Christmas gift for those who LOVE Audrey Hepburn! (It's in our office!)

The staff of College Lifestyles LOVES the classic approach Audrey Hepburn took to life!!!

Love Audrey Hepburn or know someone who does? A great gift for those in your life (or yourself) is the book 'What Would Audrey Do?' It outlines her classic approach to life as well as suggestions on how to carry out her classic approach in today's society!

It's on our bookshelf!

What's Cooking in the College Lifestyles Kitchen?? Brain Boosting Pancakes!

The College Lifestyles (TM) kitchen was quite busy this weekend! Might we say, quick busy!

We decided to add a bit of flare to the Fiber One pancakes!!! Now, we turned basic pancakes into a brain food for finals!

Healthy - you know it; Tasty - we would have it no other way!

College Lifestyles (TM) pancakes:

Fiber One Pancake Mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup of frozen blueberries (brain booster)

Chopped walnuts (brain booster)

Dark chocolate chips (YUMMY!)

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Cook!

YUMMMMMMMYYYY!!!!!!

A Great Find from Express!

This figure flattering blouse from Express ($19.90) is great for class, work, and for holiday celebrations!!!

Tips on wearing:

1. Class - wear with jeans, boots, hair pulled back, and hoops.
2. Work - wear with dark trousers or pencil skirt, wide belt, colorful bracelet, and pumps.
3. Jet set - wear with white trousers, Jackie-O sunglasses, flats, gold hoops.
4. Going out - wear with a satin pencil skirt, leopard heels, and silver jewelry.

Thanksgiving Dinner Etiquette - What if I am allergic to a Food Item?

A beautiful feast!!!! But, you are allergic to something. How can you graciously tell your host without hurting feelings?

Here are some tips if this happens to you:

If you a vegetarian - 'The turkey feast sounds lovely, but I guess I should let you know that I am a vegetarian. Please don't change a thing about the meal. It sounds delicious. If it is fine with you, I would be more than willing to bring an extra salad dish.'

If you are allergic - 'I'd love to come to your Thanksgiving brunch. I should tell you that I am allergic to eggs. I would be more than happy to provide (insert dish) for the brunch.'

Always compliment on the beauty of the meal, 'The meal looks lovely.'

Happy Thanksgiving!

What's in our Refrigerator??? Stoneyfield Farms YoKids!

For kids at heart - Stoneyfield Farms YoKids is yummy and good for us!!!

Organic, lower in sugar and taste great - what more do we need!!!

Great for the dorm, apartment, and office!

Travel Etiquette!!

The holiday season is here!!! Time to pack our bags and visit family and friends! Travel brings out the best in individuals, but for others, it can bring out the worse! Instead of thinking negatively about travel, think of your final destination! Remember, even if you are a frequent traveler, others may not be. Please remember that!

College Lifestyles (TM) loves travel, and even the most savvy individual can be a bit frustrated; but always remember that holding your composer is more important that losing your cool at the mom and 3 kids sitting behind you on a plane ride. Remember, put yourself in their situation, and offer 'gentle suggestions.' Finally, remember that some individuals have a fear of flying, and talk just to calm themselves down. Suggest to them a crossword or Soduko found in the plane pocket seat.

Other tips:

1. When walking on the plane, carry your bag in front of you. If you hit someone, apologize. If you are one who gets hit, offer to assist them (don't blow up at them - how unprofessional).
2. When entering your seat, enter with your backside facing the back of the plane. You will be able to 'scoot' into your seat easier.
3. If you don't want to talk to the person next to you, quickly place your earphones in your ears. Don't yell at them if they ask you where you are from. You can gently tell them, 'I have such a huge, busy trip planned! I am going to relax.' Then, shut your eyes.
4. Remember, kids are kids. It's hard for them to sit down for a while. If bothersome, politely tell their parents. This sounds crazy, but suggest a game for the kids - ask them about a movie or TV show that they have seen recently. Encourage them to play an game of naming the ABC's with animals, food, colors, etc.
5. The first thing individuals look for when exiting a plane is a bathroom, don't get upset if they are walking slowly and you know the airport well. Remember, they may not. Politely excuse yourself and pass them up.

What does our director do when traveling?

