In elementary school, all the subjects are taught as brief overviews rather than extensive lessons. For example, we learn “Language Arts” instead of Humanities or Language and Composition, “Math” isn’t “Algebra” or “Geometry,” and “Science” is growing little plants in plastic cups rather than beating yourself over the head with a massive AP Chem book. But as kids, we had two courses in Social Studies: “Social Studies” taught by teachers, and “Geography” taught by Mary Kate and Ashley. Thanks to their straight to VHS movies, little girls all over the nation had a comprehensive understanding of global studies, and furthermore which countries had the cutest boys.
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Dear Mary Kate and Ashley,

I was browsing through your latest line, “The Row,” and couldn’t help but notice your $300 black t-shirts, your $900 LBD, or your absolutely ridiculous $35K leather backpack. I don’t know if anyone told you this, but the only designer in the world who’s allowed to charge more than $10K for a bag is Hermes. And I’m sorry, but your “unique” line of straight-leg leather pants and over-sized dress shirts simply do not hold a candle to any other iconic designers that have the nerve to charge that much.

That being said, I was a huge fan of your first fashion line- you know, the one you had at Walmart? I remember being 9 years old and begging my mom to buy one of your “princess” t-shirts or a pair of sparkly jelly kitten heels. The best part about your old line? The prices were always on a Walmart “rollback” and they were more accessible to average, middle-class tween’s mom’s pocketbooks everywhere. Read More »

I grew up wanting to be Ashley Olsen and my stepsister was all for being Mary Kate. We had the matching pink and blue outfits on our family cruises, we fixed our hair the way MK & A would wear it. we tried to sell our brother for 50 cents…basically, they were the sisters we wanted to be. Well at least on-screen.

It was so bad we even memorized their movies, those awful same-plot-every-time movies. Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed every second of their films — from the M and A names to the corny lines and amazing soundtrack.  Well, it just so happens that America’s favorite twins are turning 25 today! (That’s about 24 years and 6 months from when they got their start as Michelle Tanner.) So in celebration of these lovely fur-wearing, hippie-dressing ladies, here are 5 of the worst movies Mary Kate and Ashley ever made. I guess you’re bound to slip up when you own your own production company at age 13…

For your viewing pleasure:

When In Rome:

“We were fired over instant coffee! I’d call that an over-reaction!” 

Our Lips Are Sealed

Victoria: Since when has she known how to surf? 
Ashley Parker: Since this scene apparently… 

The Challenge

“I’m stuck with yogi and her two boo-boos!”

New York Minute

“What are you doing? Right now, that dog is my life. And when he poops, his poop is my life.”

Holiday in the Sun

“Well that’s what I generally do with books – I read them.” 

Every summer, until I was 14, I would beg my parents to send me to sleepaway camp. I would promise I wouldn’t call home and told them I could handle being in the woods for a couple of weeks. And every summer I got the same answer, no. So I did what any other pre-teen would do, hung out at the mall, hit up the beach, and watched movies that made me feel like I was at summer camp.

Now before I go on, I should tell you I finally got my experience at sleepaway camp, I worked as a Unit Leader for an entire summer at a girl scout camp in Virgina. And can I just say, what a rip off! Besides having the exact cabins as Parent Trap (we almost put one of the counselors furniture on the roof just because) it was NOTHING like the movies. So if you missed out, don’t worry…you didn’t miss much.

Still, every time I see camp rock (my sister’s 12, she watches it..I just happen to be in the same room), or any other crazy camp movie I can’t help but wish I was 10 again so I could have my very own camp adventure.  So, since it’s almost that time of year again, here are 6 movies that made me want to go to camp:

The holiday season, I’ve come to realize, is all about the traditions. Baking cookies. Listening to festive music. Wrapping presents. Eating way too much in a way too short amount of time. Shopping for days. Decorating. It wouldn’t be Christmas without all of it.

But really, probably my favorite Christmas tradition is the endless Christmas movies. It starts on Thanksgiving day with March of the Wooden Soldiers and continues through the New Year. The perfect excuse for movie marathons and munching on sweets, all I really want to do is grab some hot chocolate and those sugar cookies I bought baked, and settle down with one of my favorite Christmas movies.  Any of these will do. Read More »

There are a lot of perks to experiencing Halloween as a college student, that’s a given. But remember Halloween as a little kid? When you looked forward to more than the drinking games and the slutty sexy costumes?

