I hate to go all crazy department store on you (It’s January 28th? Time to set up a Memorial Day swimsuit display!) but the fashion industry is always 6 months ahead of us normal folk. The elite designers of the trade have challenged us with innovative, advanced looks that put oh-so 2011 trends, like flare legged jeans and feathers, to shame. What? You can’t afford Roberto Cavalli? No worries fellow broke college students; I’ve recreated the looks with budget friendly brands. Prepare to rock 2012 with these inventive spring trends:

Betsey Johnson Spring 2012

What’s Out: The Blazer/Skinny Jean/UGG Boots

What’s In: The Blazer/Tank Dress/Suede Lace Ups

This Betsey Johnson original is a giant step up from the boring blazer over skinny jeans with a pair of classic cut Uggs. Pair a tank dress with a fitted blazer and a layered necklace. Channel your inner-Betsey with some suede lace up heels and a lightning bolt ring.

Badgley Mischka Spring 2012

What’s Out: Leather Jacket/Sequin Top/Jean Shorts

What’s In: Leather Jacket/Bandeu Top/ Hot Pants

This year, forget the overdone mini skirt, tank top tucked in, leather jacket over top club wear. Please welcome back the ever so risqué: Hot pants. The undies-shorts hybrid will give the illusion of legs for miles. Pair your favorite leather jacket with a bandeau top and match with a hot pair of shoes. Is that Amber Rose over there rocking her model bod? Oh wait, that’s just you donning this beautiful ensemble.

Kanye West Spring/Summer 2012

What’s Out: Blue Denim/Fitted Tops/Nude Heels

What’s In: Patterned Bottoms/Loose Layers/Bold Heels

In 2010, colorful denim became a top trend. This year, hold the focus on your bottoms as opposed to the top of your outfit. Pair pattered denim with a solid colored top, a bold colored pair of heels, and a minimalistic piece of jewelry.

L.A.M.B. Gwen Stefani Spring 2012

What’s Out: Neutrals/Long Sleeve/Clutch

What’s In: Metallics/3 Quarter Length/Totes

Ditch the Khakis, coal, and corduroy for some expressive metallic this season. Go for a basic top with 3 quarter length sleeves that allow room for funky bracelets. As much as I love a good clutch, it’s a bitch trying to fit everything into one-so welcome back boxy totes!

If 2012 is the end of the world, then Betsey Johnson, Badgley Mishka, Kanye & Gwen Stefani have definitely saved the best trends for last. Step out of your comfort zone with these looks and make Spring  2012 your most stylish season yet!

During winter break, I had the chance to talk to my best friend, who is more like my long-lost twin. In high school we used to spend hours in the morning with hair, makeup, and putting together outfits. While this made me late 60% of the time (and her 100% of the time), we loved it. Now that we are at different colleges and not making each other late in the morning, she asked me, “Do you still get dressed up for class now?”

Uhhh, duh? I mean if I could do it at 6 am, why can’t I do it now when I wake up at 8 am or later? She confessed to me that she has given up on looking stylish for class. How dare she?!?!

Okay, I get it. I have had a few ‘bum’ days too. And she is in a sorority, so at night she has to be dressed to the nines to attend a social or a party, so she gets some slack during the day. However, don’t for a second think she looks like a homeless person going to class.  Smart girls can use ten minutes to look great before they have to be anywhere.

So after consulting some of my ever-gorgeous friends and us some of my ever-gorgeous friends and using my own knowledge, here are my tips for looking great even though you just rolled out of bed.

I’m going to assume you stay up all night like most college students, so take five minutes to put together an outfit for the next day. When you don’t have to dig for clothes things go a lot faster.

This can work for your hair too; straighten it at night so you don’t have to do the staple messy bun on top of head look.

Change your definition of “bumming it”.Most people think this means baggy sweats, hoodie, and Uggs. So basically you look like a snowman with no shape. Ugh.

