Fall is here, time to bulk up… in sweaters

by MIKE CHAIKEN

CTFashionMag.com

With the New England autumn leaves at peak color, the time really has come to set aside your warm weather clothes.

Local fashion experts said if you want to keep warm in the northeastern fall, grab a sweater.

“I’m seeing a great deal of really bulky sweaters this fall/winter season,” said Warren, Conn.’s Susan Pagan, a stylist from

. “I love these because they’re so cozy.”

“I was in the Danbury Fair Mall over the weekend and saw so many Fair Isle sweaters,” said Pagan. “I could kick myself for giving away my Icelandic sweater several years ago.”

Tanya Tauthong-Kass, a New York fashion stylist, agreed with Pagan. “Oversized sweaters are both cozy and chic for fall.

Tauthong-Kass also said sweaters go with a broader fashion trend this fall. “Voluminous silhouettes that softly drape the body have gone from runway to everyday wear.”

Pagan said besides sweaters being on trend this year, “Long sweaters… keep me from having to grab a coat most times when I’m running out the door– plus they cover up sloppy looking T’s I often wear underneath.”

Besides sweaters this fall, Tauthong-Kass said, “Checks and plaids continue to resonate in fashion.”

“Gucci, Givenchy, and Chanel all showed these classic patterns on their fall-winter runways,” said Thauthong-Kass. “Plaids can be worn in a variety of ways- go plaid on plaid to make a statement or tone it down with a solid.”

Waterbury, Conn. fashion stylist Hannah Vitarelli said, “Playing around with prints in your wardrobe is fun all year round, but I especially love to incorporate them with fall outfits. A bold pair of leopard or cow hide printed booties can add a flair to any look. “

“I am currently loving… snakeskin boots,” said Jada Nicola, a fashion blogger for The Girl from Connecticut. “They add just a pop of something unexpected to any look, making it look edgier. They pair well with fall dresses for a date night look or jeans for daytime wear.”

Vitarelli also said she advocates prints on handbag– as well as print fabrics for pants.

If you’re looking at fall-worthy fabrics, Vitarelli said, “My top fall fabric this year is velvet.”

“In my own closet I have a burgundy velvet blazer that really adds a lot of texture to a simple outfit,” said Vitarelli.

Plus, said Vitarelli, “I have been seeing a trend of simple tops with a bold colored pair of velvet pants, which I love.”

No matter what the trends for fall, Tauthong-Kass said, “Paring down trends to fit your individual style is always the way to go.”

Model Monika Korbusieski wears Target’s trend picks for fall.

PHOTOS by MIKE CHAIKEN

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