Candy Dish: Kate is NOT a Disney Princess

5 reasons not to envy Kate Middleton

Kinda getting excited for a badass woman on TV

Prepare to drool

Rock your boyfriend blazer

7 reasons to try the raw food diet

Tina Fey says: toddlers are d-bags

Does this PETA ad go too far?


Fashion Porn: Put a Bow on It

A bow headband is an easy way to accessorize an otherwise basic outfit or detract from a borderline-bad hair day (you’ll probably want a hat for a full-on one). But bows are also a popular accent on other pieces of clothing, ranging from a bold accent bow on a heel to a more subtle graphic-print bow on a tank. This pretty, feminine detail adds visual interest to otherwise basic pieces. And even if you’re not into the whole “I look like a present all wrapped up” look of actual bows, there are lots of bow prints to choose from, including my personal favorite, the unexpected bow on the tights.

A bow detail is the perfect juxtaposition to the more masculine pieces popular right now. Bows are inherently girly (unless it’s a bow-tie!) and even the smallest one can soften the baggy silhouettes of boyfriend blazers or army jackets.

Still don’t have you sold? Here’s 15 pieces that should change your mind. Read More »


Shop Your Closet: Boyfriend Blazer

Boyfriend blazers have been around for several seasons, meaning you probably have one in your closet by now. Like another wardrobe staple, the white oxford shirt, a boyfriend blazer can be worn with anything for any occasion – they can even be worn together! When the temperature starts dropping and you start bracing yourself for a season of thick sweaters and thicker sweatpants, the boyfriend blazer will be your new BFF, allowing you to wear all your favorite things in new and warmer ways.

Learning how to layer under your boyfriend blazer is an important skill for the winter but one that will pay off until the snow starts to thaw in May. I’ve got three fabulous options that require nothing more than some creativity and all the clothes you’ve already got in your closet. With this, there’s no excuse for that shapeless winter wear, ladies!

(Note: Almost any style of blazer will substitute in for these outfits- I just happen to be a huge fan of the boyfriend style as it has a looser fit.) Read More »


Shop Your Closet: Strapless Dress

[When moving into either a dorm or an off-campus apartment, your wardrobe will face two major challenges: 1. A major lack of funding (to add more to it), and 2. A major lack of storage space (for all the crap you've got). For these two reasons, maximizing what you already own becomes essential. That's why you need to learn to Shop Your Closet. Each week, I’ll show you how to wear 1 item 3 ways – with the stuff you most likely already own! – to get the most out of your purchases.]

I’m a huge fan of dresses. They’re feminine, comfortable and instantly make you dressed up, even if you just rolled out of bed. But despite my dress devotion, the colder it gets outside, the less inclined I am to actually wear one. Or at least, that’s how it used to be. Since I learned the art of layering, suddenly almost everything (chunky sweaters are the exception – there’s no way those can be worn in the middle of summer) in my wardrobe can be worn through all four seasons.

Especially the strapless dress.

It’s one of the easiest, most versatile dress styles to layer. Because you don’t have to worry about the awkward layering of different necklines, it’s easy to toss a shirt underneath. And like every other dress in your closet, throwing a cardigan or blazer over top is quick and chic. The other thing I like is that a lot of strapless dresses have more structure to them (in order to hold them up!) which means you can still show off your figure despite being completely covered up and cozy. Read More »


Shop Your Closet: Ruffled Top

[When moving into either a dorm or an off-campus apartment, your wardrobe will face two major challenges: 1. A major lack of funding (to add more to it), and 2. A major lack of storage space. For these two reasons, maximizing what you already own becomes essential. That's why you need to learn to Shop Your Closet. Each week, I’ll show you how to wear 1 item 3 ways – with the stuff you most likely already own! – to get the most out of your purchases.]

There’s a pile of clothes on the floor beside your closet, and you’re still standing in your undies undecided about what to wear. The transitional season wardrobe slump has hit you. Whether key pieces of clothing are sitting in your hamper (two wears over what is considered hygienic) or you just can’t make up your mind, you have nothing to wear. On the verge of running late for your class, your job or meeting up with friends, you know you have to ”Make it work!”

The catchphrase of style guru Tim Gunn can be applied to the battle with your closet. His Top 10 Wardrobe Essentials may seem targeted at career women, but having some of these items can help you on days when you have nothing to wear. Meet the “every occasion” top – a shirt that can be layered under a jacket (or cardigan) but can be worn alone for a night out. For this week’s Shop Your Closet I chose a cute, affordable ruffled keyhole top from Old Navy that will work with the goodies you’ve already got in your closet. Read More »


Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Selena Gomez is Subtly Sassy

[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 (like style superstar, Rachel Bilson) are spending $5,000 on an ensemble 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 adore Selena Gomez. Her face looks as if it were lifted from a porcelain doll. Her hair is so luminous and luxurious. Her music is perfect for those times when you’re dancing in front of the mirror in your PJs with your hairbrush (in contrast to those times when you’re dancing in front of the mirror in your highest stilettos and a bottle of Smirnoff). She is the personification of rainbows and unicorns and puppies and everything that is fluffy and G-rated in this world. I love it.

