[The following is a guest post from our gal pals at CollegeFashion.net. They're like college Rachel Zoe (with a little extra meat on their bones). Have you checked them out yet?!]

Stripes can be intimidating. They’re bold, they’re brazen and they can be a little difficult to wear. Some people fear that horizontal stripes make you look wider (totally not true!!) and they can be a little too bold for the wallflowers among us. So it’s understandable that some would be hesitant about them.

But stripes can also be fun and exciting, injecting a little bit of punk rock into an everyday outfit. Stripes were a big trend on the Spring/Summer 2011 catwalks, and they’re an easy way to get a next season feel right now.  Read More »

This post is courtesy of our fashionable friends at CollegeFashion.net. Have you checked them out yet?

Have you ever seen a girl in a really cute outfit and thought she looked great, but that something was missing? Maybe you’ve stood in front of the mirror in your dorm or apartment in a great dress and a pair of boots and still felt blah? We’ve all been there–the basics of an outfit look totally stylish, but there’s a certain something that’s off.

In cases like these, there’s an often-overlooked wardrobe essential that can make all the difference: accessories! We’re talking shoes, bags, and jewelry, all of the key players! And the best part? These additions are super easy to grab or put on and still make a huge impact on your style.

Below, I’ve listed the 5 types of accessories that every girl should own, plus tips on how to use them to make any outfit runway-worthy! Interested? Read on. 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 our Parisian pal, Mary) 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.]

The University of Saint Thomas is one of the only campuses in Minnesota where students actually dress up to go to class. Yep, you’ve got it; if you don’t look like you spent at least 30 minutes getting ready people may not move over for you on the sidewalk. People from other colleges hear about this and think it is absolutely bananas that students wouldn’t dare sit in class with an over-sized sweatshirt (especially with these frigid winters!) and opt for a cute mini, tights, and vintage tank instead.  And now that I think about it a bit more (I’m a senior – I’ve gotten so used to it by now) it is kind of ridiculous here; it’s like a personal fashion show every time you walk through the quad.

But that’s how it is, and most students learn to love the pressure to look good.

Now, Laura is only one of the fashion-forward girls on the St.Thomas campus, and she also happens to be one of my favorites. She’s blond, lean and is often mistaken for a Cameron Diaz body double.  After spending four years at St.Thomas, Laura has perfected the casual, clean-cut and vintage street style many girls love.  She nails the most AMAZING finds at thrift markets and often spends entire Saturdays stuck in a Urban Outfitters rack.  I just love how her style is simple, structured, and one-of-a-kind. She found her chestnut leather bag at a thrift market in New York, her amazing leather booties at a Saks 5th Avenue sale and can’t go anywhere without her staple rosary necklace and thick gold wrist-wear, all things that make Laura’s style 100% Laura. Read More »

Windows are up, shades are on, legs are tanned (hopefully) and it’s time to whip out the shorts for the summer.  But don’t worry, just because your sweats are going in storage doesn’t mean you have to spend your life savings on shorts to beat the heat.  Buy one pair of tailored, cuffed, lightweight dark denim shorts, and you can dress them up, down and all around.  Take these adorable pair from Forever 21, for example, and check out a few ways to style them: Read More »

Who or what inspires your style? Many of us use movie characters (like Margot Tenenbaum) or celebrities (like Courtney Love) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you!

Being an Italian-American myself, I’ve always been drawn to things that rep’ my ethnicity, whether it’s contributions like calzones, or “contributions” like The Jersey Shore.  But if there’s one thing Italiano that I could never take my eyes off of, it was a little show called The Sopranos.

Unlike most people, however, I wasn’t obsessed with the drama, the people getting whacked; it was the style that kept me coming back week after week. (OK, and that other stuff, but Adriana La Cerva, too!)

Adriana La Cerva is the fiancée of Christopher Moltisanti, the nephew and protégé of the boss himself, Tony Soprano.  Long story short, after getting caught up with the Feds and having no choice but to rat out her family-to-be, she ends up getting whacked.  And somehow she still looks bad-ass during the process. Read More »

Who inspires your style? Or better question, WHAT inspires your style? Many of us use movie characters (like Penny Lane) or celebrities (like Leigh Lezark) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you!

Edie Sedgwick, best known for being one of Andy Warhol’s muses, is my muse for this week. In addition to being a quadruple threat (actress, model, heiress and socialite), she was also known to be a major style icon.  Although she is no longer with us today, her style still continues to appear as fashion inspiration from runways to sidewalks.

