Dawn to Dusk by Elyssa Lee
Instyle "The Look" Fall 2001

It's back-to-school time for Yale sophomore Jordana Brewster. But while some of her classmates spent the summer toiling at corporate internships, Brewster, 21, had a job decidedly less conventional: She was promoting her movie The Fast and the Furious. For this English major-cum-ingenue, the vacillation between professors and producers is nothing new. "I love juggling both. I love chaos, and I thrive on stress. having nothing to do is hell," says the actress, who first found fame as a 15-year-old on As The World Turns. the only problem with her double life? "I don't have enough clothers for all the Hollywood stuff! It's actually a drg to have to dress up," she says. In fact, on the campus of Yale (where her grandfatehr was once president), blue jeans and sneakers are her fashion statement of choice.

Now, though, Brewster can blend both her fashion worlds, thanks to this season's collections of dressed-up denim. "I love it," she says. "It's just so much easier to throw on a pretty shirt with jeans. I feel sexier, even, in tight pants and really nice heels than I do in a dress." From Roberto Cavalli to Versace, designers are taking denim to new heights, ranging from open-work jeans with tube beading to bras and panties from la Perla. Of course, not every variation works for Brewster. On studs: "I'm too shy to wear them, but I like them." Glitter: "Beautiful." Graffiti: "It's too much. My mom tried to get me a pair, but I just refused."

She also refuses to hide her Hollywood side from her classmates. "The best way to deal is to be open about it," she says. "You can get jaded, so it's nice to see people get excited about certain things, which makes you appreciate them more." Still, Brewster, who is currently single, feels as lucky to be at Yale as she does to be an actress. "When I get tired of work, I get to go back to school. When I'm tired of school, I can work," she says. "One is an escape from teh other. The freedom gives me such a peace of mind."