Lately, I’ve been enjoying wearing pants when I go out, as opposed to skirts and dresses. Pants are a fun and unexpected option for a night on the town that also keep you mega comfy! Harem pants made a comeback a few seasons ago and since I’ve never featured them, I figured it was about time!

This pair from Forever 21 features a fun, tribal-inspired print in girly rose pink. As they are harem pants, they’re made from comfy, lightweight rayon and come to capri-length. These are a great option for summer, as they will keep you cool and looking chic and polished. This week, I decided to show you how to wear harem pants for a night out and a day at the office. Forever 21′s prices are so affordable that it doesn’t matter if this piece is super trendy – you’re getting your money worth with only a handful of wears. You can’t expect amazing quality for the prices, but you will have at least a season to wear out your piece.

Let’s start with business casual:

Click on the picture for all the shopping deets!

Playing off the dusty rose color of the pants, I chose a sheer champagne blouse. The pleating and front-knot give it a youthful feel! Tuck it in and toss on a fitted, black blazer and you’re good on top. As for shoes, I stuck to a simple faux-leather kitten heel in basic black. The pants are awfully busy and you still want to look office-appropriate. The beige satchel is a decent size, so you can fit all your files and work essentials, but will also match anything! Finish off with a dainty headband and several pearl bracelets to complete the lady-like look.

And now evening:

Click on the picture for all the shopping deets!

Even though these pants aren’t a natural choice for nighttime, I think they are so stylish! For a little sexy, pair with a black, lace long sleeve. With or without a tank top, it’s up to you! Stick with black pumps, but add some glam with  a giant platform and rounded toe. The white patent clutch won’t compete with the pants, but is a chic classic. For jewelery, keep it simple with a stack of neutral bracelets. Finish off with some dramatic makeup, especially a bright lip! This magenta shade compliments the pink of the pants.

And that’s it! I hope I’ve proven that harem pants, even printed ones, can be a versatile addition to your wardrobe.

It’s wonderful to learn from your mistakes of the past year, I really believe that. Not wearing white undies under black leggings, always putting those comfy inserts into your super-high heels, throwing an extra tampon in your handbag – they’re valuable lessons that should be embraced and carried into the New Year.

That being said, there are some horrible oversights, mistakes, and trends that should be shoved under the rug and never to be spoken of again. Put your head in the sand and make like these tragedies never happened.

Here’s what we’re leaving behind in 2010:

Click on any mistake photo to start the gallery

Yes, it is possible.

When Photoshop goes (very) wrong.

Guy advice from uber hottie, James Wolk.

How do you know you’re over your ex?

10 things you need to learn before you graduate.

Watch the ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows‘ trailer!

I’m a pretty big fan of the slouchy/relaxed pants.
Pants with elastic waistbands considered trendy? Why on EARTH would any of us ever complain? We can now wear pants that hide how much pizza we’ve actually eaten, we won’t have to unbutton them under the table and people (mainly girls) will tell us we look cute.

Sign. Me. Up.

And the best part is – anything goes. Throw them on with a lose tee and some flats, or pair them with a fitted top and heels and you can rock these day or night. Comfort, style AND room for late night eating? I’m a big, big fan. Like huge.

Here are two cute pairs that are great for day and night, and can take you right into fall.

Black Slouchies:
I love the comfort and ease of these pants. It’s like leggings on the bottom but roomy in your badonk a donk so it’s appropriate to wear with a shorter shirt than you would be able to pull off with leggings. No need to worry about people being ready for your jelly because your bootylicious bod, whilst being shown off, isn’t screaming “I should only wear this to the gym.” I’m talking to you, leggings and crop top girl. For realz.

Day:
We tend to go a bit more relaxed and laid back when the sun is up so I paired the pants with flat woven sandals and a looser top. I chose one withe a little spunk, but you could even throw a beater on, top with a statement necklace and be on your way.

Product Information: Pants – Lulus.com, $34; Top – Forever 21, $24.80; Sandals - Forever 21, $18.80; Earrings – Lulus.com, $15.

Night:
For something a little sexier, tuck this purple top in and the puffy sleeves will balance out your waist.

Product Information: Pants – Lulus.com, $34; Top – Express, $29.90; Pumps – Forever 21, $24.80

Green Slouchies
Yes, I’ve given these pants the nickname “slouchies” and I’m loving the army green.

