KANDALS

Decorate your Dorm Room

It’s that time again, back to school! Textbooks and class schedules are buzzing in everyone’s mind, but we are going to focus on the fun part about getting back to college – room decorating! Whether it is a dorm room, apartment, or your own space at the sorority house it can be hard to create a small space that expresses who you are. I have done my research and found several great tips and tricks on how to make your living space super chic!

When you first arrive in your new home it may not feel so homey. There is a bare desk and bed with four even more bare walls. It can feel a little cold and unwelcoming. Ronda Chesser-Porter, author of the blog “Everyday Treasures from the Domestic Curator”, suggests bringing items from home to help ease into the new space. New décor is fun, but it can just make your room feel even more foreign. A bed set or even some pictures from home will do the trick to help create familiarity. 

When dealing with the issue of space, Chesser-Porter suggests going up - add trinkets to a book shelve, hang pictures, or get some curtains. The key is to try and utilize the off ground space. Hanging a large mirror - or several smaller ones - will help to create depth and make the room feel more open. Another trick, to create the mirage of a large room, is to use bright or light colors to help imitate sunlight. Now if you are in a renting or dorm situation you most likely are not able to paint the actual walls. The simple solution – paint your furniture. Using furniture as accent pieces helps to spice up a room.

No matter the approach it is important to create a space that is unique and comfortable for you. Better Homes and Garden has a great room planner tool, check it out below. The KANDALS team wishes you all a happy first week and successful school year!

Sources:

http://www.thedomesticcurator.com/2013/08/dorm-rooms-decorating-small-space-with.html

http://www.thecottagemarket.com/2013/08/take-five-beautiful-painted-furniture.html

Ballet Flats or Bust - Floral Edition

We are so excited to introduce our new Ballet Flat line! They have all the same benefits of KANDALS originals (scented sole, completely vegan, etc.) but in a new design and prints! Let’s meet our first pair: the Eco Ballet Flat in Flower! Here are a couple of ideas on how to style our new addition to the KANDALS family.

The vibrant pattern of these shoes makes them ideal for summer. You may be wondering, “How do I style such a fun pattern into my outfit?” Well with more patterns of course! The old taboo of mixing patterns is so 5 years ago, now it is completely acceptable and even encouraged to mix and match patterns. With floral I find that stripes go marvelously! Take these two outfits for example; the black and white stripes are neutral colors so they easily compliment the floral design of the shoes. The second outfit has the same turquoise as our KANDALS; however you do not need to stick with the same color! If you are feeling daring I would suggest a yellow or orange to add bold pops of color. A cute tennis skirt adds to the frilly and girly feel of the outfit, or you can go with my personal favorite: a pair of rock’ in tweed shorts. Tweed is another great way to add texture to an outfit while still keeping it classy. And of course we can’t forget to accessorize, we opted for a pendant necklace or over-sized hat to complete the looks! 

If you are more on the safe side, don’t fret our Flower Ballet Flats are for you too! They go great with basics that every women should have in their closet, like the LBD and denim button-up. 

Choosing a dress with a full skirt helps to simulate the ballerina style without going too costume, that is unless you choose a tulle tutuJ.  Never the less, this dress by Alaia brings the focus to the smallest part of a woman’s body and is in black which creates an even greater slimming affect. We added a little more excitement to the outfit by pairing it with a coral colored chunky choker (say that ten times fast!). Our more casual look of black skinny jeans and a denim button up is effortless and can be worn for almost any occasion.

To see the rest of our new collection visit us at KANDALS.com. You can also show us how you style your new flats by posting pictures to our Facebook or Instagram page and hashtag #kandals. 

Style your KANDALS - Kick Off Series

Have your KANDALS but don’t exactly know how to style them so they fit every aspect of your life? This week is the start of a series of blog postings where we will go through the entire KANDALS catalog and help you with some ideas on how to style your KANDALS for every occasion. To kick off the series we are going to be looking at three looks paired with KANDALS Envir Beige.

