HotmailDon’t be the college scruffy — be a 'Muffy'!
With the latest fashions leaning toward the neat and perky, you’ll be a university ace in the latest styles, says Judy Gordon
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Heading off — or back — to class and want to make a good impression? You’ll be delighted to know that the collegiate look is one of this season’s biggest trends. So work this clean-cut look it while it’s hot!
We’ve put together a guide to the best of what you need right now — denim for every day (and beyond), the lowdown on what to wear for interviews and internships, the hottest technology, style for your room and where to find the trendiest “message tees” that express your individual style.
It’s all here in the latest edition of our weekly fashion and beauty update.
College sweetheart
From the runway to the real world, one of the hottest fall trends is the crisp, clean-cut, retro, collegiate look —the classic college sweetheart. So work it, girl! Here's your basic shopping list: a plaid, pleated skirt, a demure sweater set, a simple, cropped blazer, a handful of fabulous brooches, colored opaque tights and a wonderful pair of boots or suede pumps. You'll ace the interview or any "dressed up" occasion with style. If you really want to go all out, add a few argyle sweater vests, a crisp white shirt, a navy pleated skirt and a duffle coat to your wardrobe, and trust us — you'll bring tears to your mother's eyes. Good luck!
Trend Tip:
Don't let your accessories give you away! When dressing up or working the "co-ed" trend, leave your backpack or funky handbag at home. You can pick up a great looking faux crocodile satchel from Isaac Mizrahi at Target for less than $30.
Room mates
Forget about cast-offs from the basement — if you’re looking for fun, inexpensive furniture and décor for your dorm room or apartment, you can buy new stuff without spending a fortune. Major retailers like Target and JC Penney as well as specialty stores like PB Teen and Collegiate Mall offer totally put-together looks for all styles and budget. (And they’re so great-looking that many adults have tapped into this growing trend to beat the high costs of “real” furniture!) Hot trends right now are striped and plaid “Muffy” prepster looks; exotic, beaded velvet and silk bedding and window treatments accented with piles of pillows; and bright floral surfer styles.
Trend Tip:
No matter how great something looks, try it out to see if it’s comfortable — you’re going to spend a lot of time at your desk or studying in your favorite chair. We hear that the colorful “Moshi” pillows from Linens & Things are being snapped up by college students because they are filled with massaging microbeads to melt your stress away! Another tip: the cool and comfortable “Retro Rocker” from PB Teen is flying out of the stores.
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firstview.com Denim is always cool for school. This smart look is from Marc by Marc Jacobs. |
You live in jeans, right? So, what’s new? First off, retro looks with a ’70s feel. The Wrangler47 line from BuiltByWendy.com revives and restyles a beloved “retro” brand. You’ll also find that top designers are introducing flared, wide-leg and trouser styles, which are a bit dressier than your basic 501s. Check out Marc by Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Just Cavalli, Juicy Couture, Chip & Pepper and Alvin Valley to catch that trend. Another hot option is the custom-fit jean — you can make them to order at Levis.com — but if you just want a better fit without the fuss, the hip new brand Notify offers a choice of waist, hip and rear (!) sizes and J.Crew has a new line sized just for petites.
Trend Tip:
Fall’s new darker-washed denim is “dressed up” enough to go most anywhere (except perhaps a job interview or to that fancy restaurant with your aunt and uncle). To dress up the look, pair them with a great sweater or shirt, add a leather belt and high heels, slip on a jacket and then “glamorize” with a dazzling brooch, a faux fur scarf or a touch of metallic.
Hot tech 
Where would you be without your iPod, your cell phone and your computer? Today’s college students are more wired than a Jetson’s rerun! So what’s the latest in hot tech? The T-Mobile Sidekick II is a favorite of the celebrity fashionista — the new, slimmed down model is a cell phone, a digital camera and a personal organizer all in one (plus it handles email and instant messaging with ease). You can get your hands on it in early fall. (It has already wowed fans like Kirsten Dunst, Paris and Nicky Hilton and Elisha Cuthbert.) For computers, laptops still win the popularity contest (many colleges offer discounts from the major computer makers, so shop around). And don’t forget the new iPod Mini — it’s at the top of the college student’s shopping list this semester.
Trend Tip:
You’ve got style. Shouldn’t your tech toys, as well? Designer duds to dress up your cell phone and iPod are the hottest things going! You’ll find tempting outfits to match every outfit — designer-logo’d cases from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and trendy skins from Paul Smith and Kate Spade . And you can even outfit your gear with a hoodie courtesy of C. Ronson.
What’s your message?
The red-hot “message tee” is the new way to make a point without ever saying a word. From retro ’70s logos to cartoon characters to political statements, what your clothes say right now is part of the fashion statement. This trend is driven by celebs — when Jessica Simpson wore a Clarendon tee on a recent show episode, the tops sold out around the world in less than 24 hours! Celeb faves right now include the sassy Betty & Veronica line from Shop Kitson, the tongue-in-chic “Oy Vey” and “Shiksa” tees from Rabbi’s Daughters, and Roots USA-wear in honor of the Olympics. Pair them with everything from jeans to cords to denim mini skirts, and layer them under your hoodie or your cropped blazer when temperatures cool.
Trend Tip:
No matter what your political beliefs, it’s cool to care (and to vote in the upcoming presidential election). The trend right now is “election fever” and if you want to get one of these hot statements, order now: P. Diddy at CitizenChange.com (“Vote or Die”), limited editions from Todd Oldham, Isaac Mizrahi and Richard Tyler at DeclareYourself.com, girl power at SmartWomenVote.com or candidate-specific messages at ChoiceShirts.com.
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Judy Gordon is a New York-based style consultant and the “Today” show’s style editor. She has been covering the fashion and beauty beat for the past decade. To learn more, you can visit her Web site, TheTrendReport.com, which highlights style trends in America.
firstVIEW is the primary supplier of photos to Fashion Friday. Go to www.firstVIEW.com for the latest pictures from top fashion shows around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Milan, Brazil, New Zealand, South Korea and more.
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