girls decided to share everything fashion, food and fun about Chicago life.

“We took work and made it into something fun,” said Corri McFadden, eDrop-Off owner and Style Block writer.

“The great thing about blogging is that you can start now,” Style Block writer Chelsea Lanvin said. “If it’s interesting people are going to pick up on that. If you want to talk about fashion, blogging is where you need to start.”

The girls from Style Block have opportunities coming at them from all directions from sponsorships to reality TV shows.

“The key to making a blog into a successful passion is consistency and gaining a loyal readership,” McFadden said. “Use your opportunities to network. It’s all about connections. Always direct people back to your blog. Be your own brand.”

For many up-and-coming fashionistas, getting your start in the journalism world is the most widely chosen path.

Style Block contributor Erin Brennan said magazines, media and blogs complement each other.

“Blogging is just getting your feet wet,” Brennan said.

“A blog is essentially a journal, whether it’s giving advice or inspiration,” McFadden added. “You can take it in any direction you want.”

By: Jourdan Miller | Image: Weheartit

4 Spring Essentials for Your Wardrobe

Spice up your wardrobe with these four fabulous spring pieces!
Bright Blazer: This is a wonderful way to perk up a pair of dark jeans or wear over a tunic and leggings. Spring is all about layering while Mother Nature tries to figure out what she wants to be: warm, rainy, cool, or freezing. It’s easy to transform to a work-appropriate look into a date night outfit.

Infinity Scarf: These were a new trend this fall and winter, and there’s no reason they can’t transition into early spring where the mornings start cool and the afternoons warm up. They are super comfy, look adorable and take away that early spring chill with ease, especially over a maxi dress.

Long Pleated Skirt: Not only are these pieces soft and whimsical, they’re as comfy as your favorite pair of yoga pants. Pair in warmer weather with a fun tank, and in cooler weather with a cute button-up or loose top. They’re great for the office-to-dinner look, just throw a blazer on over your shoulders to polish the look.

Maxi Dress: Spring break is approaching quickly. An easy, flowing and flattering maxi dress in a black or trendy stripe is perfect for the spring –to-summer transition. This is another piece great for layering with a blazer, infinity scarf, or simple cardigan.

By: Jourdan Miller | Images: Weheartit, Pinterest, 1, 2

Studying Abroad: What to Do About Your Relationship?

Most college aged females either know of someone or know a story or two about a long distance love gone array. Whether it’s a wandering eye, thirst for freedom, or fading love, after all the excuses, only one essential ingredient is missing: communication.

Spring semester is a popular time to study abroad, yet leaving behind a lover can make things complicated. How do you enjoy your hot nights in fabulous Italia when you have to race home for a Skype date? While the seven plus hour difference may make things difficult, you and your beau should talk candidly about the upcoming temptations and time commitments. Being open with each other before you jet off is essential if you want the relationship to last.

Tip #1: Talk to your boy and make sure you are both on the same page BEFORE you leave for your sexy semester abroad.

Although living in the moment is key to enjoying your once in a lifetime experience, always think long and hard about crossing any boundaries.

Tip #2: If he were in the room, how would you act? This is one of the best tidbits of advice I’ve ever received. How would you feel if he were crossing a boundary and you were watching it happen?

Trusting in a few girlfriends is always a good idea. Talk to them about how much you miss him, show them cute pictures, tell them funny stories—when you let others in and think about him in small ways, it makes things easier.

Tip #3: Just because you miss him doesn’t mean every time you think of him needs to bring a flood of tears. Think about the goofy, happy times, and share a few laughs.

When you’re Skyping him make sure to let him be a part of your experience. Tell him stories and let him know that even though you’re having the time of your life, you wish he were there to experience it too. Make sure to be listening to his daily happenings, too.

Tip #4: Continue to work on your relationship and communication even when you’re thousands of miles away.

The last, and most important piece of advice is to think ahead to when you return to your normal college life. Chances are when you left your beau things were good, so putting in a little extra work abroad to communicate will only ensure that you’ll both be happy when you return.