You can be comfortable without looking like crap! Leggings are just as comfy as sweats, and pair it with a long cardigan/sweater and you instantly look more put together. Yoga pants look tremendously better than big sweats. My favorite look is a long, belted cardigan, a warm scarf, and leggings.

Mix and match pieces: Clothes that can be worn in many different ways are awesome. You don’t even have to think about putting outfits together because they already go together well. A good pair of jeans, leggings, basic tees, neutral sweaters, and a brown/black boot can be incorporated with almost anything you already have in your closet. You can close your eyes, reach into your closet, and come out looking good!

Awesome Accessories: Have some statement jewels to amp up your outfits and instantly add style. Long necklaces, chandelier earrings, bangles, unique scarves, cocktail rings and more can go with basic outfits to make them more trendy and look like you took time to get dressed.

Strategize your Hair and Makeup: If you just roll out of bed, I’m assuming you have some dark circles. Purple is a great color, but not underneath your eyes. Use your time wisely and conceal the trouble spots, add a coat of mascara, and a swipe of bronzer. This makes you look healthy and more wide awake. One tip I love is applying a white, shimmery shade to the inner corner of your eye- this makes you look wide-eyed and bright.  A friend of mine wears very minimal make up, but she always does a thick line of eye liner just to her top lid. I love this look on her, because it makes her eyes the focal point and is super quick. Stock your book bag with a few lip glosses so you can apply that while you are walking to class, and instantly you look refreshed.

Your hair might look like a rat’s nest in the morning, but know your go-to quick styles that can be used to tame the beast. I love spin pins by Goody- they let me create a quick bun. This can hide kinky/frizzy hair. I’m a fan of the sleek Kim Kardashian pony tail when my roots are a little greasy. For bangs that just won’t cooperate, simply grab a couple bobby pins and twist them back.

Those are the tips I live by when I have no inspiration or motivation. They haven’t failed me yet! Good luck girls, and if you were thinking about getting me anything for Christmas, just burn your ratty size XL sweat pants and we’ll call it even.

Maura is a freshman at Rider University and loves chocolate, cheesy wedding T.V. shows, writing, fashion, and playing with her overweight (but adorable) Pomeranian. When she isn’t at class or sleeping, you can catch her on twitter @maurahilgar.

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I know I’m not alone when I say that I spend way too long trying to decide what to wear in the mornings. Well, thanks to an awesome site called Closet Couture, getting dressed in the morning just got a whole lot easier.

Instead of standing in front of your closet for trying to decide on an outfit, let Closet Couture help you out! Closet Couture lets you build a virtual closet from items on the web or from items you already have in your actual physical closet (just upload the picture to the site)!

Once you’ve created your virtual closet, you can create outfits and post them to the site. Not only is this a great way to store outfits you like to reference on days that you’re feeling uninspired, you can also get feedback from other Closet Couture users and get ideas from outfits they post!

Another really awesome feature of Closet Couture is that you can hire a professional stylist from their network to help you create outfits from what you already have in your virtual closet. Prices start at just $25 for one outfit/event and go up from there, but it’s a really neat option — especially for those times when it feels like you have nothing to wear.

I’m still working on building my “closet,” but I’m already super excited about all the fun I’m going to have building outfits with Closet Couture! I always dreamed of having Cher’s awesome closet from Clueless (what girl didn’t?), and Closet Couture is as close as I’ll ever get to having it (until I make my millions, that is)!

Rules are meant to be broken.

Not always the best philosophy to live by, but it is a pretty good philosophy for fashion. Think about it. The best dressed ladies these days don’t exactly play by the rules do they ? They wear what they want when they want, because they like the way it looks, whether that be a body suit or a blazer.

And while we can’t all be as adventurous as Lady Gaga during our days on campus, we can still break a few fashion rules without looking like fashion victims.

initiating the gallery...

What do you think ladies? Do you follow the fashion rules or do think think they were made to be broken? Are there some fashion rules we should always follow? Let us know!

1. Graduation gifts – Luckily when you graduate, people give you gifts and money and things that you need. Even though these gifts are like “Hey, you’re out of college now and you’re kinda on your own so here is some luggage,” they make transitioning very happy.

