Do you ever wonder what he really thinks about the stuff you wear? Like after you spend hours in front of your mirror trying to find the perfect outfit to impress him, do you wonder if he cares? I’ve found that a lot of the stuff I adore, attempt, or appraise as high fashion – most men just don’t notice.

Though my BF, bless his soul, tries dearly to understand why I’d want to bust my paycheck on the shoe equivalent of a medieval torture chamber, he, in all his Nike wearing glory, just doesn’t get it. [He humors me, but I'm pretty sure he can't tell a Louboutin from a Payless.] And really, when it comes down to it, don’t we put up with all that “Pain is Beauty” crap to attract guys? Are 5 inch stilettos necessary? Does he even notice?

So for every girl who’s ever wondered, I’ve comprised a panel of real guys willing to share their opinions:

The Guys:
The Boyfriend, Rutgers University - The average fashion-challenged college guy. Though he humors me with his attempts to understand the outfits I throw on, he can be extremely blunt.

Fashion Photographer, The Art Institute of Houston - Super metro. He works with models and clothes all the time so he’ll be more forgiving of some fashions, but he’s especially harsh when it comes to the styles he dislikes.

Premed, NYU - He’s funny and insightful, but he’s ultimately still a guy when it comes to women’s clothing.

Little brother, 12 - Okay so he’s not technically a college guy, but he has his fair share of opinions on what makes sense and what doesn’t. Plus, we all know how honest (read: mean!) kids can be.

The Look:
Everybody loves LuLu’s. College Candy loves LuLu’s. And now that they’re offering College Candy readers 15% off every purchase, we can’t help but love them more. It seems like nothing can dimish our love. Except, well…… this:

After finding this on LuLu’s usually fashion-forward website, I had to see what my guys thought.

The Boyfriend, Rutgers University - Are you kidding me? What’s that supposed to be? Where’s the crotch? That looks like a diaper, and it doesn’t help that it’s brown.

Photographer, The Art Institute of Houston - She looks like she’s hiding balls. Maybe she’s a he.

Premed, NYU - This is going to sound mean but… ever seen the back of a horse? Like, it’s rear end? LOL!

Little Brother, 12 - Those look like lederhosen, you know, the things with the straps that Scottish people wear.

** Correction: Lederhosen are worn by “Germanic men” and they look something like this:

Yeah, I guess I can see where he’s coming from.

While the Knickers seem pretty comfy (hey, no risk of a yeast infection), I don’t think I could ever do the whole MC Hammer thing. But if you have $53 to blow, you can purchase your own pair at LuLus.com. Don’t forget to use your discount!

What do you think of these Nifty Knickers? Would you wear them? Comment below, and while you’re at it – how do you like our new installment? Any honest guys out there willing to be a part of our panel?

Naturally, when I saw this J.Crew Garden Dress I needed to have it.

This is the kind of dress that works in almost every situation: date night, summer cookout, girls brunch, beach-front. With the right accessories, you can even take it edgy.

The Garden Dress is short and flirty, featuring an ultra-flattering fitted bust, and straight cut sillouhuette. The charm of the dress, however, comes from the raw-edged petals that adorn the bust line. If you’re a sucker for ruffles, then this dress is most definitely for you. Just pick your color – navy, papaya, shell, or white – and you have the perfect dress for what remains of summer ’09. Or, you know, get ‘em all for a little variety.

And, duh, you totally can!  J.Crew offers a 15% discount to college students when you bring in your student ID and shop in-store. Now that you know, run to your nearest J.Crew and grab this beauty and other preppy staples! 15% off means 15% more chinos with flamingos on them!

The only thing that would make today any better would be if today was Friday, and the last day of classes, and maybe if I had a hot date tonight. Okay, so today could be better, but this ice cream and coffee certainly aren’t hurting my mood. Honestly, anytime someone wants to give me free or discounted stuff I’m going to be incredibly happy.

In fact, my perfect day would revolve around freebies.  My perfect day would start with my Dunkin Donuts coffee and a free makeover at Sephora, where  they would send me away with a bag of free makeup and spa goodies. Then I’d swing over to Ihop for some free pancakes, served to me by the hottest waiter Ihop has to offer. You know what? Let’s just say Zac Efron will serve me my short stack. And he will be shirtless. I know shirtless isn’t the most sanitary condition for the food industry, but he’s just so damn pretty, I don’t even care.

