Flowered Approach for a Tailored Type
Question: I’m going to a wedding party, and the invitation reads “cocktail attire.” I’m not the froufrou type and am most comfortable wearing loose-cut, man-tailored clothes. What can I wear that will be appropriate for the occasion and yet not languish in my closet afterward?--R.M.
Answer: How about following Paris designer Karl Lagerfeld’s lead by wearing an oversize aloha shirt decorated with rhinestones and sequins, as in our illustration? Wear your Hawaiian shirt as a jacket over a silk camisole and pair it with a skirt that picks up one of the colors in the shirt.
If you don’t already have an aloha shirt or can’t find one at a vintage clothing store, authentic Hawaiian shirts for men are available in sizes small through extra large in the current catalogue published by James River Traders, James River Landing, Hampton, Va. 23631.
Priced at $30, these all-cotton, Hawaiian-made shirts come in tropical prints with aqua, yellow or royal blue backgrounds.
Your jewels and jeweling equipment are available at Home Silk Shops, where Brisk-set rhinestone setters are priced at $19.98, and rhinestones range from 4 cents to 10 cents each, depending on size. You can also buy them by the gross. Size 20 crystal rhinestones are $5.49 a gross, and size 34 crystal rhinestones are $13.49 a gross.
Sequins can be purchased by the strand at 35 cents a yard for a range of solid colors; or buy them by the package at 40 cents for 1/20th of an ounce all in one color. For a true couture look, use your rhinestones and sequins to outline the leaves of palm trees or bananas.
Q: As a petite woman (5 feet, 1 inch tall) at age 42, I am always frustrated with the clothes available in my size. I like the things in the Piaffe catalogue that you’ve written about, but I wish I could find that quality and fashion right here in Los Angeles. I need the attention of a smart salesperson, and I’m sorry to say that the department stores do not seem to employ sales people with a real knowledge of the field. Where can I go for a good selection of quality petite clothes in size 2 or 4?--M.W.
A: You can stay home and Margherite Vetrano Tucker will bring a petite wardrobe right to your front door. Tucker, also known as Margeaux the Petite Clothier, is also a petite. She says she started her business out of frustration and has now developed a list of petite resources that includes such names as Albert Nipon, Christian Dior, Joanie Char, Argenti and Eklektic. She works by appointment only in the client’s home. For further information, call (818) 365-1409.
Q: What’s the most fashionable sleeve for ‘85? Are dolman sleeves OK now? I sew and I don’t know if I should continue making dolman sleeves or update my favorite patterns with other sleeves.--J.C.
A: Dolmans are very much part of the fashion scene in this, the year of the big sleeve and the big shirt. It doesn’t matter if the sleeve is set-in, dolman, raglan or drop as long as the underarm is deep and loose.
Q: I received two beautiful sweaters as holiday gifts. One is cashmere; the other is Shetland wool. Both are size small, but they are still too large for me. My cleaner has told me that he can block a sweater larger but cannot make one smaller. I hesitate to try to shrink these sweaters in warm or hot water as I’m not sure what results to expect. Any suggestions?--V.K.
A: Don’t try to shrink them. They will not only shrink, they will mat, and even your favorite doll will not want to wear them. This is the year of oversize everything, so wear your new sweaters knowing that the too-big look is the fashion exaggeration of the moment.
Marylou Luther welcomes questions from readers. Mail to Clotheslines, Fashion85, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.