The more obvious of occasions to wear your KANDALS is in a casual setting, but that doesn't mean it is easy to come up with a functional and stylish outfit. The key is to pair the neutral color of your beige KANDALS with some bright colors and fun patterns in your outfit. Get a bold pair of short shorts, whether they are one solid pop of color or a vibrant pattern – like the ones below. If you are choosing a pattern in your bottoms, then you should chose a solid color top that compliments it. The top does not necessarily have to be a solid pattern but should not create a busy feeling. The eyelet lace on the featured top is subdued enough to where it does not over power the already exciting shorts but instead continues the textured and bright look of the outfit. If you want to add some accessories to this type of outfit, it is a good idea to think simple, a gold ring or bracelet would go nicely.

Dates are always stressful to dress for. You want to be cute yet comfortable, and not look like you’re trying too hard but still seem perfectly put together. Your KANDALS can help you pull off that effortless look. My motto is simple and sexy when it comes to date night. Throw on your favorite pair of skinny jeans - you know the ones that make your butt look great - and a loose fitted tank top. To dress it up a bit add a light blazer or a stylish kimono. Again the bright color of the jacket helps to accent the neutrals in your tank and Envir Beige KANDALs. Add in a stack of gold bangles and you are ready for a movie in the park or dinner at an outside bistro.

If you are in an office setting you may have thought it impossible to wear your KANDALS to work, but think again. It is completely possible! This dress is perfect for the office it has appropriate neck and hemlines, and the excitement is in the color. Picking a bright solid color helps the Envir Beige to blend in and add a sweet playfulness to the work environment. A pendant necklace is a good choice because it complements the length of the dress and the brass neutral keeps the simplicity.

These suggestions can be used as a launching point for you to begin styling your KANDALS your way. Stay in tune for our next KANDALS catalog style blog! For more style inspiration check out our Pinterest boards and look book!

3 Simple and Stylish Ways to Cover Up that Bikini

Hi all! I am Kathryn – fashion enthusiast, health nut, and DIY fanatic. I am a former intern for KANDALS and am now the current in house blogger. Here is where you will find the latest in everything pop culture. But enough about me let's get to the good stuff!

It’s the middle of summer and for most of us – at least the lucky ones – our days are full of pool parties, beach bumming, and a whole lot of relaxing. This means our main attire is a bathing suit, but what are you wearing when hoping form pool to pool? My lazy instincts tell me to throw on a t-shirt with running shorts and head out the door, but then my better judgment kicks in and I at least attempt to be trendy.

If you’re like me you want to be comfortable and breezy when going to catch some rays. So here are a couple of different simple and cute ways to cover up that bikini.

First let's start off with my go to, the ever so wonderful maxi dress! If you are familiar with maxis you know they are basically the greatest invention on this planet. They are like a stylish blanket, easy to slip in and out of. Now I am not talking a dowdy moomoo, but sexy comfort. Sheer material – like in the dresses below – add coverage but still give a little something something.

The romper, the best possible combination of pants and tops out there, like the maxi they are easy to slip and out of. Pair it with some strappy sandals and a sun hat and you are ready to go from the beach to the bar in minutes. They can be worn short and sassy or long and sophisticated.

Finally the solution to the baggy t-shirt – the tunic! Creating a tossled relaxed look is the job of the tunic. Choose viberant or nuted colors to accent your bathing suit and throw in a large tote and over sized sunglasses to complete the look.

Finish your summer style with a great cover-up and your sure to turn heads at the beach! All of these looks are courtesy of Nordstroms and Victoria's Secret. 

What is your favorite bikini cover up?