On my way home from breakfast I’ll pass H&M who just happens to be having Free Wardrobe Day. I’ll swing in, stock up, and make it out in time for the iPhone raffle drawing at my local Apple store. I’ll win, of course.

My perfect day will also have the perfect weather. It will be warm and sunny, perfect for the new sundress I picked up at H&M. I’ll walk over to the park to enjoy the sunshine and figure out my new phone. Unfortunately, I’ll break the heel on on my new sandals (even perfect days have their bumps), but don’t worry – Jason Segel just happens to be in the park and sees that I’m in distress. He helps me hobble over to the closest shoe store. He says he knows the owner, and just like that, I score a new pair of free Jimmy Choos.

Me and Jason chat about what a great day I’m having. He tells me endearing celebrity stories and we bond over our mutual love of Muppets. Jason loves how positive and upbeat I am (thanks to my perfect day, of course) and asks me to dinner. We go to a fancy restaurant where Jason picks up the tab. He’ll take me home on the back of his Vespa, but my hair won’t get messed up.

Jason had such a great time that he gets my number. Inevitably we get married and become the next big Hollywood power couple. My new celebrity status gets me free swag all the time. I even make friends with Oprah who likes to buy me new cars every once in a while. “It’s too much,” I tell her, but I accept her gifts anyway because it makes her happy.

So my perfect day turned into a perfect life, and it all started with Iced Coffee Day. Get out there and enjoy your free stuff! Who knows? It could turn out better than you expected.

Being a poor college student sucks…except when other people notice and begin to cater directly to us and our needs. Like the student rate at the movie theater, or Apple’s sweet discount for college students.

Now take the excitement you feel when you get your movie ticket for $10 instead of $12 (wooohoooo!) and multiply that by the thousands of discounts you can get by joining my new favorite discount site just for students, StudentRate.com.

Did you pee your pants yet? (I’m sure they can get you a deal on some new ones!)

This fab new site allows college students to take full advantage of their school ID – all from the coziness of their own dorm rooms.  Even better? The user-friendly layout lets us search deals by category, location, “What’s Hot,” and by browsing keywords to see what pops up.  Of course, the site is free to join (what’s the point in saving money if you have to pay to do so?), so there’s really no reason NOT to take advantage.

Here are some of the best money-savers that I came across in my latest visit to the site:

For Class:

-Microsoft Office for only $59.95? (Where was this site when I was a freshman?) If, for whatever reason, you don’t have Office yet, now’s the time to buy.  True, many of us already have Word and Excel, but if your younger siblings are gearing up for high school graduation, you can wow your family buy buying him or her the package to go with the new laptop SOMEONE in your family is bound to give them.

-50% off E-Textbooks.   Not only does StudentRate have deals onsite, they provide links to other fabulous money saving URLs.  Take CourseSmart.com.  I stumbled upon it via SR, and discovered that you can browse textbook titles and save 50% by buy E-Text.  Pros? You save money, you save trees, and you don’t have to grow a hunchback from lugging 100 pounds of textbooks to each class.

For Health:

-EyeBuyDirect.com is offering a 10% off coupon for SR’s visitors.  Hey, with the price of contact lenses and glasses these days, that 10% can really make a difference.  AND you won’t have to squint to read your professor’s notes on the whiteboard.

-Dick’s Sporting Goods.  50% off select items when you print the coupon on StudentRate.com.  Buy yourself a new pair of running shoes, or a baseball mitt and make a game out of shaping up for the summer!

For Gifts:

-1-800-Flowers.  10% off your total order.  Hey, Mother’s Day is just around the corner!

-BlueFly.com.  There are a variety of discounts available to members only.  Bluefly is a great online shopping source for tons of designer labels.  So whether it’s your BFF’s 21st birthday, or you’ve decided to give yourself an early end-of-semester present, thank StudentRate for hooking you up!

StudentRate is still a fairly new site, so there’s no telling how far its prospects will reach.  They are currently set up to start offering entertainment, travel, and medical discounts to students, as well as regular shopping deals.  It can’t hurt to sign up – after all, if we all ban together, many more companies across the country will take note and start to offer us all discounted merchandise and services. Bring on the deals!

