One of the hottest colors for 2011, whether it’s for fashion or home decor, is navy. With the popularity of nautical inspired pieces the last few seasons, there’s a good chance you already own something in this dark shade of blue. Navy can substitute for black as a neutral in many cases, making it a good addition if you’re trying to banish some of the black from your wardrobe. For example, if you’re tired of your usual little black dress routine, why not switch it up with a little navy dress?

Navy works well with all other textures and trends of the season. Navy lace? Check. Navy stripes? Check. Navy Sequins? Check. So when you’re hitting the mall looking to add new life to your wardrobe, try navy instead of black. You won’t be disappointed. Read More »

I am a firm believer that everyone should be able to wear sailor-inspired clothing even if they haven’t been on a boat once this entire summer (which just so happens to be the story for this girl). Nautical style is so crisp and outdoorsy; a total breath of fresh sea air. And when you’re on a boat, there’s nothing better than nautical duds with your flippy floppies.

It’s no wonder whenever I see a simplistic dress dipped in royal blues, crimson reds and whites I can barely keep it from eating up my credit card bills. But if you (like my dear self) are tired of digging in the diminishing sale racks in J-Crew for the key-nautical piece, CollegeCandy has scrounged up some prime pieces to accompany you in your next Christopher Columbus excursion this summer.  I mean, boat cruise. Or, you know, just brunch…. Read More »

This year’s fashion trends range from the ranch to the yacht, and stripes are one of the perfect ways to look seaworthy this summer.

The easiest way to incorporate nautical elements into your wardrobe is with stripes.  With so many super cute ways to wear stripes how can you not have something striped (or something striped for every day of the week!) in your wardrobe?  Summer items are starting to hit clearance racks, so you can pick something up to wear now with shorts, or later with jeans without breaking the bank.  While the longer sleeved breton-striped tops will keep you warm if you’re outside on a summer night, some of the striped dresses are perfect to toss over a bathing suit at the beach.

If you’re pinching pennies for a summer vacay, stripes are a recurring fashion trend (just look back to Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn!) so you may even luck out finding an adorable top at the thrift store.  Just don’t be afraid to check the men’s (or boys if you’re petite) departments as this unisex trend looks even cuter when it’s loose and laid back. Read More »

I feel like all I’ve been seeing are American flags plastered to every store window and bumper. Which is fine by me. Who’s going to complain about a whole day off from work to down 30 beers and stuff your face with hamburgers? (…And celebrate our country, of course!)

But where July 4th does get my panties in a knot is when it starts bleeding over into fashion. The amount of horrendous American flag pants, t-shirts, scrunchies (yes, scrunchies) and even themed nail art that has passed me by on the street is ridiculous. And although red, white and blue really isn’t a color palate I dress in often, seeing all of these proud Americans struggling to express their love for America in an outfit that is just plain wrong, is just plain wrong. So this year I vowed that I could find something just as appropriate for the day (and the entire season) without sacrificing my dignity or style.

The winner? The Madison Marcus Infinite Striped Jacket. It was included in a July 4th inspired slideshow on Shopbop but when I saw it all concept of a holiday celebration outfit flew out the door. Instead I had flashes of all the places I would walk into looking incredibly chic in my white cotton blazer with the criss-crossed navy stripes.

The jacket is so smart that it’s almost unbelievable. It’s channeling the nautical theme which gives it a crisp, preppy feel, but the detailing is so modern that other nautical inspired wear comes nowhere close to being as wearably chic. The combination of the laid-back rolled cuffs and the sophisticated tuxedo color give the jacket this uniquely casual “oh this thing? I just threw it on” vibe, while the one-sided pocket and asymmetrical stripes and buttons make a huge fashion statement. Read More »

It’s that time of year again: The season of the skirt. In all honesty, shorts really aren’t my thing. Sometimes they squeeze in all the wrong love handles places and give me some serious wedgie dilemmas. That is why I have a great relationship with all of the skirts out there. They are girly, breathable, comfortable and wedgie-free. What more could a girl ask for?