Day:
I paired with a white tee and these adorable fabric green sandals from the Gap (but feel free to pair with any neutral flat – sandal, keds or Toms). And look at those bangles! I love how funk and sorta tribal they are, and how easily they take this outfit to a whole new level.

Product Information: Pants – Urban Outfitters, $54; Tee – Gap, $19.50; Sandal – Gap, $24.99; Bangles – Lulus.com, $19

Night:
I’m loving the feminine top tucked into a more masculine bottom. Throw on with some sky high heels and off you go. Oh, and just a sidenote: the second best part about these cropped pants (besides the whole “loose on top” element) is that for once, people will actually see your shoes so now’s the time to go for the details!

Product Information: Pants – Urban Outfitters, $54; Top - Lulus.com, $29; Pump – Forever 21, $24.80

Money!

Happy Tax Day! I know it’s not the best day for those of you who have to hand your hard-earned money over to the government (perhaps a free donut will help?), but some of you might be lucky enough to be getting some cash back. Hooray! If you’re anything like me, you were so excited at the prospect of having triple digits in your bank account that you started spending that money before you even got it.

Good for you! Stimulate that economy! Treat yourself to something wonderful. Just don’t let all the excitement blind you. Below, 5 things you shouldn’t waste your money on. Seriously.

1. A boob job
If Heidi Montag’s mega-jugs aren’t enough to turn you off, maybe this woman can convince you. Sure, four boobs for the price of two seems like a deal, but, uh, it’s four boobs. I’m pretty sure most people get by with two. Instead, try the Victoria’s Secret Miraculous push-up bra. It really does add two sizes (and not two extra boobs) and it’s much, much cheaper.

2. A tanning package
I too am trying my darndest to keep my Spring Break tan from fading before bikini season. But with recent reports that indoor tanning ups the odds of melanoma by more than 50%, I’m opting to save my cash and my skin! A healthier and cheaper alternative? Jergen’s Natural Glow lotion and Tantowels. They really work!

3. Harem Pants
With all that extra cash burning a hole in your bank account it’s tempting to splurge on designer duds that you couldn’t normally afford. But just because the fashion mags claim something is “in,” doesn’t mean you should go spend your hard-earned tax dollars on it. I mean, really, fashion editors? I don’t care if these genie pants are by Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier, they are UGLY. Let’s all be fiscally responsible and stick with last year’s skinny jeans, K?

4. This skirt
Do I even need to say it?

5. Anything you see on an infomercial
Infomercial products are tempting, especially when it’s 3:30 am, you’re drunk and you’ve got a few extra hundred bucks to burn. Resist. I don’t know you, but I’m pretty sure you don’t need a tool to help you wipe your ass, a blender that sounds like a vibrator, or a Bumpit (unless you’re preparing for a summer in Seaside Heights).

Sigh. Those were the good old days.

But now there is good news for me and my fellow Babysitter’s fans. Scholastic has decided to give the books a re-vamp and bring them into the 21st century.  I haven’t heard better news since I found out Taylor Lautner was gaining 20 pounds of muscle for the Twilight saga films! I could not have special ordered better news.

Will there be a new girl at the BSC in charge of maintaining their website?
Will the girls get in trouble for Facebooking on the job?

Just thinking about it makes me giddy. Actually, thinking about the 90s at all makes me wanna do a little dance in my stirrup pants. Well, if I still had them. The 90s were a pretty fantastic decade full of pretty rad stuff (like the word “rad”), and if we’re bringing back the BSC, maybe we should consider bringing back a few other key things.

Skip-It: No wonder I could eat four Toaster Strudels every morning when I was ten.  Besides my killer metabolism, Skip-It skipped my way into some well defined calves at a young age. Calves I’d do just about anything (besides calf raises) to have back now. Perhaps this time around they could have adult sizes? Lord knows I’ve tried stuffing my foot into that teeny, tiny ring unsuccessfully too many times.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas: His dreamy fave and frosted tips were plastered all over my walls/notebooks/Trapper Keeper/locker/you name it. His mere presence on the set of Home Improvement had me jumping out of my beanbag chair. And then…he vanished. Come back to me, JTT. Come back now.

