During my early adolescent years, I remember watching Carlton and his cousin Will approach school fashion very differently on the hit television show “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

Carlton, always an overachiever, proudly wore his Bel-Air Academy uniform — a burgundy blazer, a white collar shirt and perfectly creased khakis or dark slacks.

On the other hand, Will’s attire never quite conformed to the school’s uniform policy.

His bright multi-colored blazer was usually paired with torn jeans — a look perfect for Will’s life-of-the-party character.

I didn’t know it at the time, but Carlton and Will were teaching me a very important fashion lesson: there is versatility, sophistication and personality in the classic piece — the blazer.

The recent revival of the blazer on this campus has me viewing my peers in a different light.

The faded cap, Georgia T-shirt-wearing boring students I used to see and know are quickly replacing their old duds with navy blue, black and tan corduroy blazers, and I like it.

Originally a maritime wardrobe piece and eventually a collegiate article, most blazers were worn in navy blue, black or stripes featuring metal buttons and a symbolic crest on the pocket.

Now, the blazer comes in all colors, patterns and buttons, and seems to be the perfect solution to what used to be the “what exactly is casual?” dilemma.

But the fashion rewards of wearing the timeless jacket do not stop there.

Like Carlton did on “Fresh Prince,” you can don a completely sophisticated Great Gatsby look by wearing a black, navy or brown blazer, a white collar shirt and tie, and a pair of matching slacks or a knee-length skirt for the perfectly professional look.

But the wonderful thing about a blazer is you can go for more than just the preppy look.

You can be SoHo artsy by wearing patches in the elbow, indie rock by pairing the jacket with a fitted T-shirt and some well-worn looking jeans, or the Usher/Kanye West look by wearing your blazer with a T-shirt, loose jeans, some matching sneakers and a trendy cap slightly turned to the side.

Just like the right pair of glasses, the right style of blazer can even make you look more intelligent.

A camel-colored corduroy jacket or a blazer made from tweed instantly screams nerd with a reputable fashion sense.

The look is so preppy and edgy, so conservative and creative, so intricate and simplistic and, best of all, it usually needs no ironing.

Adding some flexibility and flair to my look without the help of an iron? To me, that deserves some kind of praise.