Rent the Runway's interns model some of the amazing looks you can get scoop!

Everyone knows girls love pretty clothes and sparkly baubles and high-high-heels. We love to look our best, shop the latest trends and avoid the sweatpants-to-lecture-again rut like the Bubonic Plague (though, hey, it happens). While it would be glorious to have infinite amounts of cash to toss away on top designer labels each semester, that’s rarely the nature of the situation. Or a college woman’s bank account.

And just when we thought our hopes and dreams of being captured by The Sartorialist were dashed, here comes Rent the Runway! Now instead of shelling out hundreds for a dress you’ll likely only wear once, simply rent it for a fraction of the cost.

Rent the Runway has studied the hottest fall trends and wants to help you get ready for back to school! We’re teaming up with them to offer a $500 (!!!) gift card to a lucky winner so you can bring the looks from the runway to your campus. Enter here.

And for your sorority girls going through rush, fear not- RTR would never forget about you! Here’s what their style experts have to say:

Are YOU ready for Rush? Rent the Runway has you covered! We put together an exclusive Rush Lookbook to give you and your sorority sisters front row seats to the hottest fall trends and are offering a Limited Time Only VIP RUSH PASS. Check it out here and be sure to share it with your house and closest friends.

So what the heck are you waiting for!? Get a little fab couture into your closet and make some heads turn as you strut down the runway the quad.

I wish someone would have taken that bottle of cran away...

I’d consider myself a seasoned formal veteran. As such, I have acquired a bit of wisdom as far as formal do’s and dont’s. Whether you are a freshman going to formals for the first time or even a senior not affiliated in the Greek circuit, I have chosen a recent and epic failure at Greek formal-ing that will hopefully teach you from my mistakes… or at least give you a good laugh.

The Blind Date

Blind dates are quite common in the formal world. Twice now I have agreed to help out a friend of a friend who “just can’t get a date.” This would be the red flag for most girls – why on earth can’t this dude nab a date?! -  but I, blinded by naivete and the prospect of free food and drinks, always acquiesce. My second transgression was just a few weeks ago. We get to the place, which happened to be a $30 cab ride away, making my chances of leaving slim to hitchhiking. We pre-gamed in a hotel room, where my date doted on me. And by “doted,” I mean basically poured booze down my throat. I even started pouring drinks down the drain out of fear of being too drunk around strangers. (Go me!)

We get to the formal and since he planned it, he left me every 5 minutes to “take care of things.” He couldn’t get me a wristband for whatever reason but brought me a flask of vodka (red flag #2). I decided to have a little chat with him about expectations, which was me conveying my disinterest in anything but “cutesy dancing” and eating and drinking. As well as I thought that went, when we got to the dance floor it was obvious that “cutesy dancing” did not register on his radar, or that maybe he thought grinding me against a wall was cute.

He later asked me to accompany him to the hotel room, and I politely declined (and threw up in my mouth a little bit). Looking defeated, he hugged me (an attempt to lure me into his bed, I presume) and ended up giving me a nice cigarette burn in the process. Once that wound is gone, I hope to completely forget that formal, but I know that little round scar with be a lifelong reminder to never return to another formal again.

But even though I was scarred for life (literally), there is some good to come from this. Namely, the lessons I will pass onto you:

Lesson 1: Your best bet is to bring a “friend”

Unless you are hooking up with someone, bring a friend and set the terms before you go. “Wanna be my date to formal, you know, go as just friends?” Formals are like the older, slutty cousin of Prom; they can be a fantastic dance party extravaganza, or the longest, most awkward night of your life if you do not properly set the terms with your date.

Lesson 2: Though the drinks will be flowing, be classy

Some of the most fun formals will be hosted by fraternities that can get away with having an open bar and tons of minors. Not coincidentally, some of my most embarrassing moments in life have occurred at or after these events. No matter how good the song is, avoid break dancing, doing a split, or really any type of dance-off – you will be photographed…and tagged. Don’t skip the food to have more time and room to drink – it has never ended well for me or any sloptart I have seen do it.

