Boyfriend blazers have been around for several seasons, meaning you probably have one in your closet by now. Like another wardrobe staple, the white oxford shirt, a boyfriend blazer can be worn with anything for any occasion – they can even be worn together! When the temperature starts dropping and you start bracing yourself for a season of thick sweaters and thicker sweatpants, the boyfriend blazer will be your new BFF, allowing you to wear all your favorite things in new and warmer ways.

Learning how to layer under your boyfriend blazer is an important skill for the winter but one that will pay off until the snow starts to thaw in May. I’ve got three fabulous options that require nothing more than some creativity and all the clothes you’ve already got in your closet. With this, there’s no excuse for that shapeless winter wear, ladies!

(Note: Almost any style of blazer will substitute in for these outfits- I just happen to be a huge fan of the boyfriend style as it has a looser fit.)

Outfit 1:

The DL: Blazer, Shirt, Skirt, Tights, Flats.

One of the best things about a blazer is that it can easily make just about anything look more polished. For a versatile look that works day or night, weekday or weekend, fall or winter (or spring and summer if you take out the tights!), take a pretty mini-skirt and a long sleeve button up top (patterned or solid will work). Cute on its own? You betcha, but even cuter when you put the blazer on top and layer on some opaque tights for extra warmth. A pair of flats or boots are the last piece for this simple look that you’ve built out of items you’ve already paid for. Boom.

Outfit 2:

The DL: Blazer, Tee, Long Sleeve, Jeans, Boots, Hat.

Want to wear your favorite graphic tee but don’t want to get all sloppy with that generic tee/hoodie combo? Enter: the blazer. Making that simple swap takes your layered look from “meh” to “magnefique” in two seconds flat. If you need even more toastiness, put a long sleeve shirt underneath your graphic tee and add a cute hat over top. If hats aren’t your thing, a scarf is another cold weather accessory that will do double duty keeping you warm and looking cute.

Outfit 3:

The DL: Blazer, Dress, Tights, Pumps, Ring.

Short party dress + tights + blazer = win. You’ll look hot and get to wear all your favorite sexy dresses without freezing your buns off. Just throw on your favorite black pumps and accessories (I went for a statement ring, but a stack of sparkly bangles with the sleeves on your blazer rolled up will also look HOT) and hit the town in high style.

Find out other ways to re-work what you’ve already got stuffed in that closet of yours.

One of the biggest fashion trends for the 2010-2011 fall/winter season is velvet.  The ultra-soft fabric looks and feels luxurious, so it’s great for holiday parties.  It’s also warm, making it perfect for cold weather.

Just because velvet seems luxe doesn’t mean it has to be pricey, however.  For under $20, you can add any one of these great velvet pieces to your wardrobe this holiday season!

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Here at CollegeCandy, we’ve sort of been obsessed with sequins lately.  And why shouldn’t we be?  Sequins are fun, glam, and, depending on what you style them with, you can rock them day or night.  And while designer sequined clothing can get pretty expensive, these pieces are all under $20!

This mini dress looks super comfortable, but  jewel-toned color and sequined stripes make it dressy and stylish.  You’ll wear it all year long–with tights and a coat in the colder months, and bare-legged with sandals in the summer!  And the best part?  It’s only $15.99!

Shoes can make or break any outfit–so make sure you have cute ones!  These silver sparklers will go with practically everything in your closet, making them more than worth the $12.99 you’ll spend on them!

Pulling on a sequined mini skirt instead of your go-to jeans is a great way to shake up your usual going-out look.  And this one is super cheap–only $13.98!

Another alternative to jeans for a nighttime look, these shorts are definitely attention-grabbing!  They’d look especially hot paired with a sexy white top (see this cover of Glamour for proof).

Basic black?  Not this top!  At just under $20, this tank top will look great under a blazer for day or with your favorite jeans at night!

This sequined scarf is a great statement piece for nearly any outfit: with a t-shirt or sweater for a casual look, with a tank under a blazer for work, or with a mini dress at night!  It comes in gold, silver, and black, and it’s just $19.90.

This sparkly vest is on sale for only $13.99, but it’s glam enough to to dress up even the most boring t-shirt and jeans look, with virtually zero effort!

So you’re going out tonight, but just the thought of wearing your favorite halter top in the cold nighttime temperatures make you shiver.  Easy solution: a sequined cardigan like this one.  You still have enough sparkle to look dressed up, but you’ll be warm and comfy all night long!

[Welcome to Celebrity Chic on the Cheap, where 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 (even a lazy Saturday outfit), you don’t have to. All you have to do is click on the goods and - boom - you can buy the entire look. For cheap. Yes, we know - there is a spot for her in heaven.]

I don’t care for Katy Perry that much. I only like every other single that she releases, I think her taste in men is beyond questionable, and I thought it was highly ridiculous to claim that as a Christian, she was highly offended by Lady Gaga.

