Regardless of how well you may dress, your level of articulateness (yeah, it’s a word. I looked it up) or how good you may look, improper grooming habits can kill how attractive you seem to everyone around you. This article is mainly for guys, but if you’re a girl grab your boyfriend, you’re going to want him to read this.

It’s been seen time and time again. Good looking dude, dresses well, he’s a blast to hang out with but what the frack is that smell? And what’s with the long fingernails?

Bad grooming is an affliction that is sweeping our gender without mercy. Girls are instantly turned off by a guy who has dirty fingernails and guys are left with images of hobos and freaks in their heads whenever your name is mentioned. To do my part in the fight against bad grooming, I’m going to outline some good practices that should always be adhered to, always.

So what do i mean by grooming? Well, I’m taking about any part of your body that gets dirty, or dirty-looking, with time. It’s easy to do and I’m going to spell it all out for you so do us all a favor and read on.

1. Fingernails

You may think that people don’t notice your fingernails, but they do. Girls are especially conscious of how long and dirty your fingernails are and it can really be a deal breaker. Lucky for us, they’re easy to manage. Every few days or so (depending on how quickly your nails grow) give them a once over with some nail clippers. Come on, it takes all of like 45 seconds to keep them in check and you’ll be a lot better off for it. You should give your toenails a looksie too, especially in the summer when they’ll be exposed more.

Dude, you really need to keep those suckers clean too. Washing your hands regularly can keep a lot of dirt out from under your nails but if that’s not enough, secretly purge those guys with whatever you have on your person.

You may want to invest in a good sharp pair of nail clippers. They leave cleaner cuts and are easier to use. I like to use clippers that are housed in plastic so that my clippings don’t go flying in all directions.

2. Hair

I understand that it’s easy to nix regular haircut from your list of priorities when you’re in school but you really should work hard to squeeze them in when you can. Unkempt hair lies right above your eyes, and that’s where someone will be looking if they’re interacting with you. If your particular look requires you to have shaggy hair, you’re the exception, but let’s not go too crazy. There are very few people in the world who think Rob Zombie is a looker.

I only trust one person with my hair. I won’t let anyone with a pair of scissors get close. If you’re new to your school, it may take some experimentation with the local options, but there’s no way around that.

3. Facial Hair

Facial hair is a tricky situation. A lot of girls don’t like it, but some do. Those that do don’t make up enough of a minority to make growing a beard a no-no, so tread lightly. It also just doesn’t look good on some guys. Either way, keep it under control. If you decide you like your manstache, then keep it, just make sure its properly trimmed at all times. If you’re going to forgo the wonder that is the goatee, make sure you are shaved clean, everyday. Again, if it’s part of your look to have a little stubble, that can be ok, just remember that moderation is the name of the game.

4. Showers and smells

Most guys are pretty good about keeping clean and taking daily showers so I don’t think I need to get into this too much. I do have a tip for you though. When deciding if a shower is necessary, don’t ask yourself if you’re clean. Ask if you’re fresh.

Deodorant practices are pretty good too. I recommend using cologne also. You see, smelling good can be really attractive to girls and can leaving a lasting impression with whoever you’re interacting with. But again, not too much. You want people to think you smell good, not that you bathed in your acqua di gio.

If you’re going to use cologne on top of deodorant (you should), you may want to consider the scent-free options. Mixing two smells together can leave olfactory glands confused or displeased.

5. Dental Hygiene

Brush your teeth twice a day, use floss and swish around a little mouthwash. I really hope this wasn’t necessary.

Carry some gum or mints around with you because that garlic laden spaghetti you had for lunch is going to kill your conversations.

If you want to be extra fancy, you can go buy anti-shine lotions, oil blotting paper for your face or any of hundreds of products, but this list should be enough to seriously improve your game and to keep others pleased when around you. Thinking about all of the properly groomed guys out there is giving me a sense of satisfaction. Don’t you feel good? Good. I’m going to go clip my nails.

We’d love to hear about your own experiences with how to groom, what to use and horror stories. Go ahead…comment!

Hello blogosphere,

My first post is going to detail what I think has got to be the sexiest mobile phone on the market (well, with a few tweaks for us Americans) and is not, dare i say, the iPhone. Nope, it’s not Apple’s huge mobile hit, but the European LG PRADA. The phone was released on the 22nd of March last year, and you may be thinking this post is a year too late, but stick with me and you’ll see where I’m going.

So, LG and PRADA got together and designed a cellphone, combining LG’s technological prowess with PRADA’s world famous mind for design, and the result was fabulous. At first glance, you may think that it’s just another “iPod-killer” but it was actually created before the iPhone. LG claims that Apple copied them, and for a while, whispers of a lawsuit circulated. Even more whispers have since been flying around about the phone’s release in the US.

All of that aside, let’s get to the phone itself. It features a 3-inch touch screen, 2 mega-pixel camera with a snazzy high quality lens, a microSD memory card slot and music and document support. It even has a PRADA logo on the front of the phone for all of us label whores. It doesn’t have quite the functionality that the iPhone has but it’s much more functional than the last pair of jeans you wore when compared to the carpenter jeans your dad wears.

