The following is an excerpt from CollegeFashion.net, the site for fashion-minded college ladies.

Fleeting trends, a revolving door of new designers, and a constantly evolving pop culture can make the bustling world of fashion confusing and intimidating for anybody… especially a college girl on a budget! It can sometimes be difficult to decide which styles are worth investing in, and which will last only a season or two.

In response to the idea of “fast fashion,” there has been a recent resurgence in the popularity of American “heritage” brands: companies whose high-quality, well-crafted pieces have been proven to transcend decades. Due to their practical styling and versatility, the girls at CollegeFashion have named five classic American products that deserve a spot in your closet.

See them right here.

God Bless America, right?

Tis the season of endless holiday parties and panicking about not having anything to wear to them. Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you have to wear a red or green ensemble (unless you’re attending the infamous “Ugly Sweater” party) and tacky holiday themed accessories. Please put those snowman earrings away now. And by away, I mean in the garbage.

The best solution is sparkly accessories. Yep, I’m advocating shiny objects, just as long as they’re not mini-Christmas ornaments. You can stick to the basics with the rest of your attire, and dress up your heeled boots and sweater dress with beautiful accessories, like this Mixit Crystal Bib Necklace from JC Penny. The amazing thing about accessories is that you can wear them to make an outfit, and you don’t have to wash ‘em before you wear them again (meaning you can save your quarters for the vending machine on a Friday night).

This particular necklace proves that you don’t have to sell your soul on e-bay to afford glamour.  Cubic Zirconias are a girl’s best friend, and a necklace like this is exactly what you need to be dressy enough for the holidays without buying 10 new dresses for every single event (hello, Ms/ Popular). You can re-wear a necklace a million times and your outfit will still look fresh with new pairings and mixing and matching looks. Read More »

We’re well into another new school year and to honor that, we at CollegeCandy are bringing back the fan-favorite series, “We’ve All Been There.”  (We tried to get another national holiday/long weekend for you guys but it’s way harder than we thought so this will have to do.) Every week, Lauren – University of Michigan will comment on the common experiences all college women share – like procrastinating or using the not-so-private bathrooms. Read, relate, cringe and enjoy.

It might be your roommate’s birthday, or your birthday, or just another Saturday night on campus. Either way, you are currently standing in front of your over-stuffed closet in a towel with wet hair dripping down your back. You’ve got your pre-party mix blasting from your laptop as you scan your closet for something to wear.

To the left is a pile of jeans. 13 pairs of jeans to be exact. Dark wash, light wash, skinnies, trousers, wide leg, bootcut. To the right hangs your shirts: long sleeve, short sleeve, camis, halters, all in every shade of the rainbow.

You put on some underwear and your sexy black going-out bra, pull out a pair of jeans and squeeze/lunge your booty into them. “No late night pizza,” you think to yourself as you suck in your belly to button them.

You pull a low-cut black shirt from the closet and put it on. You check yourself in the mirror. No good.

You grab a different shirt. Nope.

You pull a blue cami off the hanger and put it on. The bra doesn’t work with it, so you slip out of the cami, swap on a strapless bra and put it back on.  Now the jeans don’t work, so you kick them off and grab a lighter pair from the stack. Read More »

I survived most of my years in college by borrowing clothes. Most weekends I had another girl’s shirt on my back because I never had any “going out clothes” or the pocket change to spare on them. But some girls had closets and dressers and hampers full of amazing shirts that, after a few drinks, they were always willing to share. And to keep up the barter, I always returned them (sooner or later) back in their original state (after cleaning the spilled beer and cheese sauce).

It wasn’t until I graduated in May that I realized what few pieces of clothing I have. So in honor of populating my closet, I’m sharing this find that will also help you populate yours. Among the many adorable choices on fumblinfoe.net (discovered in the newest Marie Claire) is this going out top that’s weekend perfection.

It’s not just that the sparkles won’t rub off. It’s not just the v-neck or the skinny straps. It’s not just the exposed zipper on the back. And it’s not just that it’s black and slimming while reflective and hot. Read More »

I’m not a girl who’s skilled enough to wear heels. I’m not sure what the problem is, but every attempt at stiletto sex kitten I’ve ever made has resulted in scars of the physical and emotional nature. My knees and my pride may never recover from past attempts, but a wise woman once told me what her 24 years had taught her: it’s all about the wedges.

Why should you have to give up feeling confident and sexy because those heels in your closet look better as a prop then when you try to wear them out? OK, so they make your legs look like the hottest stilts in the world, but how hot do you look waddling in them until you trip and smack your face on a keg and have a black eye for the first week of classes? Wedges could have saved my cousin.

And these are the hottest pair of the season. The lace up wedge is so on trend right now, and this Steve Madden pair just won’t quit. They have the awesome height, the sexified peep toe, and an added hole (peep heel?) in the back. The above-the-ankle cut makes them PERFECT for wearing with leggings to completely avoid the dilemma of wearing tights with exposed webbed toes; the legging will totally disappear under the lace-up ankle of the wedge and – voila – you’ve the appearance of opaque tights that allows you to show off the pedicure you splurged on. Read More »

I admit it: I’m a slave to trends. As much as I’d rather be a trendsetter (like Nicole Richie, not Lady Gaga), I’m regretfully a complete lemming. It’s not that I’m not a risk taker, more so that I’ve been completely brainwashed by the fashion industry (like when professors insist you need to read the text to pass) to like what’s available. And what do they have me head over heels for this fall?

Military style.

