Ready for the Super Bowl! Or Bastille Day. You know, whatever. All photographs by Tanya Pai. 

Color-blocking is all the rage this season, and as big fans of nail art we don’t see any reason the trend shouldn’t translate to your fingertips, too. And Sunday’s Super Bowl presents the perfect opportunity to accessorize with your favorite team’s colors. We’ve got a step-by-step guide to this totally easy look—no special equipment required.

Not a football fan? No worries. This mani is endlessly customizable. For an even funkier spin, try glitter or neon, or vary the width and placement of the stripes; to keep it more conservative, stick to two or three shades from the same color family.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A base coat (optional)

Washington doesn’t exactly have the best track record with reality shows. DC Cupcakes has a singularly intense following (well, intense enough to get them a second season, anyway), but our versions of Real Housewives and Real World both aired with dismal ratings.

That’s why we’re rooting for the pilot local boutique Sassanova filmed last week at its Georgetown and Bethesda locations. Co-owner Sassy Jacobs tells us she, partner Sarah Cannova, and their employees worked with producer Colby Gaines (co-producer of the History Channel's Pawn Stars) and a crew from Back Roads Entertainment on three days of filming. The initial concept is similar to TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress. Customers come in with “emergency” shoe and accessory situations, and Jacobs, Cannova, and staff solve them. Considering this casting call was posted to Hitched bridal salon’s blog earlier this month, we’ve got a feeling these “emergencies” are about as real as Kim Kardashian’s love for Kris Humphries, but we’re pretty okay with that. After all, what’s a reality show without a little prefabricated drama?

All photographs courtesy of Wantful.

The past year with your new boyfriend has been wonderful. You’ve cooked amazing dinners together, explored new neighborhoods, and had tons of fun. This Valentine’s day, all you want to do is celebrate how much you really like each other. You’ve found the perfect outfit and scored a reservation at that killer restaurant you’ve both been dying to try. February 14 is going to be great, you can just tell. The only problem: You still need to buy a present and have no idea where to begin.

Allow us to introduce Wantful, a two-month-old gifting site that could be the answer to your prayers. It takes the information you provide about the recipient’s tastes and interests and selects a range of gift ideas for you to narrow down and for your lucky special someone to pick from. At the end of the day, it’s his choice, so how can you go wrong?

Stocking your makeup bag is no small investment. After you tick off foundation, mascara, the proper brushes, and a few fun lipsticks and eye shadows, the cost begins to seriously add up. That’s why losing yours (as we’ve been unlucky enough to do recently) can be a serious bummer. But what if you can’t afford to replace it all in one fell swoop? If you’re going to need to shop in stages, where should you begin? To prep for just such an emergency, we consulted Washington’s makeup wiz kids. The people on this list have worked on countless magazine shoots and made up the faces of visiting celebs, Supreme Court justices—even Bill Clinton. Trust us when we say they know what they’re talking about.

Hey, guys! It’s the end of January and finally starting to get a little bit colder in these parts. Most of the time, maxi skirts are considered to be a strictly summer essential, right? Perfect with a tank and a pair of gladiators, they’re often shoved to the back of our closets in the colder months. But not this winter, ladies. Here are three ideas for getting your maxi back into your wardrobe rotation right now.

Get the look: Skirt (similar) | Belt (similar) | Poncho (similar) | Clutch

Diamond studs, girly charm bracelets, heart-shaped lockets . . . come February, jewelry companies are consistently guilty of turning out predictable gift options for the lover’s holiday. It’s not that they’re not pretty—it’s just that, well, who wants to give something the giftee will see on every other girl? Off with the tiny cupids and “XO”s, we say! Look like you tried a little harder this year (and spend a lot less money), with a bauble from our roundup of unusual Valentine’s Day jewelry. From wear-’em-everywhere studs to heartbeat bracelets and dirty-word charms, we’ve got something for everyone—especially if you’ve got a sense of humor.

And remember: Unless you’re actually proposing, avoid giving rings, or small boxes that look like they could hold a ring, at all costs. Valentine’s Day is not the day to give a girl the wrong impression.

Here, a muted pastel skirt-top combo is the perfect canvas over which to layer pops of concentrated color. Keeping the shoes conservative and the jewelry minimal lets the deep fuchsia bag do all the talking.

Signature spade studs, $38 at Kate Spade; Steffen Schraut ruffled silk top, $270 at Stylebop; small Bayswater satchel in mulberry, $1,100 at Intermix; Arturo Chiang patent leather pumps, $69 at Lord & Taylor; J.Crew No. 2 pencil skirt in light rose, $110 at J.Crew.