CL’s ‘How Do I Wear That?’: Colored Tights Edition

Has there ever been a trend that you’ve liked, but had no idea how to wear it?  This always happens to me!  Sometimes I even go through the whole, “I definitely like this, but it just wouldn’t look right on me” debate.  This week I have taken a trend (colored tights) and created some looks for the chic college girl to embrace.  I love to wear colored tights so much that I simply told new intern Becky that I was dressed up to go to a banquet and she asked if I was wearing my purple tights!  Try this look out–I’m sure you will love it!  Also, for other fashion inspiration, check out Shelly’s post on how to get a rocker glam look for less!

THE TIGHTS: First, we better start off with the tights themselves!  I found amazing purple and ruby tights from tobi.com, both on sale for $14.  You can also find a wide selection at your local Kohl’s (SimplyVera by Vera Wang usually has a plethora to choose from).

THE OUTFIT: I think a simple dress usually pairs best with a bold pair of tights.  I have worn this black and white scoop neck dress from Old Navy, retailed at $19.50, with purple tights and the resulting look is very aesthetically pleasing.  This white/yellow/grey Xhilaration dress from Target, on sale for $15, would also do the trick.  The final dress in this set is from Kohl’s.  I have been lusting after this floral lace dress by ELLE for quite some time now and it is on sale for $35.99!   I have a similar ELLE dress and it possibly could be my favorite dress I own.

THE ACCESSORIES: I couldn’t pass up including this silver anchor ring from Urban Outfitters for $12.  I’m an Alpha Sigma Tau girl.. how could I skip it?  Also from Urban Outfitters we have a silver metal leaf headband for $18 that will give your outfit a quirky touch!  Either Sephora by O.P.I ‘Too Good for Him‘ nail colour or ‘Gold for Me’ top coat would look beautiful on your nails!

THE SHOES: Similar to the dress, I think simple shoes work best with colored tights.  I would stick with either black heels or flats.  First, I have platform pumps from Forever 21 for $24.80 in the set– I liked the braided detail on these.  I have two selections from Urban Outfitters for $48 a piece.  Black canvas pumps or black canvas wedges would be perfect, especially in the summer since the canvas won’t be overly hot!

So, what do you think?  Are you willing to give the colored tights look a shot?  If you do, send us some pictures at intern@collegelifestyles.org!  What other trends are you not really sure about?  Leave us a comment down below or tweet at us (@collegelifestyl)!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum and current graduate student at Point Park University.  She would wear colored tights everyday if she could!

View my favorite article last week: ‘What About Your Friends? -Balancing Dating and Friends’ by Briana!

CL Celebrity Look-a-like Series: An Education Edition

I am really excited about this week’s installment in the Celebrity Look-a-like Series.  I asked for suggestions on the Twitter and a new College Lifestyles intern, Jacqui, came to the rescue asking for looks inspired by the Oscar nominated film, An Education. This is a period film from the 1960′s and the fashion in it is amazing.  I have created two looks influenced by Carey Mulligan’s character, Jenny!

This dress from Modcloth is called ‘How This Dress Got Its Groove Back’ and is a beautiful floral print with a deep blue sash at the waist.  At $52.99 it is a little pricey, but would be a great investment piece!  If you pair it with this cropped navy cardigan from Old Navy for $22.50 you will have a perfect look for brunch or church!  Don’t worry, if cardigans aren’t your thing, this dress will look just as cute without.   Navy flats from American Eagle by Payless for $17.99 will guarantee that your feet look just as good as the rest of you.  Every lady knows that her accessories are just as important as the outfit itself, so I have picked out a necklace, earrings and nail polish to complete the look!  The necklace is a jewel heart locket necklace from Forever 21 for $6.80.  The earrings are also from Forever 21 and come in a set of three for $3.80.  The set includes two faux pearl studs and a pair of flower studs.  Finally, the nail polish is called ‘Going Nude, Eh?’ and is $9 from Sephora by O.P.I.