We are all shaped and fashioned by what we love to do and Edie exhibited that in her style.  Many hours of her day would be spent practicing ballet and other types of dance, which would require tights and a leotard.  Instead of changing after dance into a more typical outfit her time, Edie was known (and infamous) for throwing on a large (most likely fur) coat and going about her business. And thus it became her signature style. Read More »

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Zappos, WhenIHadBraces…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there. And more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

Getting dressed in the morning is always such a hassle: finding an outfit among the array of shirts, pants, skirts, sweaters, shoes, and belts in your closet that’s both stylish and weather-appropriate is both stressful and time-consuming.  Usually, I spend about 10 minutes watching the weather channel with my closet doors open, hoping for inspiration, only to just throw on another tee-cardigan-jeans combination. Which is often not appropriate for the weather.

I’ve always complained that knowing what temperature it is outside doesn’t really help me. “But what does 60 with a 20% chance of showers mean? What should I wear for that???”

Well, someone finally heard my bitching prayers.

Read More »

Who inspires your style? Or better question, WHAT inspires your style? Many of us use movie characters (like Penny Lane) or celebrities (like Khloe Kardashian) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you!

I’m just going to start this off by saying I would have absolutely no qualms switching lives with Leigh Lezark for a day, or a month, or longer.

I don’t remember how or when I first heard her name, but I immediately wished my name was an alliteration that easily rolled off the tongue like hers. Too bad we can’t always get what we want (thanks, parents!). On the bright side, something we can achieve is her effortlessly bad-ass sense of style.

For those of you still wondering, Leigh Lezark is a DJ in the trio Misshapes in New York City.  Oh yeah, and she’s a model.  Yes, a DJ and a model.  Très, très jaloux (which is French for, I’m mad envious).

DJ Leigh and her Misshapes posse like to bump electronica and indie rock.  They are also known to attract the Hispter crowd, but I try to stay open-minded to the boundary-pushing that she, and her party-mates, tend to inspire people with. I just love their sound. I also find Leigh Lezark incredibly chic, cool and mysterious with her all-black ensembles, signature jet-black bob and aversion to ever smiling in a photograph. And while The Misshapes tend to dress in some brands that are a bit out of my league (Alexandre Herchcovitch, House of Holland, Imitation of Christ, Jeremy Scott, Obesity and Speed, Pleasure Principle, to name a few), I’m going to toss some more affordable options in your general direction.

Because you don’t have to spend like a DJ/model to dress like one. 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 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.]

Ashley lives in the room next door to mine so I see her a lot. Yet somehow, every time I spot her in the hall (or lounging on her bed) she’s wearing something different that looks amazing on her. Ashley’s got serious style. She not only knows what looks good, but she knows how to put things together that other people wouldn’t think of. And it always works.

The thing I probably love most about her fashion sense is that she always looks unique. She takes trendy pieces and makes them all her own, something I think we all wish we knew how to do. Plus, she’s not afraid to mix colors, patterns or styles and she always makes it look so right. If you see her around campus and you’re a fashionista, take notice; you’ll probably get some awesome ideas for how to spice up your wardrobe. Read More »

Who inspires your style? Or better question, WHAT inspires your style? Many of us use celebrities (like Khloe Kardashian) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more, well, you!

I’ve seen a lot of movies in my 19 and a half years on this Earth, and no character has ever inspired me like Kate Hudson’s in Almost Famous.  (If you haven’t seen it, you must. Right now!) This movie is based off of the rock and roll music scene of the early 1970s and Penny Lane, the leading lady/groupie, represents this era with her free-spirited, eclectic-yet-chic bohemian wardrobe.

We’ve come a long way since Penny Lane’s time, but the bohemian look has stuck around, cycling in and out of fashion every year. And I can’t help but love it.

No matter the decade, this style is very wearable, whether to a theme party or to a long day of classes. The key to not looking too costume-y is taking some of the quintessential 70s items and mixing them with a few modern pieces. It’s easy to incorporate the elements of the early 70s rock era to your look with vintage flowers, classic flared jeans, sunglasses (Aviator or Elton John-style,) a furry jacket, and many different styles of boots. All of which are seen everywhere right now. Corduroy, velvet, and suede were also very popular back in Penny Lane’s days (or when our parents were our age, drinking Coors and listening to some Led Zeppelin) and can easily be picked up and incorporated into your own Boho-chic look as well. Read More »