FASHION : Screen Style

The Movie: “When Harry Met Sally . . . “

The Look: Harry (Billy Crystal) dresses like your average Joe, but we fell for Sally (Meg Ryan, right) the minute we saw her Bass Weejun penny loafers, thick white socks and unfaded (as in never-touched-by-acid) blue jeans. And we could relate to her great big, sack-like black leather shoulder bag (winter through summer)--large enough to stash a week’s groceries. Weekends she really shines in nubby sweaters, cropped jackets and loose, pleated trousers.

The Costume Designer: Gloria Gresham, whose recent credits include “Ghostbusters II” and “Twins,” was an assistant to designer Ruth Morley on clothes-classic “Annie Hall.” But, please, don’t ask her to draw comparisons between Sally and Annie, aside from a fondness for funny hats. Some viewers might see similarities. But, Gresham doesn’t.

The Plan: “We know Sally is a strong person with a lot of individuality,” Gresham says. “She has a certain style of her own. I don’t think we thought of her as chic, but as individual. She dresses to please herself.” That meant Sally could get away with wearing little, fitted jackets that show off her figure, Hepburnish trousers and clunky black oxfords. A sensible girl.

The Program: Gresham and Ryan shopped together on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and in Soho and Greenwich Village. They also browsed through department-store catalogues and fashion magazines.

The Conflict: Meg’s hat didn’t thrill director Rob Reiner, at least not at first. But he grew to love it. Gresham and Ryan, however, were sure from the start. “Meg and I saw it together in a magazine and a light went on.”

The Payoff: The kind of everyday clothes that fill every working girl’s closet don’t have to look dumb.