Oh-so-cool looks for fall

For many of us, flipping through the pages of glossy fashion magazines does more harm than good. Sure, we get up on the latest trends, but seeing thousand-dollar items on stick-thin models only serves to depress our self-esteem and budgets.

Gregg Andrews and Tom Kolovos, two local stylists, help real people on real budgets pick real fall finds.

Wondering whether those baggy boyfriend jeans will flatter a curvy figure? Need a new suit, but don't want to look like your dad? Want to look cute and still combat Chicago's finicky weather?

Here are Andrews' and Kolovos' top looks for the fall, for both women and men.

'Stealth sophistication'

"I think for women this season's theme is definitely polished and chic. It's about a stealth sophistication that's very understated, but very powerful," says Andrews, an Oak Brook-based stylist for Nordstrom.

On the runway, Andrews was surprised to see the body almost entirely covered -- with gloves, opaque hosiery and hats. "The look still felt very womanly because we saw shape," he says.

Other big trends:

•Gray. "I hate to use this phrase," Kolovos says, "but gray really is the new black this season."

Don't go overboard by wearing the color from head to toe. "Jewel tones like emerald green and purple mix really well with gray -- you don't have to look like one giant piece of charcoal," he says.

•Menswear-inspired pants. Forget the skinny pant. The menswear-inspired look -- with a wider, flowing leg and higher waist -- is a must-have this season. "The loose cut is much more forgiving, especially with women who have a wider hip," Andrews says.

•The shoe-boot. While ultra-trendy paired with dresses, the ankle-length shoe probably won't work for you unless you have the beanpole figure of Mary-Kate Olsen. "I just don't think they look that great," says Kolovos, an image consultant and former fashion editor of Today's Chicago Woman magazine. "They create weird proportions, and make your legs look shorter."

To ease that effect, Kolovos says, you should pair shoe-boots with opaque tights in the same color. "This will lengthen out the leg," he says.

•Baggy boyfriend jeans. "The thing about denim," Andrews says, "is that as a fabric, it's definitely evolving into dressier silhouettes." While the baggy, boyfriend jean might be a short-lived trend, denim trousers -- great for a night out or even a casual work setting -- work well for women of every age and body type.

•Layering. Love the layered look, but feel like it adds 10 pounds to your frame? Keep in mind that the layer closest to your body needs to be the tightest. "If you layer bulky over bulky, you're just going to look bigger," Andrews says.

Hosiery plays a key part in layering. "If you're starting with a slim-fit turtleneck under a jumper, then go with tights in the same color. It creates a strong vertical line," he says.

Create a retro, ladylike look by cinching a belt over the top layer, whether a cardigan, shift dress or billowy skirt. "The thing to remember when wearing a belt, you need to take in the proportions of your body," Andrews says. If you're short-waisted, think skinny belt, not wide.

•The sweater dress. Knits last fall were mainly confined to sweaters and twin sets; this year you'll find sweater dresses galore. If you're concerned about your weight, stay away from chunky cable knits.

•Shine on. Metallics and patent leather, Andrews and Kolovos agree, will carry over from spring and summer. "If you've bought a great metallic handbag or patent leather flats, go ahead and keep using them through fall," Andrews says.

Guys go retro

Even if you don't consider yourself a gentleman, try to look like one this fall. Think retro-inspired suits, classic cardigans and rich colors like eggplant, gray and dark brown.

Here are a few important looks for men this fall:

•Cardigans. "We're not talking about the Mr. Rogers cardigan here," Andrews says. The "it" sweater this season has a leaner cut, is made of thinner fabric and is shorter in length. Wear it with jeans and a T-shirt, or dress it up for work with a button-down shirt.

•Rat-Pack suit. Over the last year and a half, Kolovos explains, the cut of men's suits has changed dramatically. Jackets are 2 inches shorter, and the shoulder is more natural looking and tighter fitting. The notch of the lapel has moved up to the collar bone as well.

Pants have gotten tighter and leaner, too, a throwback to the slick style of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and the Beatles circa 1964. Kolovossays the silhouette shift is tailored to a younger clientele. "If you want to sell new suits to a new generation, you've gotta make them different than your dad's suit," he says.

•Bomber jackets. The new version of the classic bomber jacket is slimmer, trimmer and way more stylish than the kind sported by Tom Cruise and Kevin Costner in the '80s. In addition to the sleeker cut, the bomber takes on new hues like dark green and rust.

•Lace-ups, not loafers. Loafers have been in for a long time in shoes. But because pants are getting shorter, a lot of lace-up shoes, especially wingtips and boots, are becoming popular to wear with suits.

•Purple. Shades of purple and plum combined with grays and browns will be hot in sweaters and ties.

•The cocktail shirt. The cocktail shirt, or what Andrews calls the "Friday shirt," has a little bit of sheen or shine and incorporates an increase in detailing. "It's all about how you detail the shirt … the pleats, the pecking," he says.