The merchandise is everywhere: American Idol t-shirts, American Idol jewelry, American Idol accessories - all the things you need to make you look like your favorite American Idol! More than anyone else in this day and age, kids aspire to be the next Fantasia Barrino, the next Ruben Studdard, the next Carrie Underwood, and to get their shot in the limelight so they can let their talents shine.



Everyone wants to be the next American Idol. But do you have what it takes? Do you have the smarts, the guts, and the talent to survive Simon Cowell's scathing words and signature death glare? And above all, do you have the "look"? Having the "look" of an American Idol doesn't mean mimicking your favorite onstage personality exactly, but by having your own style and being your own person. When defining your image as a showbiz personality, as the AI judges themselves like to say: you have to be true to yourself!

So, what is the "look" you need? You don't have to pick one Idol and copy how he or she walks the walk and talks the talk. What you need is to look at all the Idols and see what they have in common with you, so you can clearly identify what it is about you that is "Idol material." Note that American Idol isn't all about being unique, though uniqueness of course scores major plus points with the judges - it's about being hip, catchy, in line with the times!

Take the lovely Fantasia Barrino, winner of the show's third season, for example. While onstage she notably sported different bracelets, at least on her right wrist. All of the accessories she chose complemented the clothes she wore, and set off the warm earth colors she wisely picked out for herself. In the end, Fantasia's smart accessorizing paid off: in honor of her victory at the end of the show's third season, Paula Abdul gave Fantasia some of her personal signature jewelry line. Now that is true American Idol jewelry!

And then we have the classic beauty Kelly Clarkson, winner of the first season. Onstage, Kelly enhanced her snazzy designer clothing with elaborate rings and earrings. Interestingly, Kelly seemed to have chosen gold more frequently over silver, perhaps to complement her rich blonde hair. In a photo shoot with OK! Magazine, she sported showy gold dangle earrings and charm bracelets - modern and yet elegant.

We also have Ruben Studdard representing the guys! While not big on accessorizing with jewelry, Ruben has appeared on more than one photoshoot with a particular item: a large, ornate cross pendant. A lucky charm for our handsome winner, perhaps...? The chains are also made of gold, and the links are thick, masculine - truly fitting in with his hip-hop image.

You can mix and match, you can invent your own style, but don't be afraid to let the real you shine. Bring out your American Idol strut, your American Idol shirt, your American Idol jewelry and your American Idol smile - in short, bring out the American Idol in you!