Beanie Babies: Mostly so I can recoup my losses from the 100 that I somehow still have piled in my closet.

Clarissa Explains It All: Clarissa taught me all I needed know about my first pimple and how to climb into a second floor bedroom window.  Come to find out, I still seek advice on these subjects, except it is usually climbing out of a second floor window (hello walk of shame/two-minute getaway).  Plus, neighbor Sam is probably looking pretty, pretty good right about now and with Gossip Girl and Glee on hiatus, we could use a little something to fill our DVRs.

MC Hammer Pants: Oh wait. We already got those back. And it wasn’t pretty.

But perhaps the most disturbing and ridiculous thing that comes to mind is this Hello Kitty obsession that seems to be sweeping the nation.

Hey, the cat’s cute; I’m all for buying my little cousin a stuffed version or some hair accessories with the creature sewed on. But when grown women are walking about sporting this stuff like its haute couture, that’s where I draw a very large, thick line.

It just isn’t acceptable.

I still remember rich girls in high school sporting the jewelry with their Juicy zip-ups, like it was a status symbol of their daddy’s plush job. If excessive amounts of money severely impacts your taste to the point that you are convinced a Hello Kitty diamond watch is appropriate for an 18-year-old (or anyone who is not Suri Cruise), then perhaps I am okay with being the struggling college student scrapping together my pennies to afford a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Don’t think this is that big of a deal? Perhaps some of the latest merchandise from the little feline will convince you that she is brain washing people all over the world, and needs to be stopped.

Panty Liners

Perhaps the fact that we are transitioning our youth from childhood to adolescence by slapping a Hello Kitty pad right next to their little kitty is part of the problem.

Jewelry

You may see this and think, so what?  It’s a ring, big deal. The price tag may have you begging to differ. $3,500, to be exact. That’s a couple months of rent. A college course.  Cocktails for the next three years. Can we get our priorities straight please?

Lingerie

No, no, no girls! This is not sexy! If you are abstinent and trying to refute all sexual advances towards you to thwart temptation, then by all means purchase this. It has a 100 percent success rate at destroying any sexual attraction towards you. Unless you’re trying to woo someone you saw on a recent episode of “To Catch a Predator”; then it will work just fine.

Boxer Briefs

OMFG. I just vomited in my mouth.

Condoms

Hey if you are already committing sexual suicide with the boxers and lingerie, why not throw some creepy, lollipop style condoms into the mix?

Ramen

There is something sick and wrong about eating that little kitty face in every bite.

Taser

Okay, they could be on to something here. If we can all buy one with the agreement that it can be used to subdue anyone over the age of 14 displaying Hello Kitty on their being, I might endorse this product.

Seriously, this cat is worse than Ed Hardy. Yeah, I said it.

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?

Post courtesy of out friends at StyleBakery.com. For more awesome fashion, style and beauty news, check them out!

There are some trends that last season after season: leggings, floral prints, gladiator sandals, etc. Then there are those that fade away: baby doll tops, harem pants. How are you supposed to know which trends to trash and which to invest in? Luckily, fashion is already way ahead of you. Fall 2009 and Resort 2010 collections have already been released, and Spring/Summer 2010 is in the works. For most designers, Resort is a preview of what’s coming next. Therefore, the collections provide great insight into what will be hot and what will be not for summer 2010.

We scoured the Resort looks of all the top designers – from Stella McCartney to Brian Reyes to Prada – and compiled a list of summer fashion trends that aren’t going anywhere:

One shoulder tops and dresses are chic without being too revealing. Don’t wear too much jewelry with this look as it makes a statement on its own.

(Ella Moss “Odessa” Top, $87 at Nordstrom; Leila Teired Dress, $237 at Bluefly; Juicy Couture Print Ruffle Dress, $180.60 at ShopBop).

Exposed zippers are edgy, but a favorite of designers such as Phillip Lim and Brian Reyes. This trend definitely has a future.

(Mink Pink Kansas Dress, $93 at Chickdowntown; Brian Reyes Sleeveless Dress, $510 at ShopBop; Charlotte Russe Zipper Ruffle Top, $19.99).

Statement necklaces can glam up any basic outfit, from jeans and a tee to a silk dress.

