Three fashion elements for midwinter

NEW YORK (AP) -- It's the season of fashion doldrums.
Fall clothes are looking a little "last season," and it's too cold to wear the spring styles with which stores are tempting shoppers.
The January issue of Harper's Bazaar offers three ideas to spruce up your look: vests, petticoats, and black-and-white combinations.
The vest, according to the magazine, adds a tailored element to a casual look. It can be worn alone or over a blouse. Kate Moss is shown wearing one over a lace top paired with jeans, and Gwyneth Paltrow uses a black one -- with her bra peeking out the top -- as part of a sexy outfit with fitted, cropped pants and a bow belt.
Petticoats give a flirtatious kick to a cocktail dress or a tailored skirt. If you don't happen to have a petticoat handy, a tulle skirt will do.
Wearing black and white together will give you a jump on the spring trend of sharp color contrasts, Bazaar's editors say. It's also one of the easiest combinations to pull off, because it can be casual, office-worthy or formal. Wear the white on the part of the body you want to highlight, black where you'd want a little camouflage.