2. I’m cafeteria free – Albeit eating in a dining hall and having a meal plan is convenient, not having to eat food made for 800 people is a dream. Do you know how amazing it is to eat food that is warm and flavorful? Maybe my alma mater wasn’t too fabulous in the food department (minus the Swedish meatballs … I lived for those), so I’m alone on this one, but I’ll take making myself food any day over dining hall slop.

3. I can wear my underwear whenever I want – Seriously, every time I would just want to veg out in my dorm room and just comfortably enjoy being in my underwear (with a bag of chips), someone would knock. (Editor’s Note: Thank god they didn’t just walk in. Awkward!) And you know, then you have to get up, put on pants, and open the door. Not now. I can wear my underwear all day and no one bothers me. Hooray!

4. No drama – Getting away from college has been a blessing. No gossip. No drama. Just memories and keeping-in-touch with those I want to (and staying far, far away from those I don’t).  I don’t have to deal with classroom politics, and I don’t have to deal with drunken sorority girls elbowing me on dance floors. It’s great being able to step back from the stuff that made me go “Ughh, I’m so over it.”

5. I have a degree– Even though it may not be enough to find the kind of job I want, I’m glad I have my Bachelors and I’m glad I worked my ass off to get it. College went fast, but the knowledge and the subjects that interest me will last a lifetime. No complaints there!

6. A Change of Scenery – Moving to California has taken me completely out of my element. I spent four years in Virginia, surrounded by mountains. Growing up, I lived in the suburbs of Atlanta. And now, I’m three minutes from the beach, 30 minutes to Los Angeles, 90 minutes to San Diego, and the majority of the weather is in the 70s. And it. is. glorious.

7. My own schedule – Nothing is better than sleeping in on a Wednesday just because I felt like it. I didn’t have the pleasure of doing that in college, so even though some people may think this qualifies me as a slacker, I love it. I can stay up late, sleep in late. I can nap when I want. I study for the LSAT and get what I need done, and I do so on my own schedule. Sometimes being jobless is amazing!

8. I do what I want – It’s as simple as that. I don’t have professor meetings to attend. I don’t have extra-curriculars to worry about. I don’t have some set schedule every day of the week. I can wake up when I want. I can go to bed when I want. I can do what I want. I can plan the future that I want. I have one person to really focus on and that’s myself. And it’s great.

What do you love about being a post-grad?

We’re well into another new school year and to honor that, we at CollegeCandy are bringing back the fan-favorite series, “We’ve All Been There.”  (We tried to get another national holiday/long weekend for you guys but it’s way harder than we thought so this will have to do.) Every week, Lauren – University of Michigan will comment on the common experiences all college women share – like procrastinating or using the not-so-private bathrooms. Read, relate, cringe and enjoy.

It might be your roommate’s birthday, or your birthday, or just another Saturday night on campus. Either way, you are currently standing in front of your over-stuffed closet in a towel with wet hair dripping down your back. You’ve got your pre-party mix blasting from your laptop as you scan your closet for something to wear.

To the left is a pile of jeans. 13 pairs of jeans to be exact. Dark wash, light wash, skinnies, trousers, wide leg, bootcut. To the right hangs your shirts: long sleeve, short sleeve, camis, halters, all in every shade of the rainbow.

You put on some underwear and your sexy black going-out bra, pull out a pair of jeans and squeeze/lunge your booty into them. “No late night pizza,” you think to yourself as you suck in your belly to button them.

You pull a low-cut black shirt from the closet and put it on. You check yourself in the mirror. No good.

You grab a different shirt. Nope.

You pull a blue cami off the hanger and put it on. The bra doesn’t work with it, so you slip out of the cami, swap on a strapless bra and put it back on.  Now the jeans don’t work, so you kick them off and grab a lighter pair from the stack.

Blah. You hate the outfit. Maybe a dress will work.

You grab your new green dress from the closet and slip it on. You can see your underwear lines so you take them off and grab a thong. You like your reflection in the mirror – your boobs look good, the dress hides your post-midterms poundage and the color makes you look less pasty.

