Neo-prep. Preppy was a big hit last year, but the look wasn't stuffy or overly country club-ish. Hip chicks donned preppy ribbon belts, cord blazers, plaid minis, khaki trousers, rugby tops, Dr. Scholl's, the pink-and-green look, and fitted oxfords.

Denim. Embellished, studded, embroidered, graffiti-ed, jeweled - denim totally rocked on and off the runways this past year. Fresh styles for '01 included fitted blazers, corsets, raw-hemmed homemade-looking minis, and extremely low-waisted & lace-up looks.

Military/Americana. Flag-adorned jeans & tops and lots of neutral khaki and olive garb was huge the past year, somewhat inspired by the runway (Catharine Malandrino, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs), but more of a nod to 9/11. Low-waisted slouchy olive pants, red, white, and blue sneaks, military-esque denim jackets, even flag-like prom dresses were among all of the patriotic apparel.

Boots. They were definitely the choice footwear for fall/winter. Length, color, and style didn't matter: it was purely a personal style choice. Stiletto-style, pointy-toe, punky eighties-style ankle length, versatile calf-length, brightly colored - they all were fab!

DIY. Personalization -with graffiti, rhinestones, safety pins, studs- was a hip look this past year. You could purchase this trend at a store (everyone from Louis Vuitton to Old Navy was doing the graffiti thing) or do your own thing (a Bedazzler was a must-have possession for every DIY fashionista).