SPRING THINGS
Some spring trends are too frivolous to take seriously. Gold buttons, for example, are as sure a symbol of spring ’89
as if you had written the date of purchase in bright ink across your new outfit. (See Calvin Klein’s gold-buttoned sailor pants, at right, which team with a gold-buttoned blazer, not pictured.)
More important is Klein’s comment on the many uses of a silvery lace blouse, which his models wore with different outfits. As seen here, the ribbons-of-lace blouse is teamed with a daytime pantsuit, with a formal chiffon skirt and as the “transformer” that switches an office outfit into an evening one.
The blouse, by the designer, will be about $400 when it hits retail stores. But you can bet your Calvins that much less expensive versions of versatile lace blouses will be arriving at all the “with it” stores soon.
Lace, in general, is a big hit for spring. In silver, gold, bronze,
navy or white, it adds wattage to long, slim evening dresses and to less formal outfits at many price levels.
The same can be said for the color white, which illuminated designer shows all through Europe, Los Angeles and New York.
Ralph Lauren’s white tuxedo pantsuit, below, has satin lapels and white, fabric-covered buttons.
The designer also shows simple, white daytime blouses and skirts, as well as white, wide-leg daytime pants. He’s not alone. Adrienne Vittadini, Louis Dell’Olio for Anne Klein and, in fact, almost every sportswear designer on New York’s Seventh Avenue features white pants, long white, knife-pleated skirts and a new crop of white blouses for the season.
Some white blouses tie like bandannas beneath the bosom, showing off a bare midriff. Others are shaped like formal vests, crisp and starched for evening. Still others are of sheer organza or tissue-weight taffeta, often with big sleeves and stand-up collars that make them appropriate for evening wear.
If there is a single adjective to describe the overall shape of spring, it is soft. Soft shoulders, softly shaped pants and soft daytime dresses that often swirl in bias flares right down to the ankles.
Length is not an issue. There are enough knee-length skirts to keep the conservatives happy.
Trend followers will probably add the new longer, bias-flare or pleated skirts to their wardrobes. And those who want to look “model perfect” will wear the new length with ballet slippers or with flat-heel sandals. It’s the proportion designers like best this year.
