I came up with my top 13 graduation gifts as I was listening to our graduation playlist and the best graduation songs because it’s 2013 and it just seemed like having 13 ideas was the perfect number of choices. Plus, I also had 13 ideas for the perfect graduation gifts, so it just kinda worked out that way!

1 – Every grad will need coffee. It’s just a fact they’ll need to, ahem, study a little harder.

2 – Why would anyone want to look like a freshman on day 1? Give a grad a school tee or sweatshirt over the summer so they look like they’ve been at school for years.

3. I’m going to give you our favorite photo of all our friends, in this gorgeous frame so we all won’t be too far from each other!

4. Who wouldn’t love these earrings? And that touch of pink looks adorable with a cap and gown.

5. Classics never go out of style. But this tote expands for a long weekend, at home… or not.

6. A touch of home keeps the new grad from feeling homesick. Pillows are perfect for adding to the decor, keeping comfy, or throwing at annoying roommates.

7. Any cute cup will do, but this Vera Bradley one is extra cute.

8. Sunglasses protect eyes and skin, and from a multitude of sins, like late nights and early mornings.

9. J. Crew. ’nuff said.

10. Who can get enough of monograms? Probably not any grad and Bauble Bar has a whole slew of cute personalization options.

11. No matter what, she’ll want to be fresh as a daisy. There are so many amazing perfumes, give her your favorite!

12. Ok, this is my must-have. Clear skin is a must. Clean skin is a must. Clarisonic is the ultimate. If she doesn’t have one, she’ll adore you if you buy her this. Trust me.

13. It looks like just a case, but it charges too. There are plenty of other cases you can customize on Cafe Press!

But wait, I have one more!! If your grad hasn’t taken photos yet, then definitely treat her to some photos by a professional. I had a blast posing with PinkOwl Photography the other day. Being captured by a professional photographer is a gift not only a graduate will treasure, but is a present she can, in turn, share with everyone else creating memories for all

Congrats to all the seniors who are graduating! Wishing you all the success you dream….

xo ~chloe

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Now that you know how to create irresistible blog post titles that will rank in SEO and get your readers clicking, how do you actually come up with a cool and catchy title? What if you aren’t the creative type who can use a keyword and turn it into a title treasure (as suggested in step 5 here)? Here are a few tips to take the guesswork out of creating blog post titles:

1. Numbers rule!

Just make a list. Seriously, who doesn’t love a list, unless it’s a list of things you have to do around the house, or the bane of my existence, the grocery list.

Everybody responds to

• 5 Steps to ____
• 6 Killer Resources for ___
• 10 Surprising Secrets about ___
• 7 Ways to ____
• Top 10 lists

Your lists can be about anything, from fashion to ideas, to ways to wear something to brands you love, to reasons you should blog.

2. Lead the way

“How to” headlines have been some our most successful posts, such as “How to do a French Manicure Effortlessly“, “How to shop for Vintage Clothes” and “Cake Pops – how to make the best ever“. You see that a “how to” post or video can relate to almost any blog topic and can help a reader feel that you are on their side and we all face the same problems, which we do.

Examples include the basic How to, and progress to

• How to ___, even if (describe the obstacle)
• How to ____, like a (describe the goal) i.e., How to dress like Gwynneth Paltrow on a real girl’s budget, or How to get in the college of your dreams with the SAT scores of your nightmares

These are posts where you are helping your reader solve a problem – we love these!

3. The Simple Life

Show your readers how your post is going to make their life more simple. Just think of the über-simplifier of them all: Real Simple magazine, which makes simple an art!

If you were writing about, let’s say, blog writing, some topics might be:

• Simplify your blog writing process
• Take charge of your blog instead of it taking charge of you
• Shortcuts to blogging
• The Zen of Blogging
• The blog checklist: simplifying your blog writing process
• How to grow your blog audience in 5 minutes
• Blog hacks; The Blog Cheat Sheet

You could substitute motorcycle repair or getting your baby to sleep or making kale chips and these could all apply (with some tweaks, of course)!

Still stumped? These posts have some great blog post titles and ideas to overcome writers block:

SITS Girls
logallot
Michelle Shaeffer
The Future Buzz

One last super-secret killer tip that works every time, for us: if you have more than one great idea for a title and can’t decide which would be better for SEO, then use one as a title and use the other as a Meta Keyword! This way, you get the benefit of both!!  And if you don’t know what a Meta Keyword is and you are on WordPress, ask me about WordPress SEO by Yoast. And no, they didn’t pay me to say that.

Happy Writing!
XO, Kim and Chloe

The post 3 Ideas for Blog Post Titles that get Clicks appeared first on PopCosmo.

