College and high school wardrobe staples don’t change radically from year to year beyond the uniform consisting of a graphic T-shirt + jeans + hoodie. Nope, switching from jeans to cutoffs doesn’t count.
To break up the monotony (and get you interested in spending more dollars on your wardrobe), stores are offering ideas that have trickled down from the ready-to-wear runways into the more affordable and younger-skewing junior clothing and accessories.
Some of these looks recently were showcased by Macy’s, Nordstrom, Foreign Exchange, Tilly’s, Kaitlyn, Lucky Brand, Hot Topic, Active Ride and Aeropostale at back-to-school fashion events at Irvine Spectrum Center. Here’s a trend roundup:
Anything studded: One of the easiest ways to add an edge to a wardrobe is to wear something trimmed with a row or more studs or spikes – a cuff or bangle, belt, sneakers or boots. Punk, the subject of “Chaos to Couture,” the recently concluded blockbuster fashion exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has permeated ready-to-wear at every price level. The beauty of this trend is that you can interpret it as subtly or as boldly as you like.
Faded denim: Jeans and denim shorts look like they’ve gotten a lot of wear and tear during the summer and been left out to bleach in the sun. They’re deliberately frayed and distressed for that lived-in look, the kind that makes some moms wonder if they need to give you money to buy a brand new pair.
Colored denim: The candy-colored skinny jeans of previous seasons have given way to jeans in unmistakably fall hues – black, gray, burgundy, brown and purple. If you can’t stand either colored or faded denim, consider mixing the navy denim you already have with a medium-blue denim piece. In this case, the mix, don’t match approach works as long as you’re not combining denim treated with washes or rinses.
Plaid shirts: Buttoned up with jeans or worn as a layering piece over T-shirts, it’s hard for guys to go wrong with plaid shirts.
Skater skirts: These are fitted at the waist, gently flare out at the hip and stop at least a couple of inches above the knee. They’re found mostly in dresses and jumpers. They look best when the top is close-fitting.
Cropped tops: Length and proportion are everything with this trend. Dressier tops tend to fall just an inch or two above the waist and are paired with skirts and pants that sit at the waist rather than on the hips. Casual, cropped T-shirts tend to bare more of the midriff and look best with toned abs.
Laced-up boots: From chunky-soled Doc Martens to sleek reinterpretations of combat boots, boots that lace up can be paired with almost everything – dresses, leggings, jeans and shorts. The way to wear them: laced halfway up.
Small bags: Two styles of bags are must-haves – small flap-front structured shoulder bags worn across the body or slung on one shoulder, and small handbags with a top handle. They’re just big enough to hold the essentials – a phone, wallet and makeup. Go for soft, muted colors.
Beanies and hats: Park the straw hat in the back of the closet and bring out the beanies and small floppy hats. It seems girls can’t wait for cooler weather to wear the black beanies – we’re seeing the headgear off the runway and paired with cutoffs, T-shirts and chunky lace-up boots.
Contact the writer: lliddane@ocregister.com or 714-796-7969
