ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 23, 1996 TAG: 9609240088
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Your parents may look to Paris, but kids are turning to Nickelodeon television when they want fashion information.
Those all-night reruns of old sitcoms, such as ``The Brady Bunch,'' ``Welcome Back, Kotter'' (starring a very young John Travolta), ``Mary Tyler Moore,'' ``Rhoda'' and even the ``Sonny and Cher'' variety show have introduced a whole new generation to polyester, flared pants and A-line dresses, say retail fashion experts.
``Peace, love, hip-huggers, corduroy and disco - they recall memories,'' said fashion consultant Maureen Wright of Mervyn's California. ``This year, the resurgence of these '70s trends will make it hard to know whether it's 1996 or 1976 when you look at a room of students.''
Talk about time warp. ``A few years ago teens would have laughed at the clothes of the '70s,'' said Laura Cervone, T.J. Maxx fashion consultant. ``Times have changed, however, and now floppy collars, hipsters and stretchy polyester knits have invaded the market.''
Allan Boitnott, a manager at the J.C. Penny store in Tanglewood mall, said the Brady Bunch fashion trend is definitely popular in Roanoke.
"For the '70s look, it's polyester tops for girls and bowling-type shirts for boys." Of course, these are being worn with wide-leg jeans or corduroys.
He also said that, as the weather gets cooler, velvet and velour tops are replacing the polyester ones that were favorites this summer.
Sears spokeswoman Mary Kwan said many of the TV shows - current hits as well as reruns - have affected children's' clothing. She cited ``Seinfeld'' as a major influence, zeroing in on the open-collar club shirts favored by the sitcom's thrift-shop-loving character, Kramer.
Of course, all this new fashion awareness will cost your parents more money than in previous years, but Kwan said she believes the new styles are worth it because they're more parent-friendly.
J.C. Penney spokesman Don Scaccia even calls it the ``final proof that grunge is dead'' and applauds the movie ``Clueless'' for bringing back classic clothes.
The classic looks he and Kwan are talking about are updated versions of what your parents wore in high school and college: corduroy pants, skorts and A-line jumpers; argyle sweater sets (now in washable acrylics); and plaid skirts and pants paired with matching jackets, as well as nonmatching prints (for that geek-chic look). Also try polyester hip huggers and body-fitting, lace-up shirts (think ``Saturday Night Fever''), turtleneck sweaters, khaki flat-front (nonpleated) pants and overdyed black or deep indigo jeans worn close to the body instead of two sizes too big.
Even shoes this fall are '70s-inspired.
``Shoe silhouettes for boys and girls range from hearty lug-sole boots, chunky oxfords and sandals to penny loafers and multistrap Mary Janes with square toes and chunky heels,'' according to Lou Lynn, who is in charge of children's shoes for J.C. Penney stores.
She added that clogs, a '70s favorite with both boys and girls, will be returning. Clogs are clunky slip-on shoes often worn with socks,
As for accessories, anything decorated with flowers or smiley faces are hot items in Roanoke stores, according to Debbie Grisso, a manager at Goody's.
Popular choices to put the finishing touch on that outfit include big, chunky rings made of clear blue plastic, decorative hair pins, Y-necklaces, tiny earrings, oversize movie star sunglasses, headbands, floral chiffon neckerchiefs, tiny patent leather purses with handles. For fingernails, blue is still hot, but black, gold, pewter and purple metallic shades are the warming trend.
Boys, as usual, aren't big on accessories. Brown leather belts with khakis or corduroy trousers are in; suspenders are out. Zip-front or lace-up pullovers and turtleneck sweaters are it. Even button-down shirts with ties are making a comeback with teens. One detail to note is the white T-shirt that's once again visible under open-collar shirts and henleys. It looks great with suede oxfords, saddle shoes and penny loafers.
For the fashion-impaired who need extra help in pulling their look together, there's plenty of after-school help on the tube. In addition to sitcom reruns, savvy students can pick up fashion tips on ``Clueless,'' ABC's new sitcom based on last year's hit film. And for those of you who can't make a fashion move alone, you can consult those '70s fashion whizes Marcia and Greg Brady. Check out ``A Very Brady Sequel,'' which is playing in local theaters.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ROGER HART STAFF Platform shoes, bell-bottom pants andby CNBtie-dye T-shirts, fashion rages of the '90s, bring back memories of
the '60s and '70s. Dressed in style are Lucy Addison Middle School
pupils (from left) Marquith Witherspoon, a seventh-grader; Ashley
Easley, a sixth-grader; and Gloria Moyer, who is in seventh grade.
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