Yet, I cannot deny that I am completely fascinated by her style. She’s fearless, experimental, and not afraid to switch things up. She’s the only (non-Gaga) woman I can think of who is as comfortable wearing a bra made of cupcakes as she is dressed down and looking like Zooey Deschanel’s doppelganger. And I love that.

You know what else I love? This stunning polka dot number Katy recently sported on a stroll through London town. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

Dress, Brooch, Heels, Belt

I adore this look because I am completely infatuated with nearly any ensemble that could be construed as “vintage,” and a polka dot dress totally falls into that category. Dresses are my favorite item of clothing – they make you look polished and style-conscious, even if you just rolled out of bed 5 minutes and a Gatorade swish ago. A belt breaks up the pattern a bit and accentuates your waist. I absolutely love, love, LOVE the red brooch – it adds a bold flash of color and draws attention to the flirtatious-but-demure scoopneck of the dress. Heels add that extra bit of ferocity, but flats are just as acceptable., and if you’re in one of those lucky places where early September actually equals cooler weather, throw on a black, red, or white cardigan and you’re good to go!

Of course there’s always the military-style pea coat option, but I’m looking to update my actual outfits with some trendy new pieces for fall. Which is why the D’armee Dress from Anthropologie is absolutely perfect.

I have yet to come across another piece that is able to totally channel the military trend while still being utterly feminine with adorable detailing a flirty shape.

The army green keeps with the army-fatigues theme, as does the tough zipper hardware that runs down the front of the dress and the double-breasted pockets with brushed gold buttons. These strong elements are balanced out with endearingly feminine details. I am in love with the ruched sleeves, tabbed shoulders, the pleated skirt, and the cinched waist which perfectly accents an hourglass figure.

Plus, layering cami’s underneath can totally change up the vibe of the dress. Adding a floral print tank will play up the feminine details of the dress and create a perfect day ensemble with tights and flats. For night, adding a black lace cami and lowering the zipper will make it sexy enough for bar-attire. And belting the dress with a brown leather belt, adding a neutral cami underneath and slipping on some worn-in leather boots will have you totally rocking the rugged, military trend that is so hot for fall.

Thank you Anthropologie…I can always count on you to put a romantic, feminine twist on the newest trends. Now I just need you to have a massive sale so that I can bring home this dress without sacrificing my happy hour (hey, once I buy this dress I need to be able to show it off….).

Ah green. The color of trees. And money.
And really, really cute clothes.

Everywhere I turn there they are, just staring me in the face. The clothes and accessories come in every shade and every style. From mini-dresses to bags, kelly green to army green to sage green, feminine to boyish – green is everywhere and green is cute. And now, green is cheap!

Green is also a great transitional color that complements your gorgeous summer coloring now and works well into the dreary days of Fall. Who doesn’t love a green lightweight sweater-dress with tan flat sandals now and paired with chestnut boots later? No one with good style, that’s who.

So here are some of my favorite budget friendly green pieces for you!

Top Row, Left to Right: Zipper Dress – Lulus.com, $34; Lock and Key Necklace – Lulus.com, $16; Open Back Dress – Lulus.com, $38; Belted Dress – Forever 21, $16.90; Shoulder Bag – Forever 21, $26.80;
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Purse – Urban Outfitters, $68; Beaded Top – Lulus.com, $29; Skinny Cargo Pants – Express, $59.90; Pocket Dress – Target, $24.99; Boat Neck Sweater Dress – Old Navy, $34.50

Who or what inspires your style? Many of us use actresses (like Sanoe Lake or Lisa Bonet) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists.

Which we don’t have.

And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you!

If you haven’t seen The Virgin Suicides, go see it! RIGHT NOW!  Directed by Sofia Coppola, another style icon, you can see how the 5 Lisbon sisters’ lives unfold in this dreamy and mysterious story (so mysterious, it almost seems true).  Originally based on the book by Jeffery Eugenides, the story is set in the 1970s in a town about 15 minutes away from where I live.

All of the sisters live in the kind of home where it’s a huge deal if they can actually be allowed to go to their Homecoming dance.  If these girls are late for curfew, they’re pulled out of school and under house arrest (unlike me where when I’m late for curfew my parents just…go back to sleep). Yeah, it’s not easy being a Lisbon sister. But despite  the strict dictators watching their back, the sisters manage to create their own distinct identities and styles, Lux especially.

Lux stands out not because she’s the most rebellious of the sisters, but because she’s a little more flirty in the way she dresses.  Her goal is to make those teen boys melt like a popsicle without doing anything more than showing a little shoulder or sunbathing in the front yard. I love Lux’s style because it’s romantic and simple, with a slight nod to the ’70s. On her it wasn’t vintage – because, duh, her story was set in the ’70s – but for me in 2010, Lux’s style is the perfect mix of light and vintage for the summer months. It’s dreamy and reminds me (as corny as this may sound) of sunshine, even though her life was the complete opposite of that.

