The girl next door

Long before the Pussycat Dolls and other scantily-clad, all-women groups in skintight shorts with thongs exposed made trashy culture popular, there was an entirely different breed of woman walking the earth. She looked to women like Jackie O (the former first lady, not this writer) for sartorial cues. She made sure her clothes were pressed and clean before pulling them over her coiffed hair. And she never exposed her undergarments – not even under threat of duress – in public. Sadly, this kind of girl is practically a dinosaur, the urban myth parents enjoy retelling daughters who think floss passes for underwear. Some used to call her the girl next door – until she moved out and was replaced by chicks in pleated denim micro-minis and spandex tube tops who spend their days trawling the mall for replicas of outfits they’re already wearing.

Blame it on Paris Hilton and Christina Aguilera, celebutantes who spend most of the day in some form of dishabille, whether it’s hitting the gym in skimpy sweats or dancing up a storm in a tank top sans skirt.

Some celebrities have taken the high road, exposing a little calf and a lot of arm instead of the prerequisite faux cleavage. Think Rachel Bilson in a vintage art deco-era dress or Nicole Richie in a kimono-inspired wildly colorful patterned frock.

These class acts have made their mark with a sartorial stamp marked cute and chic. Follow their lead with a series of outfits that range from clean, tapered silhouettes in taupe for artsy chicks with a penchant for dressing down, or brightly-colored minidresses with long-sleeves for perky coeds with lots of natural charm.

Dress to impress in pretty floral frocks that put some punch in your wardrobe. T-shirtdresses in sweet prints are the easiest way to an A, while belted crisp white blouses over equally bright cropped pants are the smartest way to get ahead.

If this look seems like a lot of work, rest easy. All you need are a couple of pretty pieces and a way with the iron. That and a good study habit should get you to the top of the class pronto.

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Ruth & Esther, Tru and Ilaya are located at Independent Lifestyles, Power Plant Mall; Topshop at The Podium, Glorietta 3, Power Plant Mall, Robinsons Galleria and Robinsons Place; Schu at Megamall A, SM Mall of Asia and Glorietta 3; Moss at The Podium and Shangri-La Plaza Mall; and Get Happy at XOXO, Rustan’s Tower at Shangri-La Mall, Ishq at Astoria Plaza, Thestorewithnoname at Robinsons Galleria, Firma at Greenbelt 3, House of Laurel in Makati and Color Theory at Fort Bonifacio.