Lace is easily one of the most popular fabrics this season. No longer just for your undies (though there are many, many pretty lace-y underthings available), Lady Gaga’s VMA outfits, or your Grandma’s doilies, lace has found it’s way onto every type of clothing and accessory imaginable this season.

Whether you wear lace tights or a lace trimmed top, there is a way to add a little lace to your everyday look.  In stores, lace is appearing in unexpected places adding an unexpected touch of sex appeal to your basic t-shirts, tanks and jewelry (!).  But lace is doing more than turning up the sexy;  lace patterns found on fabrics this season add texture and visual interest. And simply adding lace – at the neckline, for example – adds a touch of playfulness, covering you up but still letting a little skin peek through.

No matter how you want to wear lace this season, there is the perfect piece (or many, many pieces) out there for you. I’m lace-obsessed and here are a few of my favorite things. [Click on each photo for shopping info.] Read More »

Now that Halloween has come and gone, it means it’s only going to start getting colder.  Bundling up in a warm coat is not the only way to stay warm on a chilly autumn day – gloves or mittens are essential. Well, if you want to feel your hands upon arriving at your destination. Have you ever tried to grip a pen to take notes with numb hands? It ain’t pretty.

But gloves are. Designers have really pulled out all the stops on gloves/mittens this year. They’ve incorporated all the latest trends (studs, ruffles, animal print, color) and made them fully functional for women of the 21st century. Meaning, fingerless/thumbless options so you don’t have to risk frostbite to check your News Feed.

And the best part: you can get them for cheap. You don’t need to spend $30 on something that you know you’re gonna lose (because you will and you know it).  Just stock up on the cheapies or, even better, grab a pair with strings. It worked in pre-school, so why not now? While your friends may mock you, you’ll be the one laughing when they tear off a mitten to return a text and lose it somewhere between here and that lecture hall across campus.

Here are some of the best of the best in hand and wrist warmers. Click on them for more info. Stay warm out there!

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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.

It doesn’t matter if it’s rain or shine; Peggy always knows how to dress so she’ll stand out in a crowd and make any girl on campus want to emulate her. She has the cutest blazers for fall, the chic-est coats for winter, and the flirtiest dresses for spring. Her outfits are always full of personality – usually very colorful and bright, just like her!

Name: Peggy
Year: 2012
Major: Psychology and Economics
Peggy in 3 words: cheery, indecisive, energetic Read More »

One of the best things about fall (besides Halloween, candy corn, pumpkin everything, Honeycrisp apples, etc.) is switching up your wardrobe. If you live in a colder climate (read: hell. frozen. over) like me, each October you yank your tanks and dresses from your closet (shed a few tears) and swap ‘em out for the sweaters and boots stuffed under your bed. And then you hit the mall to add a few new fun pieces to your already warm and snuggly fall/winter wardrobe.

But what should you add? With so many trends happening right now, you don’t have the space (or, more realistically, the money) to load up on everything this season. You need the best of the best – the items that are cute and functional and will get you through until the snow melts…in June.

Perhaps we can help. This week I asked the CollegeCandy writers to share their fall/winter fashion must-haves. See what they’re lovin’ this season and stock up on a bit of it for yourself. Sure, they may not have the best taste in men, but when it comes to fashion, they know their ish. Read More »

With the world premiere of This is It and recent trips to costume shops, I’ve got Michael Jackson on the brain.  And when it comes to the King of Pop’s style, one thing stands out: that single, sparkly glove.  While donning a sequined glove is a very literal way to pay tribute to MJ (not to mention impractical – won’t your other hand get cold?), sequins are EVERYWHERE this year, and there are much more creative ways to show your love for the moonwalk master.

Or, you know, just for fun, fabulous style.

Thanks to those innovative designers lining 5th avenue in NY, sequins have taken on a totally new look in 2009 and  have become suitable for both day and night.  A cute, sequined cardigan could add sparkle to your morning lecture, or add a dose or personality when you’re heading to work.  On the other hand, a pair of made-for-a-rockstar sequined leggings are the perfect party pants.  Or, if you are more interested in adding a subtle dose of shine to your everyday outfit, you could opt for sequin shoes or the perfect sparkly accessory.  No matter how you want to wear them, there is a sequined item (or many, many fun shiny things) out there for you!

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The leaves are starting to change and the temperature is starting to drop, bringing in the season of hot- cocoa-and-tv-nights and cute, cozy clothes. While layering sweaters and scarves might seem like a no-brainer, there is another way to ensure you stay warm. And chic.

With a hat.