Honestly, I never would have liked this style if it wasn’t in every. single. fashion magazine this season. But, alas, it is (perhaps this is the fashion world’s way of tipping their hats to the troops?), so I’ve been on the hunt for a military piece that I feel I can pull off without looking as if I’m waging guerrilla warfare (although I might be if I catch someone wearing it at the same time as me). After all, if I’ve learned one thing about fashion, it’s that I need to wear the trend, NOT let the trend wear me.

And what will I be wearing this season? This awesome piece from American Eagle. I call it a piece because it’s neither sweater nor jacket; it’s more like their lovechild, or as AE calls it, the “Cropped Military Cardigan.”

I love this offspring of jacket and sweater because it’s different than the other military styles that you will never touch again come the last day of fall. It’s inexpensive (at $39.50!) and it’s not deep enough army green to look like pea soup. It’s no military shirtdress, or some trend from last fall dyed green in a desperate attempt to make it cool again. Read More »

I’m not entirely sure how Louis Vuitton does it, but the brand is fantastic at making women look sophisticated and chic while still flaunting a dangerously low neckline. (I guess that’s why they can get away with charging 3 months rent for a shirt….) I have been having borderline inappropriate dreams about praise this dress from the LV Fall 2010 collection for not only being so unbelievably chic and classy, but for teaching women everywhere that you don’t have to dress like a nun when you want to look professional.

The secret? It’s all in the hemline.

Louis Vuitton has this trademark look going on for fall – the full skirt, belted waist, semi-sweetheart neckline and angled shoulder straps. There isn’t a dress in the Fall 2010 Ready to Wear line that has a hem above the knee. Yet they are all so incredibly sexy. The look is very Carrie Bradshaw during her Paris fiasco, and I’m ready to quit my job and make a mess of my life too just to be able to pull off this look.

Of course, quitting my job would make me even less capable of investing in an LV frock, but let’s forget the price tag for a minute. What easier way to pull off a great look than to invest in a dress like this? It’s an outfit-in-one, no assembly required. Sure you can throw in the gloves and purse if you so desire, but do you really need accessories when you can modestly pull off this kind of cleavage?

So maybe you won’t be wearing it to class, but when you need to be class-y it will be your go-to wardrobe staple. Whether it’s your sorority banquet or dinner with your boyfriend’s parents, this dress (or a much cheaper version that is probably hanging on an over-crowded rack at Forever 21 right now) is working for you. Add a sweet cardigan and skinny belt if you need a little less va-va-voom on top, or just flaunt it all as is. (Unless you’re wearing it to Sunday services, the long hemline will counterbalance any fear of nip-slips.) Read More »

[I want it, I need it, I can't live without it. Or that. Or that over there. Or that cute top that girl's wearing.... 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. But there's so much to sift through, how can you find the best of the best? No worries; we've scoured stores, online stores, and stores again (it's a tough job but someone's got to do it) and we'll share our finds with you here.  As far as actually getting them goes....well, you're on your own with that one.]

September marks that fine time of year when I finally feel it’s socially acceptable to implement all the fashion trends I learned during fall Fashion Week without soaking them in August sweat stains. I watched the shows, I made mental notes, and I’m ready to sacrifice a heat stroke and a paycheck if the cool of Autumn decides to be fashionably late this year.

While it may still be too hot to handle my fall wish list, it’s not too soon to track down my most desired fall must have: the camel coat.

Classic, chic, warm enough to carry you through winter when you’ve blown your budget on your fall coat – you just can’t go wrong with this pick. The delicious caramel and honey tones work with every skin tone and hair color, and call it a trend if you must, but a neutral color like camel never goes out of style. Read More »

Look, I love the denim/chambray shirt as much as the next person who inhales everything the fashion magazines offer up, but sometimes I feel a little bit like one of the characters from Hey Dude when I try to pull it off with a pair of jeans.

So how do I get my chambray on without rocking the denim tuxedo?
Two words: denim dress.

The denim dress is a fashionable and versatile wardrobe addition. First, it’s a great way to get out of those jeans (that may or may not be giving you muffin top) but still enjoy one of the biggest trends of the season. Second, it’s the ultimate transition piece to take you from summer to fall. Pair it with some wedges or flat sandals now and in two months, rock some tights and a chunky cardigan (or leather coat!) and you’re good to go.

Plus, we all know that dresses in general are the bomb.com because there is so much less thought needed to look cute and put together, and the denim dress is no exception. Throw one on, add cute shoes and a bag and – boom! – you = SO FREAKIN CUTE! Need some help finding the perfect denim frock? I’ve got 8 fun and flattering options right here. No, you don’t need to thank me. I’m just doing my job! Read More »

The following post is courtesy of our gal pals over at CollegeFashion.net. Check them out for all your fashion and beauty needs!

As members of the CF (and CC!)community, it’s safe to say we’re all pretty fashion-savvy. We know what’s in, we know what’s out, and most of all we know that most of the season’s “must-haves” come with expiration dates. Similarly, we’re all students. We can’t afford to buy into the latest designer whims- we can barely afford to feed ourselves! So what’s a stylish college girl to do? Reach for the classics, of course.

Whereas most “wardrobe classics” lists talk about items that have been popular for centuries, this post is about the new era of timeless pieces – OUR classics: the new wardrobe staples for this generation. While of course there will be some overlap with old-school “fashion classics” lists, this list will focus on the next generation of classics, and list some newer pieces that every modern girl needs to own, as well as a few items that have been in style forever. Read More »