As a DIY enthusiast, I am huge lover of all things fashion. One of the (many) reasons I love fashion is because it’s inherently a never ending Do-It-Yourself project. And one of the reasons I love DIY is because I can take all the expensive things I see on the runways and make ‘em myself on the cheap.

It’s a little circle of love up in here.

Fashion, at it’s core, is all about constant recreation and re-invention. It’s a continuously evolving way to recreate wearable arts & crafts. Yes, many trends are timeless and never go out of style (I see you, Little Black Dress), but most trends are just re-thought styles of the past.

And right now everyone is re-thinking and re-styling 80s trends and glam rock. Neon is everywhere; you can’t go anywhere without seeing leather leggings; embellished boots have made a kick-ass comeback; and my ultimate favorite, embellished Michael Jackson inspired t-shirts, can make any girl feel like a smooth criminal (OK, so not actually a criminal, but they will make you feel pretty bad ass).

And you can make those bad ass shirts all by yourself! Here’s an easy and money-savvy way to rock the MJ inspired look without breaking the bank! Read More »

If you’re anything like me, you’re a crafty college girl who may or may not have an addiction to jewelry. You also may be a Disney fiend who reads too many gossip magazines…

Okay, so even if you’re not like me, you probably still have lots of necklaces and earrings lying around (what girl doesn’t love her some jewels?). And you probably have NO place to store them.

I don’t know about you, but I refuse to stuff away my nice necklaces in a jewelry box where they’ll end up tangled and tarnished and I don’t have space on my crowded mess of a desk for anything better. Not that I could afford a fancy jewelry box anyway; I’m a broke college girl with zero cashmoney living the dollar-a-slice lifestyle.

I decided to get a little creative (on the cheap) and come up with a way do store my jewelry and add some personal pizazz to my stark white walls. This on-the-wall jewelry hanger is a creative and easy way to store and display your jewelry. Plus, you’ll spend less time detangling your favorite necklaces and more time actually wearing them! Read More »

Let’s be honest: we college girls do most of our drinking out of red plastic cups. It might get the job done (and it’s usually free), but it’s far from classy. And sometimes we all need to be a little classy.

If you’re looking to add some class to your weekly routine, consider having the girls over for some wine and cheese. And add a little something special with these adorable, unique and classy wine glass rings!

While they aren’t a necessary addition to a wine glass (because wine is the only necessary addition, am I right?), I really love the extra fun these rings bring to the table. They are super classy and elegant, and they definitely look as if you bought them at Pier 1.

Plus, you can put them on anything. Since I don’t drink, I hang mine on the handles of my coffee mugs, but you can also clip them to kitchen-cabinet handles, keychains . . . the list goes on.

Each ring takes about five minutes to make, and it will only cost you about $5 in supplies to make a bundle of ‘em. Read More »

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 »

It’s not always easy to make a college dorm room all your own with the standard res hall-issued furniture you’ve got in there. Sure, you can stack it up all nice and hang some fun pictures on the wall, but sometimes you want something a little different and cool to complete your pad.

Like a fun table, perhaps?

This awesome Bottle Cap Table is easy to make and will score you some major cool points from your friends, neighbors and maybe even your R.A. (as long as you don’t let him see you “collecting” bottle caps in your dry dorm). Plus, actually making the table is a party on its own: “Hey, let’s get a 12-pack of Miller Light. I have a craft project to do!”

What You’ll Need:
- Bottle caps
- Table
- Super glue (if the glue isn’t sticking well with the table, try contact cement)
- Resin (ex. Envirotex Lite)
- Masking Tape
- Aluminum foil
- Duct tape 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 »

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 »