For many of us, these past few days have been surprisingly warm. We’ve had to put away our scarves and layers to break out our spring staples!

While the weather is still warm, bring back your favorite summer and spring activities like picnics, afternoon strolls, and ice cream. Below is a list of ways to enjoy this new found warm weather while it lasts. Read More »

I like to use the changing of the physical seasons as a cleansing of the emotional season for my closet; out with the old and, depending on my budget, in with the new.

Ladies, I know you hear me on this one.

So while you’re sorting through your stuff, what better way to gear up for fall then to shred the skin of your closet and replace some of your old garb with 10 essential, fabulous fashions that just scream fall? Read More »

With all the wild prints and crazy accessories I’ve been throwing your way the last month, I decided to tone things down a bit and feature a neutral color that will work with all that spice in your wardrobe. SO this week’s fashion porn is sponsored by the color GRAY!

Softer than black, gray is an easy-to-wear neutral that you can wear with everything (especially purple!). Cozy gray sweaters spell out comfort for me. Just imagine yourself sitting by a warm fire with a cup of hot cocoa. Mmmm, pass the marshmallows!

Gray will also have you complimenting the beautiful shades of autumn and can work for a lazy Saturday or a more exciting Saturday night. Lots of lovely gray items are textured and you can even find some patterns if you need some more excitement in your wardrobe.

Sold on gray for fall yet? If you’re not, these 15 items are sure to do it. Read More »

Finally — summer’s over! It’s time for sweaters, boots, Starbucks’ signature fall drinks, and for those leaves to start falling. You could spend all fall hunched over your computer worrying about mid-terms, or you can get in touch with your seven-year-old self that took time to relish the changing leaf colors, the local pumpkin patches, and of course, the cooler weather.

Here are five things that you probably enjoyed during your childhood that you can still enjoy this fall. (Editor’s Note: especially if you add a little spiked apple cider.):

1. Go Apple Picking: Throw on some jeans, find a cardigan, and head to the nearest apple orchard. Now that fall is here, apple orchards should be open to the public. Not sure where the closest apple orchard is? Check out Pick Your Own for all the details of the farms and orchards near you. Not only will this get you outside to enjoy the nice fall weather, it will give you a reason to bake. Once you pick out those perfect apples, call your mom and ask for her apple pie recipe, make some caramel apples, or brew cider (feel free to add alcohol, of course). Baking isn’t your thing? Well, you know what they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and that can’t hurt either. Read More »

There are a lot of reasons to look forward to autumn: pumpkin spice lattes, the leaves changing color, good television, and – oh yeah – Fall fashion. September is the January of the fashion world, with designers battling it out to set this year’s trends, and magazines battling it out to report them.

The September Issues are back for another year, and bigger than ever. This month’s Vogue was over 700 pages. Glamour released its largest issue in 20 years.  And don’t forget about InStyle, Elle, Marie Claire, and Harper’s Bazaar. That’s a lot of reading material, even for a seasoned fashionista. So consider this your fashion cheat sheet. I’ve drooled over slaved over pages and pages of bags, boots, coats, and colors to bring you this seasons it items (without 497 pages of ads). Enjoy! Read More »

I was one of those kids that never really got homesick when I was in college. While my friends would have occasional breakdowns and cry about not being with their families or their hometown friends, I never spent too much time dwelling on what I could have been missing at home – I was too busy doing everything else. But now, as a fully functioning member of real life, I think I’m suffering from my first adult case of homesickness.

Maybe it’s the advent of fall or just the general time of year – back to school – but everything just feels off. While everyone on the East coast is talking about the leaves starting to change, I’m anxiously awaiting for some kind of sign that a seasonal change is about to take place. While I’m looking to head back to school next year, Facebook is blowing up with status updates about first day of classes, professor quotes, and new discoveries out in the real world.

And as the world turns, well – I just feel like something is missing. Read More »

There are some fashion rules you should follow.

Never show your legs and your cleavage at the same time? That’s a good one.
No denim on denim? Also a keeper.

Then, there are those rules that should just be ignored. Your purse doesn’t always have to match your shoes. You can mix prints. And most importantly you can wear white after Labor Day.

Of all the rules put forth by the fashion police, this one has always baffled me the most. Why is white only acceptable between Memorial Day and Labor Day? Why is it that this one color has such a limited lifespan, only to be paired with bikinis and boy shorts? From the plain white t-shirt, to the classic white button down, to winter white pieces, the color white is essential to every wardrobe, all year long. Below are some pieces that will make you want to wear white every day. Read More »

I spent all my cold winter nights dreaming of beaches and sunshine and the perfectly bronzed skin I’d have come the end of summer.

Then summer came and I was happy (minus a few sunburns and one month-long humidity frizzfest). Then summer came even harder — 95 degrees harder — and as the sweat pooled in that little fold behind my knees I knew it: I was ready for fall. I began to yearn for loosely draped scarves around my neck, crunchy leaves under my leather boots and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING.

While “end of summer” might sound depressing if you’re forty with a real job or 17 with another year of high school coming at ya, fall for the CollegeCandy girl is fa-fa-fabulous. And here are 8 reasons why. Read More »

One mom approved must-have for both fall and college is a chic fall jacket.

The perfect fall jacket is neutral, goes with all your favorite clothes and fits just right.  Not to mention, it “keeps you warm on those walks to class. You don’t want to catch a cold!” (Thanks, ma.)

This year there are lots of options out there regardless of your style: denim, military, leather, oh my! With so much variety at so many price points, why choose a favorite?

A fall jacket will take you to the field to watch football, on a walk home from an evening class when the air starts to feel crisp, and even out at night.  Though if you’re going to a party, and don’t want to lose your coat, see if you can find a hot yet chivalrous boy to lend you his oversized jacket. If you’re wearing a feminine outfit underneath you’ll instantly achieve the “Cardellini effect” and have an excuse to find Mr. Hottie another day! Read More »

My bartending style tends to run less towards the carefully measured, tried-and-true recipes and more towards the “What’s in my fridge right now?” trial-and-error method. I rarely use actual measures, because what is “good” depends on how many people are drinking, how liquored up they want to be, and how well they hold all that liquor.

That being said, I have a few favorite drinks that do really well in cold weather.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate:

This ain’t your grandma’s hot cocoa. (Or maybe it is…) I like to add a few drops (or shots) of Peppermint Schnapps to hot chocolate for an immediate warm-up. Make the cocoa with milk if you like it creamier.

Cinnamon Vanilla Cream:

One day my love of Starbucks and alcohol collided, and this drink was born. I just poured some Cinnamon Schnapps into my Vanilla Crème, and – voilà – an innocuous looking brew. Yes, I did keep it all in the Starbucks container. You can make your own Vanilla crème by warming up milk, adding a drop or two of vanilla extract, sugar to taste, and topping it off with whipped cream.

Hot (Spiked) Apple Cider:

First, you need to find some alcoholic apple cider. It’s probably somewhere between the beer and wine sections. Two bottles is a good amount to start with. On the stove, get it simmering with two cinnamon sticks, a tablespoon of cloves, a little bit of sugar and some nutmeg. What really makes it piping hot though, is the addition of either rum or apple brandy. Be generous, ladies – the apple cider has lost most of its alcoholic content in the heating process. Read More »