NAVAL BASICS

For fall, comfortable men’s dressing invests its fabrics and forms in all that is “sturdy” at Armani Exchange. Heavy melton wool, alpaca, Shanghai twill and tweed are shaped into masculine classics. A “primary” palette of dusty brown, tan, stone and khaki accompanies navy, which dominates the collection. It’s navy of another sort--the oceanic variety filled with soldiers--that also inspired Signor Armani. The uniform code for every closet: a navy wool melton military jacket ($295) and five-pocket jean ($125), band collar Bengal stripe shirt ($88), belt ($78) and work boots ($165).

STUCK IN THE MUD

Mail-order is not something the folks at the Mount View Spa in Calistoga had ever considered. Not until a vacationing reporter from a major Midwestern newspaper “discovered” an in-house treatment--the Fango Mud Bath--and raved about it in an article. “We got calls the day the article came out and started filling orders right away,” says spa director Katrine Kenyon. Fango (which means “wet earth” in Italian) is a dehydrated volcanic mud from the Mediterranean mixed with pine oil and salicyl--a natural aspirin base sometimes used as a treatment for arthritis pain. The pine oil loosens muscle tissue, says Kenyon, allowing the salicyl to work deep into the muscle to alleviate aches. Afflicted with rheumatism, Kenyon’s sister has benefited from a Fango dip: “It doesn’t help her joints, but it takes care of the inflammation.” Workout buffs can sink in after exercise. Fango is available through Mountain View Spa in one-, two- and three-ounce tubes ($1.50, $3 and $4.50, respectively) and in an economy 16-ounce bottle for $20. (The U.S. distributor sells it only in bulk to spas professionals.) Only an ounce is required per treatment for a regular home tub.

TINY TEASE

Empowerment these days for many young women means taking symbols and words previously considered anti-feminist and wearing them like a badge of defiance. While some gals are taking to terms not suitable for publication, others are adopting a classier approach with the use of vintage pinups--those fantasy pre-1950s embodiments of the perfect female bod. One sizzling seller is the line of Tees from Body and Soul featuring a small screen of a pinup on the top half of the shirt. Designer Lee Lopez lifted the illustrated illusions from a friend’s collection of trading cards once available through cigarette packs. “I’ve always loved pinup girls. They seemed so beautiful.” Although hesitant at first to go forward with the Tees, Lopez says she went with her gut instinct: “I think women are more relaxed and secure with themselves and are no longer scared to wear this sort of thing.” Indeed the $22 Tees have been selling so briskly, Lopez has decided to give into requests from guys for larger sizes. Look out for them around the holidays; until then, women can find their sizes at Taxi Taxi in Costa Mesa.