Ever since I was given a fistful of dollars and a ride to the mall to buy my own school clothes, I was a thrifty shopper. I liked the new stuff too, but once I discovered that, by looking in the right places, I could find better quality things for WAY less money, I was hooked, and thrift stores became my new shopping mall. Now, when I say thrift store, I don’t necessarily mean Goodwill or Salvation Army, though I have been known to find some killer stuff there too. (I happen to live in New York, and I’ve gotta say, people get rid of some top quality clothing.)

A step above that are second-hand stores like Buffalo Exchange and Beacon’s Closet; really excellent spots for finding top notch clothing at a fraction of its boutique price. The great thing about these places is that they have very high standards of quality, so you’re not going to find anything with rips, stains, holes, or anything else like that. The key is being able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Just because something has a designer label stitched into it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the genuine article. Here is what to look for in your quest for honest to god designer clothing.

The biggest indicator of designer work is quality of material. It seems simple, but it’s an oft-overlooked factor in the clothes hunt. A rule of thumb: if it feels cheap, it probably is cheap. If it seems thin, rough or coarse, that’s a big red flag. Designers use really lovely fabrics in all their work, so anything else is likely a fake. Pattern can also be helpful in catching counterfeits. If the fabric has a pattern on it, the pattern will line up at the seams, making one, uniform print all the way around. If you see a flower cut in half on a seam or something, I would think twice about buying it.

Stitching is a dead giveaway in knock-offs, especially in jeans. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fancy jeans. I really do. But I can’t spend upwards of $150 on a pair, so I have found all my most beloved denim in second hand stores. Fakes are not even worth the price of the boxes they are shipped in, in my opinion. In true designer wear, all the stitching will be tight, even and uniform. Turn the garment inside out and check the stitching there as well, where counterfeiters are less careful. Sloppy stitching will often overlap on itself, go crooked from time to time, or be unevenly spaced. I call fake!!

Look at detail work. Buttonholes are a good indicator of quality. If the stitching in a buttonhole is sloppy, and has strings sticking out, that ain’t designer. Same goes for hooks and eyes, snaps, anything like that. Designer work is often hand-finished, so everything will be clean and tight, just like the stitching.

Trying the garment on is important, because fit is crucial to all designers. If a seam twists anywhere, or there is any unusual puckering, chances are the garment was poorly made in a counterfeit factory somewhere. It’s possible that it was a designer factory reject, in which case you should check out some of the other factors, but generally speaking, designers do not let rejects into circulation. They have reputations to keep up, after all!

Tags do not a designer garment make. Come on, if you could sew in a Marc Jacobs tag, so could anybody else. If you have particular designers that you like, read up on them, so you know what their hallmarks are. MJ, for example, loves his hardware, so all buckles and buttons, etc., have a logo stamped into them. On his things, a plain button means a fake garment, pure and simple. Find out what your fave designers go for, and you’ll have some really helpful hints when you go hunting for them.

Believe me, I’ve accidentally bought enough baaaaaad knock-offs over the years to have learned my lesson well, but I’ve also cultivated a pretty awesome wardrobe at the same time. Come on, who doesn’t want Citizens of Humanity and Diane von Furstenberg draped on them all the time? If you’ve got the patience to sort through second-hand racks, it is SO worth the time and energy spent. So learn from my mistakes, and get shopping! It’s a recession out there people, and if there was ever a way to score some great stuff AND stimulate the economy, this is it!!

I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t like some of Miley Cyrus’ songs, or even guiltily thinking (to myself) last weekend that the preview for her movie looked cute and that maaaybe I would have to find a 9 year old girl to babysit so that I wouldn’t look like such a tool going to see it. (Hey, I know you all saw and loved the Lizzie McGuire Movie! No? Just Me? Okay then…)

But what I can proudly admit to you, dear readers, is my love affiar with this Theory dress that our gal pal is wearing. It’s simple, it’s flattering and it’s a dress-up or down type of frock.

But, as we all know, Theory’s prices don’t exactly fit in our college chic budgets. (Let’s be real for a moment: any extra money we have is going to Vodka Tonics/late night eats.) Thank god you guys have me, then. I found the perfect pieces to build this look without having to worry about your DVR services being cancelled (lest you miss an episode of Real Housewives).

So here is this week’s Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Miley Cyrus Has a Fashion Theory.

Dress:

Here are two options that look pretty similar Miley’s! Pair them with leggings and flats for the day, or a hot pair of pumps for night.