'I always carry books and magazines and read. I am more than willing to lend a magazine or Soduko puzzle to my talkative neighbors!'

Safe travels to all for the holidays!

Tea Etiquette??

Chilly weather brings on tea and coffee! How to drink tea properly??

When tea is served in a cup/saucer - place the spoon on the side of the saucer (as with the tea bag).

Tip: When served as a hot beverage; always remove the spoon from the mug. If a saucer is not available, place spoon on bread plate.

Great Holiday Shoes from Aldo!!!

These beautiful shoes from Aldo ($80.00) will go with any holiday dress, as well as dress up any pencil skirt or dark trousers for a work-to-evening look!

The gold (also available in silver) will flatter any outfit and elongate the legs!

We found it! A Great Sweater Dress from Banana Republic!

'Baby it's cold outside!'

Stay warm in this figure friendly sweater dress from Banana Republic ($64.99).

Tips to wear:

1) Business - Wear as is in the picture with tights and ankle boots.
2) Business - Wear with tights and flesh tone heel boots; long gold necklace; gold hoops.
3) Boho - burgundy tights, suede flat boots or riding boots, gold hoops, scarf.
3) Going out - Wear with metallic heels; sliver cuff bracelet; bomber jacket.
4) To class or casual Saturday - Wear with black tights, black flats, jean jacket, scarf.

Exactly How am I to eat a Pineapple?

Although pineapples are more of a 'summer' fruit; we have a chance of eating pineapple for Thanksgiving! (Along with turkey, many individuals prepare ham with pineapple slices on top.

Eat pineapple slices with a fork and knife (continental style please!)

What's in our Director's Travel Bag??? Something anyone can have in the dorm or refrigerator!

Since our director will be flying out tomorrow (to the land of the Gators!), we asked her what goodies she will travel with on the plane...

'I always make a wrap with Hormel sliced ham, 2% kraft cheese, and a high fiber bagel as my bread.'

Why Hormel? 'Hormel has no MSG and no added nitrates and taste wonderful! No airport food for me!'

We Found It - A Great Dress from French Connection!

This lovely red sweater dress from French Connection ($49.99) will fit a casual holiday party!

The tie at the waist will give the illusion of an hour glass shape! Wear with metallic or animal print heels for a great party look! Top with gold jewelry!

Invitation Etiquette!

Are you planning a fun, holiday party? Is your organization or sorority hosting a holiday galla?

General Rule of Thumb on 'when to send invitations!'

Formal Dinner - 3 to 6 weeks
Informal Dinner - a few days away to 3 weeks
Cocktail Party - 2 to 4 weeks
Christmas Party - 1 month
Tea - a few days to 2 weeks

Another Great LBD!!! (From Gap!)

We love this LBD (little black dress) from Gap ($78.00)!

The empire waist will give the illusion of a longer leg line! If you feel a bit too 'showy' in the strapless dress, top with a cropped white cardigan OR a sparkly cropped black cardigan!

Top with a clutch, cocktail ring (see our earlier post), silver or black beaded necklace, and peep-toe shoes for a night out, winter formal, or a holiday cocktail party!

Creating a Better Body Image....Start a Quote File (A Great Sisterhood Development Program)

In addition to your SunShine File (as posted earlier), we encourage you to start an inspirational/favorite quote file that you can look at daily! Pick quote that you relate to, in addition to quotes that will help you reach your goals (personally and professionally!)!

From our Director's Quote File:

'Good things come in small packages!' (Our director is 5'1')
'A Women Should Be 2 Things - Classy and Fabulous' ~ Coco Chanel

How to turn this into a sisterhood development program?

Encourage each sister to bring their favorite quote (or quote that describes them). Have each explain their quote to the entire group. When completed, place all quotes in a scrapbook file/poster file for all to view!

Polka Dot Top from French Connection! (5 Ways to Wear!)

We love this Polka Dot Tie Top from French Connection ($49.99). It transfers easy from Fall to Winter.

