Palazzo pants. Gauchos. Culottes. Call them what you will, these pants are probably the most comfortable trend seen in the last five years - and MU students are loving it. Made of jersey material, these airy billowy pieces feel like pajamas, yet are perhaps the most versatile pants on the market. Pair them with strappy wedges and a sparkly top, and gauchos can go out for the night.

Add a blazer and dressy pumps and take the look to a summer internship. Or, just throw on a T-shirt and flip-flops and head to class. Palazzo pants are all-occasion bottoms - so I say pick one up in every color, and enjoy this all-too-wearable trend while it lasts.

You have to respect a student who can stay well-accessorized in the rain. It's just not easy to keep up any sort of look when hopping puddles on the way to class. So stylish students improvise -- and there seems to be one common denominator among trendy pedestrians: galoshes.

These rain boots are infinitely more practical on wet days than tennis shoes or flip-flops, and a new crop of patterned boots has kept the look from becoming too Paddington-bear. A green argyle pair was my personal favorite, but Burberry plaid and bright pink boots looked sharp paired with a miniskirt or cuffed jeans. And while the look is definitely limited to rainy days, it's hard to say no to such a functional trend.

So what about the men of USC? How have they distinguished themselves in this fall fashion rush? Admittedly, most males on college campuses 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.

When feeling ill, it's often smart to turn to Pepto Bismol and Aleve for help. However, outfits paired the colors of Pepto and Aleve may actually cause nausea in some spectators.

This gentleman at the University of Florida recently overdosed on brilliant tints dangerous to the naked eye. He didn't follow warnings for matching his prescribed color palette and used more than was directed. Though full exploration of the color spectrum is a welcome change for guys, perhaps next time contact a physician before exceeding recommended dosage.

What looks didn't make the hit-parade on the USC campus this week? Here are a few people who just missed the boat:

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.

If you don't stand out, it's really easy to get lost in the herd. Deserving a golden lasso for uniqueness, this fashion forward look at the University of Florida hits the bull's-eye.

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!

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.

Beads are in this season at USC -- and 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.

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 the USC 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 USC 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.

A look that I think will never go out of style: cowgirl chic. USC girls are all about cowboy boots this season. 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.

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.

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