Selena’s style is just as unpretentious and down-to-earth as the rest of her image. She’s totally youthful, fresh, and laid back. She is that girl who swears she “isn’t even into fashion,” but she always looks current and hip, and you never see her wearing the same ensemble twice.

She is essentially every friend I’ve ever had and secretly resented totally admired.

Luckily, this easy-breezy style fits perfectly into the college style scene and, even better, is not at all difficult (or expensive) to emulate. Read More »


Do-It-Yourself Tuesdays: Cuffed Boyfriend Blazer

Everywhere you look this season there are boyfriend blazers. This simple wardrobe staple can elevate any casual outfit and give it that extra touch of class.

Whether worn over a cute spring dress or paired with skinny jeans, the basic boyfriend blazer is a must-have for every woman’s closet. Now don’t get me wrong, I obviously love me a basic black boyfriend blazer (say that five times fast… I dare you), but it can also look pretty boring and plain.

So if you want to add a little punch or color to your traditional blazer, here is an easy and fun way to update your boyfriend blazer with a patterned cuff.

What You’ll Need:

A boyfriend blazer:
Use one you already own or pick one up that’s cheap and chic at Marshalls, Target, or TJ-Maxx. To really get into the season, try a white blazer.

Fabric:
Pick any color or pattern that strikes your fancy. You can go bold with something bright and solid; channel Lily Pulitzer with some bright florals; or go for a classic Burberry style with a red, black and beige plaid. Really, the opportunities are endless, so find something that’s you. You’ll need about 3 feet of fabric, so just get a yard (as most craft stores cut by the yard). Joann’s Fabric has a huge and fun selection.

Sewing materials: Needle and thread in black or a color that matches your fabric pattern. A sewing machine if you feel so inclined. A seam ripper if you’ll be recycling an old BF blazer. Read More »


The Party Girl’s 5 BFFs

Let’s be honest for a moment: house parties and bar hopping are all great weekend (or weeknight…or weekday…) activities, but they can get pretty exhausting for us ladies. We have to primp for hours, wear excruciatingly high heels and tight clothes, and still manage to look good after gettin’ low on the dance floor to whatever Black Eyed Peas song the DJ decides to play.

By the end of the night, our jacket is missing, the backs of our heels are bleeding, and our perfectly straightened coif is now plastered to our foreheads.

Not anymore! We at CollegeCandy have been perfecting the art of going out for a few years now and we’ve finally mastered it. Behold: the party girl’s 5 best friends that will get her through anything, from A (apartment party) to Z (ZBT boy in your bed the next morning).

Read More »


Budget Stylista: The New Flat

So, what I’m about to tell you is not going to make me look good. Don’t judge me. Don’t send hate mail. OK? OK.

I want to be Olivia Palermo.

To be fair, I don’t want her attitude. Or her brains (or lack thereof). Or her annoying, drunk cousin who is always loafing on her couch. I don’t even really want to be on The City. I really just want her wardrobe, namely those adorable men’s inspired flats she started rockin’ around town last season.

It was love at first sight, really. Shiny, chic flats that didn’t make you miss the 4 inch heel with the red sole Olivia typically donned. They were different, they were tres chic, they were (at least they looked) comfortable, and they were way, way out of my price range. But then, on a late night shopping spree at Kohl’s with my mom last week, I found these: a cheaper ($19, baby!) version of Olivia’s shoes that are still just as hot, classy and comfy as the designer originals. They were everything I wanted and more, perfect for this weird in-between-seasons business when it’s too hot for Uggs and too cold for Havianas.

So I snatched ‘em and before I even got home, I had an entire list of things I could wear with them. These shoes add that extra bit of couture and glamour that a normal flat could not and I believe every girl needs a pair. Don’t believe me? Just look what they can do for these three basic outfits: Read More »


Wardrobe Wish List: Jewelera’s Cotton Field Sweater Guard From Etsy

Every fashionista knows Etsy.com is an online goldmine. Not only is everything one-of-a-kind unique, handcrafted by independent designers, but it is my personal go-to website for cutting edge accessories and unexpected finds.

Sure, I love the pearl and flower detailed necklaces from JCrew, but when wearing them I can almost guarantee that at least one other girl in the office or in class will be sporting the same one. They are just so expected. That’s why I’m always scouring Etsy for a hidden gem. Some little accessory that will add a spritz of unexpected glamour to any outfit.

My latest obsession? The Cotton Field Sweater Guard (with vintage brooches ) by designer Jewelera.

The sweater guard has been on my radar for awhile now. Cardigans are a staple in my wardrobe, and I’m always looking for a way to spruce them up a bit. Necklaces could do the trick, but it’s just so charmingly romantic to have a draping chain linking either side of your sweater. And this one from Jewelera is the perfect blend of edgy and earthy vintage, with two gold leaf brooches connected by swinging chain accented with white gold etched acrylic beads.

This accessory is gorgeously reminiscent of renaissance days, with the detailed accents of a hippie flower child. I can already see this sweater guard adding instant glamour to a conservative cardigan, or as a uniquely feminine touch to the extremely trendy blazer. Read More »