Some of you are tired of putting in effort. Long hours, metro travel, and a burning hole in your pocket. Some of you live near campus and can put in the time to look fabulous. But after the first semester of college away from those uniforms, you all know that effortless isn’t effortless and one does NOT just “wake up like this!”.

As the mausam changes, we bring you the lowdown on all you need to know this fall to manage the thin line between slob and sexy, almost effortlessly.

1. Investments you NEED to make

Spend more money, she says!

You’ll just need to dish out this money but you will thank us later.

A. Purani Jeans…aur ek guitar!

First, comfortable jeans that stretch in all the right places, wink wink! We know you’ve lost weight this semester, but it’ll come back to a certain extent. Make sure you buy jeans that aren’t too tight. We still have our overly optimistic buys from last season. Think Levi’s, Forever 21, and H&M and spend on the jeans that make you sigh with happiness.

The current trend is a slit knee to add that extra bit of oomph!

B. The devil that doesn’t wear Prada:

Second, shoes that are built to be durable, comfortable and stylish. We’ve gone to great brands during sales and gotten more than our money’s worth. We do not recommend you buy these off the street.

Our suggestion: A nice pair of boots since “winter is coming”!

Third, metallic sandals. This is a trend that doesn’t seem to wane and so, for all those days where nothing seems to go right, metallic sandals will be your hero. We’ve found some good buys at the many brands of Lifestyle.

C. The perfect bag for every occasion! A durable bag, either printed or of a solid black or brown variety. Having two different sizes helps, but isn’t essential. Sales are the best time to go shop for brands like Caprese, Max, or Bata, which make goods of a high quality. If on a budget, head to Karol Bagh for some great variety in faux leather.

This is what you get combining all of the above!

2. The woes of street shopping!

The problem that a lot of us face is that we end up buying several things after a day spent at Sarojini, but come back home and realize we ended up with ill-fitting, asymmetric and unfashionable clothes.

Pro tip: Take a friend and put in that extra afterthought. You’ll end up with better pieces and fewer regrets.

3. Hidden Treasures

Some lesser known gems in Delhi are Shankar Market in CP (we love the kurtis here!) and Delhi Haat (for jewellery that you won’t find anywhere else). You’ll inevitably be the centre of attraction because of this little tid-bit of information.

Dilli Haat: a fashionista’s day out

4. Switch it up!

If you’re someone who gets easily bored and believes in the motto, “New Season, New Me!”, go switch the funk up! Get a piercing (or a magnetic clip-on if you aren’t sure yet); experiment with hair color (choose the color according to your skin tone and take good care afterwards) or just push yourself to try out a new form of accessorizing (how about that nose ring you’ve always thought was damn cool?)

5. Easing into Fall (pun intended!)

For those of you who are done with dolling up every day, invest in funky tracks and tees and you’re good to go. Cold shoulder tops, ripped jeans, dresses with knee-length boots and layering will dominate this fall. It’s also time to bring out the darker shades of lipsticks you’ve been wanting to try since like, forever!

For the budget conscious, we recommend you spend some time organizing your cupboard. A lot of hidden treasures are sure to pop up!

Reds and blacks and the all-year round, blue.

6. A stitch in time saves…

We know the excitement of dressing up everyday might have waned off, but disastrous fashion choices are made when you don’t have time to give yourself a once-over in the mirror before you leave. Since layering will be back, mix and match! And do it the night before.

Which one’s your favourite? (Because we can’t decide!)

So, there you have it. An entire lifetime’s worth of gyan for you to shine this season. Let us know in the comments if you agree or have some completely different style mantra.

It’s difficult to look good for a 9 am class when you’re rushing to the metro from home, or can’t find where you kept that cute top in your cramped PG cupboard that you’re sharing with 2 other roommates! Check out CoHo Dorms for comfortable rental accommodation that’s light on your pocket and will feel just like home.

College can be tough, uncertain, pressurizing and lonely. But finding a place to call home for those three years shouldn’t be. Register here and we’ll take care of the rest! 🙂