A South Moon Under clothing display shows some of the season's hottest trends. (Photography by Elena Bagarozza/December 10, 2009)

It can be challenging to keep up with all of the latest fashion trends, as we have seen so many this fall alone. The 80s influenced style came back, more brands are supporting charities, thrift shops are getting more business and stores have even created a way to help you shop and spend more money.

This fall was all about leather, studs, leggings, black and anything with a 80s twist to it. However, the traditional clothing such as solid t-shirts and cardigans are also still favorites because they are so versatile.

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Nordstrom devotes an entire section to the New Moon clothing line. The "Team Jacob" boyfriend tank stands visibly in the front. (Photography by Elena Bagarozza/December 9, 2009)

TOWSON, MD – Before the Twilight Saga’s second movie, “New Moon,” came to theaters, girls were handing out flyers for the premiere, wearing “New Moon” t-shirts and giving away tickets – at Nordstrom! We would expect a store such as Target or Walmart to promote a movie as large as this, but a well-known fashionable store like Nordstrom may come as a surprise. Ladies, Nordstrom is carrying a New Moon fashion line consisting of anything from clothes, jewelry, keychains and even make-up.

The New Moon line first graced Nordstrom’s junior’s section around the end of October, before the movie came out. The peak of sales was when the moving was doing a lot of its advertising to work up to the premiere, sales associate Annie Yaker, 23, said.

Yaker says the majority of the people purchasing from the New Moon line are mothers who have been sent in by their children and housewives who are fans of the saga themselves; although, she believes the line is mainly to be targeted toward teens.

Nordstrom did a lot to PR the line at the beginning of the collection’s launch. A free ticket was even given out to every purchase that came to $50 or more; the more money spent, the more tickets someone would receive.

“When I wore the Team Jacob shirt a couple of the girls liked it and recognized it and actually ended up buying it,” Jane Thierer, 23, a Nordstrom sales associate said.

When looking at the New Moon clothes and jewelry it is clear to see the line has made an effort to make their collection fashionable. The line consists of plaid shirts, boyfriend tanks, v-neck tees and gold jewelry, which are all trendy right now. However, the question is, “Would most people, or even just fans, actually wear the clothing from this line?”

“I absolutely love the entire book series, but I probably wouldn’t wear the clothing,” Samantha Buck, 20, a “Twilight” fan and college student said. “I just don’t see where I would wear the clothes. I would maybe buy the jewelry though.”

Yaker, who says she is “Team Jacob,” says she thinks the line is definitely cute, but the quality of the line is not exceptional. Nordstrom has gotten jewelry back because it has broken and the shirts are made of thin material.

This seems to be a turning point for movies in the fashion industry. “New Moon” is the first movie to try to make a clothing line fashionable, and it is also the first to be sold at a higher end retail store. This is not the last movie for the Twilight Saga, who knows what they will come out with next!

(Right: Jenny Balsamo, 20, a South Moon Under sales associate, stands at the front of the store ready to greet the next walk-in customer and assist him or her (Photography by Elena Bagarozza/Dec. 1, 2009).

South Moon Under is not just like every other retail store out there. This store thrives on making the shopping experience as fun, unique  and personal as possible.

Sarah Brady models some of her greatest Lilly Pulitzer finds and proudly holds her favorite Lilly Pulitzer purchase from a goodwill. (Photograph by Elena Bagarozza/Oct. 28, 2009)

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TOWSON, MD – You don’t need to shuffle out so much money on a few items of clothing when you can buy a wardrobe for the same cost. Thrift shops are a great alternative to buy trendy, stylish clothing at incomparable prices. These stores have been a popular way to shop for the past year with the vintage and 80s fads.

Sarah Brady is an active thrift shopper and has been shopping at thrift stores since the age of 9 with her mother. Sarah would prefer to shop at a goodwill or consignment store over the mall any day.

“I can get clothes no one else has. I don’t like wearing things that 10 other people are gonna be wearing. I feel confident. When I go to class I know no one else is going to be having the same outfit that I’m wearing,” Sarah Brady.

One of the major perks of shopping at good wills and consignment shops is the originality of your outfit. It’s not like when you shop at a store in the mall where multiples of a certain item is sold. The clothing at thrift stores is one of a kind.