5 Simple and Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Spring

By Kelly Orazi from KANDALS TEAM

Drinking a fruit smoothie is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy during a busy college semester. But who says it has to be all about the fruit? Adding vegetables and leafy greens to your fruit smoothies adds valuable nutrients, kickstarts your energy and tastes great. Veggies like spinach and kale are high in iron, essential vitamins, and are powerful antioxidants. If you already have a favorite fruit smoothie recipe, try adding a handful of spinach or kale to it. If you're a smoothie newbie, here are some simple recipes to get you started:

The Green Smoothie 

Green smoothies can be simple and sweet. Greens like spinach and kale are a great starter base because they not only blend well, but taste great. Keep in mind the more greens you add, the more 'green' your smoothie will look, but it will still hardly taste any different than a whole fruit smoothie. 

Green Starter 

1 cup Kale or Spinach (or a mix of both)

1 banana

1 frozen mango 

1/2 cup of frozen or fresh pineapple

fill with desired amount of water or orange juice.

Peachy Green

1-2 peaches

1 cup spinach 

1 banana

1 cup orange juice 

As long as you add some sort of vegetable or leaf to your smoothie, it is still considered "green", even if the color is not! Ever tried a blend of fruits and berries in a smoothie? Add some carrot juice and make it green!

Berry and Beet 

1/2 cup Berry mix (or your favorite small berry)

1/2 cup strawberries

1 banana

1 small beet

Fill with desired amount of water or orange juice

You can either use milk and yogurt or you can keep it all vegan by adding instead a nut based milk like soy, almond, or coconut. Water and orange juice also work wonderfully as a base. Plus, the right mixture of greens and fruits won't need any honey or added sugar. 

Delicious Desert Smoothies 

Banana Mango

1 Banana

1 cup mango

1/2 cup water

Peanut Butter Chocolate 

1 banana

1 cup chocolate almond milk

2 tablespoons Natural Peanut butter

ice cubes as desired

While there are some fancy blenders out there, really any blender will be able to blend these veggies well. If you can, buy organic fruits and veggies at your local farmers market. If that's not an option you can stock up on fruits and veggies at somewhere like Trader Joe's, which carries frozen fruit in small (dorm-sized fridge friendly) bags. And you can take your smoothie to go in a simple mason jar or a bpa free reusable plastic container. Enjoy!

A Resume won’t cut it! Smart ways to land your dream job (internship)

Not only is the job marketplace getting competitive, the system of getting one has changed. And if you are not in line with the current system of getting yourself out there, having a stellar resume and good grades just won’t cut it. Even having a great experience will become fruitless if you’re not taking the right routes for a new job or internship.

Following are two of the best ways to land a dream job or internship that you’ve always wanted.

Linked-In

By now, you should know about LinkedIn. If you are not aware of it, you’re in danger. If you are aware of it and haven’t used it yet to your advantage, you’re missing out big time.

Why is LinkedIn so important? Well, it’s the new Resume. Who would want to go through a pile of papers and read about your experience when employers can just google you and see your LinkedIn profile.

To use LinkedIn to your advantage, apply the following steps:

Step 1: TRANSFER your paper Resume to LinkedIn.

Create an account (if you haven’t already) and put in your current title, past experiences, education, awards and achievements and any other information you’d like the public to see. As you would on a resume, read it three times, have your friends and family read it as well to make sure everything looks not good, but great!

Step 2: Upload your BEST personal photo.

By best, we don’t mean it must be professional. Your photo depends on your industry. If you want a career in finance and accounting for example, a professional photo would be necessary. If you are into the fashion industry, a more casual look might do it. Either way, have a high resolution picture that you think is best. Go and have a photo taken if necessary; be very serious on this step as this is what every person FIRST sees before they read about you.

Step 3: CONNECT

Connecting on LinkedIn is different from Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. You need to know the person either through going to same school, work, or have their email in order to be in their network. However, the great thing about LinkedIn is that if you have a friend that is connected with you, everyone in their network is your “second degree” connection and you’ll be able to connect with them. Cool huh?

So to start with, sync all your emails on LinkedIn and invite everyone in your email list to connect with you. This is not Facebook so DO NOT be afraid or feel awkward to add your classmates or old work buddies. That’s how LinkedIn rolls.

