I am not what most people would call fashionable. From my short stature to my complete disdain for makeup to a wardrobe described by former neighbors as “like a cartoon character,” I’m probably one of the least chic people you’ll ever meet. But I’m a complete Candy Addict, and am intrigued by pretty much anything new and different that happens in the world of sugary goodness. So when I was given the opportunity to review a lollipop that serves double-duty as a fashion accessory, I wasn’t about to say no.

Judging from its website, the Sugar Company looks to be one of those brands that’s more about style than substance. Most of the products on offer are cleverly packaged, overpriced versions of old standbys easily found in your nearest mall. Chocolate-covered gummi bears, saltwater taffy, licorice mix… solid, dependable candies to be sure, but nothing really unique to the company.

The Sugar Factory’s Couture Pops, though, are their real claim to fame. Comprised of interchangeable, bejeweled sticks and color-coordinated candy heads, these just might be the coolest candy fashion statements on the market right now. They even come with ringing celebrity endorsements. Yep! Britney Spears, the Pussycat Dolls, and Kim Kardashian are all big fans of the customizable lollipops.

Even I had to admit that the concept’s pretty cute. When I was twelve, I probably would have loved to carry around a Couture Pop. At $25 apiece, while the lollipop may be expensive for a candy, you have to admit – it’s pretty cheap for an accessory!

My Couture Pop was blue raspberry, with a coordinated scepter adorned with crystals in turquoise and green. Its candy head comes enclosed in a plastic snapcase, the better for storing your half-eaten lollipop while on the go. Useful for anyone; extremely so for club-savvy hotties who need to keep their pops fresh and juicy between flirtations with one guy and the next.

As far as I was concerned, if the lollipop was as tasty as it was pretty, there’d be no need for the plastic snapcase. I’d suck it happily until nothing remained but the bejeweled stick and attached “screw” at the Pop’s center. In the end, my lollipop’s taste didn’t rival its presentation, but it wasn’t half bad, either.

As the Pop made its way over my tongue, I realized this is pretty high-quality candy. It’s very thick, without being too syrupy, and tastes enough like blue raspberry that fans of the flavor won’t feel too ripped off. I don’t know if this is the case with all of Sugar Factory’s flavors, but the brand’s candymakers seem to know what they’re doing in this case, so I wouldn’t doubt it. The pop is amply sized; about the size of a large super-ball or a standard clown nose. It took me over an hour of licking to reach the lollipop’s base. I can see how that snapcase comes in handy! If you need a solid sugar fix over a lengthy period, this might just be the lollipop for you.

So, if you appreciate the taste of a well-made, suckable ball of flavored sugar, you’ll probably find one for a far better price at your local novelty shop or candy store. But, if you like your candy to come with fashion sense and a dose of Hollywood glamor, you just might want to visit The Sugar Factory today and buy a Couture Pop. Make sure to buy a few different sticks and different colored candy heads while you’re at it – the better to coordinate with different outfits!

• Sugar Factory Website

Cadence: Why candy art? How did you get started on this path?

Vanessa: I paint candy because I love it. I have been a Candy Addict since I was old enough to taste. I started painting candy in 2005 when I had to choose a single subject that would serve as a source of inspiration for an entire year. I switched topics several times before deciding that the only thing I never seem to get enough of or get tired of is candy. Three years later candy still serves as an endless source of inspiration for me.

V: All my candy paintings are oil on canvas. The creation process varies from piece to piece. Sometimes it involves building, sketching, or photography but regardless of the main method there is always lots of sampling.

V: I can be inspired by almost anything: colors, patterns, the beauty of candy, and all the emotional and psychological issues from my life.

C: I hear you’ve branched out and have created some wearable candy art. Please tell us about the Stride Rite project – how that came about and what you did for them.

V: I originally applied to a Stride Rite job listing for animal artwork because I am always trying to pick up freelance work. I made it down to the final round of candidates for the project but they went with another artist and gave me the “Maybe we’ll call you in the future” spiel. When they called me 5 months later for a candy shoe project I was ecstatic. I painted five sets of candy for them and they used them to generate three super sweet shoe designs for kids. It was a dream come true!

C: How can people learn more about your art?

V: I’ve had shows at everywhere from candy and ice cream shops to galleries. All of the shows are listed on my website. If anyone is interested in any of my artwork I ask that they email me directly. I will be happy to answer any questions anyone has about the artwork or pricing.

