[Every week 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, you don’t have to.

All you have to do is click on the goods and - boom - you can buy the entire ensemble. Yes, we know; there is a spot for her in heaven.]

The holidays are upon us, which means lots of fun excuses to get dressed up (and get drunk). But if you are going to make one pre-new years resolution this year it should be this (say it out loud with me): “I will NOT wear a little black dress to this years’ holiday parties.

There – don’t you feel better now?

What is with the black dress every year? There are so many options, especially this year! Options in ‘so bright you may need sunglasses to talk to me but I sure do stand out in a crowd’ colors. And the best part is? Unlike the celebs above, you don’t need to spend your life savings on a dress. We all know they get hot cider spilled on them at the party, anyways.

Need another reason to give up on black this year? How about the fact that you will finally be able to distinguish this year’s holiday photos from every other year you spent in the same drab dresses?! I knew you’d see the (bright) light.

And I am here to help. This week I bring you: Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Not Your Average Black Party Dress.

Read More »

We all look to magazines for our fashion sense and know-how, but what if we can’t afford all those styles in Elle and on the runway? College Candy understands your pain (because we also like to split our budget between cocktails and clothes) and we want to help you get the fabulous looks at a fraction of the price.

This winter jeweled clutches are all the rage. After Sex and the City, Fendi has become way more popular, but who can REALLY afford a small clutch for more than a grand? Here is cheaper version…on the left is the Fendi, on the right is a La Regale from Macy’s for a mere $39.00. Read More »

Bright colors are all the rage this summer, and there are certainly some rockin’ choices out there. The difficulty exists in walking the fine line between looking fabulous and looking like Bozo the Clown. Here are a few hot tips to get you started.

1. Accessorize.

If you’re feeling a little unsure about bolds, sneak them into your closet in ways that aren’t so obvious. Try a hot pair of purple crocodile-print shoes, an eye-catching tangerine handbag, or a long necklace made of turquoise rock pieces. You can cash in on summer trends while slowly building up your confidence with color. Genius!

2. Get classic pieces.

Buying a pair of lime-green skinny jeans might sound like fun, but think about your ratio of cost to use. Though bolds really shine in the summer, they can (and should!) be worn during other seasons as well. Rather than going all out on an embellished fuchsia tube top that you’ll probably wear a max of three times, you might be better off with something like this, which you can wear over and over again (including in the fall and winter with leggings). Read More »

You know those mornings. The ones when you and your girlfriends gather from your various places of shacking over lots of water and ibuprofen to remind each other of the hilarity that went down the night before. Amid all of the laughter (and reviewing of pictures….to jog your memory), you suddenly realize just what happened: the worst thing ever. And it was horrible. And it may or may not have been one of these:

5. A lost wallet and/or clutch. This is particularly disturbing because it is usually the first thing that hits you in the morning, well before you’ve had any time to nurse the hangover you earned. It feels very similar to being on a deserted island that smells strongly of vodka and lime. You are cell-less, cutting off contact with the outside world. With credit card whereabouts unknown and no proof of identity, you are left defenseless against fraud. If you are underage, there is the heavy burden of finding a new fake i.d. The brand new lip gloss and powder from MAC that you inevitably JUST bought are gone forever. Worst of all, your dear, loyal, and perfectly fashionable clutch will never be wedged into your armpit for pictures or table dancing ever again. R.I.P. Limited edition Coach Python and Boucle clutch. You will be missed.

4. The guy you went home with. Okay, last night this guy was h-o-t! He was witty and charming and so attentive to your needs; not once did he let you have an empty glass! Whether you met him at the pre-party, the bar, or on the way home (never a good sign), this dude – who seemed like a great idea at the time – is now nothing more than a big (or worse, tiny) mistake. Often, this error in judgment will use trickery and promises of rides on his family’s yacht to get you home with him, but come morning all he can offer is a ride home…if you’re lucky. High-tail it out of there and head to the nearest health clinic to make sure all he has given you is a bad memory. Read More »

The Kid’s Choice Awards don’t really conjure up images of high fashion, and usually the celebrities use this time to dress like complete nuts (Rihanna and Jennifer Love Hewitt, I’m talking to you). But for a look that is summery and fun, Cameron Diaz nailed it on the head.

The dress’s print is interesting and unique without being too avant garde. I really love the cardigan, because it keeps the mini-ness of the dress from looking too trampy. The shoes and the purse just set the dress off perfectly.

Now, let’s look at the original cost of this look. The dress is Missoni, and similar dresses retail for about $2,000. The cardigan looks very similar to this Autumn Cashmere cardigan, which originally retailed for $144. The shoes are Christian Louboutin Patent d’Orsay wedges and they clock in at $645. Finally, that adorable little clutch looks pretty similar to this Hobo International Patent Clutch, which would set you back about $138. This brings our grand total to $2,927! A bit pricey for a little summer outfit.

So let’s break it all down and find these pieces in a price range you can afford. Read More »

As much as I love a great outfit, I’ve never really loved the process of shopping. Especially living in New Jersey, shopping can be a tedious day of avoiding teenybopper mallrats, parking lot rage, and bad dressing room lighting.

It seems though, despite my lack of love for the sport of shopping, somewhere along the line, I have become a bag lady.

After reading that the average woman owns 111 bags in her lifetime, I decided to survey my own collection. And for someone that’s not crazy about shopping, I have a crazy collection of purses.

I currently have 37 bags in my possession. From clutches to oversize totes, bright red to basic black, I can pay off a good chunk of my student loans if I opened up a used bag boutique.

Out of the 37, I only regularly wear a handful and have never even touched a few of them after buying them. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t own any fancy (read: hideous) designer bags; most of my totes come from H&M and flea markets. My current favorite, a bright red leather oversize bag was gleefully excavated from a table full of bags at a Pennsylvania flea market. For $2.50. Seriously. I carry a purse that costs less than a Happy Meal. Read More »

Confession: I have a closet at home that is filled with handbags, and handbags only. Not a drawer in my dresser, not the top shelf in my coat closet—an entire closet, filled with bags.Now, when I say that my closet is filled with bags, I’m not referring to those envelope-sized purses flaunting a designer logo that spoiled teenagers sport with hideous velour sweatsuits.

I’m a fan of big, shapeless, and most importantly, cheap totes. Let’s face it—a typical college student’s wallet is a lot chummier with the letters H&M than with D&G. With my budget, splurging means hitting up smartbargains.com for a discounted leather hobo from Liz Claiborne.

But the New York Post’s roundup of fall’s hottest bags is having my peek at my savings account to see what, if anything, I can afford. Sure, their absurd idea of a “mid-range” bag ($500-$1000) bemuses me, but if loving them is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.

My favorites:

Isabella Fiore “Let Go My Deco” Satchel

What’s hotter with a chic all-black outfit than red pumps? A red patent bag! This shiny satchel is eye-catching and functional, with side pockets for easy access to your cell phone and iPod. Pick it up at Saks Fifth Avenue for $625. Read More »