Rachel Zoe may be the most well-known celebrity stylist out there, but not for long. Julie Weiss, stylist to the stars and mentor on MTV’s newest reality show Styl’d, is gonna give that skinny style maven a run for her (oodles of) money.

Weiss may look like your typical fun and laid back L.A. girl, but when it comes to style she means business. She’s tough, she knows what she wants, and she gets it, because when it comes to fashion, this girl knows her sh*t. Though it was a slow start full of long hours for very little pay (her first assignment was a full day shoot for only $75!), Weiss worked her way up from assisting at department store fashion shows to dressing Hollywood’s finest. She’s styled stars like Kanye West, Britney Spears and The Pussycat Dolls.

And now she’s passing on her fashion knowledge to 6 aspiring celebrity stylists. And by “passing on her knowledge,” I mean, “trying to get these kids to stop being so lazy and start putting some clothes on people.” Julie’s a busy gal, but we tracked her down last week (on a break from getting Julianne Hough ready for the CMAs!) to get her take on trends, her role on reality TV and, obviously, her favorite song to blast in the car while roaming those crazy L.A. streets.

5 Questions We Ask Everyone:

1. What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
[I was driving home after] I was at a bar and I had a few drinks. We had left Mexican food in the car that we had eaten before and I was shoving a quesadilla down my throat when a cop pulled us over. I started freaking out. I’m like “Omg, I had some drinks, it’s 2 AM, I’m going to get a ticket.” So he makes me take a sobriety test. He looked at my eyes with the flashlight and I had to walk the line and everything.  I was freaking out. Thank god I passed. And then he asked me out! He was like “Can I have our number?”  And he let me go.

2. Name 5 things you can’t live without:
My car, my flats/flat boots because I run around a lot, my cell phone, my Chanel purses and French Vogue.

3. Do you have any advice or personal motto you live and work by?
I don’t really have a motto, but I like honesty, respect and good character in people. I respect people that try and work hard; it doesn’t go unnoticed. Even if you’re not doing a great job, it’s important to try and improve.

4. What is your Favorite song to belt out in the car or alone at our house?
I love that new Fergie song Meet me Halfway.

5. Finish this sentence: In ten years I will be _____?
I will have a clothing line in Wal-Mart. I’d like to have clothes that everyone can afford in all financial backgrounds that are trendy and cool. I would want to do something creative and stylish that everyone could have a piece of. Read More »

I know more about these women than I do about our forefathers.

Every Friday I head home from work, tear off my bra, put on my biggest pair of sweatpants, order in Pad Se Ew and settle in for a night of TV. Lame? Maybe. But get back to me after you’re working 60-hour weeks in the real world. Friday nights on the couch are sacred.

Last week, as I fired up the DVR to catch up on all the shows I’d missed from the week, I had a rather enlightening moment. Sorta like an Oprah “aha!” moment, only way more embarrassing. My entire DVR was taken up by reality shows. Top Chef, Project Runway, The Real Housewives, Ace of Cakes… Hell, I even had a little Real World/Road Rules Duel on there.

I looked around to make sure none of my neighbors could see my TV through the windows. I mean, I know I like me some crappy TV, but this was just mortifying. My entire life revolves around watching train wrecks on camera! But maybe it’s not that sad? I mean, everyone loves themselves a little trash now and then, right? Those shows are on for a reason. And some of them are actually really good! Maybe not anything on E!, but we can all learn a thing or two from The Biggest Loser, right?

Right?!?

To make myself feel better about my addiction (and my sad, lame life) I asked the CollegeCandy writers to share their reality TV faves this week. You know you got one, too. Share it in the comments! Read More »

I’m in a great mood this morning. It could be the giant bag of candy corn I housed upon waking up at 6am, or it could be the fact that tonight kicks off HALLOWEEN WEEKEND, 2009!!

I’ve been preparing for this day for months now. I found a group to costume-it-up with, set a very strict partying schedule (chock full of awesome drinking games!), and even made my own candy corn infused vodka (twice…I drank the test batch back in August…). And now the time is here! There are only a few short hours (and another XL bag of candy corn pumpkins) between me and my favorite weekend of the year.

After last year’s costume debacle (I went as Rachel Zoe and everyone thought I was an Olsen twin…) I decided to go with something a bit more obvious this year. The costume is awesome, but not only is it not sexy, it’s so bulky I couldn’t make out with a guy if I wanted to! But that’s OK – I made out with The Joker in a corner last year and couldn’t get his makeup off my face for hours.

But enough about me.

I wanna know what everyone else is gonna be this weekend. You gonna Lady Gaga it out? Perhaps do a little Mario Kart? Or are you just goin’ for straight-up skankified? Share your Halloween costumes below. I can’t wait to see what everyone else has up their sleeve (or super short skirt…).

