So, you remember that great 80's prep-school movie, "Class", starring Rob Lowe & Andrew McCarthy right? Well, aside from all the adolescent angst and sexual antics, you might also remember the killer wardrobe! Yup, the prep-school look is back in a serious way. And the key ingredient to your newly revived preppy wardrobe is your blazer.

The blazer has come a long way since its preppy roots though. Sure, you can still run the brown corduroy blazer with the suede elbow patches, but you can also find a lot of fresh designs out there that incorporate cool details like appliqued patches, contrast-color stitching, raw-edges, and innovative print and weave designs. These modern details add a fresh twist to the old style, and help bring it into the present with an edgier street look.

Try wearing your new blazer with a preppy button down shirt, printed tee shirt, or striped polo paired with your vintage Levi's jeans or your worn cargo pants. If you're feeling confident, try and accessorize with a skinny tie, but don't go overboard and spoil the look with too much matchy-matchy, guys. The whole point is to look casual and free-spirited. If you match all your pieces, then you ruin the casual-chic look that you're after.

The point is to look like you didn't take any prep time at all, like you picked the first thing in your closet and threw it on. Think "Rock-Star". If you already have an old blazer, or your dad's old blazer, and you want to update it, try adding an iron-on patch or a couple of your favorite old pins. If you aren't the type who likes to do-it-yourself, there are a lot of designers who have already done it for you. Check out www.urbanoutfitters.com for a variety of new blazer styles by many of today's hippest brands, like Ben Sherman, Penguin, Triple5Soul, Diesel and Modern Amusement. They've got every fabric you want including velvet, tweed, corduroy and denim, and designed with the best fits.