Out of the Old West

THE SHOW: “Paradise,” 8 p.m. Saturday, CBS

THE SET-UP: Paradise, Calif., 1889: Lee Horsley stars as Ethan Cord, a free-lance lawman the federal marshals call in when the local sheriff can’t cut the mustard. When not preserving law and order, he rears his late sister’s four children and courts banker Amelia Lawson (Sigrid Thorton).

THE LOOK: Fans of sepiatone will like the look of the rule-breaking Western and the romanticized Western wear for Horsley. His full-cut shirts with poet’s sleeves are down-home sexy. For Thorton, refined turn-of-the-century feminine dresses fill the bill.

THE PROGRAM: Many costumes are based on old photos featured in Time Life’s book series, “The Old West,” according to Ray Phelps, who outfits the men on the show. Marty Burke, who dresses the womenfolk, makes sure that every garment looks worn, occasionally dirty and “lived in.” Hats are dipped in mixtures of mineral oil, dust and water so they acquire the appropriate patina. “The more raunchy they are, the more beautiful they are to me,” Phelps says.

THE STORES: Much of what Phelps uses--including the dashing coat topped with the suede capelet worn by Horsley--come from American Costume Co. Other garments are made by Lorimar studio seamstresses and by San Fernando Valley Western wear designer Manuel (he outfitted “Lonesome Dove” star Robert Duvall at last year’s Academy Awards). Phelps fills in with overalls and flannel shirts, many of which have to be dyed or faded.

Burke shops a mail order catalogue, Corsets and Crinolines, for one thing only--Thorton’s corset. She is poured into a boned corset for each episode. Much of the jewelry worn by Thorton comes from a modern company, 1928 Jewelry Co., which Burke buys at The Broadway.