• Vanessa St. Laurent’s Website

Buy Vanessa’s Stride Rite Shoes Online:

• Lolli Clog
• Lolli Ballet
• Lolli Ballet (for toddlers)

As a true Candy Addict, I like to make sure I have candy on me everywhere I go. I usually have some snack size bars stashed in my desk drawer at work, some candies hanging out at the bottom of my purse, and a few sweets stashed in my glove compartment. And now, thanks to the help of Aquolina’s Chocolovers perfume, I can literally keep the sweet scent of chocolate on me at all times.

I bought my first bottle of Chocolovers last spring, en route to the All Candy Expo. I was at Sephora (where the perfume is sold) picking up a few things for my trip when I encountered the adorable, heart covered bottle. I’m not going to lie to you guys – I saw the word “choco” on the bottle and bought it without even smelling it. I can’t help it!

When I finally put the perfume on, I was pleasantly surprised; unlike some fake-chocolate scents that smell bitter or burnt, Chocolovers has a lovely scent that is reminiscent of chocolate Tootsie Pops, with a hint of lemon and a touch of spice. I remember telling Caitlin and Brian that I was wearing it as we headed toward the convention center to join the All Candy Expo fun, and both of them said, “I knew I smelled candy somewhere!”

If chocolate scents aren’t your thing, Aquolina also has a “Pink Sugar” line, which is extremely sweet and has a cotton candy-esque aroma. Both scents extend beyond perfume, with body scrub, “hair perfume,” and shower oils also available. The Chocolovers and Pink Sugar lines are designed for people who just want to have a little fun with their scents, and would make excellent gifts for the Candy Addicts in your life.

• Aquolina at Sephora

Buy Aquolina Chocolovers Online:

• at Amazon.com

I started Candy Addict almost three years ago, but candy isn’t all I am into (snacks are another). I also love t-shirts, as you can tell by the number of times we have written about t-shirts. Because of this, I have been busy lately working on a brand new site called Teenormous. It’s essentially a t-shirt search engine right now, though we have big plans for the site and will be adding tons of new features to make it much more than just a search engine. Right now we have almost 15,000 t-shirts indexed and searchable. Take a look and see what you think.

Oh – and to keep this candy-focused, you can find candy t-shirts at the site too. Enjoy!

• Teenormous t-shirts

This Summer Gum Fancy Necklace from Candyware truly is simple and sweet. I love the bright colors of the gum pendants, and frankly, this necklace seems conservative enough to even be worn during office hours. Personally, I would buy all three colors and wear them like medals of candy honor. And I’ll be checking back at the site for the jewelry in development – the glass gumdrop looks so tantalizing!

I’m also enamored with the Three Jelly Bean Necklace from Molly Brown. I’ve been into charms lately and this necklace gives me the opportunity to choose my own beans. Interestingly, the “ice cream” colored bean looks similar to the delightful Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn bean. I’m thinking that’s a good place to start color coordinating. Then I’ll get raspberry, and then orange and then… I will practice a little bit of restraint.

Another office-friendly but whimsical choice would be the Pez Earrings from Perpetual Kid. Pez and their dispensers have always entranced me – buying a magnificent Chewbacca Pez dispenser when I traveled to England became a trip highlight – and these sterling silver earrings would be an understated reminder of that inner child as I trudge off to another day at the office.

I also enjoy these dangly Heart Shaped Lolly Earrings. The right girl or boy may be able to pull these off – the unconventional shape would, I’m certain, somehow be ripped from my ear with great clumsy drama. But I like how they are fun and young. These would be perfect for someone trying to add some sweetness to an already sassy wardrobe.

This summer, I’d accessorize a simple sun dress with this magnificent candy and resin bangle bracelet. It’s like a party on your wrist! I love how the bangle appears packed with color – and with candy. I’m thinking this would be a nice conversation starter and the bangle seems versatile enough to wear all summer long. Good enough to eat? Quite possibly.

I was also drawn to these adorable starlight mint-influenced drop earrings. Though perhaps more appropriate when the snow falls and chestnuts roast, there’s something incredibly, well, sweet about these little vintage Lucite earrings. The bright red would lend well to many summer ensembles and actually makes them seem less seasonal – and more about the peppermint itself.

And finally, a necklace that features one of my favorite candies in all of creation: the Nerd Herd Necklace. This pendant may be the most quirky of the jewelry featured here, but it was love at first sight for me and this little nugget of candy, glitter and resin. What better way to sweeten up a simple t-shirt and jeans than by wearing your love of all things Nerds on your neck? I may need this necklace to live.

Leave a comment if you find some fantastically stylish candy jewelry that I may have missed. I’m always on the lookout for a tasty new accessory!

