THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 29, 1994 TAG: 9409290038
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MONIQUE WILLIAMS SPECIAL TO THE DAILY BREAK
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
WAVE GOODBYE to the waif. The Kate Moss look is dead.
The model who was accused of singlehandedly causing anorexia in the women of this country is being tossed aside like a rag doll.
This season is being hailed by designers as the season of the curvaceous woman, the woman with some meat on her bones and even hips (as in Cindy Crawford, not Roseanne).
Call it a backlash, but the new muse is a strong, healthy model with Barbie doll proportions and legs that begin somewhere up high in her body cavity and end when they finally reach earth. Her name is Nadja Auerman - a 6-foot West Berlin beauty with a halo of white hair and a don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-deck-you attitude. Nothing vulnerable about this babe - she's all business.
``People have rejected the waif look and the '70s look,'' says Deborah Carr, owner of the Cage in Virginia Beach, who's glad to see a new direction in fall fashions.
Jim Fields, owner of Lili's of Ghent in Norfolk, agrees, saying ``Clothes got so boring for a while. Women are not going to buy dumb, overpriced basics.''
The new put-together look isn't a return to the '80s with quarter-back shoulders and pushed up chests nor is it about ruffles and flourishes. It is a soigne look that lets a woman put her own kind of glamour into clothes.
``Women want to assert themselves in a tasteful and sexy way,'' says Fields, ``and they are not afraid of being noticed.''
The repressed and depressed look of the past year - particularly the unflattering Depression and empire-waistline look - is exiting the fashion scene in a hurry, making room for a slimmer, closer-to-the-body, tailored look in jackets, pants, long and short skirts.
``Minimalism is dead,'' says Carr, ``and I am glad. I love clean lines, but I also love a little bit of stitching and some detail.''
A most noticeable change comes in accessories. The tiny, dainty look of cameos and chokers has disappeared, making way for strong, bold accessories. Shoes, hats and scarves are found in luscious cranberries, aubergines and chocolate browns.
Fields says that in his store, women are snatching dramatic accessories such as '40s-style hats, tassel belts and anything with faux fur trims.
``There is a thirst for glamour,'' he says. ``Women are concentrating on looking more feminine and more intriguing.''
And this season offers just that. Long, cinched-at-the waist riding-style or Nehru jackets worn with sexy sheer lace tank tops or camisoles are the rage everywhere.
The better ones are full of exquisite detailing such as velvet trims, frog closures, French cuffs and great buttons.
Invest in one that's an entrance-maker in a color that'll go with most of your wardrobe and forget about the rest of them. It'll cost you a pretty penny but will instantly update your wardrobe.
If you own beautiful blouses, store them for when they come back (you know they will), because this season's look is about wearing little or nothing under your fitted jacket.
``It's very easy to wear a good fitted jacket,'' says Carr of the Cage. ``It can be worn with long or short skirts or with pants.''
Apropos pants. Although slim pants like riding pants are in, the much-loved stirrups are out.
``It's a look that hit real hard,'' says Carr, ``because it's a slim and clean look, and women liked that look.''
Don't despair though. If you own several pairs, you can still wear them with tall boots or short booties for a very with-it look.
Both color and texture are back with a vengeance, and we are not talking about some namby-pamby kind of shades. Bright reds, bright fuchsias and purples are found on nubby, textured jackets. With this much brightness, you'd want to wear them with head-to-toe black.
Both quilted fabrics and soft boucles are a wonderful addition to a winter wardrobe. But if you're very short or overweight, they'll add weight to your frame. Stick to slimming fabrics without bulk or texture.
Animal prints are making a comeback after a very short absence, and faux fur trims are the new detailing on suits and coats.
Pastels, too, are found on many sweaters from fuzzy angoras to cropped ones.
Every season has its winners and its losers. The losers this season are designers (like Donna Karan and Andrea Jovine) who are trying to sell to women the schoolgirl look consisting of very short, pleated kilts or A-line jumpers worn with thigh-high stockings.
It's a look befitting thin, cute teenagers but that is dumb on anyone else. Unfortunately, it's being pushed by designers who traditionally sell to women. Although Karan's fashions are for teens, her prices are definitely not.
If you're not a school girl, skip it. It will die on the racks.
And here's the news women have been waiting for for the past 2 years. Beautiful shoes with Louis heels and thin, heeled stilettos as high as 4 inches have been seen on all the runways. Sensibility is out while pain (ouch) is in.
If you've invested in those tough, clunky Doc Martens and similar footwear, ship them to a Third World country where they'll survive for 10 more years. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Knubby sweaters such as this one by Emanuel Ungaro are popular for
cooler weather.
by CNB