FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

Fall is just around the corner and with comes a completely new array of clothing styles. Thankfully, new styles in my favorite clothing combination are also hitting the store shelves, a much-loved combination that is for many people a standby from year to year; Jeans and sweatshirts, which are both comfortable and fun for fall wear, suitable for walks in the park, football games, and bicycling, even daily activities. Except for those times when casual just will not cut it, a sweatshirt and jeans can pretty much go anywhere.

I personally live in jeans and sweatshirts except for the hottest times of the year. Even then, my favorite sweatshirt is never far away for those cool mornings or evenings when I might need it. I wear my jeans and sweatshirt to the grocery store, school functions, walks, and visits with family and friends. I do leave them behind if I am heading to an important meeting or occasion such as a wedding or shower, but other than those times, I just about live in them.

Because they are such an integral part of my wardrobe, I am constantly on the lookout for new styles, with heavyweight, 100% cotton sweatshirts my all time favorite. I do have a few softer sweatshirts that I like, but the heavyweight, stiffer fabric seem to be not quite as sloppy looking. For many years, the only sweatshirts that I could find in the 100% cotton heavyweight were ones emblazoned with school or pro sport's logos. For whatever reason, it is not possible to find not only sweatshirts made of this fabric, but long sleeved t-shirts also. The best part being that designs found on them are now wide-ranging. I have one that has a hummingbird over a full bouquet of flowers, one with a butterfly sitting atop a watering can, one with a simple geometric design, and several that have no design at all, beyond the color of the fabric.

One catalog that arrived in my mail this week, is offering this favorite fabric blend of mine in a green reminiscent of summer at its most luscious, with a black bear emblazoned across the front. This same catalog also has one with a wolf emblazoned across the front. I am going to order one; I am just unsure which one. I love the black bear design, but I much prefer the blue fabric of the wolf sweatshirt.

Once I decide and order it, I will have to decide which sweatshirt to retire from my closet. While I have kept a few favorites through the years, with one so frayed and sad looking that it is not good for much beyond wearing while I clean, (Which is exactly when I do wear it!) I have a strict policy to remove something from my closet every time I add something. Living in a small house as I do, this keeps me from buying things I really do not need, and keeps my closets as organized as possible. My jeans are looking a bit tired too, so I had better make up my mind so I can spend a bit of time shopping for those too. You never know what new fall style in jeans might catch my eye.