Tips on Wearing:
1. Business Attire - Wear tucked into trousers or a pencil skirt. On a cooler day, top with a blazer. Simple silver hoops and bracelet will top the look.
2. Boho style - Wear untucked over trousers or skirt with an open vest. If wearing with a skirt, wear with opaque tights.
3. Going out - Wear tucked into a mini skirt, burgundy opaque tights, metallic heels, and gold jewelry.
4. Classic - Wear tucked into a denim pencil skirt, strapy red heels, gold cuff bracelet.
5. Jet set - Wear tucked into high waisted white trousers, gold hoops, gold cuff bracelet, Jackie-O sunglasses, black pumps.

What's in our Director's Pantry???

Nothing goes better on a chilly day than soup!!! Our Director loves soup (and cooks great soup BTW!); but on days where she is running 'all over' and has 'long meetings' she reaches in her office cabinet for soup!

2 weeks ago, she discovered a new Campbell's soup flavor - Healthy Select Mexican Chicken Tortilla! Just throw it in the microwave and enjoy!

Stock up the dorm, apartment, and office with these!!!

The Perfect Cocktail Ring from Forever 21!

This Flower Cocktail Ring from Forever 21 ($3.80) matches perfectly with our strapless dress below as well as any LBD or trouser/blouse combination!

A Great Party Dress from Forever 21!

Holiday party time is around the corner!!!!

This strapless dress from Forever 21 ($22.80) will look great at any holiday event! The a-line style of the shirt is flattering for all shapes!!!

Is it a bit cooler outside? Top with a short (cropped) black cardigan!

Complete the look with a black clutch, cocktail ring, and black peep toe pumps or metallic heels!!!

National Eating Disorders Association Announces a Media Watch Dog Facebook Group!

College Lifestyles (TM) is a huge supported of the National Eating Disorders Association. The Association announces it's Media Watch Dog program!!!

As stated in the Media Watch Dog Facebook Group:

'Help us encourage responsible media messages regarding body image issues.

Interested in being a Media Watchdog and keeping an eye on the media? SIGN UP! Go to http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/join-neda/e-alert-sign-up.php.

The Media Watchdog program was created to improve media messages about size, weight and beauty. The program brings students, educators, health professionals, parents, eating disorders sufferers, and concerned consumers together as Media Watchdogs to encourage companies and advertisers to send healthy media messages regarding body size and shape.

Media Watchdogs are volunteers across the country who choose to closely monitor various forms of media, commending or critiquing advertisements or programs that positively or negatively impact body image and self-concept. Watchdogs monitor TV, radio, newspaper, magazine and internet ads or programs and send notices of ads or programs worthy of praise or protest to the National Eating Disorders Association office:

E-mail: watchdog@NationalEatingDisorders.org
Fax: 206.829.8501'

Join the Facebook group today!!!

We did!

Salad Etiquette????

Don't cut the entire salad into bite size pieces, instead, cut bite-size pieces as you go!

A Great Fall Fashion Must - Tunic from New York and Company! (5 ways to wear!)

This tunic is great for the chilly fall season! We love the look of this tunic from New York and Company (on sale for $22.77)! The drape neck style is great for all body types and 'shows off' the collarbone (va voom!)

Tips for fit:
1. Make sure the shoulder seam hits the shoulder.
2. Go for more of a fitted look.

How to wear:
1. Casual to class - wear with a long necklace, jeans, and boots or flats.
2. Chapter meeting/internship - wear with a skinny belt, trousers, pumps, sliver or gold bangle bracelets.
3. Dinner - wear with a pencil skirt, wide belt, hoops or drop earrings, fish nets, T-strap heels, silver or black cocktail ring.
4. Jet set - wear with white trousers or dark denim, colorful scarf, gold hoops, and Jacki-O sunglasses.
5. Night out - wear with a bomber style jacket (if chilly!), black mini skirt, black tights, black boots, silver jewelry.

Our New Favorite Dorm Snack!!! (Or Apartment/Work Snack)

For a while there, we were in love with the JELL-O Dulce De Leche pudding packs, but now, we are having a love affair with JELL-O Dark Chocolate pudding packs! Yes, dark chocolate!!!!

Full of antioxidants, calcium rich, and taste great! Delicious = Nutritious! (Shh...we kissed and told!)

What's in our Directors Refrigerator?? A Juice that is Great for Energy and Skin Health!

We are starting a new game here! What's our director refrigerator!

