You abso-tootin-lutely love your girls. Their silly antics have you in a fit of daily giggles, and they always know just the right thing to say to turn your frown upside down. But sometimes the road to friendship isn’t all fun. Read on to find out how you can end friendship drama once and for all.

“My BFF always copies my look!”
You work hard to have a standout style, so it can be mucho a-ggrrr-vating when a bestie snags up your original fashion finds.

The Sunny Side: Ever hear the old saying, “Imitation is the best form of flattery?” It’s obvious you’re a trendsetter -- not a follower. So before ya huff and puff that your girl has played copycat for the umpteenth time, remember that it’s only because you’ve paved the way. She’s not trying to be you; she just loves your taste. So use your fashion sense to help your BFF find a unique style all her own.

“My friend always ditches me for boys.”
Your girl is with you through thick and thin, but the moment a brown-haired babe enters the picture, she goes missing.

The Sunny Side: Put yourself in her shoes and try to be understanding. Remember when you were totally gaga over that guy and you were anxious to spend every moment you could with him? Your girl feels the same way. Don’t worry, though; once the starry-eyed phase is over, she’ll be back by your side. Can’t wait? Let her know you miss her. But be confident enough in the friendship to let her enjoy her trip on Cloud Nine.

“My girlfriend mooches off me, and I don’t get much allowance!”
Sure, you might have thought buying a cup o’ joe for your gal at Starbucks or picking up the popcorn at the movies was no biggie. But now your girl is outta control.

The Sunny Side: Since your girl doesn’t have the cash to cover, think of other alternatives that you can do for free. This way you’ll both save money! You don’t need to spend dough to have fun with your girl, so stick to zero-cost outings and adventures when you’re hanging with your fave gal pal. Hit up a nature trail, break out the board games or bake a batch of brownies!

Allow us to introduce you to the awesomeness that results when you combine two of your favorite things: movies and karaoke -- duh! It’s called movie-oke, and all you have to do to get in on the fun is grab a few DVDs and invite some pals over.

Here’s how it works: You hit the mute button, play a movie clip with the subtitles option on, and let each of your friends read the lines of a different character out loud. It’s a blast -- and we’ve got a few sweet ideas for how to put the perfect finishing touches on your movie-oke night!

Make the VIP List
Movie-oke works best with smaller groups, so try to keep your guest list to four or five friends. Once you’ve decided who makes the cut, it’s time to send out invitations. Take a few ticket stubs from movies you saw recently and tape them around the edge of a white piece of paper, like a frame. Then write the party deets in the middle of the page and photocopy the whole thing a few times for an awesome DIY invite.

Choose a Theme
Are your girls obsessed with chick flicks? Does your crew love musicals? Or maybe old Disney movies are your thing. Whichever way, pick one movie (or more) you know everyone in the gang can get into. Movie-oke is most fun when everyone has seen the scene you’re re-enacting a bajillion times before.

Snack Time!
Fun-size versions of movie theater candies make the perfect snacks. And, of course, you need popcorn. Spice it up by sprinkling on a little bit of cinnamon-sugar, or chili powder and Parmesan cheese. Just drop a little bit of it into the bag after it comes out of the microwave, hold the bag closed while you shake it up, and then empty the popcorn into a bowl. So simple -- and so yummy!

Primp Your Place
Snag some streamers in your fave colors, and use a marker to write famous movie lines on ’em before hanging them around the party pad. For a fun game, leave the movie titles off the quotes and see which of your flick-obsessed friends can ID the most lines.

Up Your Game
If you want to mix up the movie-oke festivities, pause the flick mid-scene and ask your friends if any of them knows which line comes next. Then hit play to see who’s right -- and who’s hilariously off. Even if no one knows the lines by heart, hearing everyone’s guesses will definitely make you all LOL.

Do Them a Favor
Send everyone home with a parting gift that keeps on giving: a new DVD (raid a garage sale, the dollar store or Goodwill for super-thrifty finds) and a bag of microwave popcorn. Maybe one of them will host another movie-oke night next time around!

Back-to-school serves up the chance to showcase your ever-expanding signature style -- it’s always fun to look the part that spells Y-O-U! And the beginning of the school year is the perfect time for stepping into a new fashion groove. But instead of going for a head-to-toe “check me out!” makeover, it’s the little changes that count (do not be that girl who left school with ribbons in her hair and comes back all Goth!).

Clothes Encounter
When you’re back-to-school clothes shopping, be sure to stock up on plenty of basic pieces but have fun with statement accessories that scream, “I am me!” The same simple skinny jeans-and-tee outfit can be spun any which way: Make it punk with a painted-up hoodie, studded belt and safety-pin jewelry. Or go country-western by tucking your pants into cowboy boots, tossing on a suede vest and wearing pigtails.

The look we love: Use embroidered iron-on patches -- whether you prefer peace signs or band logos (or both!) -- to make a denim skirt or jacket uniquely yours.

It’s a Shoe In!
Getting the perfect pair of back-to-school shoes is quite possibly your most important shopping mission. They need to be comfy…but stylish (unlike the comfortable footwear worn by many cafeteria ladies, LOL!). Aside from the sneakers you need for phys ed, you’ll want at least one pair of shoes that totally reflects your style. To give any outfit an extra punch, strut your stuff in something loud, like floral-canvas fleece-lined boots or bright-blue woven-leather clogs.

The look we love: Converse sneakers can be custom-made to fit any personality with their design-your-own feature online.

To ’Do or Not To ’Do?
Back-to-school hairstyles need to be essentially hassle-free. If you’re ready for a haircut, this is the one area where you could dare to be radical. Try a short pixie cut, which is super-easy to maintain. Not that brave? Pick up some pretty new hair accessories and play around with them in front of the mirror -- hot this season are headbands and side parts.

