Rachel Bilson never fails to impress. She always makes fashion look so simple and easy. That’s what all of my favorite fashionistas have in common. Even if they spend 5 hours on their outfits, it always looks like 5 minutes. True style is a reflection of your personality, so it shouldn’t look forced or uncomfortable. But enough with my philosophizing, let’s get to the clothes.

gray blazer - Macy’s, $34.99; gray hobo bag - New York & Co, $11.99; black booties - DSW, $9.94; denim shorts - American Eagle, $29.99; boyfriend shirt - Lands’ End, $19.99; sunglasses - Forever 21, $5.80

Blazers always make me swoon, and I’m totally jealous of wherever Rachel is that it’s cool enough to even wear one (why does summer have to be soooo hot?). This gray one is perfect for layering. Boyfriend shirts will never go out of style, and they always look sexy paired with a blazer. Denim shorts make this look more summer appropriate, and take it towards a more casual place, especially distressed ones. Black booties add a little rock star/Taylor Momsen-y edge, which fits in very smoothly with this ensemble that flirts very coyly with “grunge.” Accessories include a great, functional, cute little gray bag and classic wayfarer sunglasses. It’s an interesting outfit for day or (especially) for night that combines comfort with sexiness.

Oh yes, the most tried and true wardrobe staple known to man (and woman): jeans.

Jeans are an amazingly versatile little thing: you can dress them up or dress them down; wear them in winter or summer: and find them in a seemingly unlimited variety of cuts, colors and styles.  Denim is ALWAYS in in some form or another, and this season is no exception.

Be on the lookout for denim in all forms: jackets, vests, dresses, and even shoes. Not that you should wear them all together. In fact, please don’t. But throwing in the perfect piece – whether it’s some adorable boyfriend jeans, a sexy mini or a pair of  ballet flats – is always welcome and always works. Especially when you’re dealing with cuteness like this.

Jean jackets were IT in the ’80s and ’90s and they’re makin’ a major comeback in the ’10s. They’re perfect for spring because they fall between a heavy coat and a cardi, so they’ll keep you warm without making you sweat.

It’s hard to go wrong with a shirt dress and a shirt dress in denim?  You’re all set for that first picnic in the park.  Add your own belt for a pop of color or wear it as is with a cute pair of flats or some wedges.

Jean shorts are an American classic and a pair for under 10 bucks?  You can’t really beat that.

A denim mini is a must and this one works because it’s casual enough to wear to the beach, but can also be dressed up for a night out with the chicas.

Denim shirts are huge this season and this one will look adorable worn open over a tank with a great necklace or loads of bangles. Pair it with shorts and some Chuck Taylors or flats for the perfect spring look.

So I’m slightly in love with these darling ballet flats and think they’d be ridiculously cute with a flowy white or pastel sundress.

Denim leggings (or jeggings if you prefer) are back this season and these capri style are perfect for the spring/summer months.

Boyfriend jeans are also here to stay (for this season, at least), and these mix in more than one trend. The light, distressed denim with the railroad stripe print gives them an added little oomph. Perfect for day with a basic tee or rock ‘em at night with a cami and some killer heels.

There isn’t much else to say except, perhaps, “hooray for jeans!”  Really, could we live without ‘em?  I don’t think so. And at prices like these, we definitely don’t have to.

A few pairs of old jeans are probably taking up some of your precious closet space right now. They don’t fit, they’re out of style, and you haven’t worn them in years. But don’t be so quick to throw them out! And stop spending all that extra money on overpriced new ones! Jeans are the easiest clothing items to update. Here are some ideas:

1. Turn them into shorts or a skirt. This DIY project is actually pretty easy, especially if you know how to use (and have access to) a sewing machine. If not, enlist the help of a friend who has such talents. To turn jeans into shorts, you just have to cut them to the appropriate length and then sew a new hem (then pair them with the perfect accessories for an adorable summer outfit!). Making a skirt can be a little more complicated, but still do-able. For step-by-step instructions, visit this site.

2. Roll ‘em up. Possibly the easiest option out of these three, cuffing your denim is a simple way to solve the problem of jeans that are too short. To avoid looking overly casual, pair this look with heels. Wear a long, slim fitting top to balance it out.

Shoes & Top – Charlotte Russe
Jeans – Express

3. Rip ‘em up! Don’t you hate when jeans get an awkward hole in them? One that is totally, obviously not really supposed to be there? Well, solve that issue by just ripping a few more holes! This is another DIY project that is totally easy – anyone can do it! Plus, your parents won’t be able to harass you about spending $50 on ripped up pants. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

These ripped Acne jeans are $375 at net-a-porter.com. Rip them yourself for free!

[Main photo courtesy of  The New York Times]

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[Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. So get to your nearest craft store for the essentials and let’s make some fun sh*t.]

In the past few years, ripped jeans have taken over the Abercrombie/American Eagle world and have now moved to high fashion, being featured on recent Alexander Wang and Martin Margiela runways. Since even the biggest fashionistas are now embracing the trend, I figure I might as well jump on the bandwagon.

Imagine my surprise when I went shopping for a pair of ripped jeans only to find that they were priced about $20 more than their unripped counterparts! Now this just seemed wrong to me; I’m getting holey jeans that are bound to fall apart faster, but I’m paying more? It’s a bit backwards if you ask me.

So being a frugal fashionista, I decided to try my hand at making my own ripped jeans! I have a pile of jeans I never wear sitting around from the 5 buck sale at Old Navy or 50% off day at Value Village; I might as well turn them into something useful. Inspired by these grey shorts by Alexander Wang, I began my adventure.

Ingredients:

- One pair of jeans

- A pencil

- A seam-ripper

- Sandpaper (optional)

DIY Recipe:

1. Make sure your jeans are pre-washed or else your rips will be misplaced and may end up exposing more skin than you intended.

2. Try the jeans on and mark where you want the rips with your pencil.

3. Lay the jeans on a flat surface, get your seam-ripper and make a rip over your pencil mark. I find a seam-ripper to work much better than scissors because it encourages fraying (WHICH IS WHAT YOU WANT).

4. Pull out some of the threads around the rip to encourage fraying

5. To make the tears look more “real” you may want to distress around them with sandpaper (thins out the fabric and makes the rip look like a wear hole). You can also distress other parts of the jeans or rip around the pockets and belt loops with the seam ripper to add to the overall distressed look.

6. Toss your pants in the wash. The more you wash ‘em, the more fraying and distressing you will see. You may need to put them through a few cycles before the fraying looks the way you want it to.

And here is my finished product:

So trendy. So chic. And so much cheaper than what those fools at True Religion are charging!

Good luck!