In a perfect world, our walk-in closets are bursting with high-end retail. A typical Saturday night dilemma centers upon which color Louboutins to wear with the black minidress or whether the Chloé or the Chanel perfume is better suited to the theme of your outfit. Right? Yeah right.
Fashion is a fickle friend because, no matter how hard we wish, itâÄôs fiscally impossible to live anything more than vicariously through the editorials in our September Vogue. We lust over the Marc Jacobs platforms weâÄôll never be able to afford. We frown at our closets, cursing the stalemate of our sartorial potential.
ItâÄôs upsetting; trust me, I know. I still havenâÄôt fully recovered from the want for a pair of Sam Edelman Fall 2010 riding boots (they were perfect).
With fashion weeks in full swing, the standards for fall have been set and, though attaining the highest tier product may be more impossible than scoring Missoni for Target, you can still rock some of this seasonâÄôs most exciting trends.
HereâÄôs the runway hype that IâÄôm most drooling over.
Utility boots
I hardly need to acknowledge that a reliable pair of boots is an emphatic âÄúmust haveâÄù for fall/winter in Minnesota. But we over rely on the tiresome Uggs with leggings combo. I get it: Uggs are warm (I have the brown knit ones and love them) and they last long. On the flipside: TheyâÄôre mega boring, not leather and letâÄôs face it, old news.
The time is nigh to graduate to the utility boot. ItâÄôs durable and it adds a sexy element of adventure. Another plus: TheyâÄôre easily found in every Minneapolis thrift/vintage shop for cheap. The more laces the better and, to the boldest fashionistas: Go for those thigh-highs.
Yellows
IâÄôm admittedly cautious about color. My wardrobe has an overwhelming amount of blacks, grays, browns and navy blues. But the gorgeous shades of mustard and goldenrod that repeatedly popped up on the runways of NY fashion week have completely won me over. If weâÄôre talking color wheel, thereâÄôs nothing more playful or alluring than yellow. This hue needs to take over campus.
Socks with heels
ItâÄôs a wild world indeed when the maxim thatâÄôs been too firmly drilled into our brains, âÄúNo visible socks with shoes,âÄù has been completely turned on its head.
ItâÄôs even more wild that it actually looks awesome.
This look is best pulled off with variations of the Mary Jane or other closed-toed heels. In response to this trend, socks are getting way cuter so you can experiment with different styles.
In my opinion the chicest manifestations of this trend are with either neon-colored mesh socks (check the Prada ads in your latest Vogue) or those frilly variations youâÄôd wear to Sunday school when you were six.
Maxi Skirts with big sweaters
The maxi skirt adds instant glamour to a look. ItâÄôs classic, itâÄôs feminine and itâÄôs professional. Pairing it with an oversized sweater renders it accessible to everyday life in a way that says âÄúfashion forward.âÄù Not to mention itâÄôs way more comfortable than skinny jeans.
DonâÄôt Forget
We live in the Twin Cities, aka the epicenter of incredible thrift stores and local boutiques. You have to realize that most of the people running these businesses pay hyper-attention to the fashion scene. Translation: You will find up-to-date fashion for a complete bargain if you do a little searching. If youâÄôre a serious shopper, you must familiarize yourself with the following places:
Rewind Vintage (locations in both Northeast and South Minneapolis), Cliché, Buffalo Exchange, Everyday People St. Paul (hands down the best selection of the franchise)
Insider tip: Follow these stores on Twitter. They often tweet photos of the best items as they come in.
Also donâÄôt forget ItâÄôs OK to splurge on something special without feeling guilty. That said, thereâÄôs an Amanda Christine sequined dress with my name on it. Happy fall, fashionistas/os. LetâÄôs see some of these trends on campus.