The look we love: The popularity of ABC Family’s Bunheads has brought back the hair bun! Tuck in tiny rhinestone bobby pins to glam it up.

Kiss and Makeup
When it comes to makeup, we’re definitely of the less-is-more mentality. If this is the year your parents are letting you experiment with cosmetics, use them to accentuate your natural beauty. A little lip gloss and maybe a swipe of mascara should do. If you go for blushes and eye shadows, choose neutral shades -- save the shimmery and sparkly products for special occasions, such as the school dance!

The look we love: Nail tattoos come in all kinds of fun designs, so polish up your fingers and toes, then slap on a few! Seal with a swipe of clear topcoat.

Photo: Corbis Images

Think you and your BFF are stuck together like glue and couldn’t possibly be any closer? Maybe…but doubtful. There’s always room for deepening a relationship. Here are five fun ideas for making your friendship even tighter.

1. Share a secret stash box
Lucy and her best friend Bridget, both 12, found a cool way to deal with tough-to-tackle feelings. They used markers and glitter to decorate a shoebox for holding sentimental items. “The first thing I put in there was a note from my grandmother because I really miss her,” says Lucy. Bridget took the box home and put something personal in it, and passed it back to Lucy. “We take turns with the box, and we always talk about what’s inside,” explains Lucy. “It’s helped both of us get through some stuff.”

2. Get an adrenaline rush
Ever notice how on dating reality shows the guy and girl who go bungee-jumping often wind up together in the end? That’s because high-energy activities create emotional bonds between people. Do something exciting with your best bud (that amusement park ride that’s not for the coaster-phobic, perhaps?).

3. Give each other space
Huh -- step back to get closer? Believe it or not, time apart strengthens relationship bonds. If you’re spending 24/7 with your BFF, you’ll inevitably get on each other’s nerves (even if you don’t admit it). Take timeouts, and here’s the real challenge: Do not act jealous if she tells you she was hanging out with another girl since she last saw you. Solid friendships allow breathing room.

4. Create something together
Build a go-cart. Paint a mural. Form a band. Doing any kind of creative project will not only bring you and your friend closer; it will help you both learn how to work collaboratively with others -- a skill that will always come in handy. But the best part? Sharing in the satisfaction of a job well done once you’ve brought something to completion.

5. Conquer your fears
You hate snakes, and your friend is afraid of heights? You can help each other overcome your worst fears. She can hold your hand while you walk through the reptile exhibit at the zoo, and you’ll hold hers as you take the elevator up to the top floor of the tallest building in your town. What are friends for, right?

Image: Corbis

Summer serves up tons of possible poolside opportunities for chat time with your crush, and we want you to enjoy talking with him. But hear this: Among other things, he does not want to know how fat you feel when you’re cramping …OK? Here are the five convo topics that totally turn guys off:

Some girls are like human Twitters, talking -- without even taking a breath -- about any little thing that crosses their mind. They don’t talk to guys; they talk at guys. This includes reading texts from friends out loud, commenting on the texts, pausing to mention that you need to pick up some ointment for your rash, complaining that you’re still hungry even though you had cereal and leftover pizza and then and then and then. … Chihuahuas at a gerbil farm don’t yap that much.

Simple Solution: Listen more. Listen a lot more. A guy who feels like he’s being heard will enjoy spending time with you.

2.  Anything About Your Period
Ever notice that just the word “period” makes most guys cringe? Sure, it’s immature, but boys aren’t ready to talk about cramps, flow, zits, bloating or bad moods. Your period is an outrageous and awkward mystery for a guy, and it’s not your job to educate him on the nuances of the menstrual cycle.

Simple Solution: If you don’t feel so great and need to pass on the whole bikini-bonanza-bike-riding day in the sun, tell the truth and say you don’t feel well. If he asks for details, tell him your stomach hurts. Seriously, spare the bloody deets.

3.  Gossip About All Your Friends
Gossips always think there’s a reason why they’re sharing information: “She did this to me” or “He did that to her” or “I need your opinion on this problem.” But the problem is usually that no one will stop talking about it. When you share something about someone else, you’re gossiping. When you’re talking about other people in any negative way, you’re gossiping. And gossiping is unattractive.

Simple Solution: Stay positive! Talk about things you like, things you want to do, things that sound fun.

4.  How Embarrassing Everything Is All the Time
It’s possible the whole embarrassed-at-life thing is part of a girl’s puberty journey. There are days you’re zapped with an intense desire to constantly check to see if you have food in your teeth or if your fly is open. But nervous, self-conscious girls rarely get the guy. Unless he’s ridiculously hot for you like Biebs is for Selena (because, yeah, that happens so often), you’ll lose his attention.

Simple Solution: Confidence can be learned, so fake it until you make it. Trip, burp or lose your cool in front of him? Smile and take a bow. We bet he’ll think it’s funny and cute -- not dorky.

5.  What You Don’t Like About Today
“It’s beautiful, but it’s so darn hot.” “It feels like everyone’s on vacation, so it’s not as much fun as usual.” “Lunch was good but really expensive, right?” “That girl has a good body, but her swimsuit fits weird.” “Your new haircut is cute, but you should grow out the bangs.” Girl, do you see the trend here? The negativity comes through -- not the positive setup statement -- every time. Guys want to be around someone who likes her friends, likes what she’s doing and isn’t impossible to please.

Simple Solution: If you verbalize the positive thought and leave off the negative thought, pretty soon you’ll actually stop thinking the icky stuff altogether!

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/Gewitterkind