I just love purple clothing and accessories for fall.  The deeper and jewel-toned shade you see in stores this time of year are flattering on everyone, and you feel instantly more sophisticated when you wear it (it is the color of royalty, after all).

And not to mention it looks amazing with gray, my other favorite color for fall.  Here are some great purple items to add to your wardrobe this season for $20 or less each! Read More »

There are a lot of reasons to look forward to autumn: pumpkin spice lattes, the leaves changing color, good television, and – oh yeah – Fall fashion. September is the January of the fashion world, with designers battling it out to set this year’s trends, and magazines battling it out to report them.

The September Issues are back for another year, and bigger than ever. This month’s Vogue was over 700 pages. Glamour released its largest issue in 20 years.  And don’t forget about InStyle, Elle, Marie Claire, and Harper’s Bazaar. That’s a lot of reading material, even for a seasoned fashionista. So consider this your fashion cheat sheet. I’ve drooled over slaved over pages and pages of bags, boots, coats, and colors to bring you this seasons it items (without 497 pages of ads). Enjoy! Read More »

While switching my wardrobe from my summer sundresses to my winter wools, I realized one very depressing thing: my winter wardrobe is more drab and depressing than those dreary January days. If I don’t want to slip into a winter funk (fixed only by large bowls of mac-and-cheese), I need to do something fast.

And that something comes in the form of color. The color purple to be exact.

Every girl needs a little color in her wardrobe and what better way to liven things up than with something beautiful, luxurious and violet?  Historically, purple is associated with nobility, but we don’t need to be canoodling with Prince Harry to enjoy the benefits of this year’s hottest color. (Although, that would definitely help with the winter blues…) We can all look regal and faboosh, even on our student budgets.

You can work purple into your look in a big way – like a silky sheath dress – or just add little splashes here and there. Either way, you won’t have to look far to find the perfect purple pieces to lift your winter spirits. In fact, I found 16 hot ones right here. Read More »

The recession is bad news for anyone looking to get a job, save some money or sell a house. But it’s great news for fashionistas! Stores that were once dowdy and just screamed “crazy cat lady” are bringing in new designers to create chic lines at lower prices.

Take JC Penney. When was the last time you stopped in there (not counting those post-Starbucks bathroom emergencies)? I know: never. Because their clothes were cheap, outdated and just not cute. Well, that’s not the case anymore! JCP now sells several lines by popular designers (Charlotte Ronson, Nicole Miller, and Allen B. Schwartz, to name a few) and they not only have stuff that is totes cute, it’s totes affordable as well.  I can’t wait to add some of these pieces to my closet… Read More »

Usually I hate when things happen ahead of season, like when Halloween stuff starts popping up in August, or when Christmas decorations are everywhere in September.  In general it is just plain wrong.  I don’t need a blow up outdoor Santa snow globe before Halloween has even passed.  Actually, I don’t need one of those at all.  Ever.

However, there’s one thing that I don’t mind arriving a wee bit early, and that’s next season’s makeup trends (or any fashion for that matter); it’s never too early to look into/play around with the new fall colors.

Now’s the time to get your makeup bag ready for fall and I’m here to help. You should be glad I’m not actually there with you, because I’d be trying on every lip gloss you got and curling my eyelashes instead of really helping. But I digress. I’ll tell you what to keep, what to toss, and what to buy for Back To School season.

You don’t have to do it right now (obviously), but just keep your eye out for the colors of fall and prepare yourself to part with the makeup of the summer. Read More »

Have you met our new BFFs over at What’s Haute? We love popping over there to do some “window shopping” of all the designer bags and accessories that we would have to work for life and beyond to afford. Still, we can’t stop.

Well, our friends know how we feel and now they are bringing us some cheaper (yet still beautiful) alternatives, right here on CollegeCandy. To see more couture goodness, visit What’s Haute.

Have you ever bought a bag for future use? As in “I have no clue what I’m going to wear this with or where but I have to have it!”? That’s how I feel about this Jessica McClintock Stone Frame Pleated Clutch.

This pleated satin clutch is available in a gorgeous melon-y orange tone, a regal purple hue, a rich chocolate brown and black, and each color is absolutely lovely. The clutch has gold-rimmed sparkling stones across the top which jazz it up even more. It’s so petite and pretty – don’t you feel like getting dressed up just looking at it? It makes me want to create a special occasion to have a reason to carry it. And at $58, it’s a steal! You’ll want to grab all four!

[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 call me your own personal Rachel Zoe.]

Another weekend, another opportunity to figure out what to wear. This weekend, it’s all about shine and dazzle with sparkle, jewel tones, and a sleek look that can also be easily transformable from day to night. If you are interning or working somewhere that requires business wear, throw a blazer over this ensemble and you’re good to go.

Jewel tones are everywhere this season, so go for a lovely satin jewel-toned top. I love this halter top from The Limited. The ruffles add a little interest, and the cut is sexy and sophisticated. Bonus: If you put in the promotion code 561 at checkout before November 30th, you’ll get 20% off. Cha Ching! Read More »

There is a guilty pleasure many women have that men will NEVER understand: handbags. As my ex once said, “It’s a thing to hold your stuff, for God’s sake!” But it’s more than that: it’s a fashion statement, an accessory, and, for a lot of us, an obsession runs deep.

So whenever a new season comes around, I know I look forward to seeing what the bag trends for that season are gonna be. While there is always a seasonal “it” bag (or 2 or 3) that generally costs more than your monthly rent, you don’t have to break the bank each season to have a trendy bag on your arm. It may be hard to believe, but there are plenty of budget options out there!

As is true with most seasons, this season brings us some new shapes, styles and textures, but there is also a lot of recycling going on. A key with bags is that you don’t need to go matchy matchy, so don’t be afraid to add a pop of color, or if you go with a neutral like grey or brown, you needn’t match all your accessories.

Bags are meant to be a statement piece, so don’t fear going bold and adding some zest to your look with your handbag – be it a clutch, tote, or, this season’s most popular shape, the satchel. Read More »

Fall and winter fashion is all about boots, and I don’t mean Uggs. Boots can update any outfit, from that cute dress for the bar to those skinny jeans you wear to class. Luckily, there are tons of different looks to choose from for every style…and every budget.

Check out my boot picks for fall below; from the low end to the highest end, I got somethin’ for everyone.

(Click on the pics for more info/to add em to your already overstocked shoe collection!):

Over-the-knee boots

This thigh-grazing style has been seen on fashionable celebs like Mischa Barton. The look is very fashion-forward and a bit hard to pull off, but when done right can look amazing. They look best with pants tucked in, not with short skirts or dresses with a short hem, which leave you lookin’ like a hooker.

If you are looking to splurge, check out the Joie boots on the left ($475), or, for the rest of us, the Newport News boot on the right is only $49. Bonus: they have a cool fold-over top so they can be worn two ways. Read More »

Fall is just around the corner, and soon we’ll have crisper weather, changing leaves and new fashion trends. The upcoming season is an interesting mix of sexy, classy and manly (yes, manly!) and the main color to watch for is purple.

As always, the trends come from the designers on the runway, but there are plenty of options out there for less expensive pieces that give you a similar look.H&M, Forever 21, Target and other regional mall stores (Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, etc.) all carry up-to-date trends for inexpensive prices. Express, Nordstrom and Macy’s are other, slightly more expensive, stores to check out, and I’m a huge fan of discount stores (Loehmann’s, Filene’s Basement, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, etc.).

Without further ado, here’s a list of what to grab up this season… Read More »