Bargain shoppers alert! With post-Christmas markdowns, you can find the best fashion deals of the year at department stores, boutiques and online shopping sites. Look for these five essentials for 2014 and you’ll not only amp up a tired cold-weather wardrobe, but also get a jump on spring styles.

1. The Jeans. Slim-fitting jeans and jeggings that hit at, or slightly, above the ankle will remain the dominant look in fashion for the next few seasons. “A slim silhouette on the bottom gives you more options for tops,” says Los Angeles–based fashion stylist Adeel Khan, who loves the new animal-print jeans that are arriving in neutral and bright colors. “Skip the wide-leg jeans. They can look dated fast,” he says. If animal prints are too trendy for your taste, look for deals on fall’s skinny plum, wine or washed pink jeans from makers such as Joe’s, Rag & Bone or Guess.

2. The Jacket. Save your jean jacket for the dude ranch and pick up a polished blazer. Black is a classic, but Khan suggests selecting a bold color, especially white. “It adds light to your outfit and will stand out in a good way,” he says. This year’s modern twist is the schoolboy blazer. Its nipped waist, shrunken proportions in luscious fabrics such as velvet, satin or deeply colored wool make it a chic topper over slim jeans. J.Crew and Banana Republic offer them in velvet; Anthropologie in rich woolens.

3. The Fun Top. Makers including Banana Republic, J.Crew and Diesel are offering sparkly, slouchy tops. You can find sequined T-shirts and cardigans, or blousy tank tops shot through with metallic threads. A must for a glam look: “You can also wear a night piece casually for day,” says Phoenix stylist Fawn Cheng. Try a sequined bolero with a plaid shirt and jeans for edgy daywear. Skip looks that are like a solid sheet of sequins, says Khan, and keep your accessories basic, like a big ring and simple studs.

Fashion bloggers have made it even more fun to peruse the Web looking for new ways to pair pieces together from season to season. These four stylishly chic social media personalities show how to do December street style from their own fashionable perspective.

The Look: Plaid in the City   

The Blogger: Lisa Moore, Mona Lisa Marie

“Spending a beautiful Sunday with friends calls for a casual but warm outfit including a plaid scarf that I can’t stop wearing. I’m mad for plaid this season.”

The Look: Holiday Alternative

The Blogger: Jenny Cao-Wu, Cao Bella

“I thought I would show an alternative take on holiday style, featuring track pants and a vintage, sheer kimono top.  I think it’s good to know what else you can wear to holiday events other than dresses because unless you have an unlimited budget, it’s hard to have enough clothes to last all season if you don’t want to recycle the same looks over and over.”

The Look: Knits & Leather

The Blogger: Lillian Babaian, Studs & Sapphires

“Life is too deep for words, so don't try to describe it -- just live it. That’s how I feel when I’m wearing this look with a touch of warmth from my sweater and scarf to a little edge with my leather skirt.”

The Look: Classic Trench Chic

The Blogger: Maria Von Losch, Savvynista

“Two staple investment pieces every woman should own is a great pair of fitted black pants in a heavier fabric so they’ll last and a khaki trench coat. For fun, I added a pop of burgundy/crimson/maroon/wine/bordeaux ... whatever you want to call it, this is a must-have color in your wardrobe for fall and winter.”

It’s always hard to say good-bye to summer. But a new season brings with it a chance to reinvent your wardrobe. This fall, fashion is taking a turn toward the playful. Forget outfits of solid black. Instead, embrace color, prints, patterns and texture. Here, fall fashion picks from four of our favorite fashionistas. 

1. Dark Florals

“Florals are a summer staple, but this fall you're able to rock your favorite pattern into the colder months with darker blends.” -- Bianca Kofman, Just Ask B

2. Wide-Leg Pants

“While I’m a huge fan of skinny jeans, sometimes it’s nice to mix it up. Wide-leg pants are an easy way to switch up your look. When wearing a wide-leg pant, be sure to keep your tops and jackets fitted and tight. The classic rule definitely applies here: When doing one end big, do the other end small to balance out your outfit.” -- Erin Micklow, stylist 

3. Houndstooth Prints

“Houndstooth is a classic print that never seems to go out of style. A touch of houndstooth added to your fall ensemble will really make you stand out in a crowd. Très chic!” -- Erin Micklow, stylist

4. Mixed Textures

“For me, fall is all about textures. Not just what you feel, but what you see. I love the geometric patterns that are a continuation of the color blocking, taking it to the next level. I also see some great looks continuing to mix non-traditional fabrics -- chiffon with wool, silk with denim. These pairings are perfect for transition weather. Another great coupling: leather or suede with anything!” -- Lori Hirons, Contessa's Crushes

