The following post was written by Liz, a CollegeCandy reader and 21-year-old breast cancer survivor.

I was your typical college sophomore. I was active on campus, had a great group of friends, and kept myself busy with schoolwork. I was enjoying my time at The College of New Jersey, and felt truly blessed with an amazing life.

Then in April 2009, everything changed completely. In the midst of studying for final exams and celebrating the end of the school year, I was going back and forth between TCNJ and New York City for doctor visits. I had found a lump in my right breast, and went for tests and exams just as a precaution. Although I was optimistic and really believed I had nothing to worry about, I received the news that nobody wants to hear: I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Read More »

[Welcome to Celebrity Chic on the Cheap, where our style guru takes a celebrity look and breaks it down for you, our poor college fashionista. What does that mean? It means that while the celebrities are spending $5,000 on an ensemble (even for comfy, everyday outfits!) you don’t have to. All you have to do is click on the goods and - boom - you can buy the entire look. For cheap. Yes, we know - there is a spot for her in heaven.]

I’m convinced Blake Lively is one of those women who was genetically engineered to make 90 percent of the female population feel woefully inferior in one way or another. Her hair, her figure, her relationship with Anna Wintour, her relationship with Penn Badgley, her thriving acting career, her work wardrobe, her beautiful personal style… there’s something for everyone to hate on.

And the worst part is, she has the audacity to seem really sweet and fun, so you can’t even really hate her. In short, she is perfect.

And so is this outfit. Read More »

And maybe says a little too much….

Get out of the gym and get in shape the FUN WAY.

Check out JWoww in her natural habitat.

7 chic blazers for under $70!

Not everyone wants to be on Glee…

Rushing into a relationship? Don’t.

Wanna win some Havaianas?

Justin Bieber TOTES has a gf.

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, TFLN…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like Keep Me Out, Hot List, and Wake Up Dialer) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

I spend a lot of time on the Internet. I read my news online. I shop online. I have even tried dating online. And in all my time (hours upon hours a day), I’ve never found a website quite as awesome as Ebates.com.

Here’s how it works:

Ebates is a referral site, meaning they get money for referring users to other shopping sites online. And they’ve got THOUSANDS in their arsenal. From Nordstrom to Drugstore.com to Groupon (!!), they work with what seems like every retailer on the Internet.

Now here’s where things get amazing.

Ebates shares their referral fee with us! Read More »

Lauren Conrad speaks out against fashion mess ups

What it’s like to sleep with a virgin

Make your own awesome Halloween costume

You may want to proofread your threatening note next time

Who should be the next Wonder Woman?

Puhleeasee…and we wonder why celebs feel entitled

How to wear cropped sweaters (and 6 cute choices!)

How to date Katherine Heigl

5 under $50: Fall scarves

What happened to all your favorite Friends

I’ve never been a big fan of theme parties. Just like perfectly matched outfits, to me they seem contrived, cliché, outdated. But college freshmen (and many of my CollegeCandy peers) seem to love the experience of a costume party. I too have to give props to the really creative ideas that people have come up with (although I can’t seem to recall any at the time; that’s how rare they are), but for the most part, the only theme parties that exist and thrive in college are characterized by sexism. I mean, CEOs and corporate hoes? Is there anyone that sees that and thinks, “hey, girls can dress up as CEOs too!”

Even when it’s not implicitly stated (and it usually is, on the Facebook invite: “girls who don’t dress sexy aren’t allowed in”), why do guys get to slap on a button-down and be the cool, prestigious things – CEOs, rock stars, golf pros – while girls just have to dress like “hoes”?

With Halloween looming, this is an incredibly relevant issue. In the immortal words of Cady Heron: “Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” It’s true. Halloween seems to be the one night when the cattiness and judgments that surround one girl’s wardrobe choice seem to fall away, and girls take full advantage of this. For most girls, finding a sexy costume takes priority over creating a clever one; to say that most girls don’t aspire to be praised for their minds on Halloween night is to put it mildly.

Read More »

Animal prints have been hot for the last few seasons, but leopard prints are especially huge this season.  However, this trend can be tricky to pull off–too much and you’ll just end up looking trashy. Or like Snooki. Or worse, Angelina.