Only – crap – you don’t have any weather appropriate shoes to wear. At least not a pair that won’t kill your feet in an hour.

You take the dress off and throw it on the floor. “Leggings will work,” you think to yourself. You pull on a pair of black leggings and realize they are the ones with the whole in the butt. You kick them off and grab another pair. You rifle through your drawers throwing shirts on the floor as you attempt to find something long enough to pair with the pants.

Finally, standing in your room in a bra and a pair of leggings with all of your clothes piled around you on the floor you declare, “I have nothing to wear!” You pout, you throw things and you tell your roommates you aren’t going anywhere.

They come to your room – facing the same dilemma in their own closets – and sift through the wreckage.  Eventually, they will grab a few of your things to pair with their own jeans. “OMG, that looks so hot! That didn’t look that good on me!” You scream.

They bring you down a few tops of their own and you try them on. “That looks so good on you!” they exclaim. And soon everyone is dressed and happy. And an hour late for whatever it was you were getting dressed for in the first place.

—-

Yeah, we’ve all been in a full closet with nothing to wear. Isn’t that what having roommates is all about?

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.

This morning I was dangerously close to missing my train into NYC for my internship. So late, in fact, that I had to sprint from my car, up the stairs, and onto the train platform to hurl myself through the train doors about a second before they closed behind me, leaving me panting and sweating in front of a group of polished businessmen. (Always a good way to start the day.) It wasn’t because I had pressed snooze one too many times, or because I had lost track of time. No, I was late because of something much more important:

I was searching for the perfect outfit.

I wish I could say this was the first time my fashion situation put me well behind schedule, but that wouldn’t even be close to true. It’s more like it happens about once a week, and on at least two occasions per month I actually DO miss my train. And this is because when it comes to my internship, almost nothing is more important than wearing something cute. Yes, I get more stressed about what I’m wearing than I do about the actual work and reporting I have to do.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m serious about doing a good job at work. But honestly, if I don’t like my outfit, I am a LOT less motivated to be at my internship. It may sound slightly pathetic to some people, but looking good really is extremely important when you work in one of the fashion capitals of the world, and that’s even more true when you work in the magazine industry. Magazines are usually more casual than your typical office, which is a nice perk, but also opens you up to endless wardrobe possibilities. My office is particularly casual, with editors wearing anything from tight dresses and sky-high heels to jeans and a sweatshirt. And while those options are nice to have, who really wants to wear a sweatshirt to work in NYC? I don’t, especially when practically every girl I see walk by me on Sixth Avenue looks like they’ve just stepped out of the pages of Vogue.

Every day on the train ride home, I have good intentions for the next day: get home, go through my closet, and pick out a cute outfit for a stress-free morning. But then I get home, and my bed looks so comfy, and I decide it can wait. So every morning, it’s the same thing: I wake up just a little bit too late and then spend at least 45 minutes frantically ripping through my drawers and closet, trying on about 20 different outfits and hating everything I put on. Should I wear jeans and flats with a cute shirt, or is it more of a sundress and sweater day? Do I go a little bit bohemian, or should I try looking more professional? Do I feel like attempting heels, or will flip-flops cut it? Not to mention the fact that despite the growing pile of wrinkled and discarded clothes on my floor, I. HAVE. NOTHING. TO. WEAR.

Don’t think the stress ends when I finally do choose an outfit. Once I have something I like, I have to find the right bag, the cutest jewelry, and the perfect shoes. And once I’m in the office, I still can’t relax, hoping I look okay and wondering if that editor is staring at me in disgust, or if she wants to know where I got my top. Am I too casual? Too dressed up? Does it look like I’m trying too hard?!

It’s consuming, stressful and somewhat ridiculous, but being a lowly intern, what else do I have to look forward to? If I’m going to be filing and fetching coffee all day, I might as well look good doing it. That is assuming I actually pick out my outfit and make it to work at all….

