This post is courtesy of our fashionable friends at CollegeFashion.net. Have you checked them out yet?

Have you ever seen a girl in a really cute outfit and thought she looked great, but that something was missing? Maybe you’ve stood in front of the mirror in your dorm or apartment in a great dress and a pair of boots and still felt blah? We’ve all been there–the basics of an outfit look totally stylish, but there’s a certain something that’s off.

In cases like these, there’s an often-overlooked wardrobe essential that can make all the difference: accessories! We’re talking shoes, bags, and jewelry, all of the key players! And the best part? These additions are super easy to grab or put on and still make a huge impact on your style.

Below, I’ve listed the 5 types of accessories that every girl should own, plus tips on how to use them to make any outfit runway-worthy! Interested? Read on.

Belts:

A few great, well-fitting belts in varying widths are definite wardrobe staples. Here are three different styles you might want to consider, plus tips on how to wear them:

* Skinny belts in bright colors or shimmery metallics look super cute over a romper or fitted dress.
* Medium-width belts that feature interesting details like braiding or a fun buckle are perfect with jeans and a tucked-in shirt, to create a tailored, more formal look.
* Large, wide belts are ideal for cinching and defining your waist and look lovely over anything voluminous or oversized.

Belts – Hot Picks:

Product Information: Skinny Contrast Studded Belt, Gap. Leopard Skinny Belt, Ann Taylor. Military Braid Waist Belt, Monsoon Accessorize. Gold Leaf Belt, Mod Cloth. Hook Punch Out Belt, House of Fraser.

Shoes:

For those of you who are shoe-obsessed, this staple probably seems painfully obvious! If you’re not a shoe lover, however, making an investment in a fun pair of flats, classic heels, sexy sandals, and/or chic boots will really update (and finish off!) your look.

Wearing cute shoes instead of ugly-but-functional ones is much like wearing jeans instead of sweatpants: minimal effort, big style payoff! Just think of how much more fashionable an outfit would look with leather riding boots instead of Uggs!

Shoes – Hot Picks:

Product Information: Sam Edelman Gigi Sandals, Lori’s Shoes. Trouser Oxfords, Steve Madden. Let’s Take A Ride Knee High Boots, Ruche. Steve Madden Midnight Blue Pumps, Amazon. Gabriella Rocha Neve Ankle Strap Ballet Flats, Amazon.

Read the rest and see some simple and chic outfit transformations right here.

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2010/09/11/from-collegefashion-using-accessories-to-turn-an-outfit-into-a-look/feed/ 7 ccandystaff accessories belts CF shoes http://collegecandy.com/2009/03/01/seasonless-wardrobe-additions/ http://collegecandy.com/2009/03/01/seasonless-wardrobe-additions/#comments Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:39:29 +0000 CC Staff http://www.collegecandy.com/style/17300

[Post courtesy of out friends at StyleBakery.com. For more awesome fashion, style and beauty news, check them out!]The key to creating a recession-proof wardrobe is to try not to think in terms of winter and summer clothes. Instead, invest in seasonless items that ensure you will get the most out of every piece you buy. Fabrics like silk, cotton and lightweight wool or cashmere can be worn virtually all year. Sleeveless or short sleeve pieces can be easily layered …

[Post courtesy of out friends at StyleBakery.com. For more awesome fashion, style and beauty news, check them out!]The key to creating a recession-proof wardrobe is to try not to think in terms of winter and summer clothes. Instead, invest in seasonless items that ensure you will get the most out of every piece you buy. Fabrics like silk, cotton and lightweight wool or cashmere can be worn virtually all year. Sleeveless or short sleeve pieces can be easily layered under little jackets and cardigans or over thin turtlenecks and long sleeve shirts when the temperature dips. Skirts and dresses can be paired with tights and boots in the winter or bare legs and sandals in the summer.

Here are some year-round pieces worth adding to your wardrobe. Click on the pics to shop:

 

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Though I can usually throw together something appropriate for work or special events, about half of my clothing inventory consists of utterly ridiculous garments. It doesn’t help that I’m sentimental and can’t discard my prom dresses five years later, or that I’m waiting for certain trends to come back (though I’m pretty sure sparkly, sleeveless, turtleneck sweaters were never in style to begin with). And it definitely doesn’t help that I went through a goth/punk phase that a small part of the “professional” me desperately wants to revert back to.

As we all get ready for back to school, many of us will rummage through our closets and get rid of last season’s most shameful shirts, skirts, dresses, and pants in order to make room in our tiny dorm closets for upcoming styles (that we will undoubtedly regret in 2009 or 2010).

Here are some of my particularly embarrassing items.

1. Drawstring Khakis

I think that any pants that don’t have a numerical size should be left alone. So, why I bought these “Size L” drawstring pants with floral embroidery at the bottom is beyond me. They don’t go with any shoes, the trim is tacky, and they are so baggy that they make my ass look like a misshaped Volvo. I used to wear them to lounge around, because a lack of a waist obviously equals comfort; however, I made the mistake of wearing them out of the house one extremely hungover day. In public. With friends. My friend turned to me and said, “If you ever wear those pants again, I will cut them off your body.” Point taken.

