Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 22, 1992                   TAG: 9203180213
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Tracie Fellers
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MEN'S SPORTSWEAR AIMS FOR COMFORT

Retailers in the Roanoke area are forecasting a cautious season, with emphasis on clothes that even the most traditional men are likely to have in their closets. The sole exception may be silk shirts in a range of colors - and even those have found a place in the mainstream of men's fashion over the past couple of years.

Look for the following items to make a strong showing in Southwest Virginia:

Oversized button-down oxford shirts and knit shirts. "The young folks' influence on loose, baggy clothing is going to carry over again," said John Norman president Jeff Wendell. "The baggy shirt is almost the norm in sportswear."

Speaking of one oversized cotton jersey shirt in particular, Wendell added: "Even a traditional guy likes it because it's comfortable. He can throw it in the washing machine and the hottest dryer, and it never shrinks enough to get too small."

In knit shirts, watch for the "weathered" shades that made such a splash last year. They give knits a washed, worn-for-years appearance.

Shorts. From plain-front to pleated, denim to cotton, shorts are among the season's most essential buys. "That's probably my most important category," said Becky Garland, sportswear buyer for Davidsons Outdoors.

Chambray, madras and rugby shirts.

Pleated pants in cotton twill from perennial favorites Duck Head and B.D. Baggies.

The return of plain-front pants. Ralph Lauren's are in cotton twill, with a full fit.

V-neck sweaters in lightweight cotton. "This time last year, we were showing no Vs at all," said Mitchell's manager Tom Hudson. But now, "the Vs seem to be a trend." - TRACIE FELLERS