crazy for culottes to cargos

in the midst of girls flocking toward their favorite sorority at the university of florida, a big leather belt over a layered cotton skirt seems status quo. bohemian mode has caught on in a big way. because it's difficult to look chic in the unrelenting summer heat and humidity of the gainesville swamp, the skirts are light and breezy, providing reprieve from unattractive sweat dripping down your legs. which look is better-the white or the earthy hues beckoning fall weather? florida may experience autumn in name only, but it offers peace of mind in anticipation of the most important season of all…football season.


a look that i think will never go out of style: cowgirl chic. they're especially popular paired with a miniskirt -- but find a way to mix your boots with unexpected accessories, and you'll be bucking the trends. and of course, here in california, the most important accessory for any outfit is now, and always will be, a truly fabulous pair of sunglasses.


it doesn't stop at beads, either: similar accessory-appropriations are in evidence everywhere you go. another trend with particular prevalence is the wide mesh belt. mesh belts in every color under the sun (metallics are especially popular) have arrived on a campus with a vengeance, and students are wearing them with every type of outfit imaginable. but do these differences indicate a heightened creative streak among the students? hardly. the principle is the same in all cases: throw a wide mesh belt on top of whatever clothes you happen to be wearing and you're good to go.


i have always been a firm believer that accessorizing is the key to fashion -- the factor that separates what is truly stylish from what is merely trendy. you could dress yourself entirely in designer clothes, but without that creative impulse, that personal touch, that ability to mix disparate items of clothing in new and interesting ways, you would never really stand out from the crowd. i have always prided myself on my powers-of-accessory. so imagine my surprise, arriving on campus this summer sporting one of my boldest necklaces, at finding myself in a sea of identically adorned young women. the bigger and bolder, the better as far as these co-eds are concerned. they seem to be especially popular within the sorority set, with one chunky brown strand in particular popping up on necks all over campus. even the most fabulous accessories, it would seem, are not beyond the pull of the mass market.


she's right on with the sorority shirt and the flip-flops... but the pink and green look is just so last season, and the days of the ultra-mini flip-skirt are passed. i'm all for accessorizing -- but a wool scarf in August? not all boots were made for walking. cowgirl may be in, but the combat boot look is way over. this unfortunate ensemble isn't sure whether to be goth, business chic, or girlie -- and falls short of successful on all three counts. this week's word to the wise: don't settle for imitation; when you try too hard, it always shows. find a way to express yourself while staying within your own personal comfort zone, and you'll always come out a step ahead of the trends.

admittedly, most males indulge in a lot less color (and fewer accessories) than their female counterparts. but careful attention to the trends of the moment is no less prevalent among boys than it is among girls, and patterns emerge instantly with even a quick survey of the campus.
especially hot for fall are cargo-style Bermuda shorts, putting the emphasis on casual chic. paired with a neutral-colored T-shirt and a pair of flip-flops, cargos are the no-lose outfit for USC men this season.

if you don't stand out, it's really easy to get lost in the herd. deserving a golden lasso for uniqueness. incorporating a western flair, the ensemble puts a refreshing spin on the trend of boho chic. much to bovine chagrin, the wide leather belt and hobo bag are paired with cowboy … excuse me cowgirl boots, creating a successful combination between two completely different styles. she took the bull by its horns and developed her own rock-star look. with this kind of moxie, the bulls should come a-running. yee haw!