…or Hanukkah.
…or Kwanzaa.
…or Festivus.
…or just because.

Yes, it’s holiday season, which means it’s time to print out that list of wants you’ve been keeping all year and hand it over to mama so she can make all your dreams come true. We all know this time of year should be all about the giving, but we can admit that getting feels really freaking awesome, too. And with all the giving you’ll be doing, you deserve to get some great stuff in return!

Since I’ve been working my ass off and totally neglecting my every shopping desire to save some serious cash this year, there are about a billion things I want for the holidays. Like this dress from Alloy (wouldn’t it be adorbs for NYE??), or any of Ashley Watson’s brilliant recycled leather handbags, or even a lame gift card to iTunes! (I’m so cheap I’ve been listening to Miley on YouTube all year…) Yeah, I want it all. And I know I’m not the only one…

This week I asked the CollegeCandy writers to share their #1 wish this year. Perhaps this will inspire any friends/boyfriends out there still looking for gifts for the special people in your life. Or maybe the writers can just send this along to their parents as a little nudge in the right direction.

Now you tell us – what’s #1 on your list? Read More »

While hoodies don’t exactly have a rep for being fashionable, every girl has a few in her closet. They are pretty much THE staple in every college wardrobe since they are comfy, warm, and easily slip on over whatever you wore to bed last night. Even hardcore fashionistas have lazy days!

Since you most definitely have one (or 6) zip-ups in your closet, I’ll give you a few different ways to wear them so you look more casual cute and less “Holy sh*t I just woke up in my boyfriend’s room and I’m 20 minutes late for class so I’ll just borrow his clothes and run out of the door.”

Contrary to popular belief, that is not cute. Read More »

Love fashion magazines but hate the fact that you can never afford anything in them on that college budget? We feel ya, sister. The CollegeCandy office is filled to the brim with stacks and stacks of magazines that we can’t get enough of…even if they are as close as we will ever get to the Diane Von Furstenberg dresses we covet.

Lucky for all of us, Lucky magazine, only the best magazine for shopping (or drooling if you are anything like us), heard our cries. And you are going to L-O-V-E this.

With the help of dozens and dozens of fashion icons, Lucky is hosting their annual Lucky Shops event on November 7th and 8th. No more flipping through hundreds of pages thinking, “OMG! I wish I could afford that!” Now you can.

Entrance to the event is for ticketed ladies only, but Lucky is giving two very lucky (pun intended) CollegeCandy readers tickets for FREE.

First prize winner will receive 1 pair of tickets to the first day of the event November 7th (value $130). Second prize winner will receive 1 pair of tickets to the second day of the event, November 8th (value $40).

Hell yeah.

How do you become one of those readers? All you have to do is head over to the Lucky Shops site, answer the following questions correctly and you will be heading to shopping heaven.

Submit your answers to Lauren@CollegeCandy.com by October 1st. We’ll let you know if you win by October 15th. Simple as that. Read More »

This past Saturday night was just like any other: I got dolled up in cute jeans and sky high stilettos and made my way out to the bar with friends. We circled the bar drinks in hand, danced, sang, and collectively winced in pain as our super-sexy shoes grew more and more uncomfortable.

When the lights came on at the end of the night we waddled out as our feet wailed and kicked our shoes off as soon as our butts hit the frozen leather seats of my Volkswagen Jetta.

“Oh my God,” my friend cooed, stretching out her visibly red and blistered toes. “That feels amazing.” When I dropped her off at home, she walked from the car to her front door barefoot, despite the snow on the ground.

I did the same and spent the following morning – as I often spend Sunday mornings – nursing my ailing feet with a hot bath and lots of Band-Aids.

My mother called me mid-way through my foot therapy and commiserated with my pain. And then gave me the best advice I have ever received:

“Get some Cole Haan pumps.” Read More »