I can’t help but notice girls strutting up the Persson Hall steps in head to toe get-ups replete with four-inch wooden platform heels or five-inch stiletto boots and face paint that scream, “It took me two hours to get ready for class.” Whoever thought this made them more attractive was “seriously disturbed”, in the words of Elle Woods, who takes pains to explain that the heinous orange angora sweater is definitely not the new pink. Looking utterly polished is definitely not the new effortless chic.

Many girls today, as seen from certain celebrities, believe they look most attractive when they cover their faces in Chanel makeup, straighten or curl their hair from top to bottom and coordinate the very color of their sweater buttons to their footwear. Please! Do yourself and all of us a favor and ditch the “Girl Next Store” look. No one looks sexier, especially on a college campus like Colgate, in natural hair, makeup, jeans and a t-shirt.

What once was thought of as grungy now appears to be the most underrated sexiness among women. Many girls feel “frumpy” in jeans and a t-shirt, but with the right jean fit and top, it is easy for any body type to look simply svelte.

This season, no one style of jean took complete command of the runway.

Instead, everything from cropped skinnies at Balmain to high-waisted flares at Dolce and Gabbana appeared, which guarantees everyone a look of her own this fall and winter. Especially captivating was the nonchalant styling of denim at the Alexander Wang Fall 2008 runway show. Wang, with the styling help of model and muse Erin Wasson, has transformed New York street-style into a clever play on the whole feminine versus masculine dressing system, with girls now rocking cut-off denim shorts and even shredded jeans.

Proclaimed by Vogue as the freshest denim of the fall season, Current/Elliot has staked their claim on the “boyfriend” jean, which has become a closet staple for celebrities like Katie Holmes. After the jean was featured in a Vogue spread, stores began making waiting-lists for this must have item. The boyfriend jean sits low on the hips and fits loosely in the thighs, allowing for a generous cut. Both the “Super Loved Destroyed” and the “Loved” washes have flown off Internet sites and store shelves.

The most consistently flattering jean has been Earnest Sewn. The slim cut of the “Cigarette Leg” jean creates a lengthening look, as does the “Grace Pintuck Classic Wide Leg” jean, which sits slightly higher on the hip with a dark blue wash. Rag and Bone also creates a lighter-weight skinny in dark grey that looks crisp yet feels warm enough for those slightly chilly September and October days. For added comfort, the rise on the jean is an inch higher than normal (available on shopbop.com).

For those on a budget, Madewell’s jeans are great and cheap – perfect for college students. And they come in a variety of colors and styles. Madewell1937.com offers an online jean bar showcasing their vintage jeans, sleek and tailored cuts, tight and bright denim, and uber-comfortable cuts that are equally flattering.

And yes, the 80s have made a comeback. No, don’t resurrect the shoulder-pads quite yet, but feel free to move beyond blue jeans. The statement jean this fall involves color. I have to admit, not

everyone can do some serious strutting in colored jeans, as they accentuate almost every curvature in your hips and legs. But certain styles, in cobalt blues and dark reds, look slender on most figures. A new brand coveted by celebrities, Desert Blue Phoenix Jeans allows for a pop of color with legging-like comfort. Pick styles in either Jade or fire engine Red.