The Subtle Siren : Actress Leslie Hope Shines in Holiday Looks With Understated Elegance

Glimmer, not glitz. That is what evening clothes are about this season. There’s nothing aggressive going on here; the look is all mystery and romance. Fabrics that shimmer or seem iridescent--taffeta, satin and silk crepe, in particular--add to the effect. This taste for subtlety may reflect a change in our social behavior. Statistics show that we are becoming more conservative in some ways. At least we seem to appreciate marriage and family more than in recent years. If fashion can convey a new attitude, presumably flowers can, too. The small, romantic bouquets pictured here recall a time when nosegays were among a woman’s accessories. As for the urn filled with garden roses, autumn leaves and persimmons on their branches, it suggests that homemaking can be a full-time art form. Actress Leslie Hope, soon to be seen in Oliver Stone’s new film, “Talk Radio,” wears the romantic look well.

Floral arrangements by Rick Samuels for Clifford Miller / The Flower Shop, Los Angeles.

Photographed by Amanda Regina Freeman; hair: Lorenzo Andarza / Giuseppe Franco Salon, Beverly Hills; makeup: Jeffrey Beaton / Celestine-Cloutier; stylist: Tim Sweeney / Celestine-Cloutier; hosiery: Body Gleamer by Givenchy / Bullock’s.