But sometimes we have to wonder, why would you think it’s okay to show up to certain events sans pants? I know it’s hot, but I wore pants today, and so can you.

So when is it appropriate to forget your pants, and when is it completely out of the question?

No pants necessary:

At the pool. Goes without saying.

In your room. Save the AC, drop the drawers.

Music festivals. If you find someone wearing pants at one of these sweat-fests, they’re most likely unconscious from heat exhaustion. Check their pulse.

Pants, please:

At work. You may soon be unemployed if you think otherwise. Just saying.

At a restaurant. There will be crowds of people trying to eat. Do them a favor and don’t distract them with your pantsless ensemble.

Red carpet events. Guaranteed to be thoroughly documented, so wear the pants please.

With that said, do we think this celeb was breaking the rules with her decision to leave the pants at home?

Genius!

When I first saw this commercial (while drunk eating last Saturday at 4am) I was appalled.

“WTF?” I screamed, spitting a chunk of cheese onto my rug. “What kind of country do we live in where we need an invention to make our pants bigger to fit our fat asses?”

Then I realized I was talking to myself and, as I looked down at my own pants (that had left a deep red mark around my entire waist and were now unbuttoned as I sat on the floor housing a pizza), realized that maybe this isn’t so WTF after all. In fact, it might be the best invention for drunk-eating college kids since Facebook and Easy Mac!

I guess the only WTF thing about The Perfect Fit Button is that, WTF, why didn’t I think of this myself?

When it comes to many things in life, including fashion, I’m a fan of odd, quirky things that leave people asking questions. No, I’m not going to start wearing fairy wings like one of the girls on What Not To Wear, but I did pick up a pair of pants last week that totally fit the bill. They were a pair of skinny pants by Fragile I found at T.J. Maxx for seventeen bucks, but which retail for $29 (sweet!). Had they not been at T.J. Maxx, I never would have fallen in love, as they are typically sold at Hot Topic, a store I haven’t stepped into since my friend’s goth days in high school.

The pants look like jeans, but function somewhat like sweat pants in that you basically pull them on and button the single button at the top. They feature back pockets, faux front pockets, and no zipper, so you can imagine my surprise when I took them off the hanger and unbuttoned them in the dressing room to discover… pants that were not actually jeans. I tried them on anyway and loved how they looked. They are low rise, so you can avoid that weird baggy look around your danger zone and are stretchy to fit a broader range of body shapes (they come in letter sizes instead of number sizes – pants for all!).

I would say that they are comparable to denim leggings, although I prefer these Fragile pants since they look more like jeans and aren’t so skin tight that they literally outline every cellulite bump on your legs. The leg openings are also not super small, so you won’t look too unbalanced if you have wider hips. They are amazingly comfortable, like sweatpants, but just way more chic.

These pants are definitely the answer to every college girl’s fashion dilemma: chic sweatpants? That you can wear to class? And not look schlumpy? I think it’s time we all made a run to Hot Topic.

Upon some recent discussion with my guy friends, I’ve come to realize that we girls may just be a little bit “too close.” I happen to be one of those people blessed with an intimate group of girlfriends, and therefore we talk about everything from the specific color name of our nail polish to the exact millisecond of how long our most recent sack session lasted.

However, upon stepping back a bit and really paying attention to what I was saying, I’ve begun to wonder if there is such thing as too much information sharing. Even if it never gets back to your guy, is it alright to share everything? Below are the key things that, looking back, I’m thinking should just remain between a lady and her man.

How Big He Is…Down There:  It’s something I never really thought about, probably because if anyone wants to know the size of my practically non-existent boobs, they can just look, but guys are ultra-sensitive to what they may or may not have. Well, mostly, what they don’t have. It is totally okay to talk about how big last night’s drunken hook up was, but if your boyfriend is less than well-endowed, you may want to keep that on the DL from your friends…at least until you break up.

The time he cried in front of you: I don’t think it’s any secret that girls cry in front of guys, but when it’s the other way around it probably should be. When your guy finally feels comfortable enough to shed some tears around you, don’t go telling all of your friends how sweet and sensitive it was to see him cry. Help him stay manly in the eyes of your friends and keep some things just between you.

The time he couldn’t get it up: Again, this is just one of those unfortunately embarrassing things that happens to guys when they are a) nervous or b) drunk. While you may want reassurance from your friends that you are gorgeous and that it’s not your fault that this happened, can you imagine how mortified your man already is that he can’t get excited for the naked girl next to him? Just think about how much worse it is when he walks in the room and everybody knows.

Each and every fight you get into: It’s understandable if you and your man have a huge blowout and you need to bitch to someone, but don’t criticize everything he does wrong to your friends. Otherwise, you become too accustomed to trashing him and eventually your friends will only be able to point out his bad qualities to you. Not good.

As a disclaimer, I have talked about all the things above and more, including explaining exactly how long he lasted, read aloud text messages, stalked each and every Facebook photo, and have criticized wardrobe choices. And now I feel awful about it and thank my lucky stars that most guy conversations consist of
“You get head?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool.”
Because I know for sure that I would not want to be talked about the same way that I have discussed these boys in the past.