Our second look is perfect for the office.  Most of this look comes from Forever 21 and Modcloth just because they are so fitting.  We started with this black and cream vintage-esque dress for $27.80 and paired it with a leopard print jacket for $24.80, both from Forever 21.  Leopard print sunglasses for $5.80 and black and red quilted flats on sale for $5.80 are the last of the items from Forever 21 for this look.  I used the same nail polish as above and couldn’t help but include Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder from Sephora for $28.  It went so well with the leopard theme!  Modcloth contributes red gloves on sale for $6.49 and an amazing pocket watch necklace for $27.99 that I would really love to get my hands on.

Period films may not be the most common place to get fashion inspiration from, but us here at College Lifestyles love it!  We gave you modern looks from The Devil Wears Prada and Glee, but a little vintage never hurts!  What look would you like to see done next?  You can e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org, tweet at us (@collegelifestyl) or leave a comment down below!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum, as well as a current graduate student at Point Park University.  She loves vintage accessories and would love to have a closet full of them!

CL Celebrity Look-a-like Series: Glee Edition

Last week I gave you a look from The Devil Wears Prada, but this week, it is all about Glee! I tune into Glee every week to see what the lovely Emma Pillsbury (played by Jayma Mays) is wearing.  Her wardrobe always has a perfect balance of classy and quirky.  Her character loves cardigans, bright colors and details.

First, we start with a French Navy Top from ModCloth for $26.99.  The anchor buttons on the sleeves make this striped top perfect for summer!  It pairs beautifully with this red and cream skirt from Forever 21 for $22.80.  Either this lacquered bangle or this beaded bracelet from Forever 21 ($5.80 a piece) is the perfect choice for a bracelet.  These braided sandals from American Eagle in either gold or black for $29.50 will look excellent.  You can complete the look with Sephora by O.P.I nail polish in ‘What’s a Tire Jack?’ for $9.

Take a hint from Emma Pillsbury and remember that classy is always in!  Try to give your look a little flair with fun accessories or makeup.  If you have a look you want us to gain inspiration from, either e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org or leave a comment below!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA alum, Alpha Sigma Tau alum and current graduate student at Point Park University.  She loves Emma Pillsbury’s style and is slightly addicted to cardigans!

CL Celebrity Look-a-like Series: The Devil Wears Prada Edition

It is no surprise that we all can get a lot of inspiration from the fashion in movies and television (even celebrities out and about).  We can also learn what not to wear from them, but that is a different story for a different time.  Here is the first in a series on examples of ways to dress like our favorite celebrities.  Shannon gave us a taste of this before with her College Girl’s Fashion Guide to Breakfast at Tiffany’s.  First up, we have Anne Hathaway from The Devil Wears Prada.  I took inspiration from one of her more casual looks (post-makeover) in the movie.

First, we have a newsboy cap from Forever 21.  At $9.80, this hat can become a staple for your wardrobe.  Next up, we have Too Faced lipstick from Sephora.  It is a little pricier at $18, but it is champagne-infused lipstick that keeps your lips flavorful and moist–sounds pretty good, right?  The top is from Forever 21 as well and is just $15.80.  It is a plain, cotton t-shirt spiced up with a lace and satin accent on the shoulder!  The cream, multi-strand “pearl” necklace from Forever 21 runs at only $8.80 and will instantly add class to any outfit.  The skinny crop jeans from American Eagle are on sale for $24.95 right now.  These can also become a staple in your wardrobe.  Finally,  zebra print t-strap sandals from American Eagle for $29.50 complete the look!  Wear all of these separately or pair them together for a The Devil Wears Prada inspired look!

I love looking to the entertainment world for my fashion inspiration.  Do you have any specific looks you would like us to morph into real world clothing? You can either e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org or let us know in the comments section!  We look forward to hearing from you.

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is also an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She loves everything to do with the “entertainment world” and was instantly jealous of the necklace Anne Hathaway is wearing with this look.

