They won't do you wrong in the boxer department, either. The store combines considerable originality with low costs: between $10.99 and $16.99.

Mass Army-Navy's best-seller is the Royal Stuart boxer, sported at one time by Scotland's royal Stuart family. (The tartan plaid, that is, not the boxers).

Numerous other styles include paisley, plaid and polka dot; athletic teams (Red Sox and Celtics); and cartoon heroes like the Tasmanian Devil, Opus, Rocky and Bullwinkle.

I proceed to the Coop, hard to miss in the heart of Harvard Square. The Coop corners the market on Jockey "Life" boxers. They cost $7.50 to $9.50 and are not pretty.

However, the copious supply of "sueded silk" boxers is impressive. Silk boxers cost $24.99--expensive but decorous. Flannel and Harvard boxers ($12) are also available.

On the Coop's third floor, I find a stacked wallful of Levis jeans. These jeans cost $36 to $45. The price may not be right, but smartly organized shelves make for easy shopping. Also, prices are reduced on occasion.

"The jeans go on sale pretty often," says Coop employee Tasha M. Tidwell.

During the Back to School Sale, for example, all styles (501, 505, 550, 560 and Silver Tab) cost $29.99.

"We're at an advantage because we have the Coop member card," Tidwell adds.

Next I visited fashion haven Urban Outfitters. This JFK St. store lures fashion-goers with its alternative, 50's retro-ambience and deconstructed furniture. But can it satisfy a student's need for quality, budget apparel?

Urban Outfitters carries only two styles of Levis (black and blue 501's, $44) and Silver Tab ($50). If you're looking for the Euro-alternative Girbauds, however, you're in the right place.

Boxers abound here as well, with a huge collection of cozy cotton and flannel-wear and brand names like Charles Goodnight, Calvin Klein and International News. Prices range from $13 to $20.

"People come here for variety, basically--the selection is great," says employee Lisa McGinnis.

In the store's "bargain basement" underworld for garments, I discover extensively used Levis for only $10.

Next: the Pennsylvania Company, across the street from Urban Outfitters on JFK St. This store carries lots of Levi's which are perpetually "on sale" for $28.99 to $36.99. Non-sale prices are $38 to $52, but the store accepts the Student Advantage Card for an additional 10 percent discount on sale prices.