Fall Fashion Trends

I just finished my fall fashions magazine gluttony and I noticed in three different mags they gushed about the combination of cheap and glam. In particular, from Glamour, "My mother used to keep her 'best purses' tucked away in tissue paper; they emerged only on the most special of holidays. That idea - that you'd only wear your best stuff when you were prepared to go head-to-toe dressy - seems antiquated today." Personally, I have done this for years and I have seen many others that way, too. I don't know why the mags are only just now noticing. Being undeniably, ummm, Rubinesque, I have always opted for simple clothing (other than my freakish passion for floral print capris). It's my handbags where I let myself shine (after all, a handbag always fits), and if I spend $$$ on a handbag, I am going to wear it everywhere. And, even if you are wearing the simplest of jeans and t-shirts, you feel just a little less sloppy with a cute Coach on your arm.

Thankfully, designers are getting it that bags not only have to look good but be functional, too. Jennifer Alfano, handbag maker, stated in Vogue, "Every bag has such an overt personality now: ladylike, vintage, rocker. At my age they all make me feel like a victim. With my line I wanted designs that are structured but not uptight, that look youthful. Plus they're functional. Designers often trick up their bags, and forget that they have to work." Amen, sister.

As I have reported before, I am happy with the demise of the mini-bag. As Harper's Bazaar stated, "Don't forget about your extras. Even accessories have gotten bigger for fall. Mini bags are a thing of the past - and the new jumbo totes won't make you look like a pack rat. According to Kors, a slouchy shoulder bag is one of the season's requisites for your closet. 'The oversize shape gives a jet-set attitude to everything from a soft dress to a sweater worn with a skinny jean. It's the ultimate blend of the indulgent and the pragmatic.'" Harper's also reported on the It-Bag Bonanza. "With every season comes a new crop of of must-have waitlist-worthy bags. This time around, the carryalls you'll go crazy for are big on size and heavy on hardware; plus, they have just the right polish to take you from day to night."