Where to Get Hot Vintage Fashion Trends for Fall 2009

Finding women's fashion trends for the fall of 2009 is as easy as finding the nearest vintage clothing store. Thigh high boots, ruffles on anything, leggings, studded shoes and bags, and military jackets are hot items and the colors to look for this fall are black, gray and red.

Boots are a big element this fall and the higher up your leg the better. Forget the short chunky boots for the minute. Thigh high is what you're after but knee high will do. Don't worry about heel type or height, thin or chunky, high or low, lace up or pull on, any will work. While black is the most versatile color, any color or pattern can be worked into your vintage wardrobe.Wear a short ruffled skirt and red man tailored jacket with tall black boots for a super classy look. A quick browse of online sites that offer vintage boots showed many of the boots with sold stickers so start your search as soon as possible. If you can't find anything in your area, vintage and reproduction boots can be found at good prices at www.afunkyshoeandboot.com.

When you're not wearing boots, cover your legs with leggings, full leg or capri length. Colors, patterns, glitter, or stripes, it's all good. Wear leggings with a short skirt or dress and the short chunky boots mentioned above, platforms from the 70's, or high heeled ankle boots. Besides vintage clothing stores, look for leggings at thrift shops and yard sales.

Ruffles abound in 2009 and in vintage clothing shops. Blouses, dresses, and skirts wear ruffles, a few or countless, so you need to wear them, too. Keep in mind that ruffles will visually increase the size of the area where they are worn. Big hips or busts will appear larger but, on the other hand, tiny can seem like more when swathed in ruffles. Find a red lace party or cocktail dress for evening and a high neck Victorian style ruffled front blouse to wear with your favorite jeans or contrast the high neck with a skimpy skirt. A 70's silk deep v-neck blouse or sweater with ruffles around the neckline and down the front will become a fashion staple. If you're not finding what you want locally, ebay is a good place to start browsing or do a Google search for vintage clothing.

Outerwear has many possibilities. Unstructured capes or cloaks in neutral gray, black, or taupe will complete any vintage outfit in outstanding style. Look for military details on jackets or coats, any length goes. Fur trim is a plus. The most perfect find would be a fur trimmed long belted leather coat that swings as you strut your style. The 60's and 70's left behind funky faux fur vests and jackets, a treasure if you find one. Remember the oversized men's suit coats women wore in the 80's? They hit about mid-thigh and had defined shoulders. If you kept one, get it out and pair it up with a very short skirt and your thigh high boots for a knock out look. A solid color jacket is perfect to set off boldly patterned leggings. My favorite jacket is gray on black windowpane checks. I love it and wear it for dress and casual. In spite of the name, shopnastygal.com has some exciting jackets and capes. The selection isn't large but what they have is worth seeing.

Accessories are not to be neglected. Wide belts are the ones to look for this year at vintage clothing stores. Sashes, shiny, metallic, studded, just make it wide and wear it with dresses and skirts. Look for scarves in gray, black, or bright plaids. Fringe or feathers are a big bonus. Scarves are versatile and add a finished look to your vintage outfits. Wrap one snugly around your neck or wrap loosely and let the ends dangle on your chest or if you're lucky enough to find a huge one, drape it around your neck and let it sway as you move. Bags and purses are studded, spiked, or feathered. Jewelery is big; lots of chains and statement pieces. Add a huge flower brooch to a collection of chains draped and swagged around your neck. Most of the accessories you'll want for this fall should be easy to find in vintage, secondhand, or thrift shops. You probably already have the basics, they just need to be put together differently.

Finding vintage clothes and accessories lets us put our own spin on fashion, shows off our unique sense of style. Besides vintage clothing shops, browse yard and estate sales, auctions, flea markets, and online stores to find vintage treasures. There are many vintage clothing sites, some with huge inventory, others with just a few items. Browsing some of these sites, I found that many of the most wanted pieces for fall 2009 have already been sold, so there are a lot of vintage clothing shoppers out there. I've found reasonable prices at most online shops but there are a few that are pricey, especially for items in demand, so now is the time to start shopping for fall to find the best deals in vintage fashion.

Sources:
www.luisaviaroma.com
www.style.com