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.

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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?

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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.

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.

2. Jump in the Leaves: Once the leaves start falling, don’t let them go to waste. Get your friends together, rake as many as them up as you possibly can, and get to jumping! You loved this a kid, and if you get past it being a kids’ pastime, you will still love it. So many schools have an abundance of quads filled trees and leaves all around them. The crunch of the leaves will be worth it, especially since this amusing activity won’t crunch any money out of your wallet.  Oh, and it turns out jumping in leaf piles is actually good for you:  According to the Children and Nature Network, “Children are smarter, cooperative, happier, and healthier when they have frequent and varied opportunities for free and unstructured play outdoors.” So, since it won’t cost you anything and will make you a happier, healthier, and smarter you — why not?

3. Get Lost in a Corn Maze: Nothing is better than getting together with your friends and heading off campus on a Saturday. And now that fall is here, it’s the season to seek out the closest corn maze near you. Not sure where to look? Check out this list of corn mazes across the nation. Corn mazes these days aren’t just for kids;  many farms get super fancy with their designs turning their cornfields into aerial pictures of Abraham Lincoln on a penny and the elaborate design of a baseball. Since corn mazes usually are on larger local farms, expect a whole day of fun that will bring you back to your childhood — many have petting zoos, pumpkin patches, corn canons (yes — you can shoot corn out of a canon!), and loads of tasty treats.

4. Pick a Pumpkin and Carve It: Now that fall is here, Halloween isn’t far off (!!). While you’re at the local corn maze, you and your friends can probably pick up some pumpkins. If not, don’t worry — pumpkin patches will be in abundance as soon as October rolls around. Remember the first time you helped carve a pumpkin and your parents let you pull out all the seeds? Find a pumpkin that suits you, get a carving kit (they usually cost between $3 to $10) from your local grocery store or Wal-Mart/Target, and get creative. You can do something simple or opt for a more elaborate design. If you really want to get back to your childhood, put the movie Hocus Pocus on while you carve away. Who says you can’t enjoy seasonal activities while in college?

5. Anticipate Halloween: Remember when you were seven and all you could think about was your Halloween costume for that year? Well — get excited and start planning. Although Halloween costumes were a lot less slutty and a lot more cutesy than what you’re probably thinking about now, you should still be excited about finding the perfect costume. Get your friends together and hit up the local costume stores that are probably already popping up. Figure out what costume will best fit you this year. Will it stand alone or work in as a group? Are you buying or making? And, most importantly, what sort of fun-size candies will you be eating when you finally get to wear it?

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!

THE THEME: Military.

This trend has slowly been making its way into the fashion world over the past few seasons, but it’s still going strong in Fall 2010. (A fact that makes me even happier that I bought that black military inspired pea coat with gorgeous gold buttons last March for 60% off.) Try it out with a studded shirt, combat boots, or skinny cargo pants. Once you’ve got a feel for it, break out the army fatigues.

THE COLOR PALETTE: Jewel Tones.

Fall has always been about the richer colors. But last year’s burnt orange and deep turquoise shades have been replaced with deeper, darker colors, inspired by everyone’s favorite jewels. Emerald green, ruby red, and amethyst can turn a simple top into a statement piece. If you want to start small, try a suede purple pump, or a deep blue bag. Either way these colors are the perfect middle ground between passé pastels and nineties neon.

THE PRINT: Leopard.

Animal print tends to get a bad reputation. Worn in neon colors in the wrong ways, animal print pieces can often appear tacky. But this year, safari has gone chic. If you’re up for the challenge, search the racks for your perfect leopard print dress and pair it with a pair of nude pumps. New to the animal kingdom? Start with an accessory. Update your LBD with a leopard print clutch or a hot pair of leopard booties.

THE BAG: Structured.

Personally, I’m a fan of the oversize tote. The idea of not being able to carry my entire life around with me is a little frightening. (How do I choose between my day planer and my Tide To Go pen?) But when I saw InStyle’s full page spread on framed satchels even I wavered. Refined, polished, and classic, the structured bag is one item that will never go out of style.

THE SHOE: Lace Up Booties.

This year’s boot? A little shorter and a lot edgier. Flat, lace up, combat boots are casual, cool, and comfortable. Wear them with your skinny cargo pants and leather jacket or with a dress if you’re looking to rough up this season’s Fall florals. The best part? The more you wear them, the better they look.

