This year I wanna try …: rocking a new look can be like trying a new sushi—you wish you had a friend to pop that roll into her mouth before you do. Consider these 11 real girls your official fall trend taste-testers. We promise yummy results

Girls' Life, August-Sept, 2007 by Katie Abbondanza

GOING FOR STRAIGHT HAIR!

Smooth is back! Curly-hair girls make big statements when they roll in with sleek hair. "It was easier than I thought it would be!" reports Cassie. "It's a change to my usual look but not permanent. It's a lot calmer and easier to control." Cassie's hair looked great down, but we love it half up with a funky braid.

How YOU can get it

To trick coaxing Cassie's curls into pin-straight perfection? Celeb stylist Andrea Gaines used smoothing spray and a large brush to blow-dry it straight, then finished with a flat iron. "The key is work with small sections of hair," says Andrea. "If the heat can't penetrate, your hair won't behave." And unless you're using a wet-to-dry iron, never iron wet hair. "You risk burning your hair, and you'll change the texture, making it rough and dry." Speaking of burning, don't set your flat iron to fry: "Fine hair needs about 250 degrees. If your hair is coarser, go higher."

LOVE!

If you're starting with damp hair, use L'Oreal Paris Studio Line Sedated Downright Smooth Spray ($5, drugstores) to tame the stray frizzles.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

WHITER TEETH

Nothing like flashing a pearly smile to that cutie in homeroom. Our girl Kelsy had been in and out of braces since second grade: "After all that, my teeth appeared yellowish!" When the orthodontics were done, she was psyched to get her teeth back to their original hue. We sent her to Dr. Charles Fine, a dental practitioner in Owings Mills, Md., for in-office whitening. "My teeth are a lot whiter. I like it."

How YOU can get it

You want teeth to be brighter but not that crazy blue shade that screams. "I over-bleached!" Before you unwrap an at-home kit or think about professional whitening, visit your dentist. "Bleaching should only be done on fully formed adult teeth," Dr. Fine explains. "For most girls, this occurs between 11 and 14." Dr. Fine also points out that some girls may think their teeth are yellowish, when really they fall under the perfectly white range. To learn your true color, check out the shade guide at-our dentist's office or n a whitening kit. Your teeth might be whiter than you think. Once you nave the OK from your dentist, opt for a professional whitening or at-home treatment. "Used properly, both methods work," says Dr. Fine. Drugstore kits can take two weeks while a pro gets results in as little as an hour. "Don't bleach more than once or twice a year. Overdoing it leads to teeth taking on a gray-ish cast, not pretty," warns Dr. Fine. To keep your grin gorgeous, avoid dark soda, grape juice, soy sauce and dark lipstick for two days after bleaching since sensitive teeth can absorb the color.

LOVE!

If you're not ready for professional whitening ($100-$1,000), Dr. Fine recommends trying Crest Whitestrips Daily Multicare ($40, whitestrips.com), which remove stains and prevent build-up.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

BANGS AND LONG LAYERS

The celebs are stepping out with face-flattering fringes. Wondering if you can pull off brow-grazing bangs? Celeb stylist Ted Gibson cuts to the point: "Square and round bangs are universally flattering. That said, I wouldn't recommend bangs to curly-haired girls, unless they are really good about straightening and styling."

HOW YOU can get it Allie has a square face, so Dean of Lluminaire opted for brow-length bangs that get longer on the sides, slimming Allie's face. Longer, narrow face? Go for wide bangs. The new short, pixie kind are great on girls with angular faces, Bangs' best friend? Layers. Dean added some to Allie's hair "to create movement" without sacrificing length. Says Allie, "It's a softer look. I love the whole thing."

LOVE!

To keep bangs beautiful, spray damp or dry hair with Redken Hot Sets 22 Thermal Setting Mist ($12, redken.com), then blow-dry with a round brush to set in place.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

SUPER SKINNY HIGHLIGHTS

Goodbye, tiger stripes. Subtle highlights make your hair look like you've spent the summer lounging at the beach, even if you were really slaving away at the burger shack. "I love the look. It's so natural and subtle," says Chelsea.

How YOU can get it

Because Chelsea had leftover dye at the ends of her hair, we put her in the capable hands of celeb colorists Dean Krapf and Julie Ciresi of the Lluminaire Salon in Towson, Md. "For brunettes, the lighter, caramel color is great," says Dean. "Ask for highlights that'll look 'sun-kissed' to avoid major streaks. You shouldn't go more than two shades lighter than your natural color." It's also more modern to get highlights that start about a half-inch back from your face. "Starting highlights a little back lets your darker hair set off paler skin."

LOVE!

Keep hair shimmering after you've left the salon by spritzing hair with Citre Shine's Shine Mist Anti-Frizz Spray Laminator ($4, drugstores).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

BOLD NEW HAIR COLOR

Going back to school with a new color adds major drama to first-day ta-dah! Katy tried at-home color four times, so her hair was sorta two-toned and definitely fried at the ends. "Believe me, if you're gonna get a new hue, hightail it to the salon!" laughs Katy.