Step 4: DOMINATE (The most important step)

You might have already done the above steps already, but this is the stage most fail. Having done the above and not being proactive is like having a great Facebook profile and not posting status updates on your timeline. CREATE ATTENTION.

Join groups in your industry by searching for them. Get involved in discussions in those groups. This is not our recommendation; it’s  a MUST. You will not get noticed otherwise. LinkedIn even allows you to create forum discussions, ask questions to the groups you’re in to make the discussions engaging.

You should also start contacting the HR personnel in the companies you want to work in even if you’re not looking to get the internship / job right now. LinkedIn has an option to get you introduced if the recruiters are a second degree connection. If that’s not the case, you can simply get their name and call the corporate office and ask for them by name. You can then proceed with asking questions about job opportunities and internships at the company. Most recruiters are very receptive when you mention “I found you on LinkedIn”. They’ll respect that you took the time to learn who does what in their company.

So what are your thoughts on LinkedIn? Share your experiences and additional helpful tips on the comments section below.

Part II will be on Twitter --- Tune in Next Week

The Pair that won't go away: Classic Canvas Shoes

By Haley S. Deiser from Butler University

I bet if you were to look inside your closet right now there’d be a pair of canvas shoes. A pair of canvas shoes with tons of stains, dirt smears, and maybe even frayed laces. To you, that pair of shoes isn’t just a pair of shoes, but a memory maker. Those canvas shoes hold memories with each stain, dirt smear, and frayed shoelace. Every mark tells a story.

Did you know canvas shoes have been around for centuries? The original canvas shoe was founded in 1917 when the first world war broke out. At the time, all other resources like leather and wool were already being used to make boots and uniforms for soldiers. The only resources left were rubber and canvas. Manufacturers jumped on these resources but no one could figure out how to craft the two seamless, until an angry manufacturer got so frustrated with the process he threw canvas and rubber into a fire. And eventually figured out how the materials worked together...when heated! And Eureka! Canvas shoes! A happy accident or fate? You decide.

No matter how many different shoe styles are produced canvas shoes won’t go away! They have this casual yet sophisticated appeal to them. A carefree kind of attitude that provides a sense of freedom. That’s what makes a good pair of shoes, well, great! A pair of shoes you can slip on for all of life’s adventures. A pair of shoes you aren’t afraid to get dirty, to stain, or to make marks in. Canvas shoes are always there and will always be. They are the pair of shoes you make memories in---the pair of shoes you make memories with. So grab a pair and take them everywhere.  

The Many Faces of Mason

This past year almost everyone has caught the DIY bug. Sites like Pinterest and Etsy have promoted creativity in a new and stylish way. This coupled with the growing awareness of sustainability has made upcycling the hot new trend. It seems that the most popular of these reusable materials is the mason jar. They are everywhere, in our cupboards, in the garden, and some have even hung them from the ceiling! These little guys aren’t just for preserving anymore. If you are struggling to hop on this bandwagon look no further, because we have found 3 creative ways to get you going. Oh and p.s. if you are still using your jars for canning there is a little surprise at the end for you too!           

To start we will go with an easier project. All you need are:

•         Mason jars of various sizes

•         At least three colors of glow in the dark paint

•         Small and Medium paintbrushes

Clean out your mason jars with water, or rubbing alcohol to make it shine. Take the paintbrushes covered in glow in the dark paint, and make dots all around the inside of the jars. The more dots you make the cooler it will turn out! Allow to dry for a few hours in sunlight. Then place them in the garden or a bedroom and watch the “stars” come out.

The mason jar soap pump is easy and you get to feel like a handy man for a few seconds! The materials needed for this project are:

·         1 Mason jar w/ lid

·         Old soap pump

·         Drill

·         Hot glue gun

·         Twine or lace (for decoration)

·         Liquid Hand Soap

First you are going drill a hole in the lid of your mason jar, the size of your hole will depend on the size of the soap pump tube. You will then put a ring of hot glue around the edges of the hole and place your pump through the hole. Hold the pump in place for 30 seconds, allowing the hot glue to dry. Put hand soap in to the mason jar and screw the lid on. If you would like to decorate your new soap container, you can wrap some lace or twine around the top and hot glue it in place.