So tell me: is it alright to tell your best friends your guy’s deep dark secrets?

Do you ever wonder what he really thinks about the stuff you wear? Like after you spend hours in front of your mirror trying to find the perfect outfit to impress him, do you wonder if he cares? I’ve found that a lot of the stuff I adore, attempt, or appraise as high fashion – most men just don’t notice.

Though my BF, bless his soul, tries dearly to understand why I’d want to bust my paycheck on the shoe equivalent of a medieval torture chamber, he, in all his Nike wearing glory, just doesn’t get it. [He humors me, but I'm pretty sure he can't tell a Louboutin from a Payless.] And really, when it comes down to it, don’t we put up with all that “Pain is Beauty” crap to attract guys? Are 5 inch stilettos necessary? Does he even notice?

So for every girl who’s ever wondered, I’ve comprised a panel of real guys willing to share their opinions:

The Guys:
The Boyfriend, Rutgers University - The average fashion-challenged college guy. Though he humors me with his attempts to understand the outfits I throw on, he can be extremely blunt.

Fashion Photographer, The Art Institute of Houston - Super metro. He works with models and clothes all the time so he’ll be more forgiving of some fashions, but he’s especially harsh when it comes to the styles he dislikes.

Premed, NYU - He’s funny and insightful, but he’s ultimately still a guy when it comes to women’s clothing.

Little brother, 12 - Okay so he’s not technically a college guy, but he has his fair share of opinions on what makes sense and what doesn’t. Plus, we all know how honest (read: mean!) kids can be.

The Look:
Everybody loves LuLu’s. College Candy loves LuLu’s. And now that they’re offering College Candy readers 15% off every purchase, we can’t help but love them more. It seems like nothing can dimish our love. Except, well…… this:

After finding this on LuLu’s usually fashion-forward website, I had to see what my guys thought.

The Boyfriend, Rutgers University - Are you kidding me? What’s that supposed to be? Where’s the crotch? That looks like a diaper, and it doesn’t help that it’s brown.

Photographer, The Art Institute of Houston - She looks like she’s hiding balls. Maybe she’s a he.

Premed, NYU - This is going to sound mean but… ever seen the back of a horse? Like, it’s rear end? LOL!

Little Brother, 12 - Those look like lederhosen, you know, the things with the straps that Scottish people wear.

** Correction: Lederhosen are worn by “Germanic men” and they look something like this:

Yeah, I guess I can see where he’s coming from.

While the Knickers seem pretty comfy (hey, no risk of a yeast infection), I don’t think I could ever do the whole MC Hammer thing. But if you have $53 to blow, you can purchase your own pair at LuLus.com. Don’t forget to use your discount!

What do you think of these Nifty Knickers? Would you wear them? Comment below, and while you’re at it – how do you like our new installment? Any honest guys out there willing to be a part of our panel?

Comfortable but ugly fashion trends are easy to feel torn about. We’ve already covered Uggs and gigantic handbags, both of which can be hit or miss. This season, however, one of the hottest (or ugliest?) trends in denim from all designers happen to be the boyfriend jean.

Love it: Obviously, boyfriend jeans are comfortable and relaxed. They may not be the most sexy pair of jeans in your closet, but they’re great for going to class or lounging in the dorms. Boyfriend jeans give off an effortlessly cool vibe no matter what you’re doing. Plus, they give you ample breathing and eating room–their baggy fit promises to never ever create a muffin top.

For the most part, boyfriend jeans look pretty cute when paired with flats and flat sandals, AND, when worn with the right top, they can look almost chic with heels. Hard to believe, I know. Finally, since boyfriend jeans are the newest “it” item, they can be found at any price range and in tons of stores from Old Navy to J.Crew to Nordstrom.

Loathe it: If these jeans are so big and baggy, how do they stay on? Guys jeans just don’t fit a woman’s body the right way, so if you’re actually wearing your boyfriend’s jeans, you’re probably going to have to roll those suckers up and invest in a cute belt. Even if you’re wearing boyfriend jeans that are made specifically for women, rolling the bottoms up a couple of inches is the new way to rock ‘em. But just how much DO you roll them? If you roll too high, the jeans start looking like ill-fitting capris, but if you don’t roll them high enough, they can look like awkward cigarette pants. I’m pretty sure that I would be driven crazy trying to make each side of my jeans match perfectly.

Additionally, boyfriend jeans are tricky– the look can be just plain hard to make work. While they have looked very cute on Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron, whenever Katie Holmes puts on a pair, the style just isn’t right.

So what do you think ladies? Are you going to be stealing a pair of jeans from your boyfriend or best guy friend’s closet to try out this trend or are you not a fan of this androgynous turn in fashion?

Happy Thanksgiving, ladies!

Right now you are either working out in anticipation of tonight’s food fest, or diving face first into a plate of sweet potatoes and marshmallows. Yum.

