STYLE : FASHION : Fancy Leg Work

When fashion designers went looking for spring alternatives to short skirts, the most sensible solution they came up with was the pantsuit.

In New York, most designers are cutting graceful shapes from fluid silk or lightweight wool that is almost sheer. Donna Karan prefers menswear fabrics in soft gray or navy blue. Her most attractive jackets are nipped at the waist, and her best pants are flared at the ankle. Ralph Lauren shows crisp white pantsuits with gold braid and slightly belled trousers as part of his nautical-themed collection.

In Europe, Christian Lacroix features coquettish versions of the look, with wide, cropped pants and curvaceous jackets styled from a mix of patterns and prints. Italy’s Franco Moschino favors bright prints mixed with solids.

The newest-looking options are the monochromes--jacket and pants in the same color and fabric. Designers accessorize these with strapped, flat or mid-heel sandals or slightly more substantial shoes that lace up or wrap around the ankle. The effect is simple, graceful, feminine and completely unencumbered. These are clothes that make it easy to move through the modern world.