Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 24, 1991 TAG: 9103220479
SECTION: SPRING FASHION PAGE: E-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By TRACIE FELLERS/ STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There's one article of clothing that spells certain chic this spring, and it's everywhere.
Dominating the glossy pages of fashion magazines. Showing up in the windows of your favorite places to shop. And soon to be in your closet.
It's the dress, and retailers from New York to Roanoke are saying it's the season's standout.
Dresses have been making strides toward the front lines of fashion for several seasons. But now - with a vast selection of styles to suit every figure, age group and budget - they clearly take command over suits and separates like jackets, pants, skirts and blouses.
Whether you're drawn to the pared-down simplicity of a classic chemise or the sheer practicality of the jacket dress, spring's fresh frocks are a sure bet for the office as well as weekend outings.
One fashion writer calls the dress "the wardrobe equivalent of one-stop shopping." It's easy to see why. Zip into a dress, throw on a pair of earrings, slide into your shoes, grab your purse and you're out the door.
Lisa Williams, special events coordinator for Roanoke's Leggett stores, said dresses are strong this spring in "every color you can possibly imagine" - particularly in the season's signature brights and whites.
Shoppers also should look for shorter dresses this spring, Williams said. "Shorter hemlines are definitely creeping back out. We're getting a lot of short dresses."
However, Williams adds that women who prefer longer lengths won't be left out. "I'm sure we're going to carry a little bit of both."
A tendency toward showing lots of leg is just part of a '60s spirit in dresses that continues to hold strong this season after its introduction last spring. The industry has embraced everything from micro-minis to Pucci-esque prints.
But the era that left lasting memories of pillbox hats and political upheaval is wielding more fashion power than ever when it comes to frocks.
There are structured A-lines, sheaths, jacket dresses and other understated yet elegant silhouettes reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy Onassis' trend-setting '60s style.
Kay's, a shop in Roanoke's Picadilly Square, has a dress that's tailor-made for this decidedly feminine feeling: Gillian's coppery brown silk dress, sprinkled with white polka dots and accented with a draped neckline and long, flowing skirt, is pure romance.
Kay's owner Kay Lugar calls it "the Audrey Hepburn dress," while Kay's employee Virginia Trinkle dubs it the " `Pretty Woman' dress" because it resembles the demure dotted style Julia Roberts wore in the hit movie. Either way, it exemplifies spring's fresh new femininity.
Short and swingy looks take a different approach. Trapeze dresses start with narrow shoulders and end with wide hems. Delicate baby doll dresses, in fabrics including chiffon and lace, are worn over leggings or slip dresses for a winsome girlish look.
Color blocking - large sections or squares of contrasting colors placed side-by-side - is another prevalent detail reminiscent of '60s style. The look re-emerged last fall, and Williams predicts it will take off this season.
Finally, for the fit and confident, there are snug little cotton and Lycra numbers in bright yellow, orange and oh-so-'60s prints, like the Adrienne Vittadini dresses available at Thalhimers.
"These things are supposed to fit real tight and short," said Peggy Lyons, special events coordinator for the chain's Roanoke and Lynchburg stores. "You've really got to have a good body to wear these."
Your figure's a little less than fabulous, you say? Why worry?
The wedge, a dress with wide shoulders and a narrow hem, hides flaws and looks terrific at the same time - especially in a dynamic color like Joan Raines' brilliant tangerine. Raines' dress, accented with rhinestone buttons and available at Frances Kahn, is a knockout.
So when you're ready for spring shopping, slide by the suits, bypass the slacks and slip into a new dress - it'll put spring in your step.
by CNB