Ever since Rachel Zoe became a permanent fixture in our TV lives and our everyday vernacular, faux fur vests and trims has found their way into our closets and our hearts.  Everywhere you look these days there’s someone lookin’ all warm, snuggly and painfully chic underneath a faux fur something. It’s OK if you wanna rock it too; it’s glamorous and fake, so no one will be tossing paint cans at you on your way to class.

And even better:  your faux fur look can be faux expensive. There are tons of options out there right now from Target to Urban that are trendy and cheap. For the total Zoe look, pair the vest with a giant Starbucks tea, huge sunglasses and act as if the smallest hiccups in life are the beginning of the end of the world (oh, and obviously don’t forget to throw in a couple of “I Die’s”  every 3 minutes).

But for those of us who like the look but not the RZ-emo, rock the vest with a toned down ‘fit because the fur is a total statement. And Rachel Zoe fan or not – you will look ba-nanas. Read More »

Having just “celebrated” banned books week in America, I started thinking about the importance of reading, the beauty of stories and how much books enrich all of our lives. And most of my thoughts came back to one single theme:

W.T.Eff?

Banning books? Seriously? First Obama gets attacked from those crazy moms who think he’s out to brainwash children by giving them talks on the importance of education and now reading is bad for children, too?

The whole thing is just absurd. Have people even read the books they’re trying to ban? How can a story about a pooh named Winnie who likes to eat honey and play in the woods with his other anthropomorphic friends possibly be bad? It seems like a book that is deemed “good” and “appropriate” these days is a book that will not inform your child of the existence of sex, racism, violence, homosexuality, the devil, bad language, and any other concept that will cause children to ask you awkward questions. The whole banned books thing will probably cause my AP Literature class to be renamed AP Literature That Will Morally Damage Your Soul.

Does this mean we should ban Pokemon as well, since the little animals “evolve,” which therefore enforces the idea of evolution and is therefore anti-Christian and therefore is Satanic? Winnie the Pooh may be the poster child for the obesity epidemic, his friend Eeyore for depression, and Kanga for single moms everywhere, but that doesn’t mean our younger siblings can’t read about them. I happen to like Tigger, even if he does have ADHD. And although Harry Potter may have “witchcraft and wizardry” and whatnot, it’s still one of the most significant contributions to literature in our lives, and as such, should be available to anyone who wants to read it.

So let’s take the attention and money away from banning books and focus on some more important things that should be eradicated from this planet. Because in 2009 there are so many things worse than kids in capes flying around on broomsticks or finding a lion in your closet. Read More »

You know that really annoying friend of yours who feels the incessant need to point out that they were the first to know about a now really popular band? Every. single. time. it comes on the radio?

As annoying as they are, there is something exciting about the knowing of a new band, new clothing brand, great sale, awesome book or recipe, and sharing it with the ones you love. And by ones you love, I mean the ones you go back and forth with right here on the CollegeCandy message boards.

So here’s the deal: every week, we will feature 3 things that YOU think other CollegeCandy readers just have to know about. Anything at all. Nothing is off limits.

Pumkin Pie Hershey Kisses
By now, you probably know my over-the-top love for Pumpkin Spice from Starbucks. In fact, one of the only things I like about fall is pumpkin flavored things, so imagine my sheer delight when CollegeCandy’s equally pumpkin-obsessed editor sent me the image of these pumpkin pie Hershey kisses. We then proceeded to go back and forth on G-chat for ten minutes obsessing over them. It went a little something like this:

Me: O. M. G.!!!
CC Editor: I KNOW, I’M DYING JUST LOOKING AT THEM
ME: OMG. I mean, I just peed my pants a little, I hope my boss doesn’t notice.
CC Editor: OMGEE. Must. Try. These. Yesterday.

And so it went, and even though neither of us has tried them yet, we knew that you all just had to know. And now you do. And now I can go buy some. Saweet.

All Nighter Hair Powder
Fact is, I’m lazy. And since my Jewish genes blessed me with Jew fro curls that take foreva-eva to wear straight, I don’t like to wash my hair unless absolutely necessary. Problem: the bangs always look greasy before the rest of my hair needs to be washed. Yeah, we’ve all heard of tossing a little baby powder up in there, but it’s no fan favorite, unless, of course, you are playing the part of crazy grandma in your 8th grade play, or want to smell like a baby’s bottom all day. Well, now there’s an answer. And its not just ANY answer – it’s a Rachel Zoe answer, which means it’s good.

Our favorite fashion troll says she’s addicted to All Nighter Hair Powder/Dry Shampoo. It can fit in your purse AND it comes in multiple shades so the powder soaks up the grease while blending in with your hair. Amazing for those mornings when you’re tired and lazy, or those emergency situations when your hair is stuck to your head but you are running late from cute boy’s apartment to not so cute Bio lecture…

Ping iPhone Application
I don’t have an iPhone or a Blackberry but this prospect still excited me. Everyone I know that has a Blackberry says the ONLY reason why they have it over an iPhone is for those 3 letters we all hear wayyy too much: BBM. While to me BBM is just that annoying thing that keeps my friends from paying attention to me when we are together, to Blackberry users it is more important than breathing. Or cupcakes. Yes I said it – more important than cupcakes. It’s addicting and people don’t want to part with it. They don’t call it the Crackberry for nothing.

