Kylee in NYC for The Today Show!

While Kylee was running around in New York City getting ready to be on The Today Show, yours truly was at her side! Check out some of the cool pictures of our trip!

Getting into the limo at Time’s Square - now that’s service!

Kylee’s personalized limo sign - sweet!

Backstage with Dr. Kimberly Williams…

…and Jenna Wolfe!

All in all, it was a pretty cool trip.

The Today Show Talks About ALot2Lose.Com!

Check it out!!!

On Sunday morning, The Today Show hosted our “Reel Girls, Real Life” contest winner, Kylee Darcy and Dr. Kimberly Williams, a Clinical Neuropsychologist, to talk about underage drinking and the creation of the public service announcement “What You Don’t Know” on ALot2Lose.com. Check out the segment here.

Pretty cool, huh? What do you think? Let us know by commenting below!

Introducing “What You Don’t Know” on ALot2Lose.com!

It’s been a year in the making and the finished product is finally here! Thanks to your votes, Kylee Darcy won Girl Talk’s “Reel Girls, Reel Life” PSA contest, and got to film the commercial with the pros. “What You Don’t Know” is now playing live nationwide!

We all know that underage drinking is not only illegal but can also lead to serious consequences such as car crashes, health problems, and even death. These are, of course, serious issues that need serious attention. However, the social consequences of underage drinking are often overlooked. What’s more is that the vast majority of teens believe that girls have even more to lose than boys when under the influence of alcohol. “What You Don’t Know” emphasizes both of these issues.

Two thirds of American teens admit that they – or someone they know – have made regrettable decisions linked to drinking. We’ve all heard stories about teens doing embarrassing things while under the influence of alcohol. No one wants to get into fights with a friend for no reason, tell a crush about embarrassing secrets, trip and fall or get sick in front of everyone, or forget your curfew. Underage drinking can only lead to trouble – not to mention, it’s illegal! When you drink underage you put yourself and your friends at risk for doing all of these stupid things and countless others. Reputations, relationships, and dignity are often compromised or even ruined. Drinking underage is just not worth it!

“Of course underage drinking is illegal and can lead to tragedies like car crashes and deaths, but the negative social consequences are much more prevalent,” says Kylee. “I hope my commercial will make teen girls think twice about all of the dangers of underage drinking.”

We hope so too, Kylee!

Be in “The Know” - check out Kylee’s professional PSA, “What You Don’t Know,” now!

We also want to send a shout-out to our friends over at AllyKatzz who posted an awesome micro-site of ALot2Lose! The AllyKatzz girls have blogged and commented on the topic of the video and have also created a cool poll. Check it out here!

New Ask Katie Questions and Answers!

Hey Girls!

I have finally finished looking over all of the questions you all sent in during the month of March!!! You can now view them on the Girl Talk website in the Ask Katie section. The rest, of course, are right here on my WordPress blog! I made a new page on this blog so that you can easily access the questions at any time. Check out the new “Ask Katie” tab right next to my “About” tab! Snazzy, huh? To view the WordPress batch of questions, click that “Ask Katie” tab or right here! Be sure to bookmark that link so that you can check back for new questions each month!

Take care!

Get your dancin’ shoes on because it’s time to boogie!

Hey Girls!

Prom time is rapidly approaching! Dresses, tuxedos, shoes, hair, make-up, potential dates, and flashy cars are all on your mind. Prom is one of the highlights of high school! The pictures of you and your date will sit in your parents’ living room and make their way into family albums that you will one day show to your own children. It is a special night that we all look forward to – it’s the dance of a lifetime!

On prom night, be mindful of your surroundings and make safe and wise decisions. Not everyone is as safe as they should be. Don’t be a victim of bad prom choices - and I don’t mean just choosing the wrong dress or hair style. Drinking on prom night is not a cool decision to make – not to mention it’s illegal! It can put your life in danger as well as others’. Being cool and in the spotlight is a wonderful feeling, but just make sure you’re shining for positive reasons.

Watch The Century Council’s prom e-card now to see some awesomely bad prom choices through the years (and this time I do mean the wrong dresses and hairstyles, among other things!). The Century Council created the e-card to send to parents, but we knew you’d enjoy it too. Make sure you don’t become a victim of horrible prom choices – Don’t drink on prom night (or on any night for that matter!).

Girl Talk wishes you and your friends a fun, exciting, stylin’, awesome, and - most of all - safe prom experience!

Accessories!

Hello Ladies,

Everyone knows the right accessories can make an ordinary outfit stand out from the norm. From evening clutches to dazzling watches, colorful scarves, designer purses, vibrant jewelry, unique hats, retro sunglasses, eye catching shoes, and bold belts, you can enhance your outfit. Sometimes all you need is the right handbag or the perfect earrings to pull together the ideal ensemble.