Great Gift Idea for Graduating Sorority Sisters!

When the end of the semester rolls around, I am sure many people in Greek life start to wonder what sort of gift a graduating sister would like.  There are many things to consider–budget, appropriateness, etc. Have no fear, I have the perfect gift that can be given to each sister when they are graduating (without breaking the bank).  My chapter creates “Senior Books” for everyone.

The book includes a segment from our sorority song, a list of sisters and some touching words.

Every single sister writes a letter to each graduating sister that can include pictures, memories, well wishes, etc.  I can honestly tell you that every time I decide to look through my book I experience a plethora of emotions–I laugh, I cry and I miss my sisters so very much.

Does your chapter have a specific gift they give to graduating members?  Do you have any ideas we could pass along? Let us know in the comments section or e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is also an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She loves her ‘Senior Book’ so much and looks at it all the time!

CL Interviews Rachel Doyle, Founder of GlamourGals and Leading Lady

Have you ever wished that you had an opportunity to give $10,000 to an excellent philanthropic cause?  Well, here is your chance to support Rachel Doyle and GlamourGals through the Make a Powerful Difference Contest presented by Pine-Sol.  Rachel and GlamourGals are one of the top 10 finalists in the contests and are hoping to win $10,000 and a feature in EBONY magazine.  Voting is easy and you are able to do it once a day from now until April 21st.

I have been in contact with Founder and President of GlamourGals, Rachel Doyle, who dished about everything from the foundation to getting involved to what she would do with the prize money.  Enjoy and please help out–most of their volunteers are too young to vote (you must be 18 years of age)!

CL: For our readers who aren’t aware, can you give us a brief description of the GlamourGals Foundation?

Rachel: GlamourGals mission inspires and organizes teens to provide ongoing beauty makeovers to women living in local senior homes.  Our volunteers provides seniors and local homes companionship, interaction with the local community as well as an outlet to share their life stories and experiences with.  We also provide local chapters of volunteers support through our Hot Pink Leadership Program.  This enables them to be more efficient effective volunteers in their communities.

CL: What first gave you the idea to give makeovers to women living in senior homes and how did that idea expand into the phenomenon that it is today?

R: I started GG in honor of my grandmother who passed away.  I always loved the idea of taking part in volunteer service that I enjoyed, that my friends enjoyed and that made someone smile.  Who doesn’t love makeup or feeling beautiful?!  Although, we started with three volunteers I think the idea resonated with many more because it is a relevant conversation.  The future development of young women in positive and leadership driven settings has always been important.  Making sure the elderly in our society are not forgotten about will only continue to grow with the burgeoning senior population.  In our first year, the NY Times, Oprah and CBS Early Show covered our story.  This helped us share the important work we were doing and invite more people in to support the movement of young, compassionate girls we were creating!

CL: How can our readers get involved with GlamourGals? Is there a way for college students who didn’t participate with the foundation in high school to help make a difference now?

R: First, VOTE TODAY and every day in the Make a Powerful Difference Contest!  The bulk of our volunteers can’t personally support us in this contest because they are not 18.  We need YOUR help.  Sometimes, it is the simple, immediate actions that help the most!

Second, become a FAN of the GG fan page on FB and suggest to friends.  If we get 5,000 fans by April 29th all of our GG volunteers will receive GG-tshirt to wear while they volunteer, hold meetings and hey – maybe even to the mall!

Third, maybe some of your readers were GG volunteers in high school?  GG is celebrating its 10th year and we would LOVE to reconnect with our alumni!  They can start a college chapter.

Fourth, Do you have a younger sister in high school?  This is wonderful program for them to start in their school.

Fifth, check out the GET INVOLVED PAGE!  From interning, to running a race for GG there are other opportunities!

CL: If you won the ‘Make a Powerful Difference Contest’ by Pine-Sol, what are you hoping to accomplish with the $10,000 prize?

