Summer is on its last leg and the stores are clearing out summer clothes racks and emptying shelves for cold weather clothes.

There is still a good month and a half left of baring feet and wearing sleeveless dresses and blouses in our northern climate. So before you think about pulling out heavy socks and long underwear, here's a look at what four local women were clad in one summer day during their break from college.

The women were hanging out at Todd Park waiting for an Austin league softball game to begin. Melisa Brown is a 2001 graduate of Austin High and currently works at Main Street Family Eye Care Center. Melisa does most of her clothes shopping in Austin at Younkers, Maurices and Target.

"I look at style, fit and if an item is on sale. If I like it, I buy it. I like summer, it's more comfortable," Melisa said.

Comfort is the name for these women when purchasing clothing. They don't go for quick fads and the colors they have been drawn to the past year have been neutral tones.

"Last year the color was brown. But this his year I always seem to find myself purchasing clothes in black and white colors," Melisa said.

The women like that it has become popular this year to wear white pants. They have noticed that pink has become more popular like it was during the 1980s. They hope big hair and pulling socks over jeans, other '80s styles, won't become popular again.

One popular trend is baring midriffs. But it is not popular with Andrea Lindgren.

Andrea might wear low-rise pants but she said, "I don't try and show my stomach."

Andrea works at Sacred Heart as a certified nursing assistant. She also does day care. She tries to be frugal with her money because she is going to Riverland Community College.

"When I go shopping, I try and purchase only one item. I don't have a lot of money to spend on clothes so I try and be careful, but it doesn't always work," Andrea said.

The last time she went shopping her good intentions to be frugal went with the wind when her friend Angela Alford convinced her she looked good in all three shirts she tried on. Because Andrea couldn't decide which of the shirts she liked the best, she bought all three.

Andrea's older sister, Marie Lindgren, just returned from teaching English in China. Marie was wearing the ever-popular flip-flops, or thongs, that young women wear with everything from beach wear to formal gowns.

Thongs can be found on the shoe rack in a variety of styles and looks such as with flowers or beading attached. They are made in material such as cloth, synthetic fibers, and leather. Thongs range in prices from $5 to $50.

Marie purchased her black rubber thongs with white piping on the foot strap for 10 cents in China. Angela Alford was wearing a more upscale style of thongs that were cream colored leather with a 2-inch heel. None of the women were big on wearing tennis shoes; sandals and thongs were their preferred foot wear for summer.

As far as pants, the ever-popular denim jeans in a variety of lengths were the women's choices.

Angela was wearing a pair of cropped jeans with five pockets.

"Cropped pants are so cute. My mom purchased a pair just like the ones I am wearing. We got them at American Eagle," Angela said.

Sleeveless blouses, T-shirts with writing and peasant tops with lace trim were what the women were wearing on this warm day. Accessories such as a leather strap with a stone attached makes for a simple necklace. Melisa wore a toe ring to show off her painted red toenails, which are a must to have when baring feet in sandals and thongs. The preferred colors for handbags and cloth belts were earth tones.

The four like to shop with a friend and are constantly looking for sales. It's summertime and the living is easy, an attitude that reflect the way these women dress.

They pull their hair back off their faces, lay out to tan and forget about heavy jackets, mittens and socks for a few months.

Sheila Donnelly can be reached at 434-2233 or by e-mail at :newsroom@austindailyherald.com