Whether strolling down the runway, or through the halls to class, the hottest fall fashion trends offer a unique style for both men and women.

A variety of retro looks are making a return, in addition to fresh color and style combinations.

Odysseus Rethis, owner of archetype said there are many different looks for the fall.

“A little bit of everything. Short skirts, animal print, cargo utility looks, [and] shearling leathers,” he said. “Suits are important. Trim, sexy lines.” Rethis also said women do not necessarily have to wear a work suit, but rather a daytime or evening suit. Any pants or skirt paired with a jacket and heels is in style.

archetype is filled with clothing by top designers. “It’s a fashion store. It’s a sexier store.”

“It’s stuff that you’ll see on runways. We carry a lot of the hot lines,” said Rethis.

As seen in the GAP television ads featuring Madonna, the big thing for this season is low rise boot cut pants for women in all colors.

“One of the hot selling items here is the low rise boot cut for men,” said Jonathan Ruberts, GAP sales associate.

The men’s pants are currently available in New York GAP stores, and are being tested in New Haven. The look is supposed to be a restored, pre-broken in jean.

The traditional denim jeans have become more versatile, with different waists and bottoms.

“The newest jeans for women are slim fit. It’s a jean with a low waist and straight leg as opposed to a flair bottom or a boot cut bottom,” said Brian Jerkins, manager.

“Long and Lean jeans pretty much flatter any body type,” Ruberts said.

“Wear them with a really good pair of boots,” Dusenbury advises.

The low-rise look is not just for women anymore.

“For men the waistline is getting lower. The trend in fashion right now is a lower waist on everything,” Jerkins said.

Sailor hats, cordouroy bags and skinny scarves are adding spunk to any outfit. “Accessories are always really huge,” Jerkins commented.

“Skinny scarves are really hot,” said Ruberts.

“You can use it as a belt or a scarf, whatever you want,” said Kristen Dusenbury, manager.

Handkerchief skirts are part of the fall fashion trend, and “denim is always huge for back to school,” according to Amber Westlake, women’s accessories manager.

“Denim has always been important,” Rethis said.

According to fashion merchandisers at Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Wet Seal shirts, pants and jumpsuits with the first initial of a person’s name are making their debut as well.

The hot colors for men’s jeans are a dirty wash or black wash, instead of plain denim.

According to Savo, Urban outfitters is sporting a “very vintage, rock and roll inspired” look for men.

Punk rock belts and vintage t-shirts are part of the men’s style for the new season.

“We’re trying to dress everything in an indie rock fashon,” he said. “There’s an athletic trend too.”

Savo also says the style mirrors the look of British pop, Ashton Kutcher and Justin Timberlake.

For example, “a vintage Tee with a track jacket and a trucker hat,” he said.

A hot thing for men is to pair dress pants with Nike’s and a button down shirt.

“It’s very casual this year; athletic chic,” Savo said.

As for girls, the good-girl look is sexy.

“The look is very preppy: school girl skirts,” said Westlake.

A more risque style is also turning heads this season.

“Short skirts are very in,” said Geralyn Matthews, Wet Seal sales representitive.

According to Westlake, Urban Outfitters carries a lot of Mod, a very sixties look with big plastic jewelry.

“We’re always are very into ironic outfits [such as] a very feminine skirt with ruffles with a track jacket.”

At JCrew, cord, cashmere, denim, and suede are used for all items, and are especially popular with jackets. Peacoats are popular again, in leather and suede.

For men, form fitted and tapered “blazers are also in his year with a leather patch on the elbow. They don’t look old fashioned,” Tywonna Wright, JCrew sales associate.

The style is very retro. Seventies coats and pants and sweatervests are in, layered with a button down shirt or a woven.

According to the Jcrew sales team, basic khakis are popular for the men. The dressy look is also popular this year, along with broken-in chinos and crew neck lambswool sweaters.

“Everything is more fun,” said Riche Cunningham, JCrew sales associate.

The Jcrew sales team suggests wearing trouser pants with heels. Dress them up with a sweater vest, or for a more casual look, pair it with a stretch long sleeve T-shirt and heeled shoes. The clean-cut, professional look is hot for women. Cable knit sweaters and cardigans are being seen on women.

Westlake informed us that colors for the fall are always deeper, although the sixties look includes more bold, primary colors.

According to Vince Savo, men’s manager of Urban outfitters, the hot look is bright clashing colors such as reds, pinks and oranges. Vivid hues are making an appearance for men and women.

“People right now are gong for very bright colors. The item for the fall are red cordouroy pants,” Jerkins said.

“Colors are really bright, reds are really in,” said Megan Chueka, manager of JCrew

Brown, burnt umber, green, and khaki are also seen on the shelves of JCrew.

“Grey is the new black,” said Wright.

“Pink is also really big this year. They have a lot of neurtral colors but they mixed it in with pinks, reds and oranges,” said Chueka.

“They’re putting colors together that wouldn’t normally be put together,” she said.

Bright colors are not only seen on clothing, but on faces as well. Women can finally lay off the tanning booths because pale skin has made a comeback.

The make-up look for the fall is “basically the look of the past. The dark lipstick, the dark eyes and the porceline skin,” said Season Talmadge, counter manager for Clinique.

Fushia is back, along with really shiny lips.

“It’s the glamorous look: Hollywood, Marylin Monroe, back in the eightees. Well defined eyebrows,” she said.

“It’s not a natural look,” Talmadge said.

No outfit is complete without the right pair of shoes.

Tim Byrd, owner of Thom Brown said, “Every toe is in: pointed, round, square,” he said.

“Every shoe has some accessory on it like holes in it, stitching, a flower, a button, a buckle. Nothing is plain.”

“There’s a combination of different heel heights and toes. The shoe-sneaker look is in [as well],” Byrd said.

“What is not really in is the full length boot. The highest it will go up to is he calf. Suede [and] the bowling sneakers are definitely not in,” Byrd said.

As far as athletic shoes and sneakers, “definitely the kangaroos are in again,” Byrd said.