Instead of running our regularly scheduled “Love Em or Hate Em” column this week, I decided to honor my favorite holiday with a special fashion poll. Because who really cares what everyone thinks of Leather Leggings when there is a giant Pumkin Pie in front of you!? And more importantly, who the hell can fit into them after a full day of stuffing yourself with stuffing?

So, let’s get to the real important questions on this gluttenous holiday: When you head out to Thanksgiving dinner today, will you be wearing unforgiving pants, or a nice roomy dress?

It took me a long time to admit it, but I really love my leggings. They seriously make everyone look good, no matter what size you wear. They are also the perfect pant in that you can wear them to the gym, to class, and to the bar. Oh, and they happen to be the only kind of pants that really look flawless stuffed into a knee-high boot.

Love it!

But lately I’ve been seeing a new spin on the legging: the patterned legging. I know that it is the natural progression of fashion to take something great and make it new and different, but I feel like this is new and…ugly.

What do you think?

Patterned leggings – love em or hate em? (Oh, and nevemind the rest of little Lourdes’s ensembles/crazy mother…we’re talkin’ about the pants here.)

JC Penney may not be the same maven of style that is, say, Fifth Avenue, but they have recently rolled out with a few things that are definitely worth a second look. And a purchase. And some instant gratification from wearing it all right outta the store.

Their newest lines come from tons of fabulous, fashionable designers like, Nicole Miller and Ralph Lauren. They are trendy, good quality and easy on the wallet. I don’t know about you, but I’d take a $15 top over an $80 one any day. With prices like these, I can get triple the wardrobe!

Here are a few highlights from JCPenney’s newest collections. Click on the look to get the deets…and buy the item.

Ruffle sleeves and high necks are really in right now, and you either love them or you don’t. I happen to be in the former group, which is why these shirts totally rock my world. You can sport them with a pair of jeans and booties on the weekend, or throw them on with a pair of trousers for a more professional sitch. And at $14.99, they are pretty much perfection.

For the chilly months ahead, the peeps at JCPenney loaded the racks with adorable and cozy clothes. This toggled sweater, for example, is cute, casual and perfect for layering on a cold, winter day. Throw it on over a pair of leggings – full length to keep those legs toasty – for the perfect look for class. Did I mention the leggings are only $16 (and come in 3 colors!)? Yeah, no need to spend hundreds on the ones Lohan is hocking.

Not a fan of argyle? These leggings would also go swimmingly with a corduroy skirt, or, for the biker look that everyone is rocking this season, with this awesome leather jacket.

I also love these adorable and totally now high waisted, wide leg pants. This look is all over the runways right now, and you can get it at freaking Penney’s for $30! And skinny jeans? Every woman needs a pair – even moreso when they are this cheap – so go get em. Now.

Sweater dresses are huge this season, and these two options are great. Pick up a (cheap) pair of tights and some boots and you have an entire (recession-proof) outfit.

Bravo, Penney’s.

[Image courtesy of daylife.com.]

In other words, I know American Apparel.

Their stores are chock full of ridiculous things I would never wear, but they also happen to carry some seriously awesome essentials. You may have to pick through the sparkly unitards to find em, but they are most definitely worth the work. Don’t know what to look for? That’s why I am here.

I give you: The Best Things (EVER) at American Apparel.

1. The Vest

I bought the vest last summer and it’s still around. I remember the sales guy and I agreeing that the vest was “smart.” The vest is reversible and goes well with just about everything and is an easy way to spice up a rather boring ensemble. I pair it with a fitted tank, skinny jeans, flats and some bangles. Simple and stylin’ cuz that’s how I roll.

2. The Intimate

When a co-worker rocked a strapless top I asked her how she kept the ladies up so nicely. Everyone knows it’s hard to find a great strapless bra. She told me it was American Apparel! Yup. So I went shopping and bought three. The bandeau top layrs nicely under any kind of shirt and comes in more colors than your bag of Skittles. Just don’t jump/dance too hard or your support will ends up around your waist.

3. The Dress

The Sheer Jersey Bandeau Dress is pretty much amazing. There really is no other way to describe it. This thing can be worn a billion different ways! (They even have a video to teach you all the snazzy things you can do with it.) Really, this dress is like 15 dresses in one, which means anyone can wear it for any occassion. Genius, I tell you. GENIUS!

4. The T-Shirt

In morning you can fight with your boyfriend over who wears this one. The Unisex Tri-Blend Short Sleeve tee is soo comfortable and yet still sexy. The deep v-neck gives intrigue to the eye and the loose fit shows off curves while leaving something to the imagination. You can take this thing from class straight to the club! To say I am obsessed is a major understatement.

5. The Legging

I didn’t want to put the American Apparel leggings on this list, but due to the fact that I am currently wearing them, I realize that they had to make the cut. Leggings can be stylish or functional, so they are a definite closet necessity. And with the awesome three pack, you can stock up for super cheap.

Watch the dollars when you shop at American Apparel, they go quickly! And if you’re shopping online, the sizes tend to run a little small, but I think that’s the point.