Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 24, 1991 TAG: 9103210396
SECTION: SPRING FASHION PAGE: E-18 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By Tracie Fellers/ Staff writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Spring isn't a season for serious clothes.
And when it moves into summer, most of us aren't in the mood for clothes that are fussy or constricting. We just want to be cool and comfortable.
So the time couldn't be better for taking a look at fashions with a highly developed sense of fun.
"In my store, I know there's a different attitude for spring and summer than there is for fall and winter," says G.G. MaGann owner Gayle Stephens.
Of course, with the recently ended Persian Gulf War and the continuing recession, life has been more somber than sunny this winter.
That's all the more reason to adjust your attitude.
Though designers put the finishing touches on spring creations long before the war started, Stephens sees a connection between a carefree spirit in clothes and the mood of the country.
"Maybe that's why everything is so light . . . like a lot of the little leggings or shorts or sun dresses," she says. "They're not expensive pieces of clothing, and it's an inexpensive way to boost your spirits."
Frances Kahn manager Rose Dauphin looks at it in practical terms: "You want to wear fun things after such a serious day, don't you think?" she asks. `You work all day long or you're with your kids and your families. You want to wear something that's enjoyable and that makes you feel good."
Even males, who as a group are more stodgy when it comes to clothes, are "looking for something that's new and exciting and fresh and appealing," says Dave McManaway, sportswear and furnishings buyer for the area's Davidsons stores.
Nautica's T-shirt and cotton poplin swimsuit with a Roanoke Island motif - available at Davidsons - fit all those criteria.
Even those with a tenuous grasp of geography could probably tell you the island is in North Carolina. But that's OK. When the "R" word appears on an attractive ensemble in any form, the outfit is sure to get the attention of fashionable Southwest Virginians.
For many people, comfort dictates whether an outfit is fun to wear. "Comfort is a big factor in my customers' purchases - and longevity," says E.I. Randle president Diana Vaughan. Silk and cotton garments are good examples. They're popular with shoppers because they can be worn year-round, she says.
"If I wrapped one cotton sweater for Christmas, I wrapped a hundred," Vaughan says.
Knits are also big sellers - because "they're comfortable and they're easy to take care of. People like the way they feel," Vaughan says.
It's no surprise that comfort becomes a bigger concern in summer, when rising temperatures make it hard to keep your cool.
"June and July, it's just so hot that you don't want to be bothered with a lot," Stephens says.
"I think for summer, people want inexpensive things that look good" and are easy to care for, she adds. "I mean easy care - you can throw them in the washing machine at the beach and wear them again."
by CNB