Sure, I loved the costumes, and the candy, and the pumpkin carvings, but for me it was really all about the movies. And not those crazy, creepy, scary ones either, but the fun ones. You know, the ones about friendly ghosts and clumsy witches and great pumpkins…
Allow me to refresh your memory…

10. Beetlejuice. Originally this one was going to be higher up on the list. But as I rediscovered the plot of this Halloween time horror, I realized it was actually kind of creepy. Way to get your big break though, Winona Ryder.

9. The Little Vampire. Think back, way back. Before Twilight. Before Edward Cullen. Before vampires were ever associated with glitter. Remember when you actually thought vampires were kind of scary? It made the idea of a little boy being BFFs with a vampire so much cooler. Read More »

Voting is closed for round 2. Check out round 3 to sound off on your favorites from the ’90s!

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. Thursday we left it up to you to vote on the best recreational things and events from our favorite decade. While we weren’t surprised to see Pogs beat out Devil Sticks, we were mouths-on-the-floor shocked to see Monica Lewinsky beat O.J Simpson by a landslide. Guess presidential sex (or whatever Bill called it) outweighs murder these days.

But that’s the whole reason we’re doing this (sorry, Titanic!) and we’re excited to narrow it down even further today. On this momentous Monday, we’re looking at top 32 choices from all 4 sections. Will AOL Chatrooms beat out Super Nintendo? ‘Can Salute Your Shorts’ possibly win out over TGIF? (Things to consider: Donkey Lips vs. Uncle Joey.) We won’t know until you cast your vote.

So vote now and then come back every Monday and Thursday this month so you can keep letting us know what is the best thing to ever come from the 1990 and beyond. Read More »

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. Monday we left it up to you to vote on the best entertainment and trends from our favorite decade. In a move that shocked no one, ‘Salute Your Shorts’ creamed ‘Hey Dude!’ and the majority of you favored Mary-Kate and Ashley to Tia and Tamara. But we were surprised to see Fruit by the Foot breeze past Dunkaroos. What’s so special about 3 feet of chewy fruit? Dunkaroos are cookies…dipped in FROSTING.

But them’s the breaks (sorry ‘roos!) and it’s time to exercise your right to vote once again. In today’s polls we’re looking at the biggest events and favorite forms of recreation from the’90s. Will Mall Madness beat out Dream Phone? Is OJ Simpson bigger than Monica Lewinsky?

Cast your vote then come back Monday and Thursday this month so you can keep letting us know what is the best thing to ever come from the 1990 and beyond. Read More »

Polls are closed on this portion of the bracket, but vote on Pastimes and Events right here.

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. Today we’re voting on the best of entertainment and trends from our favorite decade, and on Thursday we’ll narrow down our ’90s pastimes and events. Keep checking back every Monday and Thursday this month so you can keep letting us know what is the best thing to ever come from the 1990 and beyond.

P.S. We know, we know – we’re missing a lot. It was a hard decision narrowing it down to 64 awesome things and we’re still upset that there’s no face-off between Britney and Christina. Did we miss something major? Let us know in the comments. Read More »

[While everyone is fabulous in their own right, we thought we should celebrate the campus fashionistas of the world for their continued excellence in not looking like a hot mess for class. So, we started stalking those girls on campus (like Ashley from Lakehead!) to get a few pics and get some tips on their personal style.

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. You think you've got some major style? Know someone else who's always looking ferosh? Think the world needs to see what she can do?  Send us an email with some photos and she could be the next fashionista celebrated right here.]

Allow me to introduce you to Tatomme, probably the only girl I’ve ever met who can truly pull off a chambray jumper. And by “pull off” I mean “work it like she’s got Rachael Zoe dressing her and she’s walkin’ down a runway.” I just met her this semester, and I was instantly impressed with her style.  We are in a few classes together right now – including being on a team in TV -  and I look forward to seeing what interesting and unique outfits she comes up with each day. She incorporates so many things that I could never pull off, and some I might even wonder why she ever thought to even try it on, but I always admire what she is wearing… and the creative mind that thought to put it all together.

I mean, those shoes and the jumper and that jacket? How did she ever know it would all work together? But it does. Flawlessly.

My favorite thing about Tatomme’s look, though, is that signature bag, which she casually slings across her body as we lug camera equipment across campus.  When I asked her about it, I learned that this Liz Claiborne bag originally belonged to Tatomme’s mom, who wore it when she was about our age.

Vintage, cute and sentimental…. I just love it. Read More »