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.

Despite running around like a chicken with its head cut off interning in Los Angeles and studying wayyyy more than I ever did in college for one little test known as the LSAT, I feel like what little downtime I have is making me feel like I’m missing something out there – but I can’t necessarily put my finger on it.

Yes, college is over. No more Solo cup littered lawns, boys in bowties for no reason, the dining hall’s Swedish meatballs, the anxious anticipation for traditions, and the engaging class discussions. It’s over, and I don’t really wish I could do it over again. So, what is this feeling? Maybe my body feels like I should be back in some hardwood floored dorm room watching the leaves fall onto the quad, and it hasn’t synched with my mind that certainly knows I don’t really want to be there.

Maybe I’m just waiting for something to happen. This whole LSAT process involves a lot of practice – a lot of constant build up. Since things are up in the air until my mailbox has admissions letters, maybe this feeling will stick around – and I should just accept it.  But boy, it’s making me homesick, and living out in California is one of the most interesting experiences. Some days, I feel like the luckiest person alive – living mere minutes from the beach. And then other days, I feel like I’m being swallowed by this soulless place.

Knowing this humors me though. The minute I go back home, whether it’s to live or to visit, I know I will be ready to leave again. To find something new.  Maybe everything I wanted was right in front of me throughout the last four years, and now everything I want is scattered across the United States – including myself.

All in all, this dilemma of homesickness and the feelings of something missing makes me think everything I’ve ever read about being a twenty-something is right: you really are always on the search for something, and there’s no one telling you how or when or where you’ll find it.

So maybe that’s what I’m homesick for – the certainty and routine that life in college can provide. Well, that and 3-day weekends. Those were nice.

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.

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.

1. Fall TV, duh. We’ve been waiting a long 4 months on pins and freaking needles to find out if Chuck and Blair will get back together and if the Glee club will ever get a break. And we’ve had to rely on crappy Project Runway and re-runs of Flipping Out to pass the long, stressful days. Well not anymore. Welcome back to my life, Fall TV!

2. Beasting Out. Now that I’m not wearing bikinis and mini-skirts every night, no one will know if I’m a Venus Goddess or a wolverine under my skinny jeans

3. Football season (!!). If you go to a Division 1 school, the joy of the Football Saturday needs no explanation. After all, Saturday morning is the best night of the week.

4. Bum It. When it was sunny every day, I always felt like a bum if I didn’t go running. Or to the beach. Or get out of my bed because the room was spinning and/or there was a Real Housewives marathon on Bravo.  However, now that it’s going to get cold, I can hang out in my bed with coffee and some Pop-Tarts and not feel like God is ashamed of my general slothiness.

6. Drinking, but no driving. Back on college campuses, no one has to worry about a DD.  And that’s a win/win for everyone (because the only thing worse than being the DD is having to hang out with Grumpy McDesignated Driver).

7. Parental Control. Pause. Not. Even as a senior in college, I still have to report to the parentals where I’m going, what I’m doing, and who I’m going to be with.  Now, if I want to spend the afternoon day drinking or watching Michigan squirrels roam around campus, no one will stop me.

8. Extra Padding. If you gain 5 pounds, it’s just a little added warmth for your walk to class. And with all those thick sweaters and school sweatshirts you’ll be wearing from now until April, no one will be able to tell anyway.

And that’s a bingo!

Welcome back, Fall. It’s good to see (and smell) you.

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!

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.

Hot Spiced Wine:

Hot spiced wine is like Sangria, only warm. With cinnamon and cloves. You start by boiling about a ½ cup of sugar in a ½ cup of water (for a 2 bottle recipe). Once the sugar is dissolved into the water, add the wine and spices. When you feel that the mixture has sufficiently blended, turn off the heat and add orange and lemon slices and either rum or brandy to taste. Vodka works too, and you can get creative with the fruit you choose to put in. It is best if you make it an hour or so before you serve it.

For a more sophisticated cocktail try the Blushing Reindeer, or any one of these being made at the hippest New York bars. Personally, if I’m the one making the drinks, I shouldn’t have to work to get drunk. I leave the creative mixology to the bartenders.

Any of your own favorite recipes that you want to share?

[Always drink responsibly. Photo courtesy of countryliving.com]