One of the most popular colors of this summer was cobalt blue, a cool, deep shade that conjures up images of the ocean. Now summer may be drawing to a close, but this sapphire-tinted hue is set to be one of the hottest colors for fall as well. Multiple designers had cobalt shoes, dresses, and accessories on their Fall 2012 runways, but you don’t have to be able to afford designer threads to jump on this trend. Clothing racks at the mall are already filled with cobalt blue pieces that you can incorporate into your summer-to-fall wardrobe — here are a few affordable picks for just $20 or less! Click here to go to CollegeCandy to see the rest of the fab blue picks!

With classes starting up again over the next few weeks for most universities, you’re probably gearing up by grabbing everything you need for back-to-school. Even if you’re not a first year, there’s a lot to buy: notebooks, highlighters and pens, textbooks, dorm essentials and so much more. But the good thing is, not all of it has to cost a lot! In fact, you can get tons of your back-to-school essentials for just $20 or less! Just take a look…and check out the rest of the finds at CollegeCandy!

There’s something I’ve always loved about wood details for clothes and accessories. It adds a natural, bohemian feel to any look that is perfect for the summertime. Not only do dark wood details go great with summer brights, but they also pair nicely with the darker and muted shades you see in fall. Plus, I love how wood’s heaviness makes it a statement on its own, so you don’t need many other accessories! And the best thing about wood? It’s inexpensive! Click through to CollegeCandy.com to check out the rest of the post and items under $20!

I used to hate being pale. I desperately envied the girls who came back from spring break with perfect, even tans. My skin burns incredibly easily, so unless I cake on bottles and bottles of sunscreen, I end up the color of a boiled lobster. I mean really, really red. Fire engine, ripe tomato red. Eventually, my sunburns fade into tans, but that takes weeks, and my “tan” is pretty pale by most people’s standards.

After years of lamenting my pasty state, I finally realized: I’m never going to be tan! My skin has always been and will always be pale. Baby, I was born this way.

Here are the reasons why I don’t tan:

Skin cancer. Yes, this one is obvious.

Click through for the rest of the reasons, plus picks of beautifully pale celebs, and a pic, exemplary of “Reasons of Why I Don’t Tan”!

Well…almost.

For me it won’t quite be spring until I’ve done my spring shopping. And I plan to do a lot of spring shopping. Bright colors. Neutral shoes. 70s inspired shirts. Lady like pieces. Long skirts. So much to choose from. And so little cash. Sigh. I guess I’ll have to stick with my top five. These are the spring trends I just can’t live without. And you shouldn’t either.

Wide Leg Jeans.

I resisted this trend. I resisted this trend a lot. Because as much as these jeans are supposed to flatter every body type, and as much as these jeans are supposed to make your legs longer, and as much as everyone wants to embrace these jeans with open arms, I was worried they’d look dated next to my favorite pair of skinnies. But two weeks ago I caved and bought a pair. I tucked a white button down into them and paired them with some wedges and a really cute belt. And you know what? It looked really great. I may just have a new favorite jean.

Check out our favorite wide leg jeans here

Chunky Wedges.

Being all of five foot nothing I’m a girl who likes her heels. But I like them even more when they’re a chunky wedge with wooden or rope woven bottoms, and lots of crisscross straps. I like them in leather and in cloth. In bright color and neutral shades. I like them with skinny jeans and wide leg trousers and longs skirts and short dresses. I like them with pretty much anything, actually. And this spring wedges will be my go-to shoe. That’s for sure.

Click here to read the entire article at CollegeCandy.com!

Want more crochet? Click here to read the rest of the article at CollegeCandy!

The internet provides us ladies with a vast array of possibilities. It allows us to catch up on our favorite television shows, Google important questions we can’t get out of our head, and Facebook stalk out ex-boyfriends all from the comfort of our bed. To put it simply; it’s fabulous. But probably the most fabulous thing about the internet  is the unlimited shopping. It’s a mall that never closes.

So many ways to find the perfect pair of boots! Sites created just to help you find the best necklace! Blogs determined to make you trendy!

I’m a bit of an expert in this whole online shopping area, so in an effort to share my wisdom with you I’ve listed my top five shopping sites. You’re welcome.

1. Lulus.com. Because these are designers you won’t know. These are pieces you won’t have seen before.  Lulu’s features designers from all around the world and only snags a few of each piece. So if you want an item no one else will be wearing, this is where you should be shopping. And if you really want a super unique piece, check out their vintage collection. They’ve got it all from jumpsuits to bell bottoms — at prices that won’t break the bank.

