Embrace fall with new, affordable pieces: Passion for fashion

By Jackie Miserany
Special to the On-line Forty-Niner

The autumn equinox is approaching fast, it is chilling the air, turning the leaves and bringing an official end to summer. Time to pack away those trendy tanks and stylish sandals until next year and anticipate shopping for the new fall collections that have begun to crowd our favorite stores.

The look for fall fashions is at its finest and students on a tight budget need not worry about spending a fortune to look great this season.

This season retailers are providing more of the same styles we know and love, like distressed denim, worn-in cargos and vintage tees, and adding new tailored, preppy and athletic styles to mix and match.

Urban Outfitters offers a huge array of my favorite accessory for guys this fall, the trucker cap. These caps are great paired with any vintage t-shirt and distressed denim pant.

Trucker caps start at $14, so they are an easy and affordable way to update your fall wardrobe.

"I love the cold days because you wake up, forget about having a fresh face, fire a trucker hat on, and go," said Chris Rocha, a senior physical therapy major.

For the ladies, Urban Outfitters offers a great selection of soft-knit tops starting at $18 in all the new fall colors like cocoa browns, burgundy reds and olive greens. Pinstriped men's trousers are also a great look for women this season.

These pants look great on any woman. They are tailored, with slimming pinstripes and wide legs, starting at $54.

"I love Urban Outfitters because they have great prices and cute outerwear for this season," said Lisa Jacobson, a senior fashion merchandising major.

The next store on my list was the retail giant The Gap, conveniently located in practically every mall in the country. For men this season, The Gap has introduced a new pant, called the stress-free pant. They are stain, wrinkle and spill resistant.

The pant comes in four great fall shades: khaki, stone, black, and navy and start at $42.50. This season's outerwear for men comes in great fabrics like suede, leather and corduroy.

The look for a woman at The Gap is taking a male-inspired approach this season.

Tailored buttoned-down shirts in crisp whites and denim blues will look fabulous paired with a blazer start at $29.50.

The new skinny scarf as seen on their television ads is all the rage this fall. The long, thin scarf is meant to accessorize more than to keep you warm. They come in great colors and will add that finishing touch to any fall ensemble.

"I'm really anxious for the weather to change so I can wear my fall scarves," said Molly Goin, sophomore fashion merchandising major. "They are so versatile and can dress up or down any outfit and add the perfect finishing touch to your ensemble."

The next stop was American Eagle Outfitters, where I found the best deals on denim and casual athletic wear. The look was comfort and versatility with a retro, worn-in preppy look for men.

American Eagle Outfitters has excellent vintage-wash denim and military style cargo pants for $24.95 each. They also have an assortment of men's screen print tees, starting at about $19.

The women's collection included the same worn-in look with more feminine features and details. Women shoppers at American Eagle Outfitters will love the hipster low-rise cargos in soft, easy fabrics and preppy polo T-shirts, which are great for layering over long sleeve basics. Cargos come in a variety of fall colors and start at $24.95.

Layering is key to the fall look and this is easily accomplished by adding a denim jacket or blazer to the track pant and athletic tee.

So what are you going to do with your tired, old, last year's wardrobe? Make money!

That's right, consignment is the easiest way to make some extra cash off of your wearable but outdated autumn apparel. You simply take the clothes to your local consignment shop, where the consignor will set a price for your garments. Usually consignees make about 40 percent of the sales ticket price.

Two consignment stores that I have had a profitable and enjoyable experience with are Born 2 Shoppe in downtown Long Beach and A Clothes Encounter in Los Alamitos.

But what about those clothes that are too worn out or stained to be re-sold? The Long Beach Women's Shelter and the Goodwill will gladly accept all clothing donations, and offer special tax deductible receipts for your donation.