Designers are bringing back grungy fashion looks with boyish flannel shirts and unkempt ripped jeans at the moment. Not so fab.

This is not a “new” look at all. We see casual fitted checked button down shirts and torn jeans in teeny bopper stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle all the time, so I guess there’s a grunge element to junior fashion every season. But the writing is on the wall when you see grunge looks in haute couture and prêt porter collections. It’s not long before trends fizzle down to fashion forward women’s boutiques and chain stores, and before we know it, it’s mainstream fashion.

Trends seem to repeat themselves every 20 to 30 years which means that 90’s inspired fashions are next on the list. As always, I’m champing at the bit to see how old trends are reinterpreted because for the most part, they’re improved modern incarnations. But I’m not loving the look of plaid shirts and ripped jeans so far.

Grungy Seattle rocker vibes and the remnants of bad 80’s silhouettes is what springs to mind when I think of 90’s fashion. TV shows like Seinfeld, Beverly Hills 90210, Ally McBeal, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Melrose Place, Friends and Full House are a good representation of 90’s fashion. Not very inspiring. But I’m holding out hope. I’m impressed with how well 80’s fashions have been reinterpreted so we might be pleasantly surprised.

For several seasons now, the heels available in stores have been predominantly at one of two extremes: either flat or in excess of three inches. There is an ongoing abundance of ankle breaking and foot distorting high, high heels in stores and no stopping the trend.

Things look different on the street. During the day I mostly see women putting flats and low heels though their paces. There are far fewer super high heels. Understandably, the high heels are more popular at night, but for the most part, they are a rare daytime phenomenon. Even in cities like NY, Paris, London and Hong Kong, you will occasionally see super high heels during the day, but flats and lower heels are definitely more common.

So who’s wearing these sky scraping heels? It’s a mystery. They must be selling at retail because buyers wouldn’t be putting them into stores every season if women weren’t purchasing them. But the retail supply of super high heels does not seem to reflect what’s being worn in the real world.

Perhaps women purchase sky scraping heels for night time use only. Perhaps they swap out their comfortable shoes for heels when they get to the office. Perhaps there’s an epidemic of four inch heeled closet orphans. What’s it like in your neck of the woods? Can you solve the mystery of the missing heels?

Layering necklaces to achieve an extra chunky and playful effect has been in style forever. Coco Chanel sported this look in the 40’s and 50’s while Madonna reinvented the vibe in the early 80’s. It was hip back then and it’s just as hip now if you like the look.

I prefer layered necklaces that make one statement like the examples you see in the pictures above. These are actually all-in-one styles with multiple stands that give the effect of several layers. But there is unifying integrity to the look, which offers a cleaner and more streamlined effect.

The appearance of the layered necklaces below are a little different because it’s as if you’re actually wearing three separate pieces. I don’t fancy this as much but horses for courses, both looks can be worn in a stylish way.

You don’t need to purchase a readymade layered necklace to achieve the aesthetic. It can be created by combining standalone pieces that you already own. I can’t think of any hard and fast rules as to which styles of necklaces work best together. You can mix various metals, stones, shapes, styles and lengths. It’s a question of experimenting and making sure the piece is a flattering combination with your neckline and works well with the rest of your ensemble.

It is past midnight Pacific Standard Time and that means the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is officially underway. For those of us in the United States, this is the sale event of the season. And I’ve found the merchandise particularly good this year, so be sure to check it out.