Reznet

Falling for New Styles

By Christina Good Voice

TAHLEQUAH, Okla.–As the days begin to hint of the cooler temperatures that come with fall, you girls will want to make sure you've hit the malls and stocked up on your Fair Isle sweaters, wide-leg trouser jeans and ballet flats.

The good news is that if you followed the springtime advice of your ever-wise fashion column writer, you'll already have several pairs of ballet flats in your closet, just like a lot of other styles that are sticking around for another season.

As you rifle through your closet to choose a trendy top for class or work, you'll want to make sure you have a variety of sweaters - including Fair Isle, cashmere, empire v-neck, and wool cable knit, to name a few - vests, henley's and trapeze tops.

Fair Isle sweaters will keep you warm and toasty on those chilly nights, and they have intricate designs on various areas of the sweater. They were a big in 2000 and have made a big reappearance for the fall.

Cashmere striped sweaters in contrasting colors will add a nice touch to your fall collection, especially in colors of autumn - beige, copper, red and hunter green.

Empire - pronounced "om-peer" - v-neck sweaters have waistlines above the natural waistline. Many empire tops and dresses' waistlines are right below the bust. These tops will work well for ladies who are bottom-heavy or are thick-waisted, because it will help proportion your assets.

Vests can be seen on college girls and celebrities alike, and the great thing about vests is that they can be dressed up or down, for lounging or for the office.

Cropped knit vests go great over a long-sleeved button-up shirt, and paired with black trousers you have an office-ready look.

Henley's are either three-quarter sleeved or long-sleeved, thin shirts that have buttons that start at the collar and drop to the bust. They are simple but girly shirts that go great with jeans or trousers.

Trapeze tops were a hot item in the spring, and now they are back with a fall twist. These are tops that drop straight with no embellishments or waistline. They are a nice addition to your weekend collection unless you want to dress them up with a nice pair of dress pants for the office.

Other shirts you should add to the wardrobe are cropped, button-front shirts, which look cute with a solid cami underneath, hoodies - all varieties including striped, henley and sweaters - and turtlenecks.

We're not talking about your grandma's turtleneck tops either. This is a hot item this fall, especially striped or sweater-style.

Fall-Ready Bottoms

Wide-legged trousers are versatile because they can be worn on campus or to work, and if you buy a few good pairs then you're set for the season. Khaki, denim and wool wide-legged pants are especially flattering to bottom-heavy females because they balance out the body.

Another trend that's seen everywhere is skinny jeans. This is a complex fashion trend because they look great on really thin people - you won't see skinny jeans on me! - but you'll see females of all shapes and sizes rocking the skinny jean. If you dare to try it, go ahead, but keep to darker denim or cropped skinny pants - black, perhaps? - and you won't fail in your endeavor to look Hollywood glam.

Pencil, button-front and knit skirts will satisfy your urge to look girly on those beautiful fall days.

Pencil skirts are straight skirts that fall right above the knee. They would look great paired with your white button-up and cropped knit vest.

Button-front denim skirts would be complete with a henley or a cashmere striped sweater.

Knit skirts are your answer to casual-chic when paired with a camisole and a cropped button front top.

Stepping Out

Your shoe collection for the fall should include a variety of ballet flats. Black, plaid, metallic, peep-toe, bow tie, Mary Jane and any other you think will be on hand to finish off that fall look. Ballet flats go with just about anything and can be dressed up or down with your wide-leg trousers, skirts and any top.

Clogs are a good shoe for a casual day and would go great with your henley's, hoodies or trapeze tops.

Sherpa-lined boots are popular this fall and can be matched with your Fair Isles or other sweaters.

Accessorizing It

Now to top off that hot fall outfit, you can accessorize with a wide hair band and large hoop earrings.

Another nice accessory for your 'do are scarves, which you can wear to hold your hair back like a hair band and let the ends of the scarf trail down your back. It's a simple, classic style that is very feminine.

Big, chunky plastic jewelry is very popular right now, and you can match it to your outfit. Large, plastic hoops and large plastic beaded necklaces finish off your look.

You are now set with the information to get you through the season. Whether you dare to sport the skinny jeans or rock the wide-leg pants and your cropped knit vest, you're going to look hot in this season's unique styles.

And remember, it's "om-peer," not em-pire.

Christina Good Voice, Muscogee (Creek), is a reporter at the Cherokee Phoenix tribal newspaper in Tahlequah, Okla. She is a member of the board of directors of the Native American Journalists Association. As a student at the University of Oklahoma, Good Voice was a reznet reporter and wrote regular fashion columns. She had reporting internships at The Associated Press bureaus in Columbia, S.C., and Oklahoma City.