... for their smarts, but some savvy tastemakers recognize the sartorial wisdom in their clothes, notes Brian Boye, fashion director at Men's Health magazine. "Also," he adds, "for the past few decades, the term 'geek' seems to have undergone ...

... around?) "The fashion, lightweight, hard-side bag is a big thing in Europe," says Stephen Cardino, Macy's fashion director for its home division. "It's like feather weight. I'm not sure if the Europeans are enamored with the hard ...

... had embarked on a quest to find a fedora, one of the season's trendiest women's accessories, according to a fashion director at Seattle-based Nordstrom. Surely, I thought, the winter drizzle could only amplify the mannish hat's appeal ...

... this year, and you can even use colored crinoline to make a bold 1980s-inspired statement, says Gina Kelly, fashion director at Seventeen. It's an easy, inexpensive trick that really changes the look of a dress. Other transformations ...

... very ability for reinvention that makes denim a mainstay in an American woman's closet," says Gregg Andrews, a fashion director at Nordstrom. "Because there's so much variety in cut and finish, (she) can own a whole jean wardrobe ...

... What I'm seeing is that you no longer just need a coat for protection from the cold,'' says Janie Harrington, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue. ''They are truly a fashion statement, and that's what makes it important to have a variety ...

... something special for celebrating New Year's Eve. "This was a very good season," said Joan Kaner, Nieman Marcus fashion director. "Chanel offered an interesting suit option of the tunic and skirt." At Dior, designer John Galliano literally ...

... there are going to be more festive parties. The whole year is going to be a celebration." Agrees Carol Steele, fashion director for Nordstrom's northwest region, "There's something really fun about all those zeroes." Men are invited ...

... cover gray and to freshen their appearance with partial color, such as highlights or lowlights. Richard Dalton, fashion director for John Paul Mitchell Systems, a California-based hair-care product company, agrees. "I'm all for the ...

... t be afraid to invest in the newest style of the season," says Colby McWilliams, vice president and men's fashion director for the Dallas-based specialty retailer. He suggests thinking of the pants "like a longer pair of shorts" and ...