Fall Fashion Preview

I've promised this article for a while, and I've put a lot of thought into it, so I'm releasing it before that oh-so-important fall season (back to school and all that) in order to give some insight into this fad dubbed 'hobo chic.'

Perhaps you've heard of it; it's been made somewhat famous (read: talked about occasionally) because of the Olsen twins, Mary Kate & Ashley. But what people don't realize is that look is in no way exclusive. Nobody has to be a celebrity to be a good fashion exhibitionist, especially when it comes to dressing like a hobo.

'But hobos stink!' Sure, there will be some compromise that is necessary to dressing like a hobo; clothing will contain holes and it might even have some stains. Still, this is a unique look and is definitely worth the sacrifice. Although holes and stains should be avoided, especially because fall is coming and the temperature will drop, they shouldn't necessarily be discouraged. I.e., people can still buy clothes with holes and stains, and still have good fashion, but the key is to do it with some brains.

This is where layering comes in. Layering is the most important aspect of the hobo chic look. Take a look at the Olsen twins: they hide their bones under scarves, thermal shirts, and layers of other clothing. That means people can easily wear jeans with holes in the fall or winter, just wear some long underwear underneath (but make sure they're tight-fitting). However, people should know enough not to wear a thermal top with a thermal bottom, as it disrupts balance.

Which brings on the next attribute of making hobo chic work as a fashion look for the fall - balance. The key is to not overdo it. If people are going to wear a vintage shirt with holes or stains on it, it's probably not the best idea to rock a pair of jeans with the same embellishments. This is why a good pair of jeans without any embellishments is a necessity in any closet. By combining solid denim (maybe even with some sheen to it), or a pair of nice pants, with a vintage t-shirt people will have a good mixture of fashion conservatism and outgoing casualness. This same logic can be applied to the purchase of an expensive, dressy coat (for fall and winter) - what better way to dress up old clothes with a good pea coat?

But this so-called conservatism can be found in accessories as well. Mary Kate and Ashley, whenever sporting their 'hobo chic' look, are always wearing expensive-looking scarves, jewelry, footwear, and/or eyewear. By doing so they allow themselves the freedom to wear any old thing - or any new thing that's made to look old. It's kind of the same attitude as seeing a hobo with a really cool wristwatch that he/she found in a dumpster. Something too conservative, however, just might make the hobo chic look a total disaster. Accessories should be sporty, tacky, fun... but not too flashy that they show their true worth, otherwise people simply become show-offs - something a hobo would never do.

There's another aspect that I'll contribute, myself. In my opinion, this is where the Olsen twins, Mary Kate and Ashley, fall flat: their choice of footwear. They choose to wear expensive stilettos at times. Ridiculous! How often do hobos wear high heels, if they're not hooking themselves? Exactly - there's no point to dressing like a hobo when there's no self-respect to be had. If only the Olsen twins put on some boots, or fresh-fly sneakers (especially when fall comes around), they'd have the hobo chic look practically patented.

That's it; those are my thoughts on the hobo chic look. With a little hope people just might read into it, including Mary Kate and Ashley, and this fashion trend will prosper come the fall season.