Kiss your plastic bangles and low-cut tank tops goodbye and pull out your credit card to invest in this fall season's polished and mature approach to fashion.

The seemingly never-ending trends that popped up last year have suddenly come to a halt, giving way to looks that are both neo-preppy and artfully smart looking.

Jackets

Autumn's brisk weather allows for the lightweight jacket to make its presence known this fashion season.

Charlene Rosen, owner of Mr. Charles, 228 E. College Ave., said this season's variety of chic jackets -- including tweeds, houndstooth and trenches -- have been selling well at her store.

"You can get yourself a little jacket or three-quarter length coat ... put it back in your closet, and you're going to look fresh," she said. "I would assume everyone would want it for layering and put it over what you have and it will look terrific."

Whether you choose a leather bomber, tailored or blazer jacket, make sure that it works with what you already have in your wardrobe to update your look.

Neutrals with Pops of Color

Although gray seems to be the hottest color of the season, Rosen said there are also very rich colors to be had.

"It's not all neutral. There are grays and blacks," she said, "but then there is that side of rich plum, deep green and then there is cream, and winter white is very strong."

To break up the darker fall colors, some of the brightest colors are coming from narrow-fitting, colored jeans.

"We just got in beautiful, eggplant-colored Rich and Skinny jeans," said Rosen, which she said is a hot brand and item at the moment.

Women's Menswear

Almost reminiscent of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, unique women's menswear has made itself more than visible this season with wide-legged trousers (a cut visible in pants and jeans), long sweaters and blazers.

Abbey Zembower, manager at Connections, 130 S. Allen St., said edc, a sister company of Espirit that the store carries, offers plunging V-neck sweaters that are super long and in a variety of solid colors.

With this extra wide cut in pants, Rosen said to keep things in proportion by avoiding the wide-legged trouser and sticking to narrow pants if you're wearing a flowy tunic.

The 1920s

This fall's fashion is to the 1920s what last year's fall fashions were to the 1980s.

Forget the House of Holland-esque neon-colored graphic T-shirts and prepare for longer cardigans in crisp tans, creams and grays, and detailed tops.

"I see a lot of little vests over silky tops," Rosen said.

She added that women's "going out" tops are more mature this season as opposed to some of the more revealing styles in past.

Zembower said that Guess has been "all over" the new sophisticated, elegant take on this fall's fashion.

"They've had the most structured kind of look, and much more easy pieces and more together then past years," she said.

By contrast, Free People has two different styles; one is very mod and '50s housewife-looking dresses, while the other resembles some of the more elegant 1920s wear with lots of lace, she said.

Delicate Metallics

Metallic has had its run in past seasons, but this fall's subtle metallic threading in sweaters, trousers and tops is feminine and modern.

Metallic gold and silver is also on many of the dresses that Connections carries this season, Zembower said.

As for accessories, Courtney Scott, a manager at Metro, 320 E. College Ave., said bright-colored plastic jewelry is out and more refined metal jewelry is advisable.

"Most of the accessories are gold and silver this fall," she said. "Studs are big, and sequins too. I know that Burberry is putting out a lot of studded items now."

Relaxed Jeans

Skinny jeans paired with flats, boots and flowing tops hit the ground running in past seasons, but are slowly giving way to looser cuts in denim.

Zembower said that higher-waisted jeans that come to the belly button or just underneath are becoming more popular as opposed to the really low-waisted skinnies.

"We still have the skinny jeans, but there's also the boyfriend cut, which is a more relaxed fit," she said, "or there's the carrot top jean, which is looser at the top than the skinny jean, but it's still tapered at the bottom."

Zembower said although the store still carries skinny jeans, higher-waisted denim with slight flares are becoming much more prevalent.

A Continuance of the Dress Craze

Dresses were overtaking store hangers in past spring and summer seasons, and for the fall season, they aren't going anywhere fast.

"I think that people are still into dresses, and you can dress them up and down," Rosen said.
"Dresses are sexy for going out at night and easy to pull off with a jacke,." she said.

Scott said Metro is still filled with dresses, and it's easy to transition them into the brisker weather.

"Right now, everything that we're buying is still just a ton of dresses," Scott said.

"Now you see them paired up with jeans and denim jackets and leather jackets and little cute cardigans because it's getting colder out ... and with boots," she added.

Pairing dresses with leggings remains in style, but as the fall season progresses, the thick stocking will soon replace the footless legging.

"We still have them, girls are still buying them," Zembower said.

Pair with an ankle boot and you're fall fashion ready.