I’m not really a big fan of numbers. Or science. Or instruction manuals, for that matter. So I don’t really know if all the specs work out. But I do enjoy t-shirts. And I love s’mores. And since my affinity for the latter outweighs my disdain for the former at a ratio of exactly 7652:1 (did I do that right? Like I said, I’m really more for the candy than the math) I feel that puts me in the clear to adore this S’mores how-to shirt from Threadless.

My only concern? I have always – always – constructed my s’mores with the marshmallow on top of the chocolate square. Have they changed the rules since I took S’more 101? ‘Cause I gotta tell ya, I don’t know that I’m willing to change. It’s pretty perfect that way. Despite this flaw, however, I am looking forward to the “more detailed instructions” promised to follow in S’more 201. Do you think that includes the introduction of additional ingredients? Because a thin layer of peanut butter spread beneath Graham Cracker Sheet #1 makes for an awesome advanced s’more.

• S’more 101 T-Shirt at Threadless T-Shirts

Making your own prom dress can go one of two ways: you can end up with a Pepto-Bismol trapezoid with sleeves and a lace doily collar, ala Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink, or you might end up with a rainbow-inspired prom dress like the one designed by Theperilouspopsicle, a poster on Craftster.org – a killer candy frock made entirely out of Skittles wrappers.

She claims that it took 15 hours and 101 Skittles wrappers to complete her creation. Apparently, she only likes red Skittles, but luckily her friends were around to help her polish off the other colors in the Skittles rainbow. She also received wrappers from strangers after posting an ad on Craigslist. Candy Addict teamwork!

Have any of you ever seen any prom dresses made out of candy wrappers? If you could design your own, what would it look like? I’d love to try making one, but my prom days are long gone, and I don’t think Atomic Fireball wrappers are really appropriate evening wear material.

Thankfully, there are creative Candy Addicts like Theperilouspopsicle out there to design these candy couture wonders for us. In her post, she says that the Skittles prom dress “looks rather epic on”, and I have no doubt that it does. Anything made with this much love (and this much candy!) has got to be beautiful.

• Theperilouspopsicle’s Skittle Wrapper Prom Dress on craftster.org

One of the first things I do upon meeting someone new is to check out their shoes. Although this probably makes me shallow and superficial, you really can learn a lot of helpful shallow and superficial information about someone by glancing at their footwear. Obviously, I go through life assuming that people will likewise judge me by my shoes. And knowing this, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this pair of adorable, candy-themed canvas flats.

Were I to meet someone while strolling about in these shoes, I’d hope that they’d deduce the following facts about me. First, they would see that I am the type of person who chooses footwear based on its ability to allow me to run from predators. They may then note the playful color scheme or the adorable Mary Jane styling of the shoe and then decide that I’m a girl who appreciates a cute, versatile pair of shoes. But most importantly, they would see the playful lollipops and wrapped candy and be certain to realize that I love the sweet stuff. This may cause them to produce from purse, pocket or fanny pack the appropriate sweets that would therefore buy my love or friendship. Genius plan, no?

You can find the Xhilaration® Suzi Mary Jane Skimmers online at Amazon.com and as of now, they’re already being offered at a discount. No excuses, candy-loving ladies (and gentlemen with dainty feet)!

From NerdyShirts comes the Nerds Rule T-Shirt. Featuring a nerd holding a box of Nerds, the shirt’s a great way to proclaim your or your loved one’s candy addicted nerdiness. At $20, though, I know I don’t have enough cash left over from my post-Easter purchases to buy one for myself. Ah well, at least my birthday is coming up soon…

• Nerds Rule T-Shirt at NerdyShirts

shirt, Nerds

Their website describes them thusly:

Now she can be fully clothed in chocolate. Each box contains two Chocolate Pasties and a Squeezers peanut butter applicator.

Fully clothed? Wearing these is considered fully clothed? I hate to imagine what she thinks of as workout gear! Clearly, whoever came up with the name “Squeezers” for the peanut butter applicator has got a good sense of humor. I think these are some of the most entertaining chocolate products I’ve seen in a while, bringing new meaning to the expression “chocolate lover.”

For those of you who want the entire ensemble, the clever people at Tom & Sally’s also have chocolate thongs in, you guessed it, both his and hers variety. The his variety is designed with…

Okay. I’m sorry. I just can’t write about these products seriously. Call me a prude, but I think some types of candy are really better left un-talked about. Let’s just say that now I’ve shown you the way to an unforgettable Valentine’s Day gift, it’s time for you Candy Addicts out there to get busy (buying candy, that is).

• Adult Treats at Tom & Sally’s Handmade Chocolates

chocolate, adult, clothing