PARIS : Going to Great Lengths

The news isn’t cheery; it’s long and it’s black.

But it’s not as bad as it sounds. Skirts of mid-calf length and the first of all fashion colors ruled the runways in designers’ fall collections. It’s a sharp contrast to the bold, bright tones and the thigh-high hemlines of the all but immediate past.

There is a definite proportion to find out about--fast. If long, a narrow skirt needs stubby high-heel shoes. If not stretchy, a long skirt needs at least one slit. Two would be better.

Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld and Claude Montana were the fashion houses that did the narrow mid-calf skirt best. It is stretchy, with some action in back--a zipper at the hem, a hip pocket or two. It’s often worn with a long, narrow top, preferably a ribbed sweater. And it usually gets a belt or two at the waist, preferably on the narrow side with gold hardware.

Pants are just as prevalent. Most often they have a matching jacket in a dark color such as marine blue or charcoal. But they look good mixed with unmatched jackets--leather pants and a waist-nipping tweed jacket, brown suede pants with an amber wool cropped style. Ninety-nine percent of the time pants go with flat- or very low-heel sporty shoes. Oxfords, zip-front slip-ons and lace-up gillies are favorite choices in Paris.

The glitz isn’t gone, but it’s not as glitzy as it was before the banks failed, the stores went bankrupt and the junk bond payments came due.

The gold embroidery gets confined to jacket pockets. Or the glimmer is woven into the fabric, not added on with jewels or heavy beading. Old-gold leather for day--on pants and suits, in particular--is another way to look rich but not gaudy.

The deconstructed look is getting stronger. Sleeves with unfinished hems, skirts made from a patchwork of unrelated fabrics, all black or nearly as dark, and other signs of imperfection are having a moment.

If you like to show your body, wear color and try something new, there is one answer from Paris this season. His name is Herve Leger.

Clothes are definitely feminine, particularly the pantsuits that have been aggressively hand-tailored in past incarnations. Eveningwear is sinuous, elongated and sensual. Heavy-handed sex is out.