It’s February, and love is in the air. With Valentine’s Day almost upon us, you’re likely to have a slew of dates on your schedule.

Photos of NOVA’s Hispanic Heritage Festival in 1983 and 2011.

As the holiday season begins to settle in and Christmas is in the foreseeable future, the season of giving kicks into full swing. While many may only consider charitable works and donations to be crucial during this holiday time of year, there are actually many retailers who give back year-round helping charities and community groups around the world.

So what can you wear for Halloween that’s still trendy and fun, without being too predictable? Here are some ideas for what you can wear out on Halloween night.

For customers of all demographics, there are perks and benefits to shopping in-store that you may not have taken advantage of — possibly not even realizing these perks existed.

Countless shoppers have signed up for these monthly style subscription retailing sites, only to find after not reading the fine print that they have accrued hidden fees charged to their credit cards.

By using these tips one can circumvent some of the frustrations of summer travel. Remember to be prepared, know what you have and bring some extra emergency pieces so you’ll stay cool on your next summer trip.

Another outlet for the digital-age fashionista involves the creation of collages and fictitious outfit compiling on the sites Looklet and Polyvore, allowing site members to access the online databases of designer clothing on the market. This allows users to create full outfits and wardrobes without spending a dime; an important aspect for fashion fans during a recession. This use of creating fashion collages online has also proved to be a profitable marketing technique for designers and their pieces, as both sites enable the users to access the pricing and selling information of each piece, with Polyvore going so far as to allow you to purchase items through designers directly on their site.

Masquerades have been historically known as a social rite of frivolity and debauchery, as well as being a catalyst and forum for showcasing popular trends of the time. While today’s masquerades have taken on a more casual approach and occur less frequently, Northern Virginia Community College students were recently treated to a masquerade at the Annandale campus, as a night of socializing and fun with their peers. With the tradition of pushing style up a few notches in events like these, there was a large sampling of not only creative masks but of attire that alludes to the spring trends as well.

With the pitfalls of winter weather and the necessity of forgoing fashion at times for the sake of shoveling your driveway, winter is still a wonderful time to be fashionable with boots, fun scarves and long pea coats that help one look put together with the slightest effort. And while the weather still may be sending a shiver up your spine, spring will be here before you know it, with an advent of new styles and looks that will signify a much needed trip to the mall. But how does one integrate pieces they love from winter into spring worthy looks when the transitional season weather has gone haywire? Here are a few tips and tricks for pulling off parts of your winter wardrobe for spring.