Most guys we know stay up late dreaming of the day they might end up in a giant orgy with beautiful women. We, however, lie awake at night dreaming of a closet full of beautiful clothes. To the left, a wall of shoes. To the right, shelf upon shelf of delicately handcrafted bags organized by color and size.

Sigh.
We all have our fantasies.

Since guys can turn to the interwebs to get their daily fantasy fix, we thought you should, too! So, we’re bringing you some fashion porn. The best of the best in all things fashionable. Sure, it may be out of your price range, but it’s a fantasy, so live it up in all its delicious glory.

The perfect accessories can entirely make an outfit.  They can spice up a basic t-shirt and jean combo, or put the finishing touch on your hot going-out dress.  One of the most basic ways to accessorize an outfit (even that stuff that’s already in your closet!) is with a necklace.  A quirky necklace, worn with the simplest of outfits can be a conversation starter; a more glamorous necklace, can work to complete an otherwise unfinished look.

There are a bazillion options out there for necklaces, no matter how much moolah you have to shell out.  You could splurge and find the perfect signature piece to wear everyday, buy multiples to go with your multitude of outfits, or find that unique, one-of-a-kind necklace from Etsy.  Whatever you choose to do, there is a necklace (or many!) out there for everyone. Read More »

In case you needed another reason to love Etsy.com, here it comes. All good CollegeCandy readers know that Etsy is a genuinely awesome online marketplace, where artisans from all over peddle their own unique brand of wares, whatever they may be.

Not only do I love Etsy for the seemingly endless supply of lovingly crafted goods for sale – jewelry, clothing, photography, stuffed animals, frames, glasswares, knick-knacks, and on and on and on – but I love the creative kick in the pants I get every time I visit. I see an awesome silkscreened dress and my mind immediately starts perusing my closet for items I could adorn myself. I see jewelry made out of old piano keys, or skeleton keys, or medical skeletons, or anything, and suddenly the overflowing basement in my family home is brimming with possibility instead of junk!

The Storque, Etsy’s brilliant and multi-faceted DIY blog takes this burst of creative energy (which, for my scattered self, often fades in light of the overwhelming possibilities) and makes all things seem possible. Some of their most frequent topics are as follows:

Step-by-step projects:
A la CC’s DIY Tuesday, The Storque offers up clearly written, well-crafted project ideas of all shapes, sizes and ideas. Now that all my cousins seem to be having babies, I am going to test out this adooorable squishy donkey pattern, as a way to turn out simple, personalized baby gifts to all the new additions! There are tutorials on making your own stamps, gussying up your old clothes, and making your own lip balm – and everything in between!

General craft hints:
There are a fair number of pesky instructions or terms that you run across in the DIY world that you seem to be expected to know; those pivotal and oft-screwed-up creative steps. The Storque seeks to fill in those gaps so that nothing stands between you and artistic greatness! Some examples are lessons in how to correctly measure for clothing, to properly frame your artwork, and working your color wheel. Read More »

Here’s a question: How many things do you have lying around that you don’t use anymore? How many things do you have that you’ve never used?

I’m betting it’s more than you think. When you’re done reading this article, go take a peek in the back of your closet or the depths of your dresser drawers. It’s no secret: they’re filled with crap.

Everyone has junk they don’t need. One person’s trash might be another person’s treasure, but really, it’s probably just a piece of junk. So in honor of spring-cleaning time, here are some ideas for moving your junk out of your home and into someplace other than a landfill.

Thrift Stores:
Duh, we all know how awesome thrift stores are. If you have a few pieces in your closet that you don’t wear but can’t bear to part with, maybe you can give them the thrift-store treatment by finding accessories that go with them or using them to enhance other thrift-store finds (using a great fabric to sew patches onto jeans, for example). Or just donate your crap. It’s probably stylish to somebody.

Consignment Shops:
These stores are popping up all over the country right now thanks to the economy, and they are the perfect way to get rid of last season’s clothes (or the last five seasons if you haven’t cleaned that closet in awhile). Simply pull everything you no longer wear out of the closet, make sure it’s all clean and in good shape, then take it to the local consignment store and sell it! You can get anywhere from 35-50% of what they sell your stuff for, which is a great way to make room in your wardrobe for new duds….and the money to buy ‘em. Read More »

If you haven’t yet discovered Etsy, the Internet’s largest and coolest craft marketplace, beware. It will eat your soul. Ok, maybe not your soul, but it will take a serious bite out of your day and, if you’re not careful, your savings account.

You can easily fritter away three or four hours just browsing through dresses or scarves or jewelry, not to mention shoes, crafts and other delicious goodies.

. . . Ok,  I’m back now. Got a little side-tracked.