Shoes, Dress, Bangle, Sunglasses

The most important thing to keep in mind when going for Lux’s style is romance. You want a dress with a little flirt in it; something flowy, flowery, soft. This dress is all three and allows you to show off a little skin but still look totally innocent. (The flowers on this dress are also eerily similar to those on Lux’s homecoming dress.)  I just love the modern style mixed with a vintage floral print that is spot on for summer.

The woven wedge sandals and gold aviators add to the 1970s feel without going overboard. And, lastly, the single gold bangle adds just enough je ne se quoi to the outfit to dress it up while maintaining a casual, “I just slipped this on” sorta feel. Put it all together and you’ve got a summer ‘fit that will make the boys swoon, just like the one and only Lux Lisbon.

Who or what inspires your style? Many of us use musicians (like Debbie Harry) or

Diablo Cody is one cool lady.  Not just because she has a wicked awesome tattoo on her arm of a pinup girl, the fact that she won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Juno, her previous profession of being a talented “clothing-remover,” or the fact that her name means “devil” in Spanish.  All of those help make her pretty neat, but there’s just something about her, something I can’t quite put my finger on, that oozes awesome.

And she wraps it all up perfectly in her uniquely fabulous look.

Diablo is pretty under the radar when it comes to her style, but I fell in love with it the first time I saw her being interviewed for Juno.  It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before; the innocent ’50s housewife meets the rock-and-roll dominatrix. She’s got the whole pin-up vibe going on, but still manages to look totally modern. It’s romantic yet somehow dark and edgy. Think animal prints and spikes meet polka dots and ruffles, then get married and live happily ever after.

It shouldn’t work, but it does.

I love Diablo’s mixing and matching and she’s inspired me to add a little of that to my own wardrobe. I may not have her tat or her Oscar, but with this outfit, at least I can have a bit of her style.

Dress, Shoes, Lipstick, Sunglasses, Earrings

The red-patterned dress is perfect for incorporating Diablo’s style. Not only is the pattern so her, but the design is a tangible representation of who she is as a fashionista. From the front it’s a classy sheath dress, but when you turn around – BAM! – not what you expected, eh?

Now, any normal girl would pair this dress with a basic pair of black pumps and call it a day, but it’s all about the edgy accessories in Diablo’s world. I love the studs and buckles on this shoe and I love even more that you can wear it with so many different options, from this dress to a simple pair of jeans and a leather jacket. Throw on some animal print sunglasses for a little unexpected pop of fun, the badass-yet-still-totally-girly earrings for some extra grunge and, of course, Diablo’s signature red lipstick for the sex appeal.

In the end you’ve got the perfect blend of girly and hardcore, innocence and sex. A look that, like Diablo Cody, just embodies cool.

You stylish little devil, you!

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2010/06/02/i-love-your-style-diablo-cody/feed/ 2 Cristina-Michigan State University Picture 2 Picture 1 http://collegecandy.com/2010/04/26/wardrobe-wish-list-sailor-button-dress/ http://collegecandy.com/2010/04/26/wardrobe-wish-list-sailor-button-dress/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:00:53 +0000 Brianna-Fordham University http://collegecandy.com/?p=59571 ]]>

I am in total freakin’ party mode right now. Not that I blame myself; actually, far from it. Instead I am rewarding myself for delaying Senioritis until the last 3 weeks of the year by downing bottles of wine with the girls on weeknights and stumbling into morning class with barhead and underye circles.

So obviously instead of getting my notes together for finals I’m just perusing the Internet for additions to my summer party dress lineup. The minute I grab my diploma, I’m strippin’ off that gown and hitting the clubs hard.

The first night will be a little black number, skyscraper heels, chunky jewelry. But the subsequent nights, I’d like to mix it up a bit. Enter The Sailor Button Dress from New Look.

I never really got into the whole nautical trend, but this dress is too tempting to resist. The vibrant red only pops even more with contrasting white stripes and the split detail is totally sexy, while till having a demure, girlish quality.

The cut couldn’t be any more flattering with a cinched waist and forgiving pleated skirt. And the nautical style embossed buttons draw the attention up to your shoulders having a totally slimming effect. Added bonus? It has one of my favorite features in a dress: pockets. Giving a comfortable, laid back vibe to an otherwise sophisticated and refined mini. I can already seem myself out on the town, one hand in a pocket, the other daintily holding a martini (or making a beer pong shot…either way).

And of course it meets my strict, wearable rule. Ankle strap heels, some mismatched bangles and a bare neckline make it nightlife ready. Then the next morning you can slip out of bed, throw on a white linen blazer and some flip flops for brunch. Not to mention that when fall weather hits a pair of black tights and a leather jacket will carry it through the season.

I’m hittin’ the town sailor style…
Bon Voyage ladies!