R: Every dollar counts in a grassroots organization like GG.  This funding would guarantee our leadership training for our volunteers, resources for mailings, give us the guaranteed capacity to spend the time inspiring and organizing our volunteers each day, week and month to be the best volunteers they can be this year.  Also, guarantee the funding for our volunteer t-shirts.  Hey, every college girl knows that if she is part of sorority, club or cause having a t-shirt to wear and feel a part of the group gives each person a sense of pride and community.  We have girls spread throughout almost 30 chapters in multiple states and want to give them the resources to share this amazing organization and work with their friends, family and community!

CL: Do you have any other comments for the College Lifestyles readers?

R: Makeovers and manicures are just half the story… Check out www.glamourgals.org!

You can follow GlamourGals on Twitter here or join their Facebook group here!  While you’re at it, please don’t forget to vote! (At this time Rachel and GlamourGals are roughly 50 votes away from second place.)  Let’s all work together to get them into first place!

If you have any questions for me or Rachel, please e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org (I will pass them along to Rachel) or leave us a comment down below!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is also an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She wishes she knew about GlamourGals when she was in high school, but she is doing her part by voting now!

A CL Girl’s Guide to Washington, D.C.!

Just like with my post way back when about Port Clinton, Ohio, my family is fortunate enough to have an apartment just outside of Washington, D.C. in Grosvenor, Maryland.  I was just down there last week for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.  The festival started on March 27th and will last until April 11th.  The National Cherry Blossom Festival is held annually and celebrates the arrival of spring and the gift of the cherry blossom trees from Japan to the United States in 1912.  If you have never been, you should really try to head to DC for the cherry blossoms–they are beautiful!  Now I am going to highlight some of my favorite aspects of DC for you!

NATIONAL ZOO. The National Zoo is FREE!  The zoo also has pandas that are amazingly cute.  Hot tip: one of the pandas is pregnant (she will either deliver a baby in roughly 40 days or she will come to the end of a false pregnancy which is common among giant pandas–let’s hope for the former)!  The other panda will be on display from 7:30 am-3pm every day.

One of the things I got to see for the first time on this last visit was the orangutans up on the O-Line.  The O-Line allows the orangutans to travel freely from their habitat in the Great Ape House to their other one in the Think Tank.  They swing on wires above the walkways–it is really amazing!  Get off the metro at either the Cleveland Park or the Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan stop on the Red Line.

SMITHSONIAN. The Smithsonian consists of 19 museums!  I have not been to all of these yet, but I have been to the American History Museum and the Natural History Museum.  All of these museums have free admission as well.  You can also check out the world’s largest deep blue diamond, the Hope Diamond, at the Natural History Museum.    At the American History Museum, they have an exhibit that holds gowns and other objects worn by some of our First Ladies.  There is a stop on the Blue/Orange Line of the Metro that is called “Smithsonian” and will take you right into the thick of things!

MONUMENTS/MEMORIALS/STATUES. There is so much history in DC that it can be overwhelming at some times; however, everything is so breathtaking that it is completely worth it!  Whether you are visiting the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial or the White House, you are sure to be delighted.

There are so many things to do in DC, but I also wouldn’t be opposed to sitting with a lemonade or Caribou Coffee and people watching!  Have you ever visited DC? What were some of your favorite things to do and do you have any tips you would like to share? Either e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org or leave a comment below!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is also an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She likes running around DC searching for all of the things on the movie ‘National Treasure: Book of Secrets’!

The Mighty Small Challenge for College Students

As I was checking the intern e-mail inbox the other day, I noticed a message from Sara from Hunter Public Relations.  She was letting me know about the o.b. mighty. small. challenge. and asked if I would like to pass along the information to all of you!  After looking it over, I think it is perfect for our readers.  A couple weeks ago, I let you know about Pepsi’s new philanthropy and this week it is time for o.b.’s!

WHAT IS IT? As a part of the Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, the makers of o.b. tampons are rewarding the team of college students that makes the biggest impact.  The teams are expected to clean up litter, recycle, etc.  The Great American Cleanup is all about the cleanup and growth of communities through volunteering.