Another advantage of these stores is you can get brand name clothing for so much less. Sarah says she finds brands from anything from Free People to Forever 21 to Lilly Pulitzer, LaCoste and Polo.

“One of my greatest finds is a brand new Lilly Pulitzer dress with the tags still attached going for around $200 and I bought it for probably $6.00,” Sarah Brady.

Sarah sometimes shops at Plato’s Closet in Towson, Maryland. Plato’s Closet is like a consignment store, but they buy out right. The store’s manager, L’Oreal Hunter, says if you have gently used items you are willing to part with, you can trade them for new things or Plato’s Closet offers the person about a third of the price for what the item would sell for.

“This is definitely a place where you get more bang for the buck. If you wanna come and pick out a quick outfit to go out with your friends or go to the party or to the club, you can get probably an entire outfit for maybe 30 bucks,” L’Oreal Hunter.

It’s hard to buy an entire outfit for a price like $30 these days, so if you are aiming to save money a place like Plato’s Closet can be a great place to shop. L’Oreal says Plato’s Closet is pretty busy.

“With the recession business has picked up a lot. A lot of people are trying to get trendy items that are still stylish and have been in retail within the past year and to buy those things for a whole lot cheaper than what you would find in the mall,” L’Oreal Hunter.

So don’t put a dent in your wallet and have your bank account suffer. You can shop at thrift stores and obtain not only clothes, but originality and style.

Zales Jewelers displays the Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness bracelet and the gift box it comes in. (Photograph by Elena Bagarozza/Oct. 5, 2009)

TOWSON, MD – You’re out fall shopping and you find two pairs of jeans that look great on your figure. But, you only have enough money to buy one pair. When you ask the sales associate for her opinion, she informs you that a portion of one of the pant’s proceeds goes towards breast cancer awareness. Which pair of jeans do you choose?

When a small group of friends were asked this question, five out of six girls said they would purchase the pair of jeans that went toward a cause.

“I would feel better about myself knowing I was making a difference in someone else’s life,” Nicole Bellman, 20, a Towson University student said.

Recently, the fashion industry has adopted a new philanthropic trend: the act of purchasing for a cause. Although October is breast cancer awareness month and purchases for the national foundation can be seen anywhere from Nordstrom’s make-up section to food stores like Giant and Super Fresh, there are many companies that sell philanthropic items all year round.

The classy White House Black Market has the “Give Hope” collection which consists of key chains, watches, jeans and t-shirts. For every item bought within this collection a certain percentage of the proceeds goes toward breast cancer awareness.

“We have a lot of people come in specifically to buy the Give Hope pieces,” said Alicia Etienne, 21, a White House Black Market sales associate at the Towson Town Center. “People will just buy from this collection because they know their money is going to a good cause.”

White House Black Market sales associates generally make a commission off of certain sales, however they do not receive any commission from the “Give Hope” collection, Etienne said. On Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, 100 percent of the “Give Hope” collection purchases will go toward Breast Cancer Awareness.

“Every once and a while we’ll have a survivor come in and they love that we have items that go toward breast cancer research,” Etienne said. “You can tell it really touches them. It feels great to be a part of such a genuine, personal gesture that shows women we care.”

Zales Jewelers is another store that shows enthusiasm in purchasing for a cause. They have been selling a Susan G. Komen bracelet that automatically donates $25.00 of every sale to breast cancer awareness.

“So many people have bought this bracelet solely because it supports someone who has touched their lives,” Marie Bagarozza, 44, a Zales representative said.

Zales will also soon be receiving the “Shared Heart Collection” where a part of every purchase is given to the foundation, Autism Speaks. In order to build excitement for the new collection, Zales has already emptied out an entire case and placed signs on top with the “Shared Heart” description, Bagarozza said.

During the recession, times get tough and people cannot always afford to donate extra money to various charities.

“You’re always going to have to buy that gift, so purchasing for a cause is a great opportunity to also support a charity that is closest to your heart,” Bagarozza said.

Some other purchases for a cause include O.P.I’s “Pink of Hearts” nail polish; Kiehl’s “Worlds AIDS Day” lip balm; Juicy Couture’s “Viva La Cure” tee and Under Armour’s “Power In Pink” collection.

