Dear Aunt Crusty....The Fashion Advice Column From The Gilded Cage

Send all of your fashion inquiries to Crusty at thegildedcagenashville@gmail.com. Please let Crusty know if you would like your contact information posted, or if you prefer to remain anonymous!

Dearest Aunt Crusty:
I am a college student with a very tight wardrobe budget, yet I long to be and am expected to be a total fashionista. What are a few must haves for fall?
Signed,
Poor-dom



Dear Poor-dom,
As I was once a college student myself, I struggled for at least four years with this exact dilemma. Because of this, I discovered that pairing vintage with new, trendy items can expand and energize your wardrobe at least ten-fold. I recommend that you look for the following:

1. A vintage white blouse ($18-$30): can be paired with a fitted vest, a cute cardigan, a pair of black skinny jeans, a micro mini

2. A black leather motorcycle jacket (~$200): you cannot go wrong here and can pair it with just about anything in your closet....as this is an investment piece, $200 is a small price to pay for something that will be part of your wardrobe for years to come.

3. A lace blouse, vintage or otherwise ($18-30): lace is very versatile because you can slip it over a different opaque blouse each time you wear it, thus creating a new look each time.

4. Belts ($10-50 a piece): belts will not only change your look, they will change your life...look for metallic variations and anything with adornments....wearing a belt over a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt can dramatically spice up your style.

5. Mini-dresses (free-$7 each): minis, whether it be a dress or a skirt, are a must....the best part is that you already own them....the hemline merely needs to be shortened. if you have even the most basic sewing skills, you can do this yourself, or drop your pieces of at a local tailor for about $5-$7 for each piece. note: if you are uncomfortable about baring too much leg, might i suggest wearing a pair of opaque tights....quite slimming.

6. Other accessories (varies): necklaces, bracelets, hair accessories, oh my! most of the time you can find gorgeous, unique pieces at the flea market for less than $10 a piece.....vintage charm bracelets are also an interesting way to express yourself....the key here is to go for the gold, silver or bronze....in your case, gold plated.....metallics add some sparkle and spunk.

Good luck and happy hunting, Poor-dom.

Cordially yours,
Aunt Crusty