Looking for a Polyester Robe With Zip
Question: I’ve searched the city to no avail for a zip-front robe. I have a 16-year-old robe from Royal Robes that deserves a replacement, and I will pay any price within reason for a new one. I prefer polyester, but will accept almost anything.--I.M.
Answer: The designer who created your 16-year-old robe designs under his own name now, and he still believes in zippers. He’s award-winning New York designer Bill Tice, and he created the zip-front illustrated here. The fabric is a brushed velvet made of 100% polyester. The body of the robe is cream, the sleeves are pink and the satin floral applique on the shoulders and the embroidery trim at yoke and sleeves are in shades of cream, pink and mint green. Priced at $140, the robe is available at I. Magnin in petite, small, medium and large.
Q: I’m not made for the cut-up-to-the-navel leg openings in today’s swimsuits, all of which seem to be made for the skinny, mini-thigh people. The rest of me is acceptably thin, but due to slaving on my posterior many years in an office, my thighs are larger than they should be. Where can I find a two-piece suit in Size 7/8 with boy legs on the bottom half? The skirted suits look awful when wet and they are in larger-lady sizes. They also make me look older than my 40 years.--S.E.
A: Tap pants are a lot more flattering than boy legs, which cut across the heaviest part of the legs, causing bulges. The ideal suit for you is a two-piece style with tie-front bandeau bra and panty-lined tap shorts. By Sandcastle, it will put you in the swim of things while shading your cellulite. It’s available for $46, Sizes 8-14, in a blue or white jersey made of 85% nylon, 15% Lycra. For retail outlets of Style 31108B8, write to Katie Papanicolaou, Sandcastle, 2615 Fruitland Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90058.
Q: My recurring fashion dilemma is where to find a maillot-style swimsuit that fits both my 6-foot frame and my style preferences. Most of the styles in swimwear boutiques fit me like a thong. The few “long torso” styles offered in catalogues look as if they were designed with the larger woman or competitive swimmer in mind. Do you have any suggestions short of hiring a seamstress to create a suit especially for me?--J.M.
A: Try boutiques specializing in leotards, bodysuits and dance wear. Their offerings often are as swimmable as they are exercise-able, and they usually have a higher spandex content than swimwear, making them more stretchable.
Q: I received a gift of fabric 54 by 54 inches. The label says Yves Saint Laurent Foulards, made in France. It is navy and red with some gold threads that make it look almost sari-like. Is this fabric valuable? What can I make from it?
A: Foulard means scarf in French. Wear your YSL signature scarf as it was intended, draped around one or both shoulders. If the scarf is made of silk and has a hand-rolled hem, it is indeed valuable--perhaps most valuable just as it is.
