Fall Fashion 101 – Hot Trends For The Cooler Season

By Tiffany Brockman

Fall is right around the corner, and this season it will be all about vintage. From corduroy handbags and braided leather belts to chunky, colored beads paired with wooden bangles, the style for fall is all about accessorizing. Earthy tones that feature browns and greens are in this season … so think big, think natural, think vintage.

The fall/winter 2005 accessory focuses on the neck with oversized, chunky necklaces and personalized jewelry taking the lead in popularity. Personalized jewelry is a great and unique addition to your collection. Pandora is the hottest trend in personalized jewelry for the fall 2005 collection. Known as “the gift that keeps giving,” each necklace or bracelet is designed from more than 300 individual beads that you select, one for every unforgettable and charmed moment in your life. With a Pandora piece, each necklace or bracelet is as unique as the woman who wears it. From jeans to formal wear, the Pandora collection enhances any attire.

Initialized sterling silver pendants are also hot items. These classic additions to your jewelry collection are timeless pieces with endless possibilities. Your personalized pendant has a classic look on a silver chain or collar, or can be paired with a leather, suede, or silk cord necklace to add color to any outfit. 

A set of brightly colored beads is another must-have for your fall jewelry collection. Chunky, colored beads in long strands that drape around your neck are a quick, easy way to dress up those jeans and sweaters. For those of you with playful children or who just prefer a simpler necklace, shorter necklaces made with an assortment of bead sizes and styles are just the trick. For evening attire, look for pendants to punctuate long strands of assorted beads.

This season you will also see an increase in jewelry made of wood. From large wooden beaded necklaces to bamboo to wooden bangles, wood is in. Wooden jewelry can be paired with colorful beads for a unique, earthy flare of color, or worn independently for a chic, casual look. Oversized cuffs that are worn independently or paired for a heavier look will be hot as well. 

Belts and handbags in earthen tones are a great addition to the fall clothing line, which will feature outfits in Moroccan blue, ginger, ruby wine, olive, browns, plum, and teal. Vintage, distressed, braided, or jeweled belts are all viable options to dress up or down an outfit. Don’t be afraid to pair an oversized belt with a fitted dress for a totally different look. Cameo buckles are another must-have for your 2005 belt collection. 
And what girl could ever have too many handbags? This fall, drawstring handbags in velveteen, corduroy, tweed, or tapestries will be in. For an upscale look, try a faux crocodile shoulder bag in a hip color. Bigger is better when shopping for your fall bag.

Looking for a great gift for that special someone this fall and winter? Jewelry and accessories are the perfect place to start. For the new mom, Mother’s Bracelets are great gifts for remembering a precious little one all day long. These bracelets display the children’s names or initials in sterling silver, 14K gold filled, or Swarovski Austrian Crystals. The Mother’s Bracelet is a unique gift that you can design for a special mother. For your girlfriends, sisters, family, or co-workers, the personalized pendants are a great gift selection. These pendants have unlimited potential and are sure to become a permanent part of their jewelry collection. Finally, for a special mother, wife, friend, or family member, the Pandora collection is a great keepsake. You can start a necklace or bracelet with beads that you choose to represent the person, and they can add beads in the future as they choose to memorialize any occasion.

For that special child in your life, name bracelets are a great gift idea. Little girls love jewelry and a personalized piece is something she will always have. And for the gift-giving grandchild, birthstone bracelets are the perfect gift for grandmothers. What better way for a grandmother to show off her grandchildren than with a fashionable piece of jewelry that represents each of them?

Natural colors paired with chunky necklaces and belts are all the rage for your fall collection. You can accessorize your wardrobe from the flea market to your local jeweler. Don’t be afraid to dress up that pair of jeans this fall or downplay a skirt or dress from your work collection. The key for this fall season is to add a few accessories to your outfit and try not to overdo it. 

Tiffany Brockmann is the owner of Lily Mae’s Jewelry & Accessories located at The Factory in Wake Forest. She may be reached at 453-0113 or info@lilymaes.com.