First Choice

She’s been voted mother of the year by Star magazine, a staple at supermarket checkout counters. And she wrested the prize from 28 Hollywood celebrities. If that doesn’t make it official, it certainly makes it very clear how many Americans feel toward First Lady Barbara Bush.

No doubt her list of admirers includes Bill Blass, Arnold Scaasi and Adele Simpson, the New York designers whose labels Mrs. Bush wears most often.

Blass now uses a clear, rich shade of blue in collections and calls it “Barbara Blue.” At Simpson, executive vice president Joan Raines refers to her customer of 10 years as “100% the American mother image.” (Mrs. Bush has five children and 10 grandchildren.)

Raines also believes that the 63-year-old First Lady’s generous proportions--she wears a Size 14 or 16--and her natural, silver hair, make her look like a mother to whom many Americans can relate.

Scaasi points out another of Mrs. Bush’s mature qualities. “ She makes the choices, I don’t direct her. She’s definite about how she wants to look.”

Like many mothers and grandmothers of her generation, the First Lady’s fashion tastes are conservative. And that will be apparent in her fall wardrobe, which she has already started to order from the showrooms of her favorite designers.

She likes long sleeves, high necklines, knee-covering skirts, dresses with definite waistlines. And she likes jewel-toned reds, greens and blues that enhance her hair. For comfort’s sake, she takes off her suit jacket during the day, even in public. But she always wears skirts, not pants, because pants are not considered appropriate in every situation.

Every season, Blass, Scaasi and Simpson design certain outfits with the First Lady in mind. For fall, Blass, who made her Inauguration-Day outfit in blue and white, sees her in his similarly cut coat and skirt, this time papaya-colored. He also likes his black-and-ivory plaid suit from his fall collection for the First Lady, although she might request a slightly more conservative plaid.

Among his evening looks, he will suggest a gold-and-bronze lame evening suit with long, flowing skirt and fitted jacket when she visits his showroom.

These outfits are free of decorative details.

“Mrs. Bush likes to make a strong fashion statement in a simple, direct way,” points out Tom Fallon, a company spokesman. “It’s reflected in her forthright manner. She looks you right in the eye when she meets you.” He describes her as a handsome woman and her dress style as crisp.

Scaasi reports that Mrs. Bush has already ordered a gray flannel suit from his fall daytime collection. He designed her Inaugural Ball gown, a sapphire blue dress with velvet bodice and satin skirt. And he has other evening looks in mind for her now.

He mentions that a green-and-black damask dress with flared, ankle-length skirt and matching, waist-length jacket is in the Bush style. For less formal events, he points out a knee-length, black velvet-and-crepe cocktail dress with long sleeves and bateau neckline.

The Simpson collection, now designed by Wayne Kastning, features suits for both day and evening. Raines says she will suggest to Mrs. Bush a cropped, black-and-white houndstooth check jacket over a straight, black skirt. And a muted-check jacket in black and teal with a black skirt. For evening, Raines says, a bronze lame, collarless jacket and a dark brown, silk-velvet skirt would be flattering for the First Lady.

In Los Angeles, the Simpson label is carried at Bullocks Wilshire and I. Magnin. The Blass and Scaasi collections are at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.