Lesson 3: Hooking up with your date’s “brother” has consequences

I had a friendship ruined because of a guy bringing me as a potential hookup when I thought we were friends, and me blatantly “mingling” with his brother in front of his face. Oops! Thanks, ice luge. Chances are, if you end up with another brother and are hoping it remains a secret, it definitely won’t. Frat boys are just as gossipy as your average girl and even use their chapter email servers to send embarrassing or funny (or “fratty”) emails to and the all the bros. The truth will come out!

Lesson 4: Bring a Water Bottle

Those long bus or cab rides back are brutal after 6 hours of open bar heaven. Come prepared. Most bus companies charge $500 or more if someone hurls on the seats, and one wrong splash could get you blacklisted from fraternity events for.e.verrrrr.

That’s all for now – I am officially formal jaded!

When you’re on a budget you can’t spend your money on just anything. You need items that are versatile, timeless and just plain pretty. And this beautiful dress from ASOS is all that and more.  It is short enough and reveals just enough skin with its strapless design for hitting those clubs on Saturday night. Put on some sexy, strappy heels and you are ready to conquer the dance floor.

When the party’s over, work this dress in a different way. You got a holiday party coming up? Slip it on with a pair of pumps and clutch. A nice family dinner to attend? Put a blazer over the top and you’re good to go. Wanna rock it out? Add a leather jacket, tights and a pair of ankle boots.

Unlike most mini dresses, this ASOS design is anything but typical. I really love the contrast created by the light drape, especially how it crosses the bust to the waistline and then back over again on the bottom. It’s not only flattering and elegant, but gives the dress a bit of intrigue as well. If you’re into the classics, go with the black and white version.  For a chic yet edgier look, choose the black on black. And if you’re all about the show stoppers, the red dress is for you.

With this dress in your closet you’ll have the solution to every wardrobe dilemma. Whether it’s a birthday party or a wedding, this dress is the answer.

The end of the school year is here. Good for some (everyone who gets to come back next year), horribly scary for others (seniors), and bittersweet for all.

Before you tape up that last box and kiss your friends goodbye, though, take a moment to reflect on the year that was. We did, and we realized we have some great effing memories from the past 8 months. Some are big events (like the big 21st birthday) and others are just random nights on campus. But all of them make us laugh and smile and appreciate the amazingness that is college life.

So take a trip down memory lane with the CollegeCandy writers this week, then share your own favorite moments in the comments section below.

Ricki – University of Michigan: When my sorority sisters pretended that there was a squirrel in the house and fooled the whole house, and kept the joke going until we called the house mom, were all standing on chairs, and convinced a girl that she has let in this fake squirrel when she propped the door open to bring in her groceries.

Laura – St. Johns: All my friends turning 21 and no longer having to do all the beer runs myself!  Plus, finally being able to enjoy being 21 and experiencing the bars with my best friends.

Erica – Kent State: The first weekend of school one of my new roommates (who I didn’t know very well at the time)  & I went to the bars w some mutual friends. We ended up getting hammered & wandering away from the people we knew (who were also our ride home).  Basically, we were stranded so we ended up drunkenly wandering to someone’s house (we thought we knew them, turned ou twe didnt’), knocked on the door, CLIMBED THROUGH THEIR OPEN WINDOW & slept on their couch all night & left in the morning — all without them ever knowing!  Creepy? Yes.  Moral of the story? Don’t sleep with your windows open in a college town unless you want to wake up to drunk girls on your couches.

Lauren – University of Michigan: Jello wrestling my roommates in our backyard. Actually, spending 2 weeks making the jello was pretty fun too. Not fun: being tinted green for the following week. That stuff doesn’t wash off easily!