WHO CAN ENTER? Teams of 2-5 people ranging from 18-24 in age.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Visit www.mightysmall.com to register between now and June 7, 2010.
2. Contact your local Keep America Beautiful affiliate.
3. Participate in one day of the Great American Cleanup between now and May 31, 2010.
4. Go back to www.mightysmall.com to submit a reporting form, brief essay and three photos of your teams efforts/results.

HOW YOU WIN: A panel of judges will select five finalists based on the team’s accomplishments and enthusiasm.  America will choose the winner by voting between September 8-30, 2010.

WHAT YOU WIN: The winning team will receive $5,800 for their favorite charity or organization (this could be your sorority!) and $5,800 for their local Keep America Beautiful affiliate.  You could also win a $58 gift card to Target just for entering!

Are you planning on entering?  If you do, be sure to let us know how your day of volunteering went either at intern@collegelifestyles.org or in the comments section!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She thinks volunteering is the cool thing to do.

Classy Sandals for the Chic College Girl!

I love when spring and summer roll around so I can get rid of the boots and get my feet into some sandals!  There is nothing better than showing off your amazing pedicure in a great new color and pairing it with a classy and chic set of sandals.

GLADIATOR SANDALS:

These sandals from American Eagle are 100% leather and the gold braid really adds a special touch to them.  I would pair these with a burnt orange tank dress for a fabulous look for a dinner date!  Keep all of your other accessories simple to make these sandals the star of the show.  Take a look at Kayla’s post to find some other great dresses to pair these with!

T-STRAP SANDALS:

These t-strap sandals from Forever 21 will look great with a pair of bermuda shorts and a tank top for a day look.  Try to wear it with a tank top in something like a bright green… it will be sure to cheer you up!

DAY-TO-DAY SANDALS:

When you buy two or more of these Old Navy flip flops, they are $2.50 a piece.  You really can’t beat that!  These flip flops are perfect for your day to day wear.  I like to wear these when I’m headed to an amusement park or somewhere that they may get ruined…because I don’t mind it so much with the cheap prices.

ATHLETIC SANDALS:

These Nike sandals are perfect for a day of sight seeing.  The cushioned bottom will keep your feet from getting tired.  They will look great with a pair of skinny jeans or a sporty dress!

What are your favorite style of sandals?  Do you have a look that you are dying to share with us?  Let us know in the comments section or e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She loves wearing different nail polish colors with a great pair of sandals!

Philanthropy is Always In…Refresh Everything!

As I was watching television the other day, I saw a commercial for one of the coolest philanthropy projects I have seen in awhile.  Pepsi is hosting a project called the Pepsi Refresh Project.  Pepsi is giving away over $1 million in grant money to people with good ideas every month.

What is it?: Pepsi is looking for ideas that have a positive impact on the community.  This project is only open to ideas that will be implemented in one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia.

How it works: They are accepting 1,000 ideas each month and the public is voting on them!  They will potentially award up to 32 grants out of those 1,000.  The top 100 runners up will automatically be carried over to the next month so there is no need to submit again if you are one of those 100.

What you win: Two grants are going to receive $250,000, ten will receive $50,000, ten will receive $25,000 and a final ten will receive $5,000.  Once again, this is each month!   You have twelve months after you receive the first of the funds to complete your project.

I think this is such a good idea and even if you don’t have an idea of your own, I would suggest voting for those ideas you find inspiring.  For example, last month $50,000 was awarded to build a baseball and softball diamond to promote youth athletics.  They also awarded $250,000 to provide comfort items for US military troops recovering from wounds.  Click here to check out the rest of the grants awarded last month–there are some really amazing ones! To get even more inspired, check out Emily H’s post on sorority philanthropies!

If you had one of these grants, what would you do with it?  Let us know in the comments section or e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org!  Also, let us know if you plan on submitting an idea.

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum.  She thinks the Pepsi Refresh Project is, well, refreshing!

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