But now, our friends at apple have developed a nearly-free iPhone app that serves the same purpose! Ping is just like our beloved BBM with a hint of instant messenger combined. And the best part? It doesn’t discriminate against iPhone users only – those with an iPod Touch can take part in the F-U-N that is totally not paying attention in your English lit class. And it’s $0.99. I mentioned that, right? Less than a buck!

Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, right now. Well, not right now, but soon. Like, every Thursday.

Fashion Week is here.
Fashion Week is here!!

I’ll admit it: I may be one of the only people who looks forward to fashion week more than Welcome Week (yeah I said it). But you know that when you come out of your week long drunken haze and find yourself bored in class (after all, one can only stare at her econ professor for so long wondering how this man who can barely speak a word of English is allowed to teach economics at a major university), you will need to preoccupy that boring classtime with other thoughts.

And what better thoughts than that of Spring 2010? After all, it’s never too early to think about Spring Break – especially when an adorbs Marc Jacobs sundress mini is involved, right? Of course, right. Now that’s a language we can all understand. Read More »

You’ve seen her work: the girls with big hair, big bags, and big sunglasses. Arms full of bangles, chunky platforms, skinny jeans effortlessly slung on the hips. Flowy, glamorous dresses accented with loads of accessories and a ton of bronzer: this is Rachel Zoe style.

While she’s had a substantial presence in the fashion world for some time, Rachel Zoe has recently gone very mainstream. With a Rolodex Crackberry of celebrity clients, a best-selling book, and a successful reality TV show, Rachel Zoe has hit the big time. Now, she offers us another glimpse into her stylish world with The Zoe Report–a daily e-mail newsletter featuring Rachel’s “favorite obsessions in the ever-evolving worlds of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.” Sounds good! But do we like it? Read on.

Love It:
Sound Style Advice from a Pro: In late 2005, Rachel Zoe provided a complete style overhaul for newly-skinny Nicole Richie. Today, Rachel is responsible for putting together some of the hottest red carpet outfits for our favorite celebs. This is also the woman who started the big, bug-eyed sunglasses trend… Clearly, Zoe knows what she’s doing. R.Zoe picks out unique apparel and accessories and give suggestions on how to wear each and every piece. Who knows, maybe if you read the Zoe report, you’ll be the first girl on your floor who doesn’t look totally ridiculous rocking your studded jewelry, “shooties” or “jeggings!”

Parallel Universe: I’ll be honest–99% of the swag featured in the Zoe Report is crazy expensive, which could be depressing. I say could, however, because happily, Rachel has provided all of us un-blessed with a celebrity bank account with cheaper options to achieve the same style. And they’re cute! Even better, the “parallel universe” items seem to be just as expertly picked as Rachel’s pricier features–they actually look alike. There’s nothing more annoying than a “celebrity look for less” that showcases adorable clothing of the stars and then offers totally ugly cheapy alternatives, so I’ve gotta give Ms. Zoe some props in this area. Read More »

[I want it, I need it, I can’t live without it. There are so many things on store shelves and racks right now that we want to take home and hang in our closets. Things that are so cute, everyone should know about them. We’ll share ‘em with you here (because we’re that nice), but as far as actually getting them goes….well, you’re on your own with that one.]

Sexy pumps: every girl’s necessity for a fabulous night out. Yes, they will probably definitely kill your feet and you’ll be walking back from the party in flip flops (or barefoot!), but they’re hard to resist because they look so.frickin.good. Sick of typical stilettos but want to add some height? Look no further than the Sarkia Pump by Calvin Klein.

While the Sarika pumps are classically attractive, they’re far from boring. They feature a 4.5 inch semi-chunky stacked platform heel and a stacked wooden platform of 3/4 of an inch. They also feature an adorable rounded toe. What really makes these shoes different from all of the other black pumps in your closet, however, is their texture: they’re covered in a fish scale pattern! Of course, the Sarkias also come in nude–a hot trend for summer.

You can pick up your own pumps in store at Macy’s on sale for $68, (which, realistically, will probably cost less since Macy’s always has in-store promotions and deals!) but don’t fret if they don’t have your size–the Calvin Klein shoes can also be found online at Lori’s Shoes or Piperlime, where they just happen to be a Rachel Zoe pick.

Personally, I’m going to pick up a pair of the black ones. Here’s hoping that a chunkier heel will mean less stumbling and spills post-party!

Photoshop is Madonna’s BFF.

Rachel Zoe’s got a new fashion line.

Petition to reunite Saved By The Bell.

Watch out, Soulja Boy.

Lip gloss for spring.

Bill O’Reilly hates Sean Penn.

Kelly Rowland dropped from record label.

A get-strong playlist.

Website offers discounts to you!

Another Police Academy movie!?

Who wears short shorts? John Mayer wears short shorts.