Handbags are always a great accessory. From large hobo shape bags to elegant evening clutches, they all accent our fashion wardrobe. Choosing the right handbag is important, whether you’re looking for an everyday bag, a bag to match your outfit or an unusual purse to add to your collection. Designer bags are a favorite choice. Think of them as an investment if you’re not too eager to spend the necessary cash. There are also other outlets to getting designer bags. Try renting or borrowing designer bags online. It’s perfect for those special events that you want to really go all out for.

Ladies, let’s not forget how important shoes are to our outfit! The perfect shoe can stand alone in any crowd. Shoes are sometimes the first thing people notice! Whether you’re a sneaker kind of girl or a stiletto chick, make sure your shoes speak for themselves. Don’t forget about other accessories as you’re getting dressed. Jewelry, scarves, hats, sunglasses, and belts need a place in your wardrobe closet as well. Be a smart shopper. Try vintage shops and rare boutiques as well as your favorite designer and department stores.

Accessories add character to your outfit as they pull it all together. You don’t always have to match to the T. Have fun experimenting with colors and adding different accessories. Try a multi-color scarf to bring out your solid shirt or retro shades to add to your vintage look. Put a nice wide brim floppy hat on with your sun dress and sandals. The options are endless. Have fun mixing and matching with your accessories.

Enjoy,

Spring Fashion!!!!

Hi Everyone,

It’s almost time to pack away our winter clothes and venture off to the malls, department stores, and boutiques for spring shopping. Fashion changes with each season and each year brings new trends or styles for many to follow. Starting with the stars and trickling down to consumers or street styles - many different people are gaining recognition among the fashion world. Looks that were once frowned upon, such as the punk rock look are now accepted and worn by a wide array of people. Fashion is more about expression. It allows you to freely express your mood, overall image, and character.

Fashion repeats and recycles itself and adds new styles, colors, and features along the way. This spring there are a variety of new looks to choose from. Expect to see lots of bold prints, flowing skirts of different lengths, safari looks, printed bags, wide leg pants, the retro look of color blocking, floral prints, and bright color shoes. You can expect to see new trends such as cocktail shorts and summer jumpsuits from a variety of designers. Also expect new spring-like colors of many shades.

Pantone, the leading color authority, released its fashion color report for spring 2008. They revealed the top ten colors for women’s fashion this spring. The spring color palette consists of a mix of classic colors, versatile neutrals, and playful vibrant bright colors. The new colors consist of Golden Olive, Spring Crocus, Rococco Red, Pink Mist, Croissant, Freesia, Cantaloupe, Daiquiri Green, Snorkel Blue, and Silver Gray, which are expected to encourage fashion lovers to discover new and creative ways to combine colors. The new colors enhance the true cheerfulness of the season!

That’s all for now,

Prom time is almost here!

Hey Everyone,

As we enter March, seasons begin to transform and certain important events come to mind. Prom Time! Teenage girls all over are anxious about what to wear for prom. Whether you’re going solo, in a group, or coupled with a date, every girl wants to Wow the crowd!

The Oscar’s, Grammy’s, Golden Globes and other prominent award shows play a huge role in prom dress designs. After each award show many designers anxiously create replicas of celebrities dazzling dresses for the everyday girl. Allen B. Schwartz has become the premier go- to designer for creating post award show gowns. He is known for mimicking his top celebrity gown selections from award shows and crafting them to fit his A.B.S. Label. The gowns usually cost on average $250 - $350, but that’s nothing compared to what stars pay for their gowns, usually in the thousands.

There are a variety of 2008 prom trends to follow! Beads added to any style, shiny or lame dresses, bold bright color dresses, sequin or metallic dresses, white elegant gowns, princess pink gowns and many more are just a few of the trends for this year’s prom dresses. If you want the celebrity red carpet look but you can’t afford celebrity prices there are a variety of websites to that perfect Beyonce or Cameron Diaz dress! There is a dress out there for everyone! For those not looking to spend too much money on a prom dress, there are also options. Try thrift shopping for unique dresses with character or vintage gowns. Happy Prom Dress Hunting!

That’s all for now,

Behind the Scenes Photos and More!

Hey everyone,

Visit grltlk.org to check out the behind the scenes photos of Reel Girls, Real Life winner Kylee Darcy and the filming of “What You Don’t Know” with the pros!

Stay tuned to grltlk.org as Kylee’s winning concept will be distributed as The Century Council’s national commercial which will be released as a public service announcement for prom and graduation season in April 2008.

Also be sure to check out the photos from the Girl Talk event in Cleveland, Ohio.

