Ever since the beginning of Gossip Girl (pre and post threesome) and the sensational style of Blair Waldorf, hair flair has rocked the fashion world. What is hair flair, you ask? Um…only the most vital/amazing/and necessary accessory any woman can own, obvi.

Hair flair can transform an entire outfit and conceal your unwashed hair on days when you just don’t have time to shower (i.e. after a particularly long Tiki Tuesday). More importantly, unlike those expensive skinny jeans you picked up at the Nordstrom half-yearly sale, hair flair will always fit regardless of those holiday pounds, the freshmen fifteen, or the beer belly you’ve been sporting since football season (curse you keg stands and beer pong).

Well, if you want the same accessories as the Upper East Siders but don’t have the same cash monay, don’t worry.  Here is a thrifty way to get the fabulous look without paying the big bucks. And if this particular style isn’t for you, something is wrong with you we’ve got another awesome DIY hair flair project you can do instead.

What You’ll Need:

Stretchy headbands/headwraps: You probably have one of these lying around, but if not, these are super cheap and you can pick them up at drug stores like CVS, Long’s, Duane Read or at any beauty store. My favorite brand to use is Scunci No Slip-Hair Grips because they come in packs of 4, are comfortable, and easy to decorate. Use a black headwrap to keep it classy or a bolder color to add some extra pop.

Fabric: A foot or two of any type of cloth fabric in any color/design you want! Most craft stores sell fabric squares meant for quilting, which are perfect for creating your hair flair, as your fabric needs to be cut in a square shape before you begin. Bonus: Many craft stores (Michael’s or JoAnn’s) have tons of leftover fabric scraps that you can get for super cheap. Just ask one of those ladies with the scissors! Read More »

We all know that painting the walls in your dorm room is a giant no-no. Hell, you can’t even hammer a nail into those things! But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for some BS Animal House poster for your wall decor; there is another way to show off your creativity and create a space that is both cool and easy to remove at the end of the year so you can get your security deposit back. Because that is a lot of money.

Enter: Paint Chip Art.

Paint chips – or paint samples, rather – are those little cards you can pick up from your neighborhood hardware/paint store. They’re out there for the taking so people can test out colors at home. But they’re good for more than just sampling colors; these free color palettes are perfect for decorating on a college budget.

I stumbled upon this eco-friendly decorating idea during class on Greenwala.com and was immediately inspired. I have big plans for the weekend (starting with a very important trip to Home Depot) and thought I’d share some of this inspiration with you. Decorating has never been easier! Read More »

Yeah, that's right. This cork board makes people want to party.

A dorm isn’t a dorm without the staple brown cork board on the wall. You post reminders of exams, pictures of your friends, phone numbers (of that hottie you just met!), and other important info on your life.

Problem is that the ugly brown cork board is a little bored. I know it doesn’t match the rest of your gorgeous room decor, so here is an easy and creative way to transform that ugly board into an artistic and functional piece of wall decor.

What You’ll Need:
*2 Sets of Cork Tiles: You can find these at Wal-mart, Target, or any office supply store. They usually come in sets of 4. You can make your cork piece as big as you want, but I usually use 8 tiles (so, 2 sets).
*Spray Paint: Use any color you want. The spray paint will be for the background color of your piece.
*Art Paint: Again, choose any colors you want. This paint will add accent colors and design on the cork tiles after they are spray painted. Skip this step if you prefer to have a plain color cork piece!
*Ribbon: Use any color/design you want. Just make sure the color of the ribbon goes well with the paint colors.
*Small paint brushes Read More »

So your dorm room currently sucks. As in, the paint is peeling off the walls, the bed springs squeak every time you turn (and that’s when you’re alone…), and the whole space smells like the house of that notorious old lady with a gazillion cats.

Ok, so we can’t fix those problems (try calling the R.A.), but we can make your room a little bit prettier and a lot bit more comfy! And all for next to nothing.

Your dorm room should be a much cooler home away from home; a safe sanctuary where you can study, play, and relax. A place where people can walk in, tell you how awesome it looks, then lounge on the floor eating cookie dough and talking about the other girls down the hall. And now you can have all that and more with our awesome find in Gonzalez and Smith’s book, Dorm Décor: The Zebra Felt Rug!

Materials:
Zebra rug template (download here)
2 yards (72″ wide) black felt
2 yards (72″ wide) orange felt
4 yards (72″ wide) cream felt
6′ x 2′ piece of 2″ grid pattern paper
Carbon paper and tracing wheel
Pencil
Scissors
Fabric Glue Read More »

A few weeks ago, I packed up everything I own into a compact yellow truck and drove halfway across the country to unload it all and dump it in a new place. I started fantasizing about decorating ideas for my new pad long before I got here (like on the million-hour drive), and one of the things I was most into was vinyl wall art. It’s unique, it’s removable and it’s just pretty damn sweet, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want a a pretty peacock, an intimidating toilet seat (on Etsy, of course), or some gorgeous bamboo trees adorning their walls.