Accessorize

Feel free to try some necklaces like Miley, or a belt like Kelly Osbourne (Yes, that is her in the picture. I didn’t believe it either!):

Clutch:

You need a bag to carry all your essentials, but choose something simple that won’t detract from the perfect fabulosity of the look.

Shoes:

Retro heels for a new twist on the black pump, or comfy flats for a night of dancing. Either would look great with the dress.

I know I would love every minute of this hour long fashion show, but just like I know that sitting in front of Ghiradelli week after week without getting any ice cream would only lead to me to going nuts on their jumbo ice cream sundae one day (and gaining 10 lbs), I know for certain that I would soon give into these adorable and oh-so unaffordable GG styles leaving my college gal budget (which is already lacking any luster) in the negatives. I would literally become the girl who lived in her shoes (Christian Louboutin shoes, but shoes nonetheless).

So while I don’t watch the show, I do know that Taylor Momsen’s look is cute, and easy to achieve without breaking the bank. And – bonus-  you can take this look from day to night, and winter to spring!

XOXO, Celebirty Chic on The Cheap.

Black Bomber Jacket

This is a wardrobe essential: it’s cute for class, it’s cute for the bar… it’s just CUTE.

Hot Pink Scarf

If pink isn’t your color, this scarf comes in plenty of other colors to choose from and adds some punch to your ‘fit.

Grey V-Neck

You may have 8 billion college t-shirts and, therefore, think you couldn’t possibly need anymore, but a grey v-neck is a must-have. It allows you to look casual and cute all at the same time, unlike that “Drink Your Face Off” t-shirt you got for free at a pre-party last year.

Shiny Headband

American Apparel has a plethora of fabulous colors to choose from, including this bright teal. And – score! – headbands are great for those days when your bangs are not cooperating.

Earrings

Add a little pizazz to your jewelry collection with these simple yet totally marvelous studs. I recommend the white ones, but they wouldn’t show up!

Grey Dress

The best thing about this look is that you can totally rock it for a dressier occassion. Throw this gray dress on, top it with the leather bomber, add some tights, booties and a scarf, and you are good to go!

If you disagree with everything I just said, you probably don’t need this column. But if you’re nodding along because you’re officially an adult and still don’t know how to manage your money, then you might want to pay attention every week, because I’m going to (try to) get you through this, and make you a successful saver and a wise spender.]

Oh, crap. You just spent your holiday gift budget getting a little too happy at happy hour. You have less than three weeks to select, purchase, and wrap presents for your entire family and close circle of friends. Here are some ideas to keep you out of credit card debt (at least until March).

1. Photos

Classy portraits of yourself are a great, cheap gift for your family members, while buying cheap frames at the dollar store and stuffing them with the most memorable bar nights (that you obviously don’t remember) are great for friends.

If you’re going in the portrait-direction, see if you can hire a photography student to snap your photo for a small fee, and develop the pics in black and white for extra elegance. If you have siblings, go in on the cost of professional photography, and do family portraits. Sure, you’ll cringe every time you see the pics on your mother’s mantle, but on Christmas day, this sentimental gift is a guaranteed tear-jerker.

2. Free Gift Re-Gift.

Hey, we’re poor. Ain’t no shame in it. I recently got a gift bag at a party, and you can bet the eau de toillette I found inside will be unwrapped by my brother’s girlfriend this year. Besides, the holidays have gotten so commercialized that presents get increasingly more generic every year. So it’s totes easy to re-gift the Godiva chocolate assortment your roommate gave you to pretty much any member of your family that you forgot to buy a present for.

3. Do-it-Yourself Gifts

If it’s truly “the thought that counts,” then we’re in the clear for doling out cheesy, handmade gifts. Bake mass quantities of cookies and brownies and hand out platters to the girls on your floor; knit a scarf for your cousin and a blanket for your grandma. As a pseudo-artist, I can’t even tell you how many years I got away with calling paintings and pottery “presents.”

4. Your Achievements

An even easier direction is to recycle your schoolwork. In creative writing classes, I’ve written poems and non-fiction pieces about family members and gave them the original copies as gifts, complete with teacher’s raving comments. The first time I made straight A’s in college, I framed my grade report for my parents. My brother consistently gives my mom newspaper articles that feature his successful ass, and copies of awards he’s won (I hope my mom never expected diamonds and day-spas). The plus-side? If anyone dares call you cheap, you can argue that they don’t appreciate your many accomplishments. Who’s tacky, now, Aunt Fran?

