Fashion Blog

What to do about hair? Iron it straight or have it mix-master tossed? Wither way is impossible, but to keep the plot simple, first decide whether you want to go short or long.

Short can be anywhere from a brief buzz cut to ear-lobe baring. If your hair curls naturally, let it go. Long can be shoulder-length or beyond.

Either way works. The good news is that fright wigs and other monstrosities are out. Oh, a few flying tendrils are fine and bangs are acceptable.

The good news is that hair does not have to be tortured. If it’s naturally straight, just let it hang. You don’t really have to iron it. And if it’s short hair that appeals to you, you can let it wave. It’s all part of the natural look that makes life easier.

Now color, that’s another story. If you think blondes have more fun, then go to it. But brunettes are fine too.

The big mink coat, swirling to the ankles, has passed its peak as a symbol of luxury and elegance. In its place are objects like pea coats, vests, brief jackets, pullovers and even shirts. Many are in sheared mink, which looks like velvet, but other furs include beaver, squirrel, Mongolian lamb, Persian and broadtail. What most of these styles have in common is they’re casual, but made in fur, not fabric. Many are trimmed with leather.

There are, of course, women who will have nothing to do with fur, whether it is marmot or mink. The only fur they will consider is man-made. Others will make exceptions for furs that are bred, not trapped. Increasingly it is recognized that whether or not to wear fur is a personal issue.

“Trendy” in respect to fashion , usually refers to clothes that are cutting edge, avant garde, off the beaten track or le dernier cri (French still has a lot of appeal in fashion, even if it’s only in language). But recently it has acquired a whole new meaning. Trendy has come to mean twin sweater sets, knee length dress, leather jackets, pants suits.

What’s trendy about those things? Sounds like classics. Exactly. They’re also know as “real clothes.” And that’s what has been selling in stores throughout the country. As women have taken a renewed interest in fashion, they’ve turned to familiar styles that will not make them look strange and, with luck, won’t go out of fashion in a minute.

There’s still room for T-shirts and jeans or khakis, but for serious dressing the classics have developed amazing strength. Along with them are good quality leather handbags, belts and shoes. The only conflicting note is that the shoes tend to have stiletto heels. Well, fashion can’t be sensible all the time.

Fashion counselors and designers will tell you no matter what the season, or even the year, the questions they are asked most frequently by potential customers are the same. They are:

What length should I wear my skirts?

What is the color of the season?

Is it alright to wear pants?

Possibly all the people want is reassurance. Right now the answers are particularly clear cut.

About hemlines, there is no single rule. Upper thigh (micro-mini) and ankle-length are both cutting edge. Around the knee is conservative. Take your choice. Wear them all.

About color. Lime green has had a vogue. Red is almost considered a neutral. Purple is edging in. The truth is there is no single color of the season. Wear what you like.

About pants. There has not been such enthusiasm about pants since Yves Saint Laurent made them fashionable three decades ago. The pants suit is a winner. If you don’t want to fuss about skirt length, if you find them comfortable, wear pants.

It’s obvious that fashion rules are more flexible than they have ever been.

What you wear is pretty much up to you.

Don’t worry about grunge. As fashion trend it was finished before it got started. Who wants to pay designer prices for clothes that look like they were pulled from an trash can? Some young people with style can indeed put themselves together with bits and pieces and look great, but they’re not going to store for those pieces.

Heroin chic hung around a little longer. It took people a little while to recognize what was going on. When they figured out what those lost and lonely mannequins were doing staring blankly into space, they screamed long and loud. What began as a photographers’ ploy to call attention to their pictures was blown out of town.

The stage was set for the newest look which is appearing in fashion photographs all over the world, including the most advanced magazines like German Vogue. It might be the most unexpected. For the aim is to show the models—and the clothes–looking beautiful. Kelly Klein is a foremost exponent of this look and she’s in great demand as a photographer. She is supported by her husband, Calvin. He knows something about trends.

Velvet once meant, almost exclusively, evening dresses. Ball gowns, really. They came mainly in black, but also in some lustrous colors like sapphire, ruby and emerald. Nice if you had jewels to match These were mid-winter dresses.

Sometimes bright red would turn up at Christmas parties. At the first hint of spring, the velvet dresses would go to the back of the closet, to give way to the taffetas and tulles of warm weather.