Now why am I writing about this over a year after it was first released? Well, it was never released in the US, at least not officially. All you Tmobile and Cingular customers can go and buy an “unlocked” version of the phone and stick your SIM card into it (any other service that uses SIM cards can do the same), but those of us who are on Verizon or Sprint (or any “CDMA” service — aka, we don’t have SIM cards) have been out of luck. Well, Verizon is releasing a sort of compromise on the 4th of July, called the LG Dare. The LG Dare, is very similar to the PRADA, it just doesn’t sport the oh so stylish PRADA logo on it. The brand conscious in class are probably pretty disappointed but hey, it’s still a great phone.

If you’re looking to buy the PRADA, you can find it on Amazon.com for about $450. There hasn’t been a released price for the Dare, so here’s to hoping your contract is almost up. I for one will be taking a short break from the barbecues to go get my hands on this sleek piece of mobile devicery.

For pictures and specs about the LG Dare…..click to jump

Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, is the 3rd oldest higher education university in the USA.  This Ivy League school is recognized by it’s variations of the “Yale Blue” combined with White or Grey.  It has historic roots in College rowing competitions and as early as 1843, the winning boat in crew intramurals displayed a blue pennant with “Yale” lettered in white.  By 1894 the blue was named the official color for Yale.  There are at least three different versions of the blue in the color referred to as “Yale Blue”, the most popular being a light shade of navy.

Navy, a type of Blue is the most popular color in the USA, and the “Yale Blue” is not the kind of blue that we would ever say is “commercial”, but like the school itself, these colors are conservative, traditional, and rely heavily on the placement of the name of the school.  It seems to have great snob appeal!

Stanford is located near San Francisco in Palo Alto, California in the USA. A very cool school with some ugly colors! The featured colors of our banner are their official colors of Cardinal (a neutral shade of Red) and White. They sometimes use Sandstone, Black, and of course there is always the confusion about the Green Tree. Not a strong combination, a little old fashioned, the tree is a bit out of place when it is included, and not very trendy. The tree is not their mascot and actually they don’t have an official mascot!

The Issue:

Yup it’s that time of year, finals week. It’s a tough time for all of us, the hours spent on anxiety, last minute

cramming, desperate nights of procrastination, irrational eating, and the collection of “stay awake” drinks accompanied by the latest “brain foods”. Anything is up for grabs. Don’t wanna whine to you all about style, but have you looked in the mirror anytime lately? Some of you look like you’ve not come up for air nor shower in weeks.

Pajama pants and slippers worn anywhere but your dorm room is just wrong. Pretending that you are wearing your boyfriend’s sweatshirt that he “left last week in your room because you had no time for laundry” is really pathetic. The worse offender is the chick who tops this off with her greasy hair messily put up in a disturbingly ornate hair clip.

Here are some choices to stylin’ while survivin’: A. Stick with basics like the tees and your reliable blue jeans. B. Wear your “lucky hoodie” and coordinate your bag and accessories to match, this will help you get out of your room faster, even if you are very sleepy. C. Keep three of your most comfortable shoes in the front of your closet, so you can rotate wearing them throughout the week. D. Prepare for the week by having all the laundry done, so you do not have to use both sides of your underwear.

My Turn:

Style is how you look while dealing with all this stuff, so look good and feel good. Preparation is everything, especially for style!

Your turn:

Is your style making the grade for this finals week? Share, if you have any good ideas!

A bright red primary color supported by white and black. These are the school colors of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA. Marist is where I attend college as a Fashion Merchandising major. We have a killer Women’s Basketball team and a brand new outdoor stadium which makes catching the game super exciting!

We will be dedicating our site’s color scheme to a different school every week.

If you would like to have your school featured, send us an e-mail:

thecollegiatestyle@gmail.com

I stopped in my school’s Barnes and Noble Bookstore yesterday and was intrigued when I saw “GUDFUD” stuffed marshmallows near the register. I had to give them a try, and they are pretty delicious! I later found out that many campus B&N Bookstores are carrying GUDFUD. I definitely recommend giving them a taste!

You can visit GUDFUD’s website at: www.gud-fud.com

Metallics are all over today’s runways, and that is just where they belong. Around the university, we have seen many metallic tragedies - from cheap looking t-shirts, gaudy sequined sunglasses and shimmer-covered jean pockets.

It’s cheesy and doesn’t belong on a college campus.

University Students Worldwide: What’s the Ugliest Metallic Thing You’ve Seen on Campus?

Walking around campus, I feel like I need sunglasses, even on the shadiest of days. The reason: beyond-platinum blonde hair. Many girls and guys are starting to make Gwen Stefani look like a dirty-blonde. Yet, at the risk looking like “trailer-park-trash”, these brave chicks look fantastic.

White blonde, we say, is powerful, smart, and super hot .