There is also a website called the Non-profit Shopping Mall where anyone can donate to a variety of foundations. You simply purchase day to day things you would normally buy on Target.com or Walmart.com, and purchase it through the Non-Profit Shopping Mall website and by no extra cost. A certain percentage of the total purchase is donated to the foundation through the NPSM website.

So next time you walk into a store and you’re doing your fall or jeans shopping, look for signs supporting a cause. This trend is happening everywhere. You can help make a difference and change an individual’s life. You never know if you will be on the other side hoping for someone’s support.

The most appealing aspect of these cross body bags are the hands-free factor. They look the trendiest worn with a fabulous dress.

The key to this look is to find a size bag that does not overwhelm your body.It is important to find the right style and fit whether it be the saddle, pouch or bucket look, and make sure the look is polished and not sloppy.

What I would personally add to this article is other outfits these bags would look good with other than just a dress or “frocks, florals and frills” which it says in the article. I would give more examples because some people may have a hard time putting this type of bag together with an outfit.

The article also gives pictures and links below the article for where one can buy these cross body bags. However, the majority of the prices are pretty expensive for most people, especially college students. so I would add some pictures and links for stores with cheaper prices. Then the examples will appeal to everyone by showing a wide range of prices for these bags.

A few reasonably priced cross body bags:
http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=106&subCategoryId=126&productId=23376&color=BLACK

http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog_name=FOREVER21&category_name=acc_handbags&product_id=1064408678&Page=1

http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog_name=FOREVER21&category_name=acc_handbags&product_id=1067241518&Page=1

We see people constantly go on dates whether we are out at a restaurant, at a food court or simply watching a movie or TV show. So why is it when it comes time for us to actually pick out an outfit the task seems much more difficult?

First date attire holds loads of pressure because it is the first impression a person has on their date. Kristianne Haran, 19, a Towson sophomore, says her biggest worry is always figuring out what to wear.

The key component for how to dress for a date is to look cute and classy.If a guy is taking a girl out alone it is usually because he interested in her in more than just a hook-up sense. So it is best to avoid wearing or combing certain clothes which may send off the wrong vibe.

“I wouldn’t want to look like I’m trying too hard,” Jennifer Balsamo, 20, a Towson junior said. “I think a good, basic outfit for a wide range of dates is to wear a nice pair of skinny jeans, pumps and a cute blouse, preferably in this fall season’s color of cranberry.”

After speaking with five girls, they all mentioned one identical concern, to “not look like you’re trying too hard.”  In the fashion sense this phrase is focusing on avoiding trashy fashion faux-pas.

It is best to stay away from very low cut shirts, shorts or skirts, and never wear too much make-up. As far as first date fashion do’s a little cleavage is not always bad; if you wear a skirt where a more subtle top; boot cut jeans look better with a tighter fitting shirt and straight leg jeans can be worn with almost any top.

Keep in mind these first date fashion don’ts and dos next time you’re staring blankly into your closet. Now the next big question is what one orders to eat.

The summer warmth is just starting to transition into the fall’s cooler weather. Many college students whose homes are in other states do not get to go home as often to officially do the closet modification.

There is no need to put a hole in a wallet when there are some easy tricks to stay a little warmer in summer attire.

A long or three quarter sleeve shirt can be added under any dress or vest. To dress like the latest fashions opt for a shirt with a v-neck or scoop neck cut.

Another great layer to add to an outfit is spandex or straight leg jeans. Either of these pieces can be worn under a beach cover-up to make the summer accessory look more seasonable.

Cardigan sweaters are another big fall trend this year. These items can be thrown over a favorite tank top.

“Cardigans are perfect,” said Nicole Bellman, 20, a Towson University student. “They’re not too thick so you can still wear a jacket over them and they come in so many different colors.”

Tank tops and beaters are also great to layer under any kind of shirt. Not only do they keep you warmer, but this tank top look is known to give the appearance of a longer and leaner middle area.

The last taste of fall for warm weather clothes is boots galore. Boots can be worn with a dress or skirt. The Ugg look is very popular and most stores, such as Target, sell impressive knock-offs. Additionally, leather boots are very fashionable this fall along with the 80s leather craze.

Get this fashionable faux leather vest for a great price! Pair this vest with a basic v-neck tee

Source:

http://www.examiner.com/x-21019-West-Palm-Beach-Fashion-Examiner~y2009m9d6-Leather-bound-fall-fashion-2009