Been There, Done That : ...

This is the year of revenge --for the woman who never liked plaid shirts, combat boots, backpacks or tattoos. For the woman who never gave up on shoulder pads, gloves, hats, high heels--or her waistline. For the woman who pooh-poohed her inner child and pampered her inner lady.

Glamour, sweetie-darlings, is big again. Think ‘40s and ‘50s sexy. Start with a suit or dress--the tiny waist encircled with a thin-thin belt (the year’s must-have accessory), a fanny emphasizing tight skirt (down to the calves to produce a wiggle-walk), hat-with-something (veil, cherries, flowers), spike heels and a snappy little hand-held bag.

Bias-cut dresses and shiny fabrics are part of the glam-track. Hair will shine too. (Think Breck girls.)

The bare midriff remains. And so do bare thighs, because in ‘90s freewheeling style, the mini will not die. Nor will visible corsets, bras and bustiers. But there is a newcomer: decorative panties.

Today’s glamour puss is a dash of every goddess from Veronica Lake to model-of-the-moment Nadja Auermann. The rules for shopping? Recall them all, think feline-to-the-max, then be your own woman.

And get ready to find a Hollywood-retro sort of guy or a fashion gangster.

Yes, sweetie-darlings, memories of Cary Grant and Al Capone have invaded menswear. The Armani man, however, remains as strong as ever, which means any sartorial sage worth his salt will have a wardrobe mix of Italian mod, old movie and the mob.