Anyway, Etsy can be a little overwhelming if you’re just starting to look. It’s like walking into Ikea for the first time, or popping into Costco without a list. Basically, you need some guidance (that is easier to follow than those Spanish maps at Ikea…).

That’s why I’m here! Try dipping your toe in the Etsy pool by browsing products from these 10 fab sellers. And then spend another 6 hours getting to know the rest.

Read More »

So, the world is awash in a sea of red and pink. There are hearts, roses, and tiny angels with bow & arrows everywhere. Sigh. Love.

If you’re like me then this time of year can be pretty lame. And SAD (that would be Singles Awareness Day). So instead of pining over the great romantic love that you’re not having, do what I’m doing and practice some self love. Spoil yourself!

Here’s my techie grab bag:

Something I Can Use: Although not exciting, if I give myself a gift, I want it to be something I can use. A day at the spa (or, more accurately on my budget, a spa-in-a-box) would be nice, but a new umbrella would be better. It’s cute and shiny. And blocks the rain. And it will make it oh-so-much easier for that perfect man to see me on that gray and dreary day.

Something That Sparkles: I like jewelry. And I’m a geek. Did you know there was a whole section of Etsy dedicated to the combination of those two things? That’s right, geek jewelry. I can’t actually decide what I want because it’s all so full of win. And since it’s Etsy it’s pretty much proven to be unique. Read More »

A while back, a friend called me and broke some news to me that has changed my life completely.

Cassie: Girrrrrrrrrlllllll, don’t hate me, but I gotta tell you about a website.

Me: Why would I hate you for telling me about a website? Is it porn?

Cassie: It’s craft porn.

Me: Craft porn?! What’s the url?

Cassie: www.etsy.com You’ll never get off of it. You’re gonna be hooked. But you’re gonna love it.

Two months later, I still can’t get off of etsy.com. It’s kind of like ebay, but there’s way cooler sh*t and no lame bidding. Artists and craft-sters from around the world put their hand-crafted items on etsy with a price. If you like something, you buy it.

Yes, it sounds like the same-old shopping website, but it is so much cooler. The stuff on there is home-made and all kinds of awesome.

From tote bags made from seat belts to mushroom shaped salt and pepper shakers, etsy is seriously everything a craft-lover could ever dream of. It’s like going to Arts & Craft fairs from around the world without getting off your lazy ass.

It is the perfect one-stop-online-shop for all of your gifting needs: everything is unique, lots of the stuff is super cheap (those mushroom shaped salt and pepper shakers were on there for 5 bucks!), and you get to discover new talent from around the world.

If you love the idea of personal and crafty gifts, but you’re too lazy or talentless to make your own, definitely scope out etsy. You are going to love me it!

Remember the days that you could glue pasta onto a piece of paper and call it a Christmas present for Mom and Dad? Those days are long gone, and choosing gifts for parents has become harder than ever. Not only do they always tell you, “I don’t really need anything,” when you want some answers, but you’re a student, and by Christmas that generally means you’re broke.

And, um, you only have a week left! Let us help:

Tips before you buy

-If you can make something your parents will appreciate, go for it. If you’re an art student, consider making a one-of-a-kind piece for your parents; it’s cheap and shows you are putting your education to good use.

-Before you go shopping, set a budget. Decide how much you want to spend on each parent and stick to it. Chances are your budget isn’t going to be very high, so if you want to splurge a bit, consider combining resources with your siblings. Not only will you have more money to work with, but your parents will appreciate that you are mature enough to cooperate.

-If your parents are together, consider buying one gift for both them. It can be something they can enjoy together, and you can either save money or get a more meaningful gift. Read More »

Let’s just hope this stationary isn’t scratch and sniff….

I am horrible with money. Seriously.

Which is why, for my own benefit (and my loved ones), I need to get my holiday shopping done now before I spend all my money on dresses I don’t need and beers I shouldn’t drink.

Thank God today is Cyber Monday! This silly little day is the day for online sales…like Black Friday, only for us lazy online shoppers.

So, pull out your credit cards, take a deep breath, and check out these sites for some debt-causing holiday goodness!

Get your gadgets on the cheap at bestbuy.com!

Impress those people in your life who value things like iPods and GPS devices the same way we value a hot pair of boots. When you can get your favorite techie what they really want it’s always sure to please.

And just because the prices are good, don’t be tempted to pick up something for yourself! Let someone else treat you to a new iPhone.

40% off at Barnes and Noble!

Books are always a fantastic present. I don’t care if you’re a lit major or one of those people who “don’t read”, B&N always has something for everyone.

If you’re not into buying reading material for someone special, check out their journals, calendars, DVD’s, and games! Read More »