Velvet has obviously taken a great leap forward. In many directions. Not only can you wear velvet for evening any time you like, but it also turns up in play clothes. Jeans don’t have to be denim. They can be velvet.  So can jumpers and overalls. And a big velvet shirt can be tossed over pants or a skirt. Some velvet styles have an inset of stretch yarn so they fit snugly. The rich, luminous surface of velvet fabrics lends itself to black and those jewel colors. But there are experiments with paler shades like lavender and they look fine too.

Velvet refuses to be pigeon-holed. It’s broken the barriers and is all over the lot.

Don’t expect minimalism to fly away. It’s still the style that reflects our life. But in their spring collections designers everywhere were not adverse to offering a bit of embellishment. Calvin Klein, for instance, took gathers at the top of pants or the bottom of blouses to soften the line of his clothes. Decoration in the form of fringed edges, a little tucking or embroidery turned up often. Occasionally instead of following the lines of the body as closely as a second skin, designers eased up a bit with blousing or even a bit of fullness near the hem. Drawstrings eased the waist of pants and a few wide legs made an appearance.

None of these details are basically changing the shape of the clothes we wear, but they are adding a little softness and design interest. Nobody is ready for a major change.

Everybody wants to know what’s new. But not everybody has to wear it, and certainly not all the things at the same time. But here are some of the ideas that fashion designers endorse, and that stores will feature. But remember, this is not a time for fashion slaves. If it doesn’t suit you, pass it up.

Pants. This is the number one endorsement, for day, night and play. It’s great. But there are some women who don’t feel comfortable in pants. They think their hips are too big, they’re too short, whatever. If you’re one of these, pass it up. There’s no law against skirts, and you can pick them long or short.

Stiletto heels. Well, designers say they make you look sexier. Of course they make you appear taller. But if you can’t walk in them and you feel you’ll break you neck, stick to low heels. Even models stumbled on the runway in stilettos. That isn’t very attractive.

Leather is the buzz word, in everything from strapless dresses to skinny pants. It’s a great look, but if you tend to feel warm in clothes, remember that leather is hot. Stay away from close-fitting styles.

Bright colors. High shades are permissible, even encouraged. So you can find the one you want, whether it’s taxi cab yellow, fuchsia or lime green, among the fashions on display. But remember, your viewers, not to mention yourself, will tire of them. Better stick to color in the form of a blouse or a scarf rather than a suit. It’s why fashion editors wear black so much. It lasts.

It’s been building for some time, but pants will probably reach their zenith this fall. They have overshadowed skirts (of any length) at most fashion houses, including those whose orientation is basically classic.

They have been accepted at most businesses except perhaps in law offices or in companies in the financial areas. The basic fall purchase by most women is expected to be a pants suit or a separate jacket with a pair of pants and a skirt to go with it. It was not always this way. Those with long fashion memories recall when miniskirts were accepted but pants not. Yves Saint Laurent took them out of the garden and the beach resorts in 1968 when he introduced an all-pants collection. The first generation of aspiring women professionals turned down the pants suit in the 1970’s because they felt it was too mannish.

These ideas have dissipated and women are choosing pants because they are more comfortable, less fussy, and with gently fitted jackets quite flattering. In the fall fashion shows, most designers showed them with high heel shoes. That even made them look feminine.

This is the time for choices. Never have there been so diversified. Sure, there have been periods when you could pick the shape of your skirt (slim or full) or the amount of coverage of your bodice (high necked or bare). But today’s choices involve the basic touchstones of fashion. Take hemlines, for instance. They can stop at mid thigh or at the ankles. Both are feasible and so is anything in-between. Above-the-knee looks like the conservative length, but we have to wait and see.

Figure need a little help? Corsets, of course, are still banished. But bras have obviously returned to the fashion scene. And there’s a host of undergarments called “slimmers” or “body shapers.” They’re made of stretch materials and they do control bumps. Don’t call them corsets, though they serve the same purpose.

Tired of sneakers and clunky-heel shoes? Well, high heels are back, though they take some getting used to. The models at the runway shows in New York had a bit of trouble. The spindly heels look newest with pants. Pants have reached their peak of acceptance, welcome any place skirts are. The legs can be wide or narrow, usually uncuffed. The list goes on. Fashion has obviously not settled into a groove. Where will it end, nobody knows. But meanwhile take advantage. Wear what you like.