Long, open front cardigans have been warmly welcomed into women’s wardrobes this season. As the air in San Marcos begins to turn crisp and hint at the first signs of fall, fashion-forward students have embraced this new trend on Palomar’s campus.

Long cardigans appeal to a wide variety of women because they come in a number of different styles, colors, materials, and lengths. Stores carry thin knit types for breezy days and thick, chunky sweaters for those rare days when the temperature actually dips below seventy degrees in southern California. Although they come in lengths from just below the hip to just below the ankle, popular cardigan lengths on campus tend to fall between the hip and knee.

This wardrobe staple can be combined with pieces that are already in your closet to update your look, or be used to showcase bold seasonal trends. Choose a cardigan in a simple style and neutral color to increase its versatility.

Before you spend your hard-earned cash on brand new clothes, check your closet for tops in styles, colors, and prints that reflect current fall trends. According to fashionsnoops.com, the hottest colors this fall are black, charcoal, butterscotch, copper, navy, scarlet, and cobalt. Favored prints include tribal and leopard patterns. Pair old pieces in these colors and prints with a long cardigan to create a trendy, modern outfit.

Accessories are also a great and often inexpensive way to keep up with fall trends. A cardigan with an open front design works well as a frame for eye-catching accessories. Brooches, chokers, collars, layered necklaces, pendants, and U-shaped crescent necklaces are all popular styles this season that are flawlessly displayed when worn with a long, open front cardigan.

Now that the weather has finally taken a chilly turn on campus, cozy up to this toasty trend and let your inner fashionista run wild with creative ways to wear a long cardigan this fall.