Fashions on the Move : Exercise garb will have more color and texture this season, and belts will turn skinny.
With the arrival of January--and the vast numbers of San Fernando Valley women downing rice cakes in light of last month’s cookie overdose--workout wear will be in great demand. But anyone who thinks she can head to a club wearing a man’s hole-ridden T-shirt should think again.
At Tight Moves Exercise Studio and Boutique in Encino, owner Ellen Kolarik says texture is the biggest news in workout wear.
“Ribbing, waffle trim, cotton gauze textures are what are coming out now, and because that’s what’s happening in regular ready-to-wear fashion, that’s what the Valley woman wants,” she says. The smooth Lycra styles popular when aerobic wear burgeoned into a major industry in the ‘70s have given way to new options, such as Tactel fabric, which allows for a cable pattern and helps it retain its shape. Some of the new fitness fabrics even have a suede-like cloth with a nap (kind of a fuzzy feel) to them.
Another big change on the exercise wear front--the infusion of bright colors. At Tight Moves, where the City Lights brand of exercise wear is one of the store’s most prevalent brands, the neutrals featured last spring and summer are fading from popularity. Shades of chamois, olive drab and sand are being edged out by muted brights such as lemon cream, mint cream and abalone. Although prints have died out--”especially the geometrics”--Kolarik says she did purchase some subtle tone-on-tone chambray striped separates.
As far as individual components, Kolarik says, ankle-length pants are more popular during the cooler weather than bike shorts. And although cap sleeve aerobic wear is showing up at Target and some other mass-market venues, Kolarik says sleeveless leotards are more popular at her store.
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A GOOD, STIFF BELT: It’s little wonder that after a decade of fat belts comes a legion of sexy, striped numbers. Many designers have been touting the waist-conscious look.
Nordstrom carries a number of the little belts by such designers as Calvin Klein that start at less than $30 in leather, but look for even less expensive renditions at junior boutiques come spring, says Caroline Lettieri, a Woodland Hills fashion stylist.
“The trend is huge, the little belts look awesome over fitted jackets and suits because their addition is so unexpected,” she says.
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PIPED DOWN: Lettieri’s fashion forecasting magazine, West Coast Pipeline, which debuted in the fall of 1993, has ceased production. The October/November 1994 issue was the editor/publisher’s last until she can find an investor. When the bimonthly publication debuted in September, 1993, in an ad-free base format, it relied solely on subscribers for profits. Lettieri is now revamping the publication to cut costs yet still provide useful forecasting information to corporate clients. For more information, call (818) 703-7618.
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SHOE IN: Ever find footwear in a particular style and fit, only to wish it came in every color of the rainbow? Well, area Payless Shoe Source stores are ready to accommodate. Their new collection of Fabriques features 17 styles of shoes in about 50 colors and textures. Best of all, prices for the collection range from $9.99 to $16.99. And unlike most fabric shoes, these styles are reminiscent of much pricier styles by such famous makers as 9 West.
