Staff Photo by Dan Henry
Lorean Mays' Ali Ro long-sleeve dress, $249, and Matisse boots, $219, are offset by a 14K gold vermeil necklace by Frolick, $119. Frankie and Julian's.

The biggest trends in casual fashions should get a universal seal of approval this fall, said Suzanne Bishop, owner of Frankie & Julian's boutique on Frazier Avenue.

"While the skinny jean is still one of the biggest pushes in casual fashions, the new popularity of the boyfriend jean is pleasing to many women," she said.

Unlike skinny jeans, whose name describes both the garments and the people who should be wearing them, the boyfriend jean is oversized and loose around the waist, a more comfortable look borrowed from the men's fashion playbook.

"Menswear-inspired fashions are the hottest thing going this fall," Ms. Bishop said. "From pants to sweaters to jackets."

But don't count out the skinny silhouette quite yet. Though dark blue denim is out of fashion, gray and black denim skinny jeans are strong contenders this season.

"The best look is to tuck the pant legs into boots, and wear them with a loose tunic and a vest," Ms. Bishop said.

The menswear-inspired look, which hearkens to "Annie Hall," Coco Chanel and Kate Hepburn, is back in full force, according to style watchers.

"These ladies made it fun to wear men-inspired clothing," Bishop said. "Imagine going into your dad's closet and pulling out one of his suit coats. The similar style, now called the boyfriend jacket, is an oversized tailored jacket. The look is for women to push up the sleeve to the elbow."

To add a feminine touch to the look, wear a ruffled blouse, she said.

New lengths and new fabrics may best describe fall dresses.

"A long-sleeve mini dress with a very busy pattern and lots of color could be the hottest dress of the season," Ms. Bishop said. "And many designers are using fabric with texture, which makes a good impression. The texture makes the print pop."

And you can replace your maxi dresses (they're out) with updated pantsuits, Ms. Bishop said.

"Hillary (Clinton) and Michelle (Obama) have brought pantsuits back," she said. "I'm selling a lot of these to my clients, many of whom are pharmaceutical sales representatives and attorneys. Whether they're men-inspired or feminine cut, it's a look that can easily be casual and professional."

April Morrison, set execution manager at J.C. Penney, Hamilton Place, said that casual dress "no longer means you have to be messy. You can take a very casual pair of leggings, pair it with a long tunic, and you have a nice-looking casual outfit."

J.C. Penney promotes variations of casual looks in its new in-store Contemporary Coalition shops. "In the shop, we feature different contemporary brands that tend to be more casual and relaxed," Ms. Morrison said.