When it comes to putting an ensemble together, many collegestudents resort to some of the most inconceivable crimes infashion.

You don’t have to shop at Banana Republic, The Limited orExpress to know what goes together. You can shop at Wal-Mart andTarget and still manage to look stylish, in fact I know people whodo.

The skill is in putting an outfit together and it doesn’trequire rocket science at all; you just need to know how tocoordinate your colors. You can have the most expensive couture butif your colors don’t coordinate, you’ll look cheap and out-of-syncwith the rest of us.

During my time at Simpson, I’ve come to witness some of the mostunforgivable injustices done to fashion. As part of my civic duty,I took it upon myself to bring to your attention some of theseinjustices.

1. Mixing navy blue and black:

This combination hurts as much as scratching fingernails on ablackboard does. The colors look dull together and should beavoided at all costs.

2. Acid-washed jeans:

No, no, no, no! Please refrain from ever wearing these. Therehas been a revolution in the denim industry since the era ofacid-washed jeans. There are great new looks out there ataffordable costs. The new look in denims today features whiskedwashes, distressed jeans and the newest being the creased whiskers.So, why torture yourself and the rest of us when you can simply getthe best?

3. Black and white polka dots:

An absolute NO. Polka dots are a mistake and are not flatteringat all. College students should definitely avoid these. As Karensaid to Grace, “Polka dots hurt like a hang-over.”

4. Socks and sandals:

This seems to be a favorite among students, but I hate to breakit to you. Unless you’re 40 years old or over, this look justdoesn’t work.

5. Cropped shirts:

Have self-respect and also show respect to others by avoidingclothes that reveal extra flesh. For instance, if you have extraflesh on the sides and on your tummy, please avoid cropped shirts.It is not a flattering look at all and it is definitely not a sightfor others to see.

6. The belt rule:

This one is really simple. If your jeans or pants have loops onthem, you should definitely wear a belt with them.

Otherwise, your couture-du-jour will look absolutely incomplete.There is but one exception to this rule, if your shirt isn’t tuckedin and it covers the waistline, it is ok not to wear a belt.

7. Remember: Your belt always has to match your shoes.

8. The underwear rule:

The clue is in the name. It is underwear; therefore, it shouldalways be worn underneath your clothes. Recent trends in hip-hopculture gave rise to this underwear-showing style and, of course,followers of hip-hop definitely followed the trend. Well, it’s beenalmost a decade since that started and now that style is out.Wearing your pants, jeans or shorts below your butt to show yourunderwear is no longer the “in” thing. It’s time to let go andsimply pull your shorts or jeans back to your waistline. After all,that is where they belong.

9. The pajama rule:

Wearing these outside your bedroom is definitely not an okaything to do. Pajamas were specifically designed to be worn to bed,not to class or any other place. It is uncouth to wear them inpublic, unless you’re going to a pajama party.

10. The blue shirt, khakis and yellow tie and Doc Marten’srule:

Every formal dinner or dance that I’ve gone to at Simpson, thereis always at least about six to eight guys wearing this popularensemble.

I don’t know where this started or who started it, but it hasdefinitely got to go. The khaki pants worn by these guys areusually cargo pants and there is definitely nothing formal aboutcargo pants, so they are unfit for this occasion. The look can bebearable on one person, but when you start to see more than that,it becomes an affront to the delicate nature of those withstyle.

Contrary to popular belief, looks do matter. What you wear playsa really big role in sending nonverbal cues about the kind ofperson you are.

Here are a few steps to looking good:

* You should have in your closet a well-balanced couture. Anassortment of colors is a good way to go. It brings life and colorto your closet and definitely eliminates the dull look.

* Avoid plaids. If you really must have it, you should wearnothing else but solids with them.

* Have a variety of jeans. I understand blue jeans are the mainthing, but it is okay to have other colors as well.

* Have at least a brown and a black belt to go with your brownand black shoes.

* Buy sizes or a fit that flatters your body. Avoid items thatenhance areas which do not need enhancement. Trust me; you don’tneed to draw attention to these areas.

* However, do accentuate your best features if you’re aware ofthem.

Most importantly, be comfortable in your outfit.