Fall 2000 Seasonal Note

By Mary Lou Andre
President, Organization By Design, Inc. & Editor, dressingwell.com

Keeping current in the ‘90’s meant downsizing your wardrobe and then re-building it with black, navy, brown and gray suits and separates that were simple, sleek and multi-functional. Lighter weight wools and a wide range of sophisticated polyester fabrics, made it easy to part with the heavy, stiff fabrics and ornate detailing that defined the ‘80’s.

But, of course, fashion must change (after all it has to justify its existence!) and now that we are in a new millennium (and whole new economy!), there is indeed a new fashion attitude in the air. Dressing up is suddenly important again. With fabrics such as leather, cashmere and suede becoming cheaper to manufacture both in the States and abroad, everyone seems able to get in on the glamour of the moment.

The key color this season is red (we like it best when worn as an accent with black, navy, brown and gray separates) and leather — whether embellished with an animal print or worn in a solid color with a smooth finish — will be the biggest edition to a fashion-forward wardrobe.

If you live in a climate with a temperature change, it’s time to put the capri, summer-weight cropped pants, flip flops and sandals away. Pants get long again for fall and boots, dress pumps and mules are essential to putting your best foot forward. If you are confused about the difference between a capri and cropped pant — please see the September “Ask Mary Lou” for some handy definitions.

We hope our popular “Top Ten” fashion picks for Fall 2000 along with our “Topping It Off” and “Suiting Up” fashion articles give you some fresh, new ideas about how to best wear some of the season’s traditional favorites and hottest trends.

If you haven’t already done so, you might like to sign up to receive our popular Dressing Well™ “Tip of the Week!” which is delivered each Monday to the electronic mailboxes of our subscribers. It’s a great way for us to share important fashion information in a timely and organized fashion with our various audiences.

As always, I invite your questions and comments. Here’s to another season of dressing well!

Best to you,
Mary Lou
President, Organization By Design, Inc. & Editor, www.dressingwell.com