That’s all for now,

Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra Celebrity Soccer Challenge

I have some exciting news to share with you! Girl Talk is proud to support the Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra Celebrity Soccer Challenge.

The game took place on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. A number of Hollywood celebrities and former men’s and women’s soccer players competed against each other in a fun and competitive match.

Participants included celebrities, stars and athletes from the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA, and the Men’s and Women’s National Teams. Some of the players will include, Tony Hawk, Julie Foudy, Alexi Lalas, Cobi Jones, Kristine Lilly and many more.

The Celebrity Soccer Challenge Charity match benefited bone marrow patients and family services at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation. It is fitting that Girl Talk: Choices and Consequences of Underage Drinking will once again stand behind Mia Hamm and support the Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra Celebrity Soccer Challenge. Like the Mia Hamm Foundation, Girl talk encourages teen girls to live healthy and active lifestyles by providing them with the resources to do so. Girl Talk works to provide girls with accurate youth and girl oriented information to help them make the right decisions when faced with making decisions about alcohol.

For more information about the Mia Hamm Foundation visit www.miafoundation.org. Don’t forget to visit grltlk.org to check out more photos from this event and to stay connected to all things girl!

That’s all for now,

Ask Katie!

Hey Everybody,

I have received a lot of questions from girls just like you though www.grltlk.org . I am thrilled to be able to help you out by answering your questions about school, friends, parents, guys — whatever is on your mind!! Each month, I look through each and every one of your questions and i’ll answer a few of them here on my blog and more on the Girl Talk website. I hope you’ll continue to check back to read my blog.

Remember, I can’t answer every question submitted because I am only one person and I get so many questions each month. However, I will try to pick questions on topics that come up a lot so that when I answer, I’ll be answering more than one girl’s question.

Now, on to your questions!

Dear Katie,

How did you invent Girl Talk?

-Jessica

Dear Jessica,

Underage drinking remains too common among our nation’s teenage girls. A survey commissioned by The Century Council, a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers, finds that mothers of teenage daughters underestimate and misjudge the seriousness of their daughters’ underage drinking. Additionally, nearly 50% of mothers say it is acceptable for their teenage daughters to drink alcohol under some circumstances. This acceptance shows a misunderstanding on the mother’s part. The Century Council believes Girl Talk can help improve communication between moms and daughters.

Together with U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team Players Association and the Society for Women’s Health Research, The Century Council developed Girl Talk: Choices and Consequences of Underage Drinking, designed to educate teenage girls about the dangers of underage drinking and the specific risks facing teen girls. Grltlk.org is a fun place for all things GIRL and encourages girls to live healthy and active lifestyles by providing them with the resources to do so.

-Katie

Dear Katie,

I was a tomboy but now I’m a girly girl and I don’t know anything about the latest fashion. All my friends say they’ve got it! Can you help me?

-Girly Girl

Dear Girly Girl,

It seems like your friends know all about the latest fashion trends. Why don’t you ask them for some advice? I’m sure they would love to help and it would be an excuse to do something fun together like go shopping at the mall. For a fun alternative, try “shopping” in an older sibling closet- with permission of course- for some fun fashion finds. I’m sure your friends will be flattered by you asking them for advice. It shows them that you love their style and value their advice. Also, be sure to check out the Girl World section on the Girl Talk website for lots of great fashion and beauty advice. I also post fashion and beauty updates on my blog, so be sure to check that out as well!

-Katie

Dear Katie,

My parents won’t allow me to go on Myspace! It’s so unfair because I’m 13 and they STILL treat me like a little kid. My younger brother (who is two years younger) has been able to do way more than I did when I was his age! I want to gain my parents’ trust so that they start treating me like a 13 year old instead of a 7 year old. Could you please help me out?

-Thirteen

Dear Thirteen,

Your parents have your best interests at heart. MySpace is a great social networking site but can also be very dangerous if you are not careful and properly informed. Try talking to your parents about their reasoning so that you can understand where they are coming from when they tell you no. Maybe you can explain to them why you want to be on MySpace and set up some guidelines that you’re both comfortable with. You’re at a stage in life where you’re probably going to want more privileges than your parents are comfortable giving you– that’s just part of being thirteen and growing up. It’s GREAT that you want to gain your parents’ trust and having a mature, open, and honest conversation with them is a major first step in helping them to see that you really are growing up. But here’s the thing: in order to gain your parents’ trust and let them know that you are responsible, you’re going to have to listen to them. Proposing a compromise shows maturity and demonstrates responsibility. In time, they will recognize your maturity and will be more likely to grant you more privileges in the future.