(Kenneth Jay Lane Flat Zebra Pendant, $99 at My-Wardrobe; Banana Republic Party Bib Necklace, $79; Lauren by Ralph Lauren Multi Bead Bib Necklace, $58 at Nordstrom).

Even though Jenny’s first order of business as queen on the TV series Gossip Girl was to nix her clique’s signature headbands, their influence remains. Bow details will still be in for summer 2010.

(French Connection Flash Bow Dress, $89.99; Newport News Bow Necklace, $29; Felix Rey “Emma” Wristlet, $156 at Bluefly; Forever 21 Pamela Satin Bow Headband, $4.80).

Other looks to shop for include both skinny and wide leg pants, cardigans, high-waisted pants and skirts, fitted blazers, belted waists, ruffles, tribal prints, sheer fabrics, and long tunics.

Which short-lived trends should you buy at cheap-chic retailers? There’s no way to be sure, but it doesn’t look like neon brights, fringe details, studs, or harem pants will be hanging around much longer.

I don’t know about you, but after what seemed to be the most grueling. winter. ever. I am excited and eager to dust off my spring wardrobe… and add some new pieces to it. As is always the case with the new season, we have some new trends (along with a few piggy-back trends of season’s past) to spice up our wardrobes.

Here are some of Spring 2009’s hottest trends:

Back to Basics: Black & White

It’s not nearly as versatile as the LBD (little black dress) and won’t be replacing it anytime soon, but the white dress is huge for spring. Contrary to the simplicity of the LBD, the white dress is all about glamour, so look for ruffles, maxi-lengths and sheer fabrics (another uber-trend this season). It’s time to bring out your inner goddess!

Along with the white dress, we’re seeing great dresses, tops and skirts that flaunt graphic black on white prints. This look makes a bold and fresh statement and is a great way to stand out in a sea of LBD.

A Suit-able Choice: Pantsuits and Short-suits (AKA jumpers/rompers)

We’ve seen the short-suits for the last couple of seasons, and they’re big again this year, but we are also seeing the pantsuit make a comeback. Don’t worry; it’s got a lot more style. If you are brave enough to rock this trend,  be sure to go for a drapey look and not a super tight number. If done right, this style can be incredibly chic. If done wrong, however, it can be incredibly Jazzercise.

Color Me Bad: Color, Color, Color!!!

As is always the case, color is extremely popular this season. Bright colors like neon oranges and bright blues were prominent on the runways, but the two main color staples for this season are hot pink/magenta and yellow. You can brighten up any outfit with pops of these colors and they’re wonderfully versatile hues that can be matched with pretty much every skin tone.

If you’re not wanting something quite so in-your-face, muted brights like mint-green, coral and pastels are also a great way to add some zing. Another color trend we’re seeing pop up this season are flashes of neon; shoes or the lining on a coat are great ways to play up this 90′s trend without busting out the Hypercolor shirts and biker shorts.

Detail-Oriented: From Ruffles to Leopard Print and Everything In Between

This season puts a lot of emphasis on details, especially the epitome of feminine detailing: ruffles and bows. Look for them at the shoulder and on the hip. You’ll also see leopard print (picking up where giraffe print left off last year); sequins and glitter; big, bold prints (floral, graphic and even tribal inspired); and lace. Finding pieces with fun & interesting details are sure to make you stand out.

Take a Chill Pill: Relaxed Fit Pants

This cut is similar to the boyfriend jeans style that emerged in the fall; it is loose and easy at the hips, then tapers delicately above the ankle. This looks to be spring’s most popular silhouette and it also wins for this season’s most comfortable trend, as you can give your thighs a break from those super skinny jeans.

The Royal Treatment: Cleopatra-Inspired Looks

Asymmetrical tops and dresses, harem pants (one of this season’s most unexpected looks) and jeweled necklines all pay homage to the queen herself. If you’re going for the asymmetrical look, long, flowy dresses are a newer take on this trend. If you’re brave enough to try out the harem pants, be sure to pair these with belts, chunky heels and drapey tops to get the right look. You are going for modern, not MC Hammer.

There are other trends you’ll spot this season such as boho/hippie chic and excessive accessories, but these 6 are bound to be the biggest ones out there. Find your favorites and make ‘em your own; you’ll not only be basking in the warmer weather, but you’ll look lovely doin’ it, too.