Record setting low temperatures will not give us a break, so putting away jean jackets and vests, camo coats, and sweaters hasn’t happening yet. Layering with a ladylike tendency  adds a refreshing mix to the ordinary and a Chanel-esque tweed jacket as a topper is easy and adds a cropped & fitted silhoutte for both skinnies and boyfriend jeans. They even look fab with shorts and since they are available in linen and cotton, who says you have to put them away with your puffer jacket?  So channel Chanel, or find a nice print and take your basics up a notch.

The Authentic Chanel Jacket is my obsession, along with a Kate Moss swagger:

Images via Pinterest

Thank goodness these non-tweed or tweed jackets have a similar look for a lot less dent on the wallet. They instantly pull together jeans, even shorts, and a tshirt:

Nasty Gal

Old Navy

Freshen up jeans and an untucked shirt:

Iro jacket via WhoWhatWear (not tweed, but still the same idea!)

J.Crew Collection – dress up shorts

J. Crew

Kelly Wearstler still does architectural, but in clothing. Girl crush intact:

Kelly Wearstler

Or keep it dainty and simple, although with pattern-mixing and neon, this could be brightened up in a heartbeat:

Banana Republic

One last look at Olivia Palermo in Chanel keeping it classic down to the jeans:

image via Vintage Beauty XOX 

The post How to wear a tweed jacket (& not look frumpy) appeared first on PopCosmo.

via pinspire first seen on MaryFashionLove

Aaaah, Mother’s Day, a day of pampering, breakfast in bed, lazing about, queen for a day. It’s my annual request, dream, plea. No housework, or laundry, or cooking. I want the day “off.” But this year is a bit different. I’m not thrilled about laundry or cooking, but I don’t need the day off. Maybe I will at a later date, but today I’m celebrating my kids. It’s just a different year and I’m going with the flow and this is what feels right to me. I hope they appreciate me. I hope they know how much I do for them, I hope they know how much I love them, but I’m not forcing the card, the gift, the breakfast in bed. Not this year.

All I want for Mother’s Day is to be with my kids. Doing kid things. Not doing “Mother’s Day” things, not being pampered, not having it being about me. Today is a different Mother’s Day for me… I’m thankful we are together, thankful 3/4 of us are healthy.

Today is your day, kids, my day to you:

• my day to say thank you for making me who I am,
• for reminding me of what’s important,
• for being so much more than I ever was at your age,
• for rising up to and conquering every challenge life throws at you,
• for making me so proud so often.

These are the gifts that mean so much to me. More than all the chocolate in the world… even, yes, even dark chocolate.

Thank you, kids, for being your unique, creative, beautiful selves. I wouldn’t, and couldn’t, have chosen any better yous to be you.

XOXO, Mama / Mommy / Mom / Mumsie

The post Happy Mother’s Day! appeared first on PopCosmo.

From our teen chef, Kayla of The Nerdy Chef:  Making this Raspberry Coffee Cake is one of my favorite things to do for my mom on Mother’s Day is to cook her breakfast. She loves raspberries, she loves almonds, and she definitely loves chocolate, so this is one of her favorite treats. You can make it for breakfast or brunch then have some later in the day as a snack or dessert because coffee cake is great at any time of day. Plus, this raspberry coffee cake recipe is perfect for just about any occasion; it is colorful, sweet, rich, and just plain delicious.

The base is a light, fluffy vanilla cake, which is studded with melty chocolate and raspberries. You can use either fresh or frozen raspberries, but, since it’s not quite raspberry season yet, I used frozen. They can get pretty liquidy, so I toss them in some cornstarch so that they don’t turn the whole cake pink. That would be pretty, but I love the contrast between the cream-colored cake, the dark chocolate, and the bright red raspberries. Anyway, I top the whole thing with buttery almond streusel. It’s the same streusel that I use in my Peach Crumb Cake, but, instead of cinnamon, I use almond extract and mix in some almonds. They add even more crunchiness and balance out the sweetness of the cake, the bitterness of the chocolate, and the tartness of the raspberries. This cake is a must-have for brunch, dessert, or just a snack because there are so many different textures and delicious layers of flavors.

Makes 1 9″ Square, Recipe Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

3/4 + 1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 + 1/8 tsp Salt
1 Stick Butter, Melted
1/2 Stick Butter, Softened
1/8 tsp Almond Extract
1 3/4 Cups Cake Flour
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup + 2 T Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Raspberries (Fresh or Frozen & Thawed)
2 T Cornstarch

Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, brown sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, melted butter, and almond extract. Stir in cake flour and almonds. Chill until cold.

Line a 9″ square baking pan with parchment. Heat oven to 350F.

Beat the softened butter and remaining sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Fold the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions.

Combine the raspberries and cornstarch.

Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the raspberries and chocolate, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the remaining raspberries and chocolate on top, and top with the streusel.

Bake the coffee cake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog, The Nerdy Chef!

Happy early Mother’s Day!!

The post Raspberry Coffee Cake recipe appeared first on PopCosmo.

shirt: JCPenney Joe Fresh / pants: Forever 21 / clutch: Gap / shoes – similar: 6pm Outlet

I’m a teenager.

I’m a teenager with a low income.

I’m a teenager with a low income that likes to shop.

Catching on? I’m not a millionaire, and I do have to buy (most) of my clothes. I guess you could say I’m spoiled that way

But, I have learned one super-duper important thing by having the responsibility to buy my own clothes, and that is: bargain shopping. Browsing through Pinterest I’ve realized that it’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it. If you’re confident in your Forever 21 dress that cost $15 then you will outshine what you’re wearing.

That being said, my top is from the Joe Fresh line at JC Penny’s and it only cost $19, my pants are from Forever 21 and only cost $15, and my clutch was from Gap and cost $30. My shoes are Cordani from the Zappos Outlet, they orginally cost three hundred something dollars, but I bought them for less than $100.

I feel like this outfit looks like it would be a lot more expensive than it actually is, and I feel that way because I’m in love with the look. I feel good in this outfit.

Simply put, I feel confident.

How about you, do you enjoy bargain shopping? And what outfits make you feel good?

places I might link

The post Bargain Shopping appeared first on PopCosmo.

We are thrilled that our blogger friend and uber-talented DIY-er Beth is sharing one of  her amazingly simple, yet stunning, tutorials about how to make a Polka Dot Scarf. Please let us know what you think in the comments below, and don’t miss her other tutorials (she absolutely rocks) on her blog, Lula Louise! 

Hi Popcosmo readers! My name is Beth and I run the blog Lula Louise, a DIY Design blog dedicated to sharing tips, tutorials, downloads and inspiration for designing your own DIY life. I’m really excited to be sharing this tutorial with you today. Even if you are new to DIY, anyone can do this. And when you’re done, you’re going to have a fabulous new trendy accessory that will easily mix into your existing wardrobe.

Easy DIY Polka Dot Scarf Tutorial

Materials:
solid color scarf
fabric paint
pencil with unused eraser
ruler

Instructions:

1. Lay scarf flat on protected surface (you don’t want to get paint on your table or countertop so cover it with paper or cardboard).

2. Gently dip the eraser end of pencil in fabric paint. Stamp scarf in even pattern using ruler as a guide.

3. Re-coat pencil eraser after every stamp. Be careful not to get too much paint or else it will glop around the edges.

4. Cover scarf with dots. Make the pattern as dense or open as you wish. Allow paint to dry.

5. Set paint according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Option 1: Carve the pencil eraser into a heart stamp.

Option 2: Try overlapping lots of dots at the ends of the scarf and scattering them loosely towards the center.

What do you think, are you going to give the DIY Polka Dot Scarf a try?

The post DIY Polka Dot Scarf appeared first on PopCosmo.

Seriously? Are you kidding me? Is that us being featured in a story in the Huffington Post? THE HUFFINGTON POST? Holy Sh Cow! The article is about Pinterest, which is completely, totally and utterly Chloe’s expertise, and there are some fantastic tips. To sum up the article: if we can create viral pins, so can you! Chloe is the master pinner and visual designer of Popcosmo… and, because she creates and curates beautiful Pinterest boards, you should be following us on Pinterest, like now! And if you want to know our most popular and viral pins, check out “What You’re Loving” on the right and click on the stories to see what people are pinning. But back to the Huffington Post: thank you Jayson DeMers for your fantastic article! Go read it

And being in the Huffington Post was the cherry on top of what has already been an enormous chocolate ice cream sundae of a month (and it’s only the 3rd day)! We were featured on the cover of Today’s Woman Now for our story about Moms and daughters working together. The COVER, y’all! And pages 6 and 32. We didn’t know about being cover gals until we saw it… and we were both speechless, which is really and truly rare. And considering it’s the shoe issue, I’d say it’s the perfect cover for us, haha! Again, thank you Today’s Woman and what an honor.

Today was Oaks Day, tomorrow the Kentucky Derby, then my hubbie’s birthday… whoa, I think my head needs to stop spinning. May is turning out to be quite a month! Hope your May is just as lovely, just as lively, and just as exciting!

XO ~Kim & Chloe

The post Thank you, thank you!! appeared first on PopCosmo.

 dress: Social Dress Shop (c/o)/ shoes: Kate Spade / scarf: Hermès / watch: Rolex / bracelet: H&M / necklace: similar

Although the little black dress is still the king of my closet, I’m appointing the new queen of my wardrobe: the little white dress! I’m so adoring this Rory Beca dress that the super-friendly, party-pretty gals at the Social Dress Shop sent me – it’s pure spring and summer fun, so chic, and makes me feel resort-ready, even if it’s just heading out for seafood flown inland and the only colorful umbrellas are in my drink.