-Katie

Dear Katie,
How does drinking alcohol damage the reproductive system?
Thank you,

Emma

 

Dear Emma,

You’re right in assuming that alcohol damages the reproductive system. Even now, before you’re thinking about having children, your reproductive system can be damaged by alcohol. Here are just some of the reproductive problems that alcohol can cause: menstrual pain, heavy period flow and irregular or absent periods. In addition, alcohol can harm your sexual functioning, prevent or harm pregnancies, and severely harm an unborn baby. For more information on how alcohol damages the body, visit the Girl Talk website and click on “The Facts” tab.

-Katie

Take care girls,

 

National Wear Red Day!

Hey Everyone!

Today is National Wear Red Day! People across the globe are wearing red today to support the fight against heart disease among women. It’s a simple way to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke. National Wear Red Day has its own dress code and allows you to wear the red apparel of your choice. Go in your closet and get a red blouse, red headband, red purse, red broche, and red dress or wear that daring red lipstick! The options are endless.

Heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women in America. Heart disease can begin early, even in the teen years. Many risk factors for heart disease we can not change, such as our age, race, gender, or family history. But other risk factors are manageable such as our cholesterol level, cutting out drugs and alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight. Visit The Heart Truth (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/index.htm) website for more information on heart disease.

Spreading the message and wearing red will help to increase awareness and support the fight for healthy living. It’s important to keep our bodies healthy inside and out. A good way to is to monitor what goes in our bodies. Girl Talk educates teenage girls about the dangers of underage drinking and the specific risks facing teenage girls. Be sure to check out the Girl Talk website for tips on living a healthy and active lifestyle.

That’s all for now,

Hi Everyone!

This month’s Lifestyle article on grltlk.org focuses on building a positive body image. The article is from our friends at Go Girl World and is written by Cheryl Haworth, a weightlifting Olympic bronze medalists and seven time national champion. Haworth writes about loving yourself for who you are, finding other outlets such as sports to make you happy, and tips you can use to boost your body image. Growing up overweight, she was able to overcome the name callers by surrounding herself with positive friends who had common interests.

Unfortunately many teens, especially girls, have a tendency to judge themselves based on unrealistic media images of the ideal body. When you add underage drinking into the mix, alcohol can be even more dangerous if you have body image or weight concerns. Alcohol actually has more calories per gram than carbs (also known as sugars and starches), so drinking alcohol can lead to weight gain. Alcohol also makes you hungry and reduces inhibitions; so, people tend to eat more when they drink. And, don’t try to starve yourself to stay thin: Young girls who don’t eat properly or take in enough calories are at increased risk of intoxication, alcohol poisoning, and even death.

For more information about why a healthy body image is important for your self esteem, check out this article on kidshealth.org. And here’s another great article from RevolutionHealth.com about how your body image is better than a diet.

Visit grltlk.org to read this month Lifestyle article and more!

That’s all for now,

What to wear in 2008!

Remember when your mother used to dress you in colorful tights with your skirts and dresses during the winter months? Who would have known, fast forwarding several years, fashion would be recycling itself. Tights, leggings and leg warmers are invading the fashion world. Its funny how leg warmers were originally used to help keep ballerina’s leg warm before practicing. In the 80’s leggings were ever so popular in the movie Flash Dance, and well throughout the era. Now they are reappearing twenty plus years later as a bold fashion statement and must have accessory. People are wearing them with skirts, over skinny jeans, with funky sneakers, or with stunning pumps. The options are endless. Just when everyone thought the leggings craze was over towards the end of last year, they appeared with new patterns and textures. Tights are making a come back as well in all sorts of prints, colors and designs. Nude or skin tone stockings are almost non-existent! Fashionista’s and trendsetters are jazzing up their party outfits and even in some ways their business savvy attire.

With the New Year, you can also expect more recycled styles and fashions from different era’s such as the 50s, which will surface in 2008! As soon as the New Year arrived, fashion mindful individuals all over were eager to know what to wear in 2008. Don’t throw away too many items from last year. You never know how many combinations you can create with your old and new pieces. According to Fortune Magazine, there are five big trends to keep your eye on this year. Fashion forward sneakers, sheer clothing, multipurpose boutiques, industrial fabrics, and scarves are essential. Greens, yellows and all shades of oranges will be the colors for 08 ! Grey’s are always classic, but try to add a little boldness to your wardrobe!

 

Check out what these fashion blog are also saying about the fashion trend for 2008 and how to keep up with the latest styles:

1. www.thebudgetfashionista.com
2. http://www.styleitless.com/ivillage-2008-fashion-ins-and-outs/

 

That’s all for now,

Girl Talk Poll

If tomorrow were election day, who would you vote for as the next president of the United States? Visit grltlk.org to submit your answer and let your voice be heard!