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If your eyes have been on Fashion Magazines or Fashion Television anytime lately, you would have noticed the Romance Fashion Trend which has swept Hollywood and Designers, and has now moved into Discount and Department store. Among all of the 80's styles of skinny denims and black pants, oversized, bright colored belts, and slouchy boots, has emerged a sophisticated, romantic, throw-back to medieval times, which fits every body type, and is now accessible to the masses at discount prices. Movies like Casanova and Tristan & Isolde birthed this trend back into the mainstream, and newer movies like Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst have pushed the trend even further into the limelight. There are a few distinct aspects of this fashion to look for if your unfamiliar with the style:

Fabric: Look for crushed velvet in deep, rich, jewel tones for the most authentic look. There is also synthetic velvet and velour for a less expensive alternative, and the style has branched out to include Earth-tones and black which aren't as authentic because they never would have been work in the 1300's. Also look for metallic piping, edging, and detailing, especially in bright gold for the real-deal look. The other fabric that shows up in the Romance look is Lace, in any and every color. The metallic detailing may also be done in some form of lace.

Shape and Waistline: A staple of the Romantic Fashion trend is the Empire waist. This is a waistline which sits just below the breasts and allows the fabric to "billow" out, hiding a paunchy stomach or just creating elegance and grace. This waistline can be found in shirts or dresses and looks fantastic on anyone and any body type. Shape has manifested into several types of garments - short or cropped jackets, flowing mid-hip length shirts, and long and short dresses. Cropped jackets generally have a fishbone metal closure up the front, with an Asian-themed short collar, and billowing longer sleeves, or short puffy sleeves. The flowing shirts always have a deep V-neck, and short puffy sleeves, and the dresses seem to look like an extension of the shirts.

color: As mentioned above, the colors of the clothing come in deep jewel-tones of every imagination - emerald, sapphire, amethyst, ebony, ruby, etc. Just recently, and as a sign of the times, even in a throwback to a different world, designers have infiltrated the past with Earth-tones, which have been so popular, as well.

Accessories: You can find a lot of medieval style, chunky metallic jewelry for cheap in almost any departments store. Make sure to match and not clash jewel-tones in jewelry and shoes to the Romantic color you are featuring. Matching a Jewel-toned shoe to a Jewel-toned jacket or dress looks fantastic and is a great way to pull an outfit together, and finish it off.

Now that you know hat to look for to be a part of this exciting new fashion trend, you have to know where to shop in your price range. If your filthy rich and live in California, any of the stores on Rodeo Drive will have what you are looking for. If you're a middle-class Canadian or American, department stores like, The Bay, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Sears, as well as fashion stores like Le chateau are some great options with wide selections. For the thrifty persons or students (like myself), stores like Wal-mart, Zellers, K-Mart, and Discount designer stores like Winners are always a great option, with a great range of styles and color to choose from so that you can select and add those beautiful, rich pieces to your wardrobe.

I suggest that if this designer trend is tickling your fancy, you rush out and purchase some choice pieces now before it's deemed "old" or a new trend emerges, and their impossible to find. I, for one, like to wear a style of clothing as long as I like, even after the trend has passed, so I'm stocking up on this imaginative style that fits every body so well. It may be decades before this trend circles back around, so it seems a sound investment, as long as your not a trend-junkie, in which case you'd probably only get a few month's of wear out of these delicious pieces. Go out there and enjoy the originality of this style and be one with the past.