Individual fall fashion

By Jillian Yalung
The Collegian

As the temperature drops and a new season breezes in, fashion is making a statement by being rebellious.

Even though the temperatures are continuing to peak in the 70s and 80s, it is time to get rid of the skin and embrace the three-piece.

Why is the 2006 fall fashion trend turning a new leaf?

It’s because the industry is appealing to the individual, rather than to the masses or mainstream.

Even though there are still going to be pages devoted to fashion do’s and don’ts in the different weekly magazines, the hot colors and trendy pieces, fashion trendsetters hope people will personalize their outfits.

A soon-to-be popular look for this season will be the “three-piece.”

This style consists of bottoms (jeans or slacks), a top (T-shirt, button up or polo), and finishing the outfit off with a jacket, blazer or sweater.

Anthropologie, a new clothing store in the Valley, is taking part in distributing the fall trends to the public.

Jessica Erling, the apparel merchandiser at Anthropologie, said she sees a lot of gray and pinstripes leaving the store.

Erling is also seeing many blazers and slacks being sold in pairs.

With the three-piece becoming popular among women, Erling said, “A lot of the (pants) fits are steering towards menswear.”

Sweater vests are also making a splash in the scene paired with skinny corduroys and pencil jeans.

“The oversize shape is on its way,” said Erling of the up-and-coming trends, “So expect them throughout the holiday season.”

It’s time to get rid of pastel colors and indulge in the natural and darker aspects of fashion.

For the rest of the semester and throughout the holiday season, the advice for color arrangements is dark and earthlike tones.

“Great looks for the fall are some nice deep earth tones,” said Nicole Wagner, an employee at Gottschalk’s in the Fashion Fair Mall. “The smoky look enhanced with hints of color are in this season.”

Getting in style this season can be as simple as going to a boutique or a secondhand store rather than a typical store in the mall.

The majority of these boutiques are unique because they tend to sell two or three pieces of a particular item, rather than catering to the masses and providing hundreds.

A few of the trendsetting shops to look for are Anthropologie and Metro Park, both in the Fashion Fair shopping center and Sugarhill, in the Riverpark area.

As for secondhand stores, the majority of them can be found in downtown Fresno.

The fashion don’ts of the fall season — steer away from having too much color in an outfit; hints of color will make all of the difference.

Also, legwarmers and miniskirts are no longer the “IT” factor; it is more like the “ICK” factor for this season.

Brand names are not so much the rave; it is all about being unique.

And lastly, “Less is More” is on hiatus until next year, so cover-up, sophisticated is the new sexy.

Comment on this story in the Features forum >>