The important thing to remember about rocking the leopard print trend is that less is more.  Wear just one piece at a time, and you’ll look classy and trendy.  If you’re still unsure about wearing animal prints, a great way to start is with accessories.  They’re a great way to introduce yourself to the trend by working it in a subtle way.

Here are some great leopard accessories to get you started–and they’re all less than $20! Read More »

In honor of the new season of Gossip Girl, our friends at PopEater are asking you to share your tales of real-life Gossip Girl run-ins.  The stories range from the scintillating and shocking to the hysterical and bizarre.  Should you be racking your brain to submit a story of your own, I present you with the ultimate cheat sheet.

Ladies, you probably know a Gossip Girl if…

She’s given a monthly allowance in the four-digit range…just for “fun” purchases.
The sales girls at Louis Vuitton know her by name.  She didn’t have to wait for her Hermes Birkin bag.  Chanel makes sure she’s always invited to the in-store preview events.  Basically, the girl’s got the connection on all the latest and greatest when it comes to fashion.  She wants it all, and she gets it (ahead of everyone else, of course).

Things don’t stay secret for long, especially when her cell phone’s nearby.
Is she inviting you to spill your heart out?  Looking at you with “it’s okay, you can tell me anything” eyes?  Patting the seat next to her while holding out her arms in a faux-hug?  If so, then run.  It’s no surprise to say Gossip Girls love gossip, and their fingers can text at lightening speeds even when the phone’s under the table or hidden in a purse.  Duct tape that mouth, young lady, or your break-up will be the hottest news on campus in fifteen minutes.

She takes mysterious trips at a moment’s notice.
Long weekend in Bermuda= visiting her estranged father who is running away from American authorities in Belgium.  Last-minute acceptance to a prestigious summer program at Oxford= her mother’s forcing her into rehab for that pesky case of Bulimia.  Skipped out on a year of school for no reason= girl was totally suicidal after she tripped down the runway at Fashion Week.  The affairs of Gossip Girls are shrouded in mystery, so always be suspect of her excuses.

Minions abound!
Like the seven dwarfs…except taller, thinner, and wearing Prada.  Gossip Girls require a staff of help in their homes and a committee of mini-me’s in their schools.  Minions often wear similar styles and speak with the same lingo as their leader, but don’t be confused.  These girls know exactly to whom they answer.

Men just can’t seem to help themselves.
Could be the killer body, the form-fitting dress, or the four-inch Louboutins, but whatever the reason- she makes sexy look effortless and Heidi Klum look like a dumpy housewife.  Guys can’t seem to say no to a Gossip Girl for (ahem, two) reasons that are pretty plain to see.  And they’re only the best- future investment bankers, lawyers, heirs to oil fortunes…  That scrawny English major knows he doesn’t stand a chance with a Blair Waldorf wanna-be.

Do you know a real-life Gossip Girl? Been the victim of her vicious mouth? (Yeah, it’s cute on TV, but not so much in the real world with real consequences… like your parents finding out your dirty secrets via Facebook updates….) Share your story below.

If you’re a recent post-grad, chances are you don’t have anything figured out. Or maybe you have some of it figured out, but when you close your eyes and picture yourself five years down the line, things are somewhat blurry.

This probably gives you heart palpitations. I get it. The future can be scary, especially when you have no idea what it will hold.

But really, so what?

If you’re a recent post-grad, you truly are at an advantage. While it sucks to be so discombobulated during this time, it’s kind of a blessing in disguise. Think about it … you can still attribute your mistakes and mistrials under the files appropriately titled: “Lack of experience” or “Youthful Ignorance.”

OK, so you may feel old (I know I do sometimes, especially when I try to party like my freshman self), but the truth is, you’re not. In today’s society, we constantly hear “30 is the 20!” and that means that 22 is the new 18. And that means you’ve got a little more time to figure things out than you probably think you do. It’s easy to rush into the future trying to plan as much as you can, but really, wouldn’t you rather take a few risks and screw up now before you are in your mid-30s with a mortgage and a couple kids? Read More »

Since you ladies loved our history of the bra so much, our friends from OnlineDating.org went ahead and made a visual representation of the history of the thong. You know, so,  you could have a complete two-piece set. Or at least finally know who to blame for inventing this torture system.

Pay attention – you might be tested on this one day.

Read More »