The Best of Back to School

Best first impression
Paul Frank
Fashion fads quickly come and go, but comfort and irreverent wit are always in style. From a teeny West Village boutique, Paul Frank shares a plethora of quirky-kitschy tees, denim, and accessories. Funky monkey shirts put teens in a happy state of mind for the first day of school. The perfect pair of jeans and a wink-wink tee give an aloof cool vibe that is both more fun and practical than right off the runway threads.

Best face forward
Avocados
It's easy being green. Vitamin E rich avocados nourish skin inside and out. Maintain a youthful complexion by adding the "good fat" veggie to school lunches. A little guacamole or a few fresh slices on a BLT moisturize and replenish skin. Whether used as a masque or snack, avocados help supply essential fatty acids and vitamins.

Best smile
Retro lipstick
How best to accessorize fave vintage finds? With a simple swipe of matte red or fuchsia lipstick. On a bare face, a bright lip color is classically confident and shockingly modern. A superhue lip requires the best paint your pucker can afford. Indulge in glam tubes of Chanel's Rouge Allure in bold pink or cherry red.

Best rockin' dorm
Video loungers
While milk crates and beanbags may be acceptable dorm décor, they really aren't all that comfy. J-shaped furnishings let students rock and relax. These upholstered loungers are as clean-lined as Formula 1 seats. Blast Pod Rockers have speakers built right into the headrests, for surround-sound enjoyment of Xbox, ipod, and DVDs. The low-profile silhouettes still look pretty hip once school is through.

Best repeating pattern
Plaid
For those too young for Annie Hall, don't fret (but do rent the DVD). Menswear as womenswear is back. Perhaps not the head-to-toe look Keaton coveted, but grandpa patterns are a definite do. Girls look great in houndstooth, tartan, and glengariff plaid. Old school wool plaids get new life in swingy skirts, wrap coats, and sleeveless shifts. Wunderkind by Wolfgang Joop's collection and your English professor are both great fashion inspirations.

Best cure for a bad hair day
Chapeaus
Monica and mimes have given berets a bad rap... but the beatnik toppers are back. Berets joined little black dresses on Thakoon's Parisian chic fall catwalk. At Ralph Lauren, oversized felt fedoras were daytime statement makers, while big berets were paired with eveningwear. Those little wool caps dress down fancy frocks for eclectic rush party style.

Best color change
Crimson
Neutrals never got anyone noticed. Show your spirit with a flash of color this fall. Even Calvin Klein sported crimson flapper-inspired dresses. It doesn't take a Calvin or Carolina dress to get attention. Red accessories are a hit on the runway and in the quad: tomato trench coats from Bill Blass, opaque tights from Nanette Lepore, chunky knit scarves from Twinkle, and scarlet boots and belts from Anna Sui.

Best door-to-door service
Cadillac Escalade
Is it cool to have mom drop you off at school? When you're chauffeured in the slick SUV favored by hip hoppers and pro ballers, there's no need to park around the corner. Dad loves the 403-horsepower 6.2L V-8. Mom loves the safety features and rollover protection. Teens love the Bose 5.1 sound and rear seating entertainment system. It's a practical luxury - soccer team transport that doesn't look like the typical soccer mom.

Best fresh start
Exfoliants
If you want to look as radiant as the homecoming queen, you've got to remove all of the junk obscuring your natural beauty. An exfoliating facial cleanser will slough off all of the dead skin cells that dull-down your complexion. Never A Dull Moment by Origins, for example, uses papain from crushed papaya, apricot and mango seeds to polish skin to perfection. The fruit enzymes and gentle scrub make for a prom court-worthy face.