Yes, while you always listened to your mother when she told you to zip up that jacket, you probably tuned her out when she started nagging you about a hat. “You lose most of your body heat through your head,” she’d yell behind you. Not that you cared; you’d rather lose body heat than look dorky and mess up that hair you just spent 30 minutes straightening.

But not anymore. Hats are all the rage (just ask The Budget Stylista) and I’ve got 16 right here that will make your mama proud. They not only serve the ever-functional purpose of keeping you warm, but they also add a whole new layer of cool to your winter ensembles. Oh, and did I mention how wonderful they are for covering up an unfortunate hair day? Because bad hair days happen.  Especially if you’re doing a walk of shame across campus.  But no one will know if you throw a little cap on top.

And don’t tell me you’re not a “hat person.” Everyone can be a hat person, especially with the variety of styles. Just take a gander and you’re sure to find one that you love and that loves you back. Read More »

While switching my wardrobe from my summer sundresses to my winter wools, I realized one very depressing thing: my winter wardrobe is more drab and depressing than those dreary January days. If I don’t want to slip into a winter funk (fixed only by large bowls of mac-and-cheese), I need to do something fast.

And that something comes in the form of color. The color purple to be exact.

Every girl needs a little color in her wardrobe and what better way to liven things up than with something beautiful, luxurious and violet?  Historically, purple is associated with nobility, but we don’t need to be canoodling with Prince Harry to enjoy the benefits of this year’s hottest color. (Although, that would definitely help with the winter blues…) We can all look regal and faboosh, even on our student budgets.

You can work purple into your look in a big way – like a silky sheath dress – or just add little splashes here and there. Either way, you won’t have to look far to find the perfect purple pieces to lift your winter spirits. In fact, I found 16 hot ones right here. Read More »

I have a love/hate relationship with Urban Outfitters. I fall madly in love with everything on the racks, but hate how much they charge for shirts, skirts and dresses that usually fall apart after a few go-rounds in the washing machine. But then I fall in love again when those trendy little Urban employees stock the sale racks with all that gorgeous goodness.

The Urban sale section might be one of the only ones I’m willing to elbow, shove and push my way through. They have some of the best deals around on some serious cuteness, much of it $19.99 or less! Here are some of my favorite pieces that are all under $20. The best part: you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your couch or tempt yourself with the rest of the overpriced items en route to the sale section. Read More »

I had an aversion to plaid for a really long time. Seeing it gave me hives as I remembered the days I was forced to wear it every day in the form of a pleated skirt paired with an ill-fitting polo and some tall navy socks.

Shudder.

But that’s all changed thanks in part to my (Gossip) girls doin’ their thing on the UES of New York City. Well, that and the fact that designers have embraced the classic pattern this season. Plaid is everywhere right now and it’s so cute I can’t even think of a good enough word to describe my newfound love for the stuff. Yes, I’ve gotten over my plaid-allergy and I want it all. There has never been a better or easier time to reclaim this fabulous fabric. Just leave your old plaid skirt in the closet (unless it’s Halloween… or you’re into role playing) and embrace a more sophisticated and updated plaid piece instead.

There are many ways to wear plaid, despite your shape, style or budget.  Every type of clothing and accessory imaginable can be found in plaid this season.  Whether you want to make a statement with a plaid coat, or embrace this trend secretly (via Victoria), there’s the perfect piece (or pieces!) out there for you. Read More »

There are some people who always come to school looking like they just picked up whatever piece of clothing was in their line of sight, that may or may not be clean (determined by the ever scientific “Sniff Test”).

Then there are others who are always dressed so fashionably that you wonder if they live in a clothing store. Or how freaking early they wake up to pull an entire outfit together before making the trek to class.

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.

So meet Chloe. Whenever I see her on campus, she always has the cutest outfits on that make you think of picnicking in green meadows and somersaulting across the grassy field. Her style is always really fresh with girly touches like headbands and hair pins, and plenty of gold-toned jewelry to go with. And no one has ever seen her without a cloth bag. Ever. She has defined her own style and done it well. That is why Chloe is my muse of the week.

Name: Chloe M.
Year: 2011
Major: History
Chloe in 3 words: outgoing, treehugger, spontaneous.

1) Describe your personal style.
Feminine with a twist. I love shopping at vintage stores, you can always find something that is unique and so YOU at the same time. And there’s less of a chance you’ll run into a girl wearing the same thing. Fashion crisis averted.

2) You can’t leave the house without your ____.
Hobo bag! You can fit anything you want inside it, a pack of gum, a notebook, sometimes even a laptop. I seriously have one of every color. Read More »