Brithny – Duke: Tailgating with my friends and dressing up as a box of Crayola crayons. Then getting doused with beer and becoming a dripping-wet, dye-coming-off, soggy pink crayon. And having the dye bleed through and staining my white underwear and undershirt pink. Crazy fun, but needed to buy new whitey-tighties.

Charlsie – Hollins: The last time my friends and I were all truly together, which was the History Department Party that is thrown at the end of every semester. We had ourselves a great time dancing with the local celebrity known as “Chicken Man.”

Donnette – Manhattanville College: My school experienced a blackout one weekend and it was absolute chaos!! There was even a guy in a mask going into open rooms to scare everyone.  My favorite memory is my open door policy that weekend: random strangers playing Catchphrase by flashlight, saying crazy things, and doing crazier things. Blackouts need to happen at every school!!

Alex – Lakehead University: Meeting my boyfriend. Let’s just say that I sought him out using some extreme stalker skills.

Kari – FSU: I don’t remember the whole event, but it involves floating down Bear Paw river in the middle of nowhere with a keg in an inner-tube tied to my toe. Good times.

Ashley – CU Boulder: I was at a fraternity formal and walked into my hotel room after being at the pool (everyone had been wasted) to find my date passed out spread eagle on the bed butt naked holding his tinkler. It was the absolute funniest moment!

Sarabeth – University of Texas: When I was making a friend’s birthday cake in the dorm and after icing and decorating it, I accidentally dropped it on the floor.

Kelly – Simmons University: The night before Spring Break, me and my friend Jen were in a coffee shop. We ran into a guy we had seen there a few times and spent a while talking to him. Somehow, the idea of driving to New York City came up (we live in Boston). We all decided to say f**k it and just go. It was kind of scary because we didn’t really know him (you’re not supposed to get in cars with strangers!) but we ended up having a blast. We got there at 2 AM, walked around the city, saw the sunrise in central park, then drove home. It was the perfect impromptu road trip.

No one should be expected to sit in the library or stare at their dorm room walls every day of the week with their nose in a book. Everyone needs something that helps them unwind, especially on the weekends.

Sometimes finding something to do – especially on a campus where parties are a rare occasion -  is hard. I knew when I signed my life away as a Hollins woman, I was going to be living in Roanoke, Virginia,and that I wouldn’t have a big city as my playground on the weekend. I knew I wasn’t attending a huge state school where fraternity parties are the social factor and that club activities would be endless. As a prospective, I remember asking about the student life on the weekends only to hear the same fib that my fellow peers heard themselves as prospective students: “Don’t worry about it, you will always find something going on.”

Oh, but that is very far from the truth. Options on campus are very bleak. From the first weekend as a first year, I realized as no one was around on the weekends I would have to be entirely responsible for finding something to do Friday and Saturday nights. While not feeling bogged down by having too many social activities planned, I like that Hollins has a sleepy atmosphere (especially for those weekends I need to do a lot of work), but for the most part – I don’t understand why we can’t have some sort of decent entertainment when the weekend rolls around.

The social scene at Hollins on any given weekend can be summed up in three ways:

1) You leave on the weekends

2) You rely on an apartment party or a party hosted by NEFA (a specialty housing dorm)

3) You hope the Student Life/Activity Board has something planned

A huge chunk of the student body leaves on the weekend. Girls carpool for the entire weekend up to Hampden-Sydney, an all male college two hours away and sleep on random futons since making the drive back in one night is out of the question. If Hampden-Sydney isn’t someone’s bag, other colleges like Washington and Lee, Virginia Tech, and Roanoke College can be visited. However, if you don’t know someone who goes to those schools, good luck finding a party or meeting people. What does the rest of the student body do when they leave? They go home! Students who are from Virginia or even close cities in North Carolina find themselves frequently going home because of the lack of campus activities. The only time students make plans to stay is if a formal is happening, which only happens twice a year.

