RUNWAY TO REALITY : An Informal Introduction

Men who want to push beyond the established limits this spring might add a pair of bold-print pants to their wardrobe. Once seen only on the beach or in the gym, they are now turning up in designer collections.

Gianni Versace of Milan uses his own circus-bright pants ($795) and dresses them up with a shawl-collar black linen blazer ($1,095) and black silk T-shirt ($245). His chic-but-not-cheap look--total price, $2,135--can be assembled at the Versace Boutique, Beverly Hills. (The belt and thick-soled sneakers are not Versace accessories, but were added for a Men’s Fashion Assn. show.)

To get the look for less, consider wild, “Bongo”-print rayon pants ($55) by Hawaiian designer David Y. Rochlen for Jams World, available in April at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills, and Fred Segal, Los Angeles.

They are worn with a double-breasted, shawl-collar rayon jacket ($150) by Maurizio Ramani for Police File, available at G.Hq. stores citywide, and a black cotton T-shirt ($8) by Hanes, at the Sporting Club, West Hollywood. For finish, a black weightlifter’s belt ($23.95), at the Sporting Club, and thick-soled suede sneakers (on sale for $68) at Sacha London, Beverly Center.

The total: $213, or $304.95 with accessories.