You’ve seen the commercials (and most likely remember them because they used to discuss “the big O”), but have you actually perused Overstock.com? The site might be overwhelming to some, but that is because it is chock full of awesome deals on clothes, shoes and accessories (in addition to home goods, decor and linens). Overstock.com brings you items that are marked down by up to 80% (!!) and they ship fast and cheap. Could you think of anything better?

Overstock is a website that can fit the needs of everyone and if you haven’t given it a go, you most definitely should. To get you started, here are a few of the hundreds (maybe even thousands) of items they have for under $20.

This dress will certainly flatter those curves of yours and work year round. Either color can be worked for any season; pair it with tights and a cardi for winter or with some gladiator sandals and bangles for the summer months.

Go green (or pink or yellow) with one of these totes that are eco-friendly and perfect for lugging your books, groceries or beach goodies come Spring Break.

How can you refuse these darling vintage-inspired skimmers?  They’ll be adorable with skinny jeans, leggings, summer dresses or shorts.

Unfortunately, we’ve still got a few cold months of winter left to go, but have no fear; there’s no need to sacrifice your style for your warmth.  This hat is not only totes cute, but it’s fleece lining will help keep you warm from head to toe.

Gloves can not only be a nuisance (especially when you’re trying to get out a string of texts en route to class), but they’re not always the most fashion forward piece of clothing around. Not these guys. They are sassy, classic and totally fashionable. Oh, and they’ll definitely keep those digits warm and toasty.

I love, love, looooove the turquoise and boho look of these earrings.

This tunis is not only flattering to any shape, but it’s versatile to boot. It will work perfectly with skinny jeans and knee high flat boots for class, or you can pair it with black pants and pumps for that internship you’ve got lined up for the summer.

It might seem silly to buy a bikini in the middle of winter, but that’s when they’re cheapest and if you’re gonna need one eventually anyway, now’s the time to buy. I love the fun geometric print on this one (how good will that look with a tan!?), not to mention the sexy ties on the bottoms.

And maybe a restraining order or two.

But it’s worth it to highlight fresh, unique wardrobe choices that show personality and the courage to wear what you believe in.

Meet my childhood friend, Alex! He’s one of the best dancers I know, and represents the new era of fashion that incorporates a street style mixed with urban chic. Every time I see him he’s always dancing; whether it be popping and locking while talking, or doing the finger tut. And all the while in Nike Dunks and a sick graphic tee.

He may be a dude, but his fashion inspires me. If only I could look that cool in a pair of shiny gold kicks.

Name: Alex
Year: 2011
Major: Business and Economics
Alex in 3 words: Loud. Passionate. Dance(r).

1) Describe your personal style.
My personal style is a mixture of different influences. I really love the colorful shirts and sneakers of the west coast but I also love graphic tees and crazy fitted hats. Essentially, I try to ensure that whenever I go out, no one else looks like me.

2) You can’t leave your house without your ________.
59fifty hat.

3) What is your favorite store to shop at?
DLTR, or any specialty shoe store. I don’t do much shopping at malls, I actually prefer to buy most of my stuff online.

4) What/who is the biggest influence on your style?
It would have to be hip-hop dance in general. Not rap; I’m not a baggy jeans and Tims kinda guy. I wear clothes that I can dance in. West coast style!

5) What’s your favorite trend, past or present?
I’ve recently become a fan of skinny jeans. Not Fall-Out skinny, but enough so that you can tuck your jeans into your kicks.

Heck, here in Canada, it’s not odd to see students sporting Sorel boots (yeah, the boots mountain people wear).

And don’t even get me started on headwear. People at my school who aren’t dressed warmly enough opt for a homemade-turban look, using an extra sweater they have in their bag! Atrocious!

What is even more upsetting is that with a little research and planning (um, like checking the weather before leaving the house!), you can keep the blood circulating in your skull and still look cute!

CollegeCandy has done the leg work for you and presents you with a list of super chic, and more importantly, WARM, options for your noggin. Yes, it is possible to stay warm and keep the hair intact.

1. A Beret or Beanie

Since berets popped on the scene, they have been unstoppable! They are a much better option than a baseball cap in the summer and now, like this one on the left, come in a variety of thick, warm knits for winter. With it’s chunky cables and generous size, it will most certainly keep your ears from freezing on a cold winter’s day. Plus, this one from Urban Outfitters comes in eight different colors, so go ahead and stock up! You can look fresh and cute all season long.

The Beanie. An undeniable classic. Popular among jocks, skaters and gang-members alike, it serves its function perfectly; to keep your head warm! This year Volcom has released an updated version that I find irresistible! With its quirky mix of colors and loose fit, the Blizzard Beanie is sure to fit into an eclectic wardrobe. Bonus: The loose fit also ensures that your hair with stay bouncy and perfect, instead of getting flattened like the typical winter hat.

2. A Ski Cap

Apres ski is always a go-to look for celebrities. Rosy cheeks, windblown hair, fashionable outerwear and – to top it all off – the perfect ski hat, just like this one (left) by Mischa Lambert. Featuring super chunky yarn, crocheted tight to ensure heat retention, ear flaps AND cute pom-poms! It comes in black and white, so it is guaranteed to match your favorite jacket, not matter the color.

Free People’s Norway Love Earflap Hat puts a totally different spin on this shape. Playful and colorful, this hat alone can be the centerpiece of your outfit. Perfect for braving the slopes or the walk to class.

3. Earmuffs

An often overlooked headwear option, earmuffs are not just for little girls anymore. Earmuffs are the perfect winter option because they keep you warm without messing up that perfectly coiffed ‘do. Two of our favorite earmuff makers are Juicy Couture and UGG Australia. The Juicy ones (left) are cute and fluffy; perfect for the fashionista. The UGG earmuffs (right) are made of their signature shearling, giving them a sportier (and totally toasty) look.

