Anyone with a fashion pulse is by now aware of the new seismic shift in fashion trends that has been emerging over the last year or so.  (What?  No one’s told you?  Your fashion pulse is in cardiac arrest?  Don’t panic: Go immediately to Style.com and don’t come back until you’ve finished!)
The buzz, of course, is all about 80’s style leggings, tights, or skinny pants with tunics or big sweaters; 40’s style platform shoes; 60’s style bubble skirts; and 70’s style empire waists and layering--all mixed for a new, 2006 silhouette.
But which of these new trends will work here in Tampa?  Our more relaxed aesthetic, not to mention our warm climate, requires a little bit of discernment when it comes to adapting the new looks.  Not to worry, darlings.  We’re here to guide you through the murky waters of the new fall looks.
Here’s what most of the Tampa’s fahionistas, (plus our Top Secret New York City Correspondent), are saying to grab, and what to leave on the rack for now:

Skinny Jeans:  Grab
These are probably the one item everyone is snapping up.  Sometimes called drainpipes (especially by those of us who remember them from the first time around!), these are super-slim, straight legged, and ankle-hugging- –think punk rock circa 1982.
Our Top Secret New York Correspondent says it’s all she’s seeing on the streets of Manhattan these days—apparently flares and capris are already dead and buried for the New York crowd.  Although the newer stretch-denims make these a “cigarette pants” little easier to wear than when we squeezed into them in the 80’s—(and, of course, we were still practically babies then), the key for anyone over 40 (that’s years or pounds) who wants to wear them can pull it off as long as they wear a long, derriere-covering tunic, jacket or sweater over them.  Younger wearers should still be sure to balance their top halves with something blousy or with a lot of shoulder/sleeve detail.  You can pay a lot for the status brands (Seven For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, etc.), but if the pocket details are going to be covered by a tunic anyway, we say Old Navy’s $25 version works just as well.

Tunics or long empire waist tops and dresses:  Grab
If you don’t already have a long top or tunic from last season, pick up one in a lightweight fabric and belt it high on your waist to wear over your skinny pants or last-season’s pencil skirt for an update.  (The low-waist look is fading fast—belts are now being shown at the waist or above).  A lot of savvy women are buying a shift or sundress to wear now that they plan to put over pants and top with a sweater when the weather cools.  A good rule of thumb:  If you’re under 40, try the baby doll or gathered-shoulder styles, and leave them unbelted or belted under the bust.  Over 40’s should opt for straighter shirt-dresses, shifts, or chemises.  (Baby doll styles look a little too much like what Mother used to call “mutton dressed as lamb” after a certain age).  Try Urban Outfitter’s solid bubble tank dress, or the Free People knit cargo dress. 

Colored Hose, Leggings and Tights:  GrabThese will update any dress or skirt in an instant.  Make them sheer or patterned, and they can be worn with sling-backs, peep-toes, pumps or flats of any color.  For the edgiest look, go for contrast with your shoes rather than matching.  Try to find the lightest, sheerest cotton to avoid the “sweaty thigh” syndrome that made us all throw out our nylon pantyhose in the first place.  J. Crew has a nice, basic version, but for something more upscale, (plus lots of great patterns and textures), the Wolford shop at International Plaza is divine.

Platform Shoes:  Leave, For Now
Until shoe makers start adapting this extreme style to a much lower-heeled shoe, (and we have yet to find a really good one, but, to be fair, the season is young), the consensus is that these are pretty much un-wearable, all though our Top Secret New York City correspondent tells us they’re more comfortable than they look.  We’re intrigued, to be sure, but since we never buy cheap shoes, we’ll hold off for better choices before we invest in anything just now.

Flats:  Grab
Round-toed and ballet flats look great with the new skinny pants and all of your skirts.  And you can actually walk in them!  Perfect for running around Tampa; they’re the new flip-flops.  We’d kill for these Choos! 

Boots:  Leave
We’ve finally learned not to spend our money on a pair of expensive boots.  Even during the few chilly days we have here in Tampa, they just look kind of weird in a sub-tropical climate.  The only time they ever look right is on the pirates in the Gasparilla Parade or on Halloween.  Not that we haven’t worn them many times here, (yes, even we make mistakes) but it’s always felt a little…forced.  Oh, and the same goes for fur.

Bubble Skirts:  Wait
Last season’s skirt shapes still work well and there’s no reason to jump on this new shape yet until we see more of it.  Tops are bigger news this fall, that’s where we’re focusing.  We will say, however, that skirts seem to be staying shorter--not that mini nonsense, thank goodness, but somewhere above or just at the knee.  We’ll revisit the skirt issue after we see all of the spring 2007 collections (which are showing as we speak!).

Big Sweaters: Grab
Put away your ladylike sweater sets:  It’s back to the 80’s with big cowl necks and chunky collars.  But the only kind of big sweater that makes sense here in Tampa is an easily removable cardigan, preferably in a cotton knit or lightweight cashmere.  Get one in a dark, neutral color with a big, shawl collar that’s long enough to belt, and it will update everything in your closet!  We love the bell sleeves--another big trend this year-- on this BCBG cardigan. 

The Layered Look:  Adapt
The layered look is actually a good thing for us Floridians because it can take our sundresses and summer tops into fall and winter and even up into colder climates.  Slip a long-sleeved tee under a sleeveless shift, add some leggings or tights.  Throw your big cardigan over the tanks and tees you already own, or over a longer tunic.  You get the idea.

The Big Bag:  Grab
This is still a big (no pun intended) look, probably because it’s just so practical.  Embellished or not, the bigger and slouchier, the better.  Never mind that you could lose a small dog in there—we love ‘em.  We may never go back to little bags again!  Because these are going to be around for a while, it’s worth investing in a good one, like this Cole Haan or one of the very-hot-right-now Koobas.  Our favorite If-Price-Was-No-Object bag?  This yummy Marc Jacobs Python sachel is our ultimate…

Super Wide Belts:  LeaveThese are just tough to wear.  If you want to update a plain shift, the same look can be achieved for a lot less money with a long scarf tied obi-style (folded big and wrapped twice).  Most of us will do better with the medium widths we already have in our closet—although we may have to add a couple of holes to allow them to fit higher on our waists. 

Well, darlings, that should get you started.  Happy Shopping!