Layers on Layers

 The weather outside is frightful, so bring on the layers! Fall and winter are by far the most versatile seasons for fashion. Scarves, tights, and of course sweaters are just some of the season’s trendiest attire. However if you do not know how to properly layer these articles of clothing you could end up a hot mess! We have come up with a few basic tips to keep everyone on track this winter.

Who says it is too cold to wear a dress? Not us! Dresses are absolutely appropriate for winter if paired with warm accessories. When dealing with a short dress you want to wear tights in order to make the look match the season. If your dress already has a pattern, neutral colored tights will fit nicely. If your dress is a little plain Jane then bright colors or patterned tights will help jazz it up. Once you have chosen your tights it is time to look for the right pair of shoes. Boots paired with some knee socks with create a cute youthful look, while ballet flats will add sophistication. Finally if you are looking to add a jacket we recommend something structured to counteract the looseness of the dress.

If you are looking for a more effortless look you can never go wrong with a basic trench and jeans. Almost any top can be worn under your trench as long as it does not exceed the length of your belt loops. Shirts that are long and flowing will tend to give off a pregnant lady vibe when worn with an over sized trench. Now that does not mean these types of shirts are banned, all that is required is a simple tuck and belt. When selecting jeans it is best to choose skinny or slim fit to off set the large trench. 

The trickiest of all layers is when dealing with multiple shirts, if done incorrectly a person could end up looking about 10 pounds heavier! When layering tops, 3 is the magic number, anymore will be too much. Your bottom shirt should be the most form fitting that way there is no initial bulk or bunching. Your second layer will be your sweater. Depending on your torso length, you will want either a short or long sweater, but try avoiding anything too boxy – that is just unflattering on everyone. If you choose to add a third layer make it a structured or tailored jacket that goes in at the waist. Pair the top with slim fit jeans and ballet flats for a sleek look. 

Keeping these simple tips in mind will make dressing for winter a breeze! For additional outfit ideas check out our Pinterest page and follow us on Instagram for our trend of the week!

Back to school the smart way!

It’s a new semester and we all know what that means more books, meal plans, tuition payments, and a whole lot of money going bye-bye. No doubt your wallets are already hurting from all that holiday cheer, so how can you save some of your precious dough this spring semester? Well, here at KANDALS, we have found new ways on how to be frugal. Below are just a few ideas we found helpful!

1) Textbooks 

Textbooks are the priciest and on occasion the most useless purchase of the semester. The week before classes start we get caught up in the hype of the bookstore and decide to purchase all of our textbooks right away. However six months and a couple hundred dollars later we find majority of our books haven’t even been open once. Believe it or not this whole scenario can be avoided, all it takes is a little patience. Usually within the first week of classes a person can tell whether or not their professor is textbook happy or not. So wait until the first Friday and then decide if it would be a wise decision to get a textbook. Now even if you do wait, buying a new textbook can cost an arm and a leg. That is until you explore the alternatives.  Renting or buying used textbooks on websites like Amazon or eBay can cost a significant amount less, and sometimes the college bookstore also offers these types of services.

2) Housing

While living in the dorms provides the ultimate college experience, it can get expensive. A nice alternative is getting an apartment/house close to or on campus. Going into this type of living situation with a few or several roommates still creates a fun college atmosphere while keeping the cost at a minimum. While it may not be ideal the farther from campus the cheaper housing tends to be.

3) Entertainment 

College is all about having fun and trying new things, so why not take advantage of the activities on campus. Sporting events are go -to events due to the fact that there are sports for every season and the games are discounted for students. Musical concerts and theatrical plays are also a fun and cheap way to spend an evening. Finally school clubs put on events to promote their activity or cause, these events are often free and informational.

For more ideas on how to make college more wallet friendly, you can visit the board College Life on our Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/kandals/college-life/.