As spring wrestles winter to stake its claim on our lives, I've noticed a flood of trends as I start shopping for warmer-weather clothes.

Boyfriend jeans, cardigans and oversized tees in bright colors are becoming just as fashionable as the thigh-baring minidresses, short shorts and plunging necklines.

Not that showing skin is out, but casual, cutesy options are hitting the fashion stores. Alongside Daisy Dukes, you can find longer, loose-fitting Bermuda shorts. Even the long, flowing maxi dress and colorful, one-piece jumpsuits that are big this season don't cling too tightly.

When it's financially important to shop for pieces that can transition through the seasons, it's nice to have options. And some fashionistas think these alternatives are a direct sign of the times.

"Right now, money is tight," says Carman Stalker, owner of WearHaus boutique and fashion market in Kansas City, Mo. "People are more particular about what they buy, and they want their purchase to last.

"People aren't looking to spend $100 on something outrageous and trendy that they can only wear once, when they can buy a few classic pieces that they can do more with."

Janette Crawford, the blogger behind www.fashionlovespeople.com, says people are repurposing the clothes they already have, and when they buy, they get what they need.

"Creativity and design are even more important, and what we're getting is more practical and down-to-earth. We're designing classics again the necessities."

Designers are breathing new life into timeless pieces like T-shirts and jeans with flattering cuts, different lengths and bold, bright colors.

People are turning long tees into dresses by adding belts and leggings. Put a party blazer on a jumpsuit, and you can wear it all year long. Hard times breed creativity and the need for comfort.

So as we start to see the new fashions, we'll still see haute couture that wows us. But some of these things the long, soft tees, the maxi dresses and the relaxed but still flattering pants are about affordable fashions that allow the chic to be comfortable.

After all, wrapping up in a cardigan is second best to a warm blanket on the couch.