Tip #5: Think before you act, and more importantly, picture your future.

Make the most of both experiences: love and travel. Maybe someday you’ll both jet off to a fabulous Italian vacation together.

By: Jourdan Miller | Image: Weheartit

How Yoga Can Help Reduce Pain

Over the last decade yoga has been hailed a stress reducer, hangover cure and pain management resource. America has begun to embrace this ancient healing tradition as a staple in daily health and wellness. Long defined as an alternative method of healing, yoga is making head way in modern medicine and looking to garner credibility, awareness and more enthusiastic yogis.

A recent study involving the use of yoga to treat chronic back pain, an ailment that affects millions of Americans every year, was recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealing that healthy doses of exercise and routines that develop core muscles can help reduce pain and improve body functioning.

“Our bodies are a design for movement, and yoga done right can really support a balanced body,” Mary Ann Morrissey, certified yoga and Pilates instructor, said. “Every muscle has its job and if a muscle is weak it probably means somewhere else in the body another muscle has to work harder.”

At the end of the 12-week trial period, participants in the Internal Medicine study reported feeling significantly lesser low back pain symptoms, better functionality and less difficulty in performing daily activities.

“Yoga, taught properly, provides strength and flexibility,” Morrissey said. “Good diaphragmatic breathing can release and relax connective tissue, which can help reduce pain.”

In conjunction with traditional therapy forms, yoga can offer patients an increased quality of life, especially in areas of chronic pain.

“Yoga in general addresses balance of the muscle groupings important for the relief and prevention of back pain,” Dr. Dale Buegel, Milwaukee-based psychiatrist and longtime Hatha yoga teacher and practitioner, said. “Balancing abdominal strength with back extensors, hip flexors with hip extensors, and strengthening the pelvic floor are keys to pelvic and back symmetry.”

The body’s reaction to pain has long been studied by physicians and kinesiologists pinpointing its reaction to injury. Now with the introduction of yoga, healing the body is more accessible.

“When one experiences pain, the first reaction of the muscle is to tighten up and splint the area,” Buegel said. “If the pain is not relieved and chronic tightness remains, the body will add support with more fascia (connective tissue), decreasing flexibility and function of the area. Inactivity or weakness of muscles leads to loss of tissue and is often associated with sedentary activity, loss of postural support and all the associated medical problems and loss of function that tend to plague our culture as we get older.”

Yoga is quickly becoming a $6 billion industry. With studios popping up all over the country, critics are forced to take a second look at its potential, especially with contemporary studies attesting to its powerful healing abilities.

Intensive stretching is an integral way to bring form and functionality back into the human framework.

“For the body, this means improving symmetry through addressing length or strength imbalances of the musculature and restrictions of connective tissue,” Buelgel said.

Aging America is an area Buegel says is in the greatest need of strengthening treatments like yoga and stretching.

“Business wise, the largest potential market for yoga is our aging population,” Buegel said. “Developing yoga routines for an aging population can serve humanity well. Our culture views decrepitude with aging as the norm. I think the practice of yoga changes that belief for many who experience yoga’s benefits.”

By: Jourdan Miller | Image: Weheartit

More Than Skin Deep: Tanning Addiction

The picture perfect American beauty is typically portrayed as blonde, thin, tall and most importantly: tan. While achieving this California dime look may seem harmless, new research from The Archives of Dermatology reveal that tanning is another form of addiction and as physically detrimental as cocaine abuse.

New York Times author Tara Parker-Pope writes about the shocking findings in her article, Is Indoor Tanning Addictive? “In the study, 78 percent of the most frequent tanners said they had tried to cut down on indoor tanning but had been unable to,” Pope said. “Frequent tanners reported missing scheduled plans because they had opted to use a tanning bed instead.”

Frequent exposure to UV light produces opioids in the brain, more commonly referred to as endorphins. Indoor tanners report feeling happy, calm, and relaxed and brain scans prove that the body is at a heightened state of contentment, writes Parker.

Dermatologist Dr. Robert McDonald says he sees tanning addiction all too often in his patients.