Occasionally an apartment party or a themed party through NEFA will happen, but the frequency of this is rare. Also, these parties aren’t for everyone. Many girls don’t feel comfortable going over to the campus apartments because they don’t fit the cliques that live in many of the apartments. NEFA, a housing dorm for the campus’ artsy folks, throws unique, unforgettable parties, but most of them are not for the faint of heart. What if you just want a small get together? What about a dorm room?

Parties in other dorms do not happen, whatsoever, which can be very frustrating. Say it’s 11pm on Friday and you want to “Just Dance” along with Lady Gaga and your two best friends? Good luck getting through the song before someone calls Campus Safety to complain and a knock from an officer interrupts you. Every hour in all the dorms seems to be quiet hour. Whenever students speak up about the lack of social atmospheres, the Activity Board usually says “We have monthly mixers with a DJ and we invite other schools” to combat the complaints, but it does not suffice when no one actually shows up to the poorly planned and advertised school sponsored parties.

For a small university, Hollins is very diverse in its beliefs and types of students. Regardless of the variety amongst us, I have heard over and over again that not enough is done on the weekends in order to give students something to do. Yes, Hollins shows a movie every weekend in the auditorium and they have a shuttle take students to the mall, movies, and Wal-Mart, but that is not enough. When over half of the campus departs on the weekend to other colleges or home, something more needs to be done. How can a campus have a close-knit community when everyone leaves by 2pm on Friday and returns by 6pm on Sunday?

I am not asking for endless activities on the weekend. I think that students should be responsible for coming up with something to do, but I do believe that the university should endorse a more sociable atmosphere. Whether that means allowing students to have dance parties at reasonable hours without getting campus officers sent up or providing well planned mixers with other colleges, something needs to happen in order to help the social scene from sinking even more than it continues to do so!

In asking for other opinions from students on campus, Hollins sophomore Jennifer Old sums up how actions should be taken on campus to improve the overall weekend situation: “I think people are hesitant about the parties and other social events held on campus. Parties are broken up much more quickly at Hollins and the threat of the Roanoke Police has become very real. As for the social scene outside of the party sphere, I think there should be a community forum every semester. HAB (The Activity Board) should hear the collective desires of the campus and cater to the diverse interests of Hollins women.”

Obviously a social environment is very important to college life. Now tell me, how do you spend your weekends? Do you think your college provides enough entertainment and amusement for students? What do you want more of in your school’s social scene? Dish – I want to hear what I’m missing!

Sheer fabrics were on practically every spring ’09 RTW (ready to wear, for those of you not in the runway know!) runway. The models above are sporting ensembles from Alberta Ferretti, Calvin Klein, Alexander McQueen, and Chanel.

While this trend may look super sexy on the runway (and the runway models), it can end up looking super trampy when worn in real life if not done correctly. Adding in sheer details or layering will help you rock this trend without showing too much skin.

Your school’s winter formal could be the perfect place to flaunt this look. Look for a dress that’s sheer at the top but still covers all the important parts. Click on any of these to shop:

You can also rock a sheer top for going out at night. There are so many options when it comes to the sheer top, from the subtle design (the first top from DKNY), to the much more risque (like the third look from Vera Wang Lavender Lable). Go for what makes you comfortable and remember: even the tiniest bit of sheer ups the sexy factor.

You can also wear a sheer blouse to your job, if your office is fashion forward. You can tuck it into a pencil skirt (so cute), or wear it out over a pair of black pants. Just make sure to wear something under it! And bring a sweater or blazer to cover up if you feel too exposed.

Since the sheer look makes a statement on its own, don’t pile on necklaces or scarves; keep accessories simple. If you’re wearing a black dress, add a plain black bangle, clutch, and pumps or sandals. With the tops, pair them with jeans or a skirt, with flats or heels.

Don’t overdo it, or you will take away from the eye catching glamour of the sheer piece. Although, don’t underdo it either. There is a fine line between trendy sheer and trampy sheer. Don’t cross the line.