One of my favorite things about summer is slapping on some sunscreen, shoving a towel and a Nicolas Sparks novel in my beach bag and throwing on a skirt and a tee. Then, come evening, all I have to do is slather some aloe on my arms, exchange the flip flops for some comfy wedges and hit the town for some summer lovin’. Care to join me/rub sunscreen on my back? First, take a lookie at these pretty numbers.  I promise they will not disappoint.

[Click on the skirt to get all the shopping info.]

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The following post is courtesy of our uber fashionable friends at CollegeFashion.net!

The nautical look is one of those ageless trends that seems to come back into fashion every few years. And with good reason! The look is classic and flattering; it’s about adding flair to your style. This spring, nautical fashions have been all over runways–Derek Lam and Marc Jacobs have both added nautical accents to their recent collections. Want a taste of their style? Use my fact sheet as a guide!

How to Rock The Nautical Look: A Spring/Summer 2010 Fact Sheet

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Whoever said diamonds are a girl’s best friend, obviously never tried to walk in 4-inch heels – if they had, they’d know that a woman’s real best friend is a hot pair of wedges.

Love how your legs look in stilettos but hate hobbling home at the end of the night? This year, wedges are the answer.  No longer will you have to opt for flats, shove another pair of shoes into your bag, or take a cab 5 blocks to get home at the end of the night.  Wedges give you height and elongate those legs, but have more material pounding the pavement, meaning you don’t have to balance your weight on that super fragile ball of your food anymore. Hot legs + hot shoes + comfort? Be still my heart.

Even better (as if that were possible!), wedges come in all shapes, sizes, colors and styles. You can find some for day (hello, espadrilles!) or night. You can go basic to let your outfit do the taking, or incorporate this season’s hottest trends (animal print, bright colors, nautical??). Wedges really are the shoe for everyone, and I’d like to offer up a big “Thank You!!” to whatever fashion gods decided to bring ‘em back. Read More »

I LOVE the nautical “I’m on a boat” look. Almost as much as I love that song. There is just something about red, navy and white that screams summer chic. Give me an excuse to add yellow and/or gold as a compliment and I’m practically drooling. On a boat.

And even though this look is never really out of style, it’s majorly in style this season. It’s about as in as Justin Beiber, except substitute 13-year-old tweens for the fashion obsessed clamoring for a bit of this nautical love. Boat shoes for girls, cute navy and red jackets, hair bows, big beach totes – is it the 4th of July yet?!

The good news is you don’t have to wait until mid-summer to sport this fireworks-suitable ensemble. And there is always an excuse and place to wear it. And I’m going to show you three ways. Yes, one shirt, 3 adorable looks. America really is beautiful my friends.

[A note on the shirt: The style of this shirt is very in, but the key is to look for one that comes in on the sides like this one so that you get the flowy look without looking like you’re preggo with an eggo. And yeah, the shirt isn't cheap, but it's incredibly versatile, making it a very sound summer investment.] Read More »

I'm on a bleepin' bleepin' boat

According to reliable sources – namely, Punxsatawney Phil – there are still six weeks left of winter. That’s six more weeks of singing the winter blues as we trek to class in our layers upon layers trying to avoid frostbite while still looking cute. Worst of all, that’s six weeks of craving cute spring clothes that retailers are dangling in front of us while we lug our winter coats around the mall.

The tail end of winter sure does suck.

But, it doesn’t have to! Looking to the Resort 2010 collections (also known as Pre-Spring), there are many trends that can be incorporated into our winter looks while still channeling the feeling of warm months to come. What better way to kick those winter blues (covered in icicles) than with nautical clothes? Who wouldn’t rather be on a boat (bustin’ 5 knots, wind whippin’ out my coat) than braving the winter weather?

OK, so putting on some madras and a pair of Rainbows isn’t exactly possible right now, but it’s really easy to incorporate some nautical looks into your winter wardrobe with a little creative layering. Tights, long sleeve shirts and cardigans makes it possible to enjoy nautical clothes now, and then you can strip that stuff off when the snow (finally) melts in the spring. Need a little fashion warm-up? Let’s hit the high seas! Read More »

So, Star Trek is cool now?

Spring fashion hits the high seas.

JT and Andy Samberg love moms.

The secrets of The Biggest Loser!

Have you been to a naked party?

Happy 24th, Audrina Partridge!