But at $30-$150+ a pop, all I could afford were sad little 6″ tall animals, and I wasn’t about to shell out a bundle for something I was pretty sure I could do myself.

Turns out I could! And it’s even easier and cheaper than I thought. These wall-art companies must be fleecing people! Stop them by doing it all yourself.

Here’s what you need:
- Scissors
- Clear tape (optional)
- A marker
- Self-adhesive vinyl ConTact paper (Note: This is cheap and available by the yard in a variety of colors at almost all hardware stores.) Read More »

College just isn’t college without those ubiquitous signs around campus: Party this Friday! Clothes optional. B.Y.O.B!

Now, while we at CollegeCandy don’t condone walking to a campus party in the buff, we do fully support B.Y.O.B-ing. And we can help you do it in style. Now you can bring your own beer in our cute Six Pack Caddy! Sure, you could just lug it over in the Natty Light box it came in, but that’s not cute. Or classy. And we’re all about the classy.

Not a drinker? No prob. This little guy does double duty. You can use it as a pencil holder, condiment pack, or even store all those hair clips and bands in it. Then you can use that money you saved for something you can’t make, like those cute wedges you’ve been eyeing all summer.

Materials:

- Empty cardboard six-pack box
- Decorative paper (wallpaper or gift wrapping paper)
- Glitter, feathers, sequins, pipe cleaners, colored pom-pom balls
- Glue or tape
- Scissors Read More »

[Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. These things are easy, fun and a great way to save some serious cashola.]

So, based on my DIY crafting history, it is obvious that I have a lot of t-shirts lying around. A lot. I just can’t part with stuff that has so much history. And these t-shirts are all souvenirs from really big moments in my life (except the free credit card tees I get on the way to class – I’m not sure why I haven’t gotten rid of those ones yet…)

I’ve been lugging some of these shirts (like the one from my high school senior-all-night-party) around for 3+ years and I recently realized it was time to put them on display like they deserve. Which is why I’ve started turning them into things I actually use. Like an awesome shop-till-you-drop tote bag. Or an adorable throw pillow for your bed or couch.

This little project frees up space in your closet, adds some cute comfort to your bedroom/living room, and allows you to display those important memories (without risk of getting really crusty/yellow armpits). Yes, the DIY T-Shirt Pillow is a total win/win.

Materials:
1 Old t-shirt
Throw pillow sans cover, or pillow stuffing (found at craft stores)
Needle and thread or sewing machine Read More »

[Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. These things are easy, fun and a great way to save some serious cashola.]

Everyone has an old t-shirt (or 40) lying around in the back of their closet that has no chance of being worn again. Not that any of us will ever get rid of them; they have sentimental value! But they are also taking up some much-needed space that would be better utilized for all the new maxi dresses we’ve been eying.

Instead of stacking them in drawers, why not turn them into something useful (and cute) and help protect the environment in the process? Turn that retro t-shirt into a recycled tote bag that can be used for the gym, school, or just walking on the streets! Stop wasting plastic shopping bags (which are typically used less than 30 minutes and only 1 % are recycled) and do your shopping in nostalgic style. Read More »

[Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. These things are easy, fun and a great way to save some serious cashola.]

For all you organized chicas like me out there, you understand the importance of a bulletin board. You can put up papers and important notes before they get lost in the shuffle on your desk. You can hang your keys on them. Heck, you can plaster them with pictures and have a make-shift frame!

The problem is, bulletin boards are either ugly or look like something out of a 3rd grade classroom. You don’t want that stuff hanging in your perfectly decorated dorm room!

Solution: the wine cork bulletin board. It’s chic, it’s cute, and it’s easy to make with all those wine corks you college girls most definitely have lying around. If not, pop a few bottles and get crafty! Whoever said being a wino wasn’t productive?

Ingredients:
A backed frame/a piece of wood cut to the desired size and shape
Enough corks (lying on their side) to fit in this frame
Carpenter’s glue
Push pins
Perhaps another glass of wine to keep with the theme….. Read More »

The summer season is here, and that means the season of sandals! But are you tired of wearing the same Old Navy flip-flops that everyone else has, or are your Rainbows almost worn out to the point of nonexistence? If you have a shoe addiction like I do, these homemade sandals will add a whole new dimension to your shoe closet. And with these homemade kicks, you will never have a shoe twin again.

Huaraches are traditional Mexican sandals or flip-flops made with woven leather straps and rubber soles. They became extremely popular due to their reputation as being long-lasting, comfortable, and inexpensive to make. Oh, and someone in the fashion world decided they’d be cool again. Either way, you don’t have to spend money on a shoe that everyone else will inevitably have – you can make a pair of the originals yourself!

Materials:
Rubber sole material, about 5mm thick
Very long strips of leather (as thick or thin as you want them).
Scissors
A hole puncher Read More »