4. A Hood or Hooded Scarf

Now here is something different! If you consider yourself fashion forward or like to stand out in the crowd, how about opting for a hood? They keep your whole head warm and manage to set you apart from the rest of your peers who are all wearing hats. This Eugenia Kim hood (left) is super chic and it’s thick yarn and giant ribbing are sure to keep frost-bite at bay!

Another option along these lines is a hooded scarf. Somewhat of a hat/scarf hybrid, hooded scarves are popping up everywhere! Urban Outfitters is carrying several styles this season, and depending on the style you choose you can totally change your look. The navy and grey rugby stripes give off a slightly masculine edge while the fluffy white loops are ultra-feminine!

[In early adulthood there is an activity that plays a large role in most of our lives; nights out on the town. And with those nights out always comes the question: “What am I gonna wear?!?”

Each week I’ll be putting together a cute and affordable “going out” ensemble guide (that you can tweak to your own personal style and body type, of course) so that maybe that age-old question can be answered a little quicker than usual. And your friends aren’t waiting - for hours - for you to emerge from your room. Just consider me your own (free) personal Rachel Zoe.]

It’s the holiday/party season and with the economy in bad shape, it is the perfect time to honor another time of financial woe and give your party outfit some of that old style, 1920’s glamour. I read an article a few months ago when the financial meltdown had just begun that was reflecting on how times of national financial hardship tend to lead to more excessive glamour and glitz for the sake of lifting spirits, so why not take advantage of the currently bleak economy by having fun, going a bit overboard, and puttin’ on the ritz?

A flirty black dress is always popular, and something with ruffles or fringe will get that true 20’s feel…

Stockings were all the rage in those times, but give it a more modern twist with a funky pair of fishnets or sheer textured tights.

A cute pair of peep-toe pumps are the perfect compliment to this look. To add a little fun, get some pumps in a color other than black, like this purple pair.

Of course, no outfit is complete without jewelry, and (faux) pearls are the best option for this look. (Just be sure not to put too many pieces of jewelry on, you don’t wanna look too costume-y)

Or go for ultimate glam and put a vintage/vintage-inspired broach on your dress…

And if you really wanna go for that vintage feel, top it all off with a fun feathery hair piece, or an awesome hat…

But no. He was actually wearing those floppy, knit caps to make a fashion statement (while also covering up his dirty, greasy hair).

Just like many major trends this season, the Beret is one I just don’t know about. The hats are cute – no doubt about that – but do girls in LA really need to wear a knit hat in the summer? And don’t those things give off more of a “I was too lazy to wash my hair” vibe than anything else?

What do you think? Do you love or hate the beret?

But now, suddenly, at least one fixture of good old international dressing has returned: behold, the hat! Sarah Jessica Parker wore a green creation by Philip Treacy to the London premiere of the Sex and the City movie, complete with a giant rose and acorn-inspired base.

Treacy, a graduate of London’s Royal College of Art, burst onto the scene in the early 90’s by creating a wedding headdress for his muse, late fashion editor Isabella Blow. He (obviously) tends to go vertical with his pieces, often using feathers and butterflies (an all-butterfly headpiece was also worn by Princess Beatrice recently to the Peter Philips’s royal nuptials).

“Hats can make a boring outfit come to life,” says vintage collector Anne Schutterlin. “They’re like those beautiful flourishes on top of a cake that make it taste even better!”

Another headwear designer, editorial favorite, Patricia Underwood, takes a different approach, using the slightest of shaping tools to finish her horizontally-oriented, floppy sun hats. Underwood has been in the business 25 years, though there has definitely been a recent resurgence of her name in magazine credits. She prefers to forgo wild ornaments, rather, letting silhouettes speak for themselves.

Whichever esthetic you prefer, it is the Season of the Hat. There are no rules, of course, to combining your favorite AA ensemble with an adorable hat. Just do it. Add some fun to that wardrobe already!

I really, really want a straw fedora and I can’t for the life of me find one again. I saw one, a month ago at H&M and should have bought it but at the time didn’t even have the seven bucks. So sad.

Now that the trend has made it to the pages of People, I guess I can now openly talk about my love for the fedora because it’s obvious that they are everywhere. And even though everybody is doing it, I’m still going to get one because I’m totally obsessed.

Perhaps tan linen for fall or thick black wool for winter? They are the perfect it’s raining/I haven’t showered/it’s too sunny because I’m hungover hat.

Plus, they add that fabulous touch to any outfit that just makes you look… extra fab.

Because none of us can afford this one, this one and this one are cheaper options.

Last Tuesday, passengers aboard a Spirit Airlines jet flying from New York to Florida had a bit more to deal with than those impossible-to-open peanut bags.

Seems one of their fellow travelers had decided it was totally okay for him to shove a monkey into his hat and bring it aboard.

The strange, strange man, who had originally departed from Lima, Peru, somehow managed to hide the tiny creature “inside his ponytail” and underneath his cap while he boarded the plane, his cover blown only after the animal climbed out of it’s hiding place halfway through the trip.

This story obviously begs a few questions:

First, just how big was the man’s ponytail, and why did no one notice there was a monkey in it?

Second, how come I’m forced to practically strip before I board a plane, but this dude managed to smuggle a living creature onboard underneath a hat?

Thirdly, what kind of monkey is small enough to stow away inside human hair?

Sadly, there are no answers, just a nagging desire to see this hat-monkey, and the unavoidable cuteness it most likely possesses.