The best part? The atmosphere of the entire website. It’s warm and welcoming and so girly you just can’t help but giggle. From the awesome names of their ensembles to the cute descriptions that accompany them, Lulu’s feels like more than just a shopping site; it’s a shopping experience. And in my opinion, it’s one no girl should go without.

2. Zappos.com. My personal favorite. I’m on this website so often that Google Chrome has suggested I make it my homepage, and I’ve been tempted to take them up on that offer. If I did, though, I’d eventually have to sell everything I own just to pay the credit card bills, including my laptop…and then I wouldn’t be able to shop anymore. But back to Zappos. All designer brands at discount prices. They’re best known for their awesome shoe selection, but they also have bags, sunglasses, coats and clothes.

The best part? Their customer service. Free standard shipping on all purchases and returns. And every once in a while, if you’re a valued customer like yours truly, they’ll even throw you free overnight shipping. THIS IS NOT A MYTH! It’s happened to me on more than one occasion. Wait, I lied; that’s not even the best part. This is: 365 DAY RETURN POLICY!

Click here to read the rest of these fab online shopping picks at CollegeCandy!

I love my bangs, but when they get too long and unruly, it can be a huge pain. While there are some cute ways to pin them back, I’d rather have them down. But how can I have them down if they’re hanging in my eyes? It’s not like I have endless time or money to be popping into the salon for a trim.

What’s a girl to do?
Grab your scissors, girls. We’re gonna learn to trim!

A lot of you have asked about how to trim your bangs and I’m going to show you. In this video, I go through how to trim and style swoop bangs. For those looking for a blunt/straight across trim, that might happen in the near future if I get bored with my hair, but for now you can follow the same kind of process I’m doing here.

click here to check out the video!

It feels like yesterday that we woke up, blurred eyed and fuzzed headed, welcoming in 2010. But here we are again, New Year’s Eve. The one night of the year it’s perfectly acceptable to kiss everybody in sight at midnight and drink your body weight in champagne. It’s also the one night of the year when it’s totally fine to wear more sequins that a drag queen. New Year’s Eve is a night where you spend hours getting ready only to wake up with what looks like half the buffet table down your dress, and your perfectly applied lipstick all over someone else’s face. It’s also the perfect opportunity to buy something shiny and new.

Everyone has different New Year’s plans, so I’ve created three different outfits depending on your plans- Casual Party, Dressy Party and Night on the Town.  And yes, all three contain sequins. I’m not even sorry.

Casual Party

Shopping Info: Leather Bomber – Bluefly, $78; Skinny Jeans – Miss Selfridge, $30; Tank - Forever 21, $14.80; Pumps - Yes Style, $37.80; Scarf – Yes Style, $28.

This is an outfit for hanging out at a friend’s house with far too many a couple of drinks and watching the ball drop. Of course it’s got just enough sparkle and pizazz to make it worthy of New Years Eve. Red was definitely the color of the season and it adds a punch to a simple black outfit. Sleek skinny jeans look great dressed up with heels, and every girl needs a leather jacket for a rock-chick edge. Of course, the sequin tank top gives you a bit of NYE sparkle. Now is there any mistletoe left…?

Fancy Pants Party

Click here to read the rest of the post at CollegeCandy

[Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes.]

From our friends at CollegeCandy:

What it is: Clarisonic Mia Sonic Cleansing System

Why this should be in your bag
Clean skin is the base for a great looking face. If you’re broken out, you’re going to slather on the heavy foundation and no one likes a cake-face. It looks unnatural, to say the least.

I have fairly decent skin, except when I get stressed. I get these little bumps all over my chin and forehead. It’s just atrocious and being stressed about my skin does nothing to help these bumps go away! I’ve heard rave reviews about the Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing Systems, so I was pretty excited to test out the Mia. The Mia is a compact version of the original Clarisonic, with all the same benefits in a smaller form. It’s perfect for busy students and traveling.

How to use it
The Mia comes with pretty clear instructions, but here is the general idea. You wet your skin and brushhead and then apply cleanser to either one. Then, turn on the Mia and begin on your forehead, using a circulation motion while the machine vibrates. Pushing too hard inhibits the machine’s action, so be aware! The Mia also comes with a handy 1 minute timer and shuts off automatically once your time is up. The instructions also come with a breakdown for how long you should spend on each area of your face.

Right now, I’m using the Sensitive Brush, but you can buy a whole array of brushes from Clarisonic. They recommend replacing them every 3-4 months.

CC Rating: A-
Unfortunately, I think I’m going to need to test this little number out some more before I give a definitive answer.

Click here to read the rest of the article at CollegeCandy!