Final Decision: Toss ‘em.

2. Early 2,000′s skirt from Wet Seal

In my high school yearbook, I was photographed for Amnesty International wearing a purple skirt from Wet Seal with a paisley-ish print and purple sequins along the bottom. I still own that skirt, and I still wear it. So, first of all, the skirt is practically vintage; second, I am far too old to shop at Wet Seal; third, it’s left over from freaking high school.

The strangest part? When I wear it, I get an avalanche of compliments. Everyone says I look pretty, they love my skirt, blah blah blah. Who knew?

Final Decision: It’s a keeper!

3. Girls’ Size 14 Hannah Montana Dress

Here’s a tip for all of you shopaholics out there: Don’t go shopping with a very strong buzz on. You might decide to buy a dress from the little girls’ department of Mervyn’s.

This monstrosity is a silver A-line dress with a black netting overlay, and Miley Cyrus’ face emblazoned on the front left side. In my drunken shopping stupor, it seemed like a great dress to own! Sadly, it’s already gotten worn twice this summer: once to a bar, where it actually got a lot of compliments, and once to a “Hot Tranny Mess” theme party.

Final Decision: I definitely won’t wear this to a job interview, but you never know when an opportunity to dress as “Post-Op Hannah MonTRANa” will arise. Keep it.

4. White and Green Floral Strapless Dress from David’s Bridal

I bought this dress for a wedding last summer. What’s so shameful about it? Well, in the last year, I lost enough weight that my chi chi’s can no longer hold the top up.

Furthermore, this pattern was apparently all the rage for bridal parties last year. So while the dress itself is simple and pretty, I’ve since seen many wedding albums on Facebook in which the bridesmaids are all wearing this dress. And knowing the way people talk about bridesmaid dress nightmares, owning the same dress (and picking it out myself!) is just shameful.

So basically, the thing doesn’t fit, it totally outs my “I’m not afraid to wear last season this season” mantra, and wherever I wear it, I run the risk of someone coming up to me and gushing about how they wore the same dress as a bridesmaid in a wedding.

Final Decision: Time to toss it.

5. My collection of FCUK t-shirts

Let me begin by mentioning that all of my French Connection tees were purchased IN the United Kingdom, and it drives me crazy to see “Too Busy to FCUK” t-shirts sold in the U.S. because that would make it FCUSA, wouldn’t it??

Anyway, during my stint in England a few years ago, the FCUK puns were at their peak. I have a “Guaranteed FCUK” shirt, a “Too Busy to FCUK” shirt, and a “Do I FCUK” shirt. I also have a “FCUK Down Under” shirt that a friend bought me in Australia, but again, if it wasn’t bought in the UK, it should really say “FCOZ” down under, or whatever you would call Australia. Whatever.

Not only are the shirts mildly inappropriate to wear in public (especially around grandmothers and children), but it’s really hard to find a good size. I’ve tried on Mediums and Larges, and they just don’t quite make the grade. I also have an extra-Large tank top that says, “Massive Hits…FCUK FM” straight across my massive tits, but I don’t even wear XL sizes anyway.

Final Decision: I should toss them, but they remind me of fun times in Picadilly Circus. So I will fold them, store them, and promise to never wear them. As an even trade-off, I will get rid of my “Hooters: Off-Campus” t-shirt and matching Hooters gym shorts. Is that fair?

Can you tell me who the current secretary of state is? Or who the Defense Secretary is?

I bet not.

But I would place money on the fact that you could name me at least two celebrities who are pregnant, the latest color of Britney Spears’ wig or the name of the diet that Jessica Simpson is currently on.

We are pretty pathetic my friends. According to an article in the New York Times, today’s youth is not news savvy. We don’t watch the news like our parents did when they were our age because we have more than one TV in our homes. When our parents are watching about peace talks in the Middle East, we are watching Engaged and Underage or Entourage.

When our parents are reading the Times or USA Today, we are reading Us Weekly or In Style.

When our parents are surfing CNN.com or watching a clip of Barack Obama’s speech on YouTube we are perusing perezhilton.com or watching the clip of LiLo snorting cocaine.

In fact, in a recent survey, only 16% of 18-30 year olds said they read the newspaper on a daily basis.

Today’s current affairs really need our attention as what happens today will most certainly affect our futures (so cliché but true). With a political race starting, the threat of terrorism affecting us on a daily basis and the attempt of peace talks in the Middle East, it is time for us to focus less on the fact that Dina Lohan is getting her own show and more on the fact that we can do something to help global warming or find a way to get involved in the new political campaigns.

I love celeb gossip and fashion just as much as the next person (probably even more so) but after reading this article, I realized that while I can rattle off the latest fall fashions and celebrity news, I am pretty embarassed about my lack of knowledge of current national/world news and politics.

So let’s change that! Click on the links above, grab a latte and read up! Now you can impress your professor, your parents and even that cute guy in the bar. It is possible to know about both poltics and Paris.