Cranergy Cranberry Juice from Ocean Spray! Cranergy Cranberry Lift is a lower sugar juice, with B vitamins and green tea extract!

Let's see:

Lower sugar + green tea (anti-ager, skin health) + B vitamins (energy) + $2.99 = A Great Buy!

What is the Proper Way to Eat Olives?

Holiday and cocktail parties are approaching!!!! Delicious foods, great music, good times.....

.....and an olive pit.

How do properly eat an olive?

Olives with pits are held in the fingers and eaten in several bites, then the pit is discarded on the side of your plate or into a napkin.

A Cardigan Dress that Flatters all Figures!!! (3 Ways to Wear!)

We LOVE this draped open front cardigan dress from Twelve by Twelve (for only $24.90!)!

This type of draping is very flattering on all shapes! How? Tie the waist sash around the smallest part of your waist to create a lovely hour glass shape!

Other tips:
1. If you are trying to conceal a tummy, tie the waist sash under the bra line to create an empire waist.
2. For boyish shapes, tie the waist sash at the natural waist (belly button area).

Tips for wearing:
1. Wear as is with ribbon, the bracelet shown below, and round toe heels for a cocktail party!
2. Wear with a skinny belt, cami, jeans, boots, and hoop earrings to class!
3. Wear open with tights, riding boots, denim skirt, tank for a weekend look!

Great Accessory from Gap (Goes with our LBDs and our Blouse Shown Below!)

We love this multi-beaded bracelet from the Gap ($24.50). Wear it to your holiday parties with your LBD (little black dress) and with any blouse (especially our wrap blouse shown below)!

How to Be a Bad Holiday Guest (and How to Avoid it!)!

The holidays are approaching, many of us will be off visiting family as well as the families of our significant others!

Imagine, you sit down to your meal, grab the salt shaker, and pour the salt on.

What's wrong with that picture? Always, always taste your food before salting! Salting food before tasting implies that the chef (or host of the holiday party) doesn't know how to season a dish. (Translation, it's an insult!)

Butter and Bread? There's more etiquette to this?

Here is what we hope everyone knows!

1. Break bread into small pieces (one at a time) before buttering.
2. Break bread into small pieces (one at a time) before dipping in olive oil.

But here is what we want you to know as well! When using the knife to butter the bread, rest the knife on the bread plate throughout the meal. The dirty utensil should not touch the table!

Body Image Tip! Sunshine file!

Start a 'Sunshine' File!

Keep all thank you notes, funny pictures, emails from friends that make you feel good! Be sure to look at these every so often to remind yourself what others think of you!

A Mix in for Your Yogurt that is Great for the Skin! Hint - its a seed!

We love pumpkin seeds - did you that pumpkin seeds are considered a beauty food??? Full of iron, protein, magnesium and zinc - mix one spoon with your yogurt (shown below!!) or cereal!

David's All Natural Pumpkin Seeds fit the bill perfectly - affordable, storeable, and preservative free!!!

A Great Find for Dorm/Apartment Refrigerator - Dannon All Natural Yogurts!

We love yogurt here at College Lifestyles. Our director fancies Greek yogurt, while others fancy Dannon Light and Fit varieties. The new Dannon All Natural Collection is made with real fruit and no artificial chemicals!

Small enough to fit in a dorm refrigerator, and it doesn't break the bank!!! Priced at approximately $2.25 per four, once container is cheaper than a vending machine visit (and better for our body!)

Makes a great afternoon snack or study snack!

(Remember to recycle the container!)

A Top that Flatters the Figure from Forever 21!

The wrap shirt flatters all shapes. The trick is the tie the ribbon (wrap) at the smallest part of the waist.

Specific tips:
1. For fuller/curvier figures - tie at the natural waist.
2. For those who want to conceal a tummy - tie directly under the bra line or make an empire waist.
3. For those who want to create an hour glass shape - tie at the natural waist.

Wear this top from Forever 21 ($19.80) with trousers or skirts! During the cooler months, top with a blazer!

Tips on wearing:
1. For a class presentation, wear with the flats shown below, studs, and trousers.
2. For going out, wear with heels (go for pointy toe), dark jeans, silver drop earrings, and lots of silver bangles.
3. For business or internship, top with a blazer.