Staying fashionable in a recession seems like it would be impossible to do, but it is actually very easy. The key is to build a versatile base wardrobe with pieces of clothing that will last, that will coordinately easily with the other pieces in your wardrobe and that can be accessorized. Your base wardrobe will carry you from season to season and fashion trend to fashion trend and will allow you to quickly and inexpensively update your wardrobe each season with only one or two minor purchases.

The Base Wardrobe
Your base wardrobe is what will be the heart of your fashion statement. These pieces won't be show stoppers on their own, but they will provide you with the base on which to build a great looking and fashionable ensemble. Your base wardrobe will include a great fitting pair of dark denim jeans that are the right shape and fit for your body type, camisoles of various colors, a structured jacket in a neutral color, a pair of black dress pants, a black pencil skirt, a pair of black pointy toed heels and a collection of neutral colored pants and tops.

Jazzing Up Your Seasonal Wardrobe
Since your base wardrobe is constructed with clothing items that have neutral colors, you will jazz up your seasonal wardrobe by buying colorful accent pieces that have the colors that are "in" for the season. For example, if you are trying to update your spring wardrobe, you can buy scarves, tops or skirts that have pastel colors that are in this spring. These pieces can be used with your base wardrobe pieces to create a variety of new outfits that will look fresh, crisp and fashion-forward for the current season.

Accessorizing on a Budget
If you have pieces that will work for this season then you can upgrade or update your wardrobe by purchasing a few simple accessories. By adding accessories like a great pair of earrings, a necklace or a simple scarf, you can turn a basic outfit constructed from a tank top and a pencil skirt into an outfit that is appropriate for work, a night on the town or a beach picnic. The key is to select items that have colors that will work with more than one piece or outfit in your wardrobe and also make a statement.

If a casual girls’ night out is on your list of things to do, then toss on a black O’Neill tank with your favorite pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans. You can ward off the spring chill with a Gabriella Rocha trenchand show off your personality with a pair of sassy Charles David wedges! Don’t forget to throw your favorite Stila lip gloss in a ruched Francesco Biasia handbag before you run out the door!

See another outfit featuring this Gabriella Rocha trench!

See another outfit featuring these 7 for All Mankind jeans!

See another outfit featuring these Charles David wedges!

See another outfit featuring this O'Neill Tank Top

*One-size-fits-all clothing*? It's a concept that I have hated all of my life. I was always too tall -- too something -- to really take advantage of clothing with this kind of tag. So, I had to pay the extra money in order to get a similar item that fit. Yet, through the years, I have learned that sometimes one size actually does fit all.

For women, the idea of one size fitting all can be translated into clothing items or accessories that accentuate every gal's wardrobe. Regardless of your shape or size, they upgrade or increase our fashion clout. Below is a list of the top five. They are items you should consider adding to your wardrobe this year.

A New Headband
They are bejeweled, checkered, patterned, zigzagged and complement a variety of hairstyles and face shapes. You should add an array of headbands to your accessory drawer to help on those bad hair days.

A Classic Pair of Jeans
They can carry you through a variety of social situations. Match a cute tee and pair of sneakers with a pair of jeans for the big game or a pretty blouse and pair of heels for a date.

A Little Black Dress
You can dress it up with a scarf, necklace or pin. It can be your signature outfit for events or that stand in when you can't find the right outfit.

A Pair of Diamond Hoop Earrings
Whether you get a pair that's big or small, they add a bit of flare to an outfit. Don't sleep on this tip, especially if you have a tendency to look outdated.

A Pretty Pair of Sandals
Forget about buying another classic pump. Invest your money in a pretty pair of sandals. Matched them with a fresh manicure and pedicure to upgrade almost any look.

Purchase these five items and you will start your 2009 out right and in style.

Did you know that the first pair of jeans in 1873 were marked as work pants? They were the new, sturdy bottoms for laborers. You could get them in two colors: brown cotton "duck" and indigo blue. Strictly designed for men, it would take almost 90 years for these pants to turn into the fashion staples they are today. However, thanks to the baby boomers, by the early 60's, both men and women were wearing jeans for any and every occasion. Yet, even with all of the changes in their image, the same problem has always surrounded jeans. What is it? Finding jeans that fit properly and also look good.

Finding a pair of jeans that perfectly fits one's body and looks good is almost like searching for a needle in a haystack. Regardless of your size, height or sex, it is easy to go wrong. As a result, you can quickly go from looking "fab" to "drab" if you wear the wrong pair of jeans. Here are a few clothing rules to help you:

Go classic or trendy
Wear jeans that are either timeless or in-line with the current fad. Both will make you look current. Even if you can still fit into those jeans you used to wear 20 years ago, it's not cool to actually do it. It will make you look out-of-touch.

Don't be a stickler for numbers
Forget about staying within your prescribed size in clothing. Try on jeans above and below your normal clothing size to make sure you get a pair that fits. Clothes makers use models and different numbers for each size. So, a size 5 in Levis is not the same as a size 5 in True Religion.

Buy jeans that hide flaws
If you have a big belly, purchase jeans with tummy control panels. If you've got a lot of junk in the trunk, buy jeans with no pockets in the back. In other words, pick out jeans that hide figure flaws and flatter your body.

Pick a flattering color
If black makes you look washed out, don't purchase a pair of jeans in this color no matter how popular it is. These days, you can get a pair of jeans in every color of the rainbow. So pick the hue that looks best on you. It will be the color that makes your outfit come alive.

If you follow these rules, you'll look great in the jeans you wear. When you walk down the aisle at work, you'll be working it in a way that the creators of this attire never imagined years ago.

Who wears short shorts? Celebrities do, that's who. So many celebrities have been seen walking around this summer in short shorts. I guess if they have the body, which they do, why not show it off? There are a couple different trends for the shorts among them.

People like Nicole Richie, Kate Moss, and Nicky Hilton have sported the frayed look for their short shorts. To get this look, all you have to do is cut a pair of your jeans into tiny little shorts and wash in the washing machine and they will come out with the fray on the bottom of them. Pair your frayed short shorts with a tunic or sleeveless tank and you are all set. And then you too can look like a celebrity.

Another trend with the short shorts with celebrities are the cuffed shorts. Stars such as Hayden Panettiere, Audrina Patridge, Mariah Carey, and Lindsay Lohan have all sported cuffed short shorts. But beware! Some of the shorts these celebs have been wearing cost $160 and much more. A little much for a pair of barely there shorts, right?

Dressing like a celebrity does not have to cost as much as you think it would. You can get a pair of 575 Denim shorts for just $117!

A couple of celebrities have come out with clothing lines and accessories that can fit into most people's budgets, and they even wear the clothing themselves. Amanda Bynes has released a clothing line for a store called Steve and Barry's, in which nothing is over $30. Amanda was seen wearing one of her blue strapless dresses from her own line. The dress only retails for $11. Another celebrity that has come out with affordable fashion is Tori Spelling. She sells affordable jewelry on the Home Shopping Network. She comes up with inexpensive costume jewelry that she also wears herself. So, who says that you have to break the bank to look like a celebrity, instead just buy the celebrities' fashions that they sell.