Unless you have an amazing job where you can work in your PJs, you’re going to need to update your wardrobe with some real people clothes (that don’t permanently smell of pizza and beer, no matter how many times you wash them).

I, for example, currently own one pair of nice slacks and two dress shirts. And because of all that pizza and beer, they don’t exactly fit as well as they used to. Looks like it’s time to update my closest. But like most college students, I’m not exactly rolling in the dough and can’t exactly afford to buy an entire new wardrobe.

So as per usual when I need some real life advice, I sought out my go-to career hero, president of Hearst Magazine’s Cathie Black. With her work wardrobe guidelines, I’ve compiled a no-nonsense guide to work fashion, complete with tips to help you (and me!) navigate the world of appropriate work wear.

1. Dress for the occasion: Dressing well isn’t about having the most expensive outfit. It’s about knowing what the appropriate clothes are for your place of work, and wearing them with confidence. Obviously you’ll need to dress differently if you’re working in a law firm then if you’re working at a chic indie magazine. But no matter where you work, dress with confidence.

2. Cleavage: Save it for the nightclubs. Nobody at work needs to see your funbags. You can still feel sexy at work, without over-sexing yourself. Pair a form-fitting pencil skirt with a long-sleeve blouse. An outfit like this will still show off your curves, but is still work appropriate!

3. Perfume: Don’t overload potential employers or fellow employees with the Britney Spears Fantasy you bought on sale at Marshall’s. It smells like a baby prostitute. Instead, keep your fragrance simple and fresh or just use a lightly scented lotion.

4. Makeup: Like perfume, keep it fresh and simple. Unless you’re working in an industry that allows a work wardrobe to be a little more creative and free, keep your makeup to neutral colors. Go for the “You think I’m wearing no makeup but I really am” look. Don’t cake on the foundation or try to look like Avril with your eyeliner.

5. Don’t be afraid to use color: Neutrals are great and perfect for a work environment, but don’t be afraid to accessorize your work outfit with a pop of color. Find your power color, aka your color that makes you feel powerful and in charge. For me, it’s coral or an orange-red.

6. Shower. Seriously, shower. You don’t want to show up to work smelling of last night’s festivities or looking like Ke$ha on any given day.

When to splurge: There are certain work pieces every gal needs that should be of good quality, so they can last forever.

A nice blazer: This can be in basic black, grey, or any neutral color. The best part about this piece is you can wear the blazer both day or night. Wear it with slacks and a nice blouse for work, and then switch into a pair of skinny jeans and heels after work and you’re ready for happy hour!

Slacks: At some point or another, you will need to wear a nice pair of slacks. Having a few pairs in neutral colors and the perfect fit can last a long time.

Classic button down: The classic white button down is a work attire staple. Worn with slacks or a pencil skirt, this will make you look refined and professional. But work with skinny jeans and some chunky jewelry, you’ll be ready for some after work festivities.

Black pumps: I don’t know about you, but I’m not the most graceful girl when it comes to heels. I can typically wear a pair for about an hour before I have to take them off. There is no way I could last 9-5 in heels if they weren’t a 100% comfortable fit. So make sure you get a nice pair that is of good quality. Also, Dr. Scholl’s Heel Inserts For Her are a gift from the heavens.

When to save: There are certain closet pieces that you can spend the extra buck on and pieces where you can still shop for at the typical college girl’s favorite store, aka Forever 21.

Basic tees: American Apparel is one of my best friends. Despite its often awkward and super slutty advertisements, they have still mastered the construction of the most comfortable basic t-shirt ever in existence. There is no reason you should be stocking up on C&C basic t-shirts or camisoles for over $50 a pop.

For an even better price but still solid quality, stock up on tons of basic color tees and cardigans at Old Navy.

Work Skirts: H&M will be my homie once I finally get a job. At most of their stores they have a large career-conscious clothes section filled with tons of work skirts, suits, fancy camisoles and blouses. And you don’t have to sacrifice color or high-fashion just because you’re a working woman, as H&M has tons of bright colors in work appropriate cuts and styles.