Of Donkey Days Gone By : Trends: The days of political chic are just a distant memory. Some say cynicism prevents us from wearing our hearts on our sleeves.

Don’t tell Esther Ginsberg Eden that George Bush has been bad for American retailing.

A pair of Korean-made slippers (circa: 1988) bearing the images of the President and First Lady Barbara Bush have brought more customers into Eden’s Golyester shop on Melrose Avenue than if the man himself had made a campaign swing through the crowded vintage-clothing store.

The slippers are part of Eden’s small, but impressive, collection of politically themed fashions, which include a Richard Nixon-printed Cacharel skirt from 1968; John F. Kennedy memorial rayon scarves dated 1964, and a pair of VOTE -printed red, white and blue striped bell bottoms with matching neckties (circa: 1972).

There are no Bill Clinton or Ross Perot items in the small shop. But, says Eden, Democrats are fond of a donkey-and-White House-printed rayon blouse that she pairs with a wooden donkey pin.

Feminists like to try on hot pants from the late 1960s emblazoned with slogans from the women’s suffrage movement.

All of the items--priced from $42 to $350--are for sale. But collectors are the only customers nowadays.

“Campaign and political clothing used to be all the rage,” notes Eden, whose apparel collection includes a rack of clothes featuring advertisements for liquor, soda pop and cigarettes.

“I think people are sort of embarrassed by it now because they aren’t happy with what’s going on and don’t identify with the candidates.”

At one time apparel makers felt it was their civic responsibility to promote presidential politics in their collections, notes Norman Lowenstern, a Houston-based collector of campaign memorabilia. It was a highly profitable venture as well.

“Up until the invention of radio and television, people’s lives revolved around the church and the political organizations they belonged to,” he says.

“Torchlight parades were very big at the turn of the century. And people used to get all dressed up in special clothing to march in these parades for their candidates.”

But companies that have manufactured campaign clothing for the 1990s have met with mixed reaction.

Ocean Pacific and Esprit had modest sales of T-shirts that encourage young people to register to vote.

Cassie Hughes, an Esprit spokesperson, says the shirts were more service-oriented than financially motivated.

“We wanted to make a difference.” Hughes says the manufacturer registered about 8,000 new voters in its 17 retail stores during the promotion.

But in general, the days of campaign-inspired clothing appear to be fading along with the headlines.

“People are afraid to take a political stand with their wardrobes these days for fear of offending their bosses or their customers,” Lowenstern says.

“Political pride is lacking in our society today,” adds Laurie Hasson, a sales associate for Reuse and Recycle, a women’s sportswear label that struggled to sell a collection of apparel with a presidential theme under the Ms. Smith Goes to Washington logo this fall.

“People thought our vests, which featured old campaign buttons, were great but they didn’t want to buy them. They aren’t interested in political messages any more.”