5. Anything in Burgundy

“A color I'm obsessed with is burgundy! I'm especially loving what the Frye company is doing with the color in their gorgeous boots!” -- Ali Levine, Hollywood stylist

7. Clutch Bags

“Who says fall has to be all about dark, dreary colors? Make your darks pop with a colorful clutch bag! They’re super chic, and uber fashionable for any occasion. So, if you can get through your day without some of the junk from your giant tote bags, lighten your load with a wild clutch!” -- Erin Micklow, stylist 

8. Wedge Sneakers

“Give yourself a lift for the illusion of longer legs while staying casual this fall with a pair of wedge sneakers. These fun and funky shoes will keep you comfortable and in style while you motor around the city.” -- Erin Micklow, stylist

9. Half Gloves

“Half gloves are one of my favorite accessories. They’re great for fall because they’ll keep your fingertips warm on a brisk autumn evening, while spicing up your outfit. You can find them in a rainbow of colors and in synthetic or genuine leather.” -- Erin Micklow, stylist

Now that the outrage over Miley Cyrus’ R-rated performance has finally died down, we’re taking a look at some of the VMAs fashion you might actually want to copy. Here are our three favorite ensembles of the night. Whether you’re hitting the red carpet or going out on the town with your BFFs, you can easily translate these trends to work for you.

1. Taylor Swift’s chic bandage dress

We’re loving the fact that country crooner Taylor Swift has been taking a lot more risks on the red carpet as of late. For the VMAs, she totally blew us away in a stunning midnight blue bandage dress with a plunging neckline by Herve Leger. While sexy, we think it struck just the right note between va-va-voom and sophisticated. To channel the look yourself, try a basic black bandage skirt, like this one from BCBG, paired with an embellished tucked-in navy tank and statement pumps.

2. Ariana Grande’s bold floral print frock

Fall may be creeping right around the corner, but as rising star Ariana Grande proved at the VMAs some floral prints are perfect year around. We love how feminine, flirty and not-just-for-spring her bold Kenley Collins frock is. Steal the look with this fab, floral print True Decadence Skater Dress from ASOS. Styled with black tights and matching ankle booties for autumn, it’s too cute. 

3. Shailene Woodley’s cool crop top ensembe

While Cyrus twerked it out in her bedazzled midriff-baring ensemble, actress Shainlene Woodley kept things classy in an enviable Emilio Pucci black crop top and colorful beaded skirt combo. We really dig this getup for a dressed-up night of dancing. Recreate the look at home by pairing Sabine’s chic Carolina Geo Sequin Mini Skirt with a simple black cropped tank, like this one from Nasty Gal.

How do fashion bloggers pull together their looks in real life? With lots of originality, some daring combinations and a mix of vintage, high fashion and bargain finds. Here’s a look at the street style of five top fashionistas and, in this own words, how they made it work.

The Look: Denim and Silk Chiffon

The Blogger:  Maria Von Losch, Savvynista

“Pairing a fun printed denim short like this one from Paige Denim with lace-up ankle-strap heels and a super-femme blouse is the epitome of Cali Girl style. I’m big on color and prints in the summer, and this look incorporates both with enough versatility to take you anywhere.” -- Maria

The Look: Black on Black

The Blogger: Tanya Thamkruphat, Chic That

“My best summer street style has been my all-black outfit since black is "in" this summer. In this photo, I wear black, perforated leggings, a long sheer black tunic and leopard pointy flats with gold studs. I love my freshly curled hair that I parted sideways. It was a very sleek yet light complement to my outfit.” -- Tanya

The Look: Prints Mash-Up

The Blogger: Ali Levine, ALD #Fashion Passion

“This summer’s street style is all about mixing and matching prints. Here, in a photo I styled for the magazine Glamaholic, actress Joey King rocks the mix-and-match look. The pockets of the shirt go beautifully with her graphic shorts. Her hair is also a great example of street style because it’s simple and everyday unfussy.”  -- Ali 

The Look:  Boho with an Edge

The Blogger:  Elizabeth Mitchell, The Neon Blonde

“This is one of my favorite summer outfits! I love how the lavender color of my pleated shorts looks paired with my bright-blue belt and Alexander Wang purse. Then the hat just tops it off perfectly. As far as my hair goes, I decided to try out pink hair chalk for the first time, so I'm really digging how the color works with my vintage waves.” -- Elizabeth

Photo by Ayo Ogunseinde on Unsplash