Shopping Your Closet: Leggings

From our friends at CollegeCandy:

Fall merchandise will be arriving in stores over the next few weeks, and while it may be tempting to run out and get a whole new back to school wardrobe, don’t! Wait for sales to begin, and shop in your closet instead.

One item that the majority of college girls have in their closets are leggings. The great thing about leggings, like this pair by Plan B from Bloomingdale’s, is that they can be worn with practically anything. Here are three outfit ideas that use leggings to take your summer outfits into fall:

1. Pair a summery tank top with leggings and a cropped jacket for a a chic yet simple fall look. The tank will keep the look from getting too severe, but the jacket is there to warm those shoulders (seeing as the temps will drop into cold territory quite fast). For shoes, pick flats, ankle boots, or knee-high boots.

Jacket: Corey Lynn Calter, $86.40 at Chickdowntown.com; top: Charlotte Russe, $18.99; leggings: Merona by Target, $9.99; boots: BCBGirls, $76.24 at Endless.com.

2. Layer a cozy sweater over a summer dress with leggings. Cinch your waist with a belt to give it some shape.

Sweater: Spiegel, $39; belt: Arden B, $19.50; dress: Forever 21, $17.50; leggings: Arden B, $18; boots: Aldo, $110.

3. Wear summer’s flowing tunics throughout the fall with leggings and boots.

Green tunic: Forever 21, $17.80; Blue tunic: Forever 21, $22.80; leggings: Arden B, $18; boots: Steve Madden, $99 at Lord and Taylor.

So cute, so easy, and so cheap. Save that money for something more useful… like a pair of these.