5. School Shizz

Many universities have a special sale before the holidays, offering discounts at the bookstores so poor college kids can load up on university paraphernalia (and if your school doesn’t, you can always use your book buy-back cash!).

If the book store is still too expensive, give them the freebies you get: T-shirts from sporting events, mugs from signing up for credit cards, and whatever random crap you get when random campus organizations set up tables in the student union.

6. Work Perks.

If you can get anything at a discount price from work, that’s probably what all of your friends and family are getting for Christmas. The year I worked at Starbucks, my family got enough bags of coffee beans to keep them awake through 2045, plus a hosh posh of mugs that I got at a discount. If you work in retail, you’re golden.

Even if you do decide to take the traditional mall-route, see if any stores give student discounts to shoppers with ID. Hey, it can’t hurt. If anyone else has any suggestions on how to complete your holiday shopping without doubling your student debts, feel free to share!

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 black and white combo. Always a classic, always a trend, and always a sure fire winner. Case in point – Black or White – only one of the best MJ songs of all time (espesh the part with the kid yelling at his dad “Eat THIS!”)

It’s the easiest way to look cute without having to really try. Which is the only kind of cute to ever exist. And it’s the best way to make use of what you already have in your closet. In other words: it’s the perfect ensemble for that night when you truly feel that you have NOTHING to wear (even though I know you’re lying).

So this week I bring you: Celebrity Chic on the Cheap- Baby It Don’t Matter if You’re Black or White (or, in this case, both):

Cute (and cheap) black skirts.

These are great because you can do SO much with a black skirt: throw a black tank on and make it look like a dress with a colorful shoe; throw on a vintage tee, a hat and some motorcycle boots and you’re good for a walk around town; or follow the rest of the suggestions below and look oh-so-celebrity chic.

White tank.

A staple for every wardrobe. The edges on this one make it more unique than your average layering tank/beater.

Elastic Headband

While I think you have to be super confident if you want to rock it like Nicole Richie (otherwise risk looking ridiculous), you can always wear it the traditional headband way too for those days when your bangs just won’t cooperate.

Black shoe

If you don’t already have a pair by now (I’m pretty sure I’ve offered up a new black shoe just about EVERY week) these are a great option. Even though they are open toe, they will look pretty rockin with tights.

Cute Clutch

Not to quote Rachel Zoe TOO many times on this website, but, seriously, I Die over this bag. So fun, funky, and practically free. I’m in.

I know when I was 17, I spruced up my Kipling backpack by wearing a strand of Chanel Pearls… and by Chanel Pearls I obviously mean the totally real ones that I bought in China Town.

Don’t get me wrong; I do admire their fashion forwardness, but I totally resent that it’s not reality. However, this look on Ms. Blake Lively is totally attainable and totally cute.

Perhaps I should start watching?

Leather is huge this fall (along with purple, yellow, scarves, and everything else I’ve blogged about in this series) and it’s a great way to dress down a sexy black dress while also staying warm in all those super long bar lines.

So I bring you: Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Gossip Girl’s ‘Too Legit to Quit’ Style.

The Black Dress: You can get a great dress from Forever 21, obvi. This dress is HOT and better than HOT – it’s CHEAP. INEXPENSIVE. MUY INEXPENSIVO. Yes, I am still single.

The Leather Jacket- While still pricey at $128.00, it’s still a bargain for a cute leather jacket. If you aren’t feeling this one Urban has tons of other cute options. And a leather jacket is a GREAT fall piece; wear it out with this ensemble, or throw it on with skinny jeans and flats, or even a cute hoodie and sweats to class (you know, instead of that awful North Face Fleece that neeeeeds to be retired. Please. I am begging you).

The Purse: Different than the one Blake has above, but more suitable for a night out at the bar, this Croc Patent purse is Hot (with a capital “H”). And the best thing about patent leather? Spills… or vomit (ew) wipe off easy breezy instead of leaving a messy stain.

The Shoe: These shoes will make this look a bit more transitional for fall rather than the wrap sandals shown above. I would go with the Pewter or the black; they both go with everything.

Multi Chain Necklace: This final touch paired with the booties and motorcycle jacket will make that ‘fit “Too Legit To Quit” (Hey heeeeey).