“The problem is only getting worse as affluence increases,” McDonald said of this 21^st century affliction. “People have more money so their going on beach vacations to [places like] Cancun.”

As beauty is glamorized in the media, it’s often synonymous with bronzed skin, and the young, carefree attitudes of Americans youth are being translated over to their health.

“The threat is so far removed people aren’t paying attention to it right now,” McDonald said. “It’s like saving for retirement, it’s something you should do, but if you don’t you might be ok, it’s also like telling a 20 year old ‘you better stop smoking now or you might get cancer in 30 years’; it’s hard to see yourself down the road.”

The human brain responds to UV light and almost immediately a bio chemical reaction triggers an addictive response, McDonald said. With nearly 30 million Americans tanning indoors every year, the habit isn’t going anywhere soon.

“We have 20 times more melanoma than in the 1920s,” McDonald said about the increased frequency of skin cancer. “It’s the kind of thing that happens when you’re young, before 25. It a cycle between the beach and the tanning bed.”

UW-Madison student Kayla Gross’ bronzed-skin-bliss took taken a turn for the worse last May. After developing a strange growth on her leg, dermatologists confirmed that Gross had skin cancer.

“I loved the warmth. If I didn’t go I wouldn’t feel right,” Gross said when asked why she continued the unhealthy habit.

An avid tanner throughout high school, Gross tanned for 20 minutes every other day. No eye goggles, no sunscreen, and no worries.

“I used to say ‘skin cancer isn’t a big deal, they just cut it off and remove it.’” Gross said about her outlook on cancer in high school. “I’ve had basil cell three times now, and I have the scars to prove it.”

While Gross had a wake-up call early in life, many of America’s youth aren’t so lucky.

“There’s a long time before this goes away,” McDonald said. “It’s an addictive behavior that’s only going to get worse.”

By Jourdan Miller | weheartit.com

How to Make Healthy Comfort Food

We all have those days when the last thing we want to make is another egg white omelet or microwave that frozen Lean Cuisine. We've found a solution here at College Gloss. Fall means snuggling up, watching a classic flick and eating one of your favorites. From creamy baked mac and cheese to hearty blueberry pancakes. These sweet and savory healthy recipes give you the fantastic flavor without the guilt, so you can still look fabulous in your new skinny jeans on Friday night. Here is your go-to list for some instant bliss.

Healthy Mac-n-Cheese:
3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne

Preparation:

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Courtesy of Healthyeating.com

Broccoli Pesto:

1/2 pound broccoli florets
2 garlic cloves, peeled, green shoots removed
1 cup basil leaves, tightly packed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 to 2 ounces (1/3 to 1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan, or a mixture of pecorino Romano and Parmesan, to taste

Preparation:

Steam the broccoli for 6 minutes, until very tender but still bright. Remove from the heat, rinse and drain on paper towels.
Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is minced and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the broccoli and the basil to the machine and turn on. When contents are finely chopped, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn on the machine again and drizzle in the olive oil. Purée until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and the grated cheese, and process until well blended.
Transfer to a bowl and serve as a dip, spread or sauce with pasta. If serving with pasta, this amount will be plenty for a pound of pasta. Thin out with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before tossing with the pasta

Courtesy of nytimes.com

Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes:
You may or may not have heard of the delicious protein-filled nutty grain called quinoa, but it makes a fabulous alternative to rice in stir fry’s and adds a fantastic texture to these blueberry pancakes.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup cooked quinoa (any type)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preparation:

Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the buttermilk and whisk together, then whisk in the vanilla extract and the oil.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and quickly whisk together. Do not overbeat; a few lumps are fine. Fold in the quinoa.
Heat a griddle over medium-hot heat. If necessary, brush with butter or oil. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons onto the hot griddle. Place six to eight blueberries (or several slices of banana or strawberries) on each pancake. Cook until bubbles begin to break through, two to three minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for about a minute or until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and continue cooking until all of the batter is used up.
Serve hot with maple syrup.

Courtesy of nytimes.com

By: Jourdan Miller | Image Credit: 1

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