BACK 2 SCHOOL – BACK 2 BUDGET

Whether you are going to be a senior in high school or a senior in college, you might be wondering what the best outfit is to debut your new look for a new academic year, without breaking the bank. Summer is over and you can’t willy nilly drop $50 at the movies again and that pimped-out laptop with the retro psychedelic skin you just bought might make filling your closet a chore, especially with the economy nowadays.

My favorite trend for the 2008 fall season: layering. You can’t go wrong with layering.

Reason #1 – The classrooms are always cold. It could be 80 degrees outside and somehow it’s 60 inside the classroom and one of the only good times to start stripping.

Reason #2 – If you make a fashion faux-pas such as pairing a blue snakeskin belt with that hunter green crew neck sweater, make sure you can take off that sweater and go crazy with the belt and a simple black shift dress.

Reason #3 – You can create more looks with 4 pieces for under $150.00. Now who needs that finance degree again?

Below are the basics for your closet that you can use interchangeably.

Lightweight Jacket

If you want a bolder version of the jacket, try a cotton bolero that is appropriate for daytime or a jacket that sits right at the waist. (Check out Good Girlz seersucker cardigan! http://ggirlz.com/store/tops.htm)


Good Girlz ($45)

Solid Tees

Whether it be crewneck or v neck, stick to solid tees. That way, you can roll out of bed and go to your 8 AM Chinese class without someone asking “Hey, didn’t you wear that “Girls rule” shirt yesterday?”

Urban Outfitters ($9.00)

Jeans

You can’t go wrong. Right now, wide leg pants are the way to go and I love them! BTW, Good Girlz will be starting to focus on denim and you’ll see jeans in the upcoming months!

Judi Rosen Wide-Leg Jeans ($67.00)

Black Pants

A staple. You can dress them down or dress them up with a tunic. Throw on a solid tee, a cardigan, and call it a day! Now, if you decided to go with wide leg jeans, then go with skinny black pants or tailored black pants (no cuffs on the bottom).

Larry Levines Career Pants ($25.99)

Avoid trendy garments that you can’t envision yourself wearing in the next decade. Whatever you do, do not buy those high-waisted pants. Beware the Mischa Bartons of the world.

Remember, when you go back to school shopping, leave your credit cards at home and take cash. If you’re lucky, take your parents!

COME BACK ACCESSORY?

We’ve been lucky to have a mild summer in Washington D.C. Same amount of heat, less humidity. Of course, April who is from San Diego, might beg to differ on the mildness of humidity. While driving around Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom the other day, I noticed a group of umbrella-clad people who happened to be Japanese tourists. Go figure.

I promised a second and last blog on my Japanese vacation I took in June and it is about the second coming of the parasol accessory. In Japan, I noticed that it was not humid but the sun would drive up the temperatures and many people used parasols to keep cool. I was in a Kyoto Metro shopping arcade and came upon an accessories store. There were thousands of parasols for sale and the price tags ranged from 400 yen (USD $4.00) to 15,000 yen (USD $150). They had designer parasols such as those produced by Nina Ricci. Below are examples of the more elaborate parasols that you might see the new-age Geishas sporting.

I was amazed at the different styles, weights, thickness and thinness of the parasols. There was one that could have been the size of a business card. Honestly.

I bought five parasols. One had a handle that imaged Keropi and the others I bought as presents. My favorite is one I plan to debut on Derby Day or Gold Cup in Spring 2009.

I come back to the States to show off my ware and notice that there are other people flouncing about with parasols. On a hot July day, I went to see the Nationals play the Orioles. It was so darn hot that I saw at least twenty plus people clad with parasols and the guy sitting behind me used my parasol to shade his beer. I don’t know why I was excited but I was (see picture below).

I believe it was confirmation that parasols are coming back in style in the states… or… maybe it is the mild summer in D.C. that has people breaking out their parasols in an attempt to ward off the sun. The parasol has become an utilitarian accessory more than it has kept its factor of making a lady look dainty.

If you want more information on parasols, check out the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_
fashion_design.