The LWD is the perfect base for any trend: black and white, neutrals (can’t you just picture it with camels and off-whites?), pastels, or super-brights, which is the look I went for today. I’d always been hesitant to wear all white, even though it’s one of my favorites, because I’m such a klutz. But if I can keep red wine off the front of me, this dress is going to be my seasonal staple, so be looking for it again and again and again. Seriously!

And if I’m going to wear white, it better not be skin tight. At my age, morphing from flattering to OMG only takes the wrong silhouette and little left to the imagination. Neither are a problem with this dress. I adore the shape skimming silhouette of a tunic dress which will keep me reaching for it (but Chloe preferred the included sash), and was impressed with the included nifty, flirty racerback slip. Nice jumpstart to my wardrobe for spring. Ta-ta for today, LBD!!

Be sure to check out the Social Dress Shop and see what other cute dresses they have!

What do you think… if there was a showdown between the LBD and the LWD (little white dress) which would you choose for spring and summer?

 link love!

The post Little White Dress appeared first on PopCosmo.

We all know that a catchy blog title can make you click, not only when you first publish your blog, but also when you promote on social media… it can help generate more clicks on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. But there is even more benefit to a blog title: your post can be read for years after your initial posting because of a catchy  & SEO friendly title. Yep, years. If your content is evergreen (meaning it isn’t time sensitive) then year after year, your post can climb in Google rankings and keep getting clicks.

So how do you craft a title that people can’t resist AND google can’t resist? Here are the steps I go through, but keep in mind we are no SEO experts, just bloggers! And although some may scoff, we are pretty happy that we had over 1 million pageviews in our 1st full year of blogging and most of our traffic now comes from Google searches. These are our 5 steps to creating an irresistible blog title:

1. The chicken or the egg? That is… the post or the title? For me it’s a little of both: Chloe and I have an idea for a post and we write it first. Whoever writes the post creates a title, but knows it may change. You’ll see why in Step 5. So, before you even start writing, think of what you (or your target demographic) would search for if you (or they) were doing a search for the post you are writing. Make that search your title.

Example for this post: how to craft a great blog title, how to write a blog title, blog post titles, writing blog titles, creating blog titles

2. We write our post around our (draft) title. Use your keywords in your post, especially towards the beginning of your first paragraph.

3. Use free resources. My can’t-miss step that changed our blog from being visited to being highly trafficked: Google Keywords and the WordPress SEO by Yoast Plugin. Once you are happy with your post, go to Google Keywords and type in your keywords. You’ll get some great ideas for your post. Also type in your blog title. You might get more ideas or you might see that nobody is searching for your title, which means we take a 2nd look at our post topic. Sometimes we are ahead of our time with a topic (for instance, we might didn’t get serious interest in how to make cake pops, how to make american flag jean shorts,  how to wear boyfriend jeans, how to wear a denim vest, or decorating notebook covers for months), but sometimes we are simply using the wrong words.

Example for this post: keyword = blog title; titles = create a blog title, good blog titles, writing blog titles, steps to creating blog titles

4. While in Google Keywords, select keywords with these requirements and jot them down:

• longtail keywords (3 or more words in a search term)
• low competition
• high searches (either local or global depending on your target demographics)

5. Write a catchy title. Now that you have a list of longtail keywords that are searched a lot, but don’t have much competition, return to your post and use your favorite one to write a catchy title, using your creativity! Use your keywords in your title, but keep it concise, relevant and actionable. And use these new keywords in your post as well — re-read your post and make sure it is relevant to your new title, and if not, make edits.

Once I decide on the keywords and title, I don’t worry so much about my title being searched. My goal is that I want the keyword to be SEARCHED and my title to be CLICKED. I’m not sure if SEO gurus would agree (titles rank highly in Google algorithms), but as you scroll through search results, what are you going to click on? Yep, a title!

Voilá, the steps you have taken have just helped you craft a title that is both searchable and clickable, and will hopefully keep climbing in Google!

What are your steps to creating a blog title? 

Note: We were kind of nervous about writing this post since we are “just bloggers,” not SEO experts!! But we have “friends who know things” who shared their tricks with us and we have read lots & lots & lots…. ok, ok, we’re geeks. If you spot any misinformation, correct us. If you have more info, share it below!

 {UPDATE: 2nd in series published - 3 ideas for Blog Post Titles that get Clicks - (it has quick tips for #5: how to write a catchy title)}

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