Fall's creeping nearer and nearer (low's gonna be 49 degrees this
weekend!) and while for me that means several wonderful things -
boots, fall jackets, and sweaters, football weather, pretty leaves,
scarves - it also means the approach of one big thing: Halloween.

Ever the fashionista, my costume's got to be stylish, one of a kind,
and requires months of excitement, buildup, and thought. So
naturally, this past weekend, my girls and I put our heads together
and thought up some doozies. My main event: a My Little Pony. An ode
to my childhood spent in the late 80's and early 90's, it's gonna be
totally rad (and glittery, I might add).

And totally fashionable, because, and this is probably not news for
anyone, 80's trends are still, yet again, all over for Fall 2009. In
honor of this often questionable decade in fashion, I've made up a
list of some trends I'm quite happy to see come back around now that
I'm old enough to wear them, and then the ones that just need to stay
dead.

Four 80's Trends for Updating

*Big Shoulders and Boyfriend Blazers
as couture as they may be, I'm not a fan of the high, flat, Designing
Women broad shoulder, but I love a slouchy boyfriend blazer with
larger than dainty-size shoulders. Pair with jeans, use to transition
a summer dress, or, for extra credit, pair with a long floaty ball
skirt or dress.

*Big Hair
As someone with thick, wavy hair, humidity makes it often impossible
for me to achieve stick straight styling, so I've never been a huge
fan. For a fun take on all that 80's hair this season, hair shouldn't
be teased or sprayed to oblivion, but well-conditioned and even
hot-rollered will do the trick, for truly tossable, Heather-worthy
hair. I even like the deep side part.

*Pretty Woman Over the Knee Boots
I've already devoted one post to my love for these, and I'll probably
do another, since my search for the perfect pair is on as we speak.
I'm choosing to update these by softening the look with a fresh color
- like those grey Rodarte ones - and wearing them with some floaty
feminine clothes; I'm not a girl to choose a head-to-toe rocker look.
And contrary to the flamboyant opinion of Coco Perez / Perez Hilton, I
think these can be carried off with class. They're not, however, for
the fashion faint of heart.

*Sequins
So, my Halloween costume will be well sequined and BeDazzled, but it
won't be the only thing. Sequined mini's, dresses, even shorts are
items I'd like to see, even in the daytime. And they can be an easy
modify, provided you can pull a needle and thread. I've partially
sequined a simply white t-shirt and I'm thinking of doing some basic
black shorts next. Another way to take shorts into evening, and also,
what former ballerina doesn't love her some sequins?

And some I don't want to see any kind of Thriller-type ressurection from

*Fanny packs
Do you really want to look like your mom did that one summer at Disney
World? And aren't stomach pooches unattractive? Why give yourself one,
without the benefit of indulging in high fat ice cream, or cheese?
This is largely where my beef with American Apparel lies, for trying
to bring these back.

*Scrunchies
Remember the Sex and the City episode when Carrie gets up on "her
sassy high horse" about scrunchies with Burger? She claims a New York
woman would never wear a scrunchie, he claims, one would. Guess who
was right.

Hair elastics are simpler, barrettes even prettier. No need to match
your scrunchie to your outfit, and no need for them to exist at all.
If you must decorate your hair, like me, from time to time, turn to
this season's beautiful barrettes and headbands, from pretty bows, to
bling, to studs, there's some awesome one's out there. And check out
InStyle's September Issue for some DIY tips.

*Acid Wash
Just say no. Pretty please.

*Leggings and tights as pants
See www.leggingsarenotpants.com and www.tightsarenotpants.com for more
details. Save 'em for cleaning house, lounging, and working out. It's
too cold in KC for leggings as pants in the fall and winter anyhow.