A Grand Old Style? : They’re back--the Republicans . . . and their fashion sense. The bows, the scarves and, of course, the pearls. The designers are ready.

Vinyl hot pants. Beaded bustiers. Feathers. Thongs. Cleavage!

Say goodby to all that.

They’re out, outre, no mas. The Republicans are back. Read their lips: No more rubber dresses ever! (Or at least until the next election.)

This week, the Grand Old Party sweeps back into Washington to take over the U.S. Congress for the first time in 40 years. And, as always, they will do it in grand old style.

In the midst of this latest American revolution, we pause to examine how the GOP ascendancy will affect not only our morals, our institutions and our health-care coverage--but more immediately, our wardrobes.

The GOP sense of fashion--such as it is--is nothing new. That being the point exactly. If it’s old, it’s in.

When it comes to their wardrobes, our new majority has left its populist pretensions in the closet. In the halls of power, the men will dress the way they always have: clean, tailored, classically dull. For women, the look is a nostalgic revival. Downright dowdy, if necessary, but forever proper.

And, lucky for us, many of the world’s top designers are ready with their spring collections to help us look just like them.

For work, there’s Calvin Klein with belted suits and skirts that modestly conceal the entire knee.

For playtime, there are black pedal pushers from Ralph Lauren and a blue-and-white striped Oxford-cloth swimsuit from Karl Lagerfeld’s homage to the brothers Brooks.

From New York to Paris, we have bows at the throat and scarves at the neck. Snoods for the hair and soft white gloves for everyday. Sweater sets in kinder, gentler cashmeres. And pearls, pearls, pearls for those thousand points of decorative light.

Yes, with the merest bit of effort, you, too, can look instantly older. Remember, old is good. Old is respectable. Old money (or at least the look of it) is especially respectable.

Even if you have never owned a pin-striped suit or a grosgrain barrette, in 1995 you can pass for Republican.

And, why not? As that famous non-Republican, Sly of Sly and the Family Stone used to say, “We all need ap-proval.”

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Office Wear. Dress-for-successers were never so successful. While Washington has always shopped Brooks Brothers, gray flannels, blue blazers and gabardines are absolutely de rigueur this year--not only for men and women, but for little Republican children as well.

But The Suit is the thing. If done properly (there’s that word again), it promises the wearer an air of authority, a formal continuity, and best of all, according to suit historian Anne Hollander, “a complete envelope for the body.”

With a nice suit, she says, “the bumps and lumps are harmoniously glossed over.” For Democrats or Republicans, this is the best cover-up since Watergate.

But for 1995, thank heavens, this conservative ideal of self-perpetuating order looks less boxy, a shade less imposing. It’s still the best social armor around, but this year’s suits look sweeter somehow.

Many designers are showing slimmer skirts that end at or below the knee with jackets belted and discreetly curved to follow the female form.

Donna Karan--known for dressing Democratic glamour gals--generously offers GOP wanna-bes what she calls “simple, modern” suits that move smoothly from day into evening.

Neither Karan’s suits, nor designer Miuccia Prada’s even primmer version, will take your breath away. But in such basic shades as black, white and flannel gray, these fashions are nothing if not sensible.

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Party Clothes. Don’t be surprised to see no surprises on the GOP party circuit. (And yes, there is such a thing.)

Since around the turn of the century, Washington women from both major political parties have arrived at elegant evening affairs in one of two outfits: a long black skirt with high-collared white blouse, or a dress that someone in their family could have--and probably has--worn to a debutante ball.

Such traditions will undoubtedly continue into the millennium. But this year’s crop of designer ball gowns may nevertheless find some friends in the Capitol.

In many ways, these are quintessentially Republican. With full skirts and built-in bras and lots of fabric for glamorous draping, they echo another, more structured era.

Younger Republicans have always enjoyed playing with the traditional clothes of their elders, so look for a recycling of their feminine but not-too-revealing girl tuxedos for evening wear.

Or maybe they’ll go for Karan’s gowns that mix black with skin-tones for the illusion of nakedness, but sans the exposure.

But please, ladies, whatever you do--keep those breasts covered!

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Lingerie. If they could find another word for it, certain right-leaning Republicans probably would. Lingerie sounds so, um, naughty.

Let’s simply call them unmentionables.

Just as this nation was built on solid foundations, so some unmentionable-makers would like more women to be. Corsets are making a comeback. Molded, structured bodies make those ‘60s sheaths and ‘50s sweater sets look the way they are supposed to look: proper.

Get used to the idea of chests that are more lifted and separated and bottoms that are less bouncy.

The big exception to all this un-naughty underwear, of course, is--you guessed it--the Wonderbra. With or without exposed cleavage, this exquisitely bipartisan piece of apparel may well be here to stay.

Time for bed? Well, think about sleep and not that other thing people do there. Out are siren silks from Victoria’s Secret; in again are cozy, lace-trimmed, high-necked, flannel granny gowns from Lanz of Salzburg.

(And nighties from Austria, by the way, may be as ethnic as we get in the anti-illegal-immigrant, GOP-dominated new year.)

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Accessories. It’s clear that Hillary Rodham Clinton is suddenly experiencing some post-election headband envy. This could pose problems because Republicans have suddenly remembered how much they adore headbands. Not that they ever completely gave them up, but how could you justify wearing one while they were the trademark of a Democratic First Lady?

With the new emphasis on ‘50s-style Breck-girl hair, we’ll be seeing lots of shiny page boys and polished ponytails to go with those twin sweaters and pedal pushers.

Isaac Mizrahi is showing snoods, those little net hair bags of the last century. “Little Women” barrettes are also back--tortoise shell for day, rhinestone or pearl for night.

Pearls, along with ladylike gloves and proper stiff-handled handbags, will go everywhere in 1995. (Think Queen Elizabeth.) Pearls are showing up as tiny studs in the ears--only one per lobe, please--and strung down the backs of little silk shells to be worn beneath those proper blue suits.