I miss the good ol’ days of back-to-school shopping.
Fluorescent Lisa Frank pocket folders, jumbo scented erasers, pastel locker shelves and that bulky trapper keeper were all necessities, as well as embellished bell-bottom jeans from Limited Too to coordinate seamlessly with my graphic Abercrombie baby tee. I somehow always managed to walk away from the shopping trip for the first day of school outfit with an entire new wardrobe. Score.
Fast-forward 10 years: between landlords and bursar demanding obscene amounts of money, who has the funds to blow on an entire new wardrobe? By adding a few fall trends to your summer wardrobe, you can revamp your whole look without burning a hole in your wallet.
Camouflage
There is no hiding from it; camo is back. So can you guys hop off your tree stands and head straight to the runway? Not quite, I’m talking green military camo. Functionality aside, a camo jacket will make you a standout come September.
Outfit idea:
• Ladies, layer a masculine military camo jacket over a plain maxi dress or maxi skirt and throw on some glitzy bangles.
• Guys, try a camo puffer vest with a light summer baseball tee and a pair of dark, bootcut jeans.
Boyfriend jeans
Finally, a fashionable excuse to steal your boyfriend’s clothes. Don’t have a boyfriend? Sneak into a boy’s dorm room down the hall and snatch a pair. I’m sure he won’t even notice they’re missing. (Just kidding.) But seriously, ditch the skinnies for a day and throw on a pair of loose and comfy, distressed boyfriend jeans; you won’t regret it.
Outfit idea:
• Ladies, tuck a sheer, summery top into a pair of tattered boyfriend jeans with a pair of suede booties.
• Guys, pair a summer graphic tee with a pair of rolled jeans and a pair of lace-up boots.
Statement Scarves
Scarves are an easy, inexpensive way to incorporate seasonal pattern and color trends into your outfit. Make your scarf the “wow” attention getter of your outfit. Try a black and white houndstooth pattern or opt for emerald green, the color of the year. Cobalt blue and maroon also will be hot colors this fall.
Outfit idea:
• Ladies, add a houndstooth scarf to a summer romper or jumpsuit.
• Guys, add a maroon scarf to a paler summer colored button-up shirt.
Leather
Embrace your inner biker chick or biker dude, and squeeze into those leather pants. Leather jackets, leather tops, leather leggings and even leather pants, fall loves them all. Black leather is a funky twist on the classic black but can still be flattering. To save money and to be animal friendly, faux leather is the way to go.
Outfit ideas:
• Ladies, pair leather leggings with a summer tunic top and a pair of gladiator sandals.
• Guys, try a gray leather jacket with your favorite summer pair of colored denim and a plain tee.
More fall styles to lookout for:
Booties: These are boots that hit around the ankle. Save the riding boots for colder winter months.
Knit sweaters: Lighter sweaters are more airy and comfortable during the hotter, fall days.
Fur: Macklemore hit the nail on head, fur coats are a major upcoming trend, as well as fur vests.
Flannel/Plaid: The cozy relaxed look of flannel will be a big hit, especially mixed with other patterns.
