Hearts Afire

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, everyone’s seeing red.

Red is all over clothing and accessories. It’s been revived thanks to fashion’s new focus on glamour and the resurgence of bright colors of spring.

Red is everywhere--on men’s boxer shorts, women’s fingernails, lips , sexy Lycra dresses, belts, hand bags and hot lingerie. Not to be overlooked by lovers: red condoms ($5.99 a dozen) at Condom Revolution in Costa Mesa.

For many, red holds a fatal attraction. It’s the color of passion, of hearts, of lips.

Red, shiny mouths are hotter than ever--a sign that glamour is back and the peaked look of the waif is wasting away.

“Women have embraced color more. It’s makeup that looks like makeup,” says Nikki Gersten, spokeswoman for Clinique Laboratories Inc. in New York City. “Like fashion, makeup is more bright and colorful.”

Hot lips are painted in a shiny race-car red. The high-gloss finish is the 21st Century, space-age version of the classic ‘40s ruby mouth, Gersten says.

“It says, ‘I’m not a waif. I’m a grown-up woman.’ ”

Clinique has red for lips in a variety of formulas, from the sheer gloss of Almost Lipstick in Ruby Melt ($12.50) to the rich matte color of 100% Red ($12.50).

“Red is noticed. It stands out more than any other color,” Gersten says. Red lipstick is the traditional favorite of movie stars, beauties such as Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich, and “women who have guts,” she says.

For women seeking to attract the attention of the opposite sex, red acts as a magnet.

“Men either want red nails or natural nails--no pinks,” says Teri Garrett, owner of the Nail Affair in Newport Beach who has worked on numerous celebrities’ nails.

“One guy came in here with his girlfriend and picked out the brightest red we had” for her nails, she says. “Red is seductive. It’s a forbidden color.”

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s without red underwear. Among the red offerings at Victoria’s Secret is a red satin bra and matching panties ($38) for women, and for men red silk boxers, also available in black with red hearts (about $25).

“Because it’s lingerie, everyone can wear red. You’re in your home with your loved one,” says Monica Mitro, spokeswoman for Victoria’s Secret in Columbus, Ohio.

There’s plenty of red to wear outside the house as well. B. Magness in Newport Beach carries red lace bodysuits, red blazers, red Lycra dresses and sexy red stretch jeans.

“Red’s a power color. It’s strong. It’s confident. We like it,” says Barbara Magness, owner of B. Magness. “It takes a certain personality to feel comfortable in red. It’s someone who’s sure of themselves.”

For the uninhibited, B. Magness has Tadashi’s short red Lycra cocktail dress with shoulder and crisscross straps in back ($155), Tadashi’s sheer chiffon body suit to wear under blazers or over a red bra ($125), Pacific Gold’s red hot Lycra jeans ($65) and Criscione’s red “skort”--a combination skirt and shorts--($150) and blazer with gold lacing around the lapel ($355).

“Women feel really good when they wear red, and men think it’s sexy,” says Joyce Szilagyi, manager of Beaujon Paris in Tustin.

Her shop has a variety of red sweaters, skirts and suits, including a simple red wool suit with gold epaulets ($375) and a long, flowing crepe jacket with palazzos ($225).

“It’s a good color if you want to make a statement, but maybe not for a job interview,” Szilagyi says.

At the MCM boutique in South Coast Plaza, red is the color of leather--used for large and small handbags and other accessories ($45 for a mini pocket picture frame to $1,650 for a large travel bag).

Men, too, can find plenty of red. At Gary’s & Co. in Fashion Island Newport Beach, guys can choose from long-sleeved red silk shirts ($155), wool sweaters in cardigan, V-neck or sweat-shirt styles ($155-$185), and red knit polo shirts ($52.50). There are also assorted red ties and even red socks.

“When a guy looks at a red tie, he says, ‘It’s a power tie,’ ” says Steven Ramenofsky, manager of Gary’s.

Red remains a favorite fashion color for both sexes because everyone can wear it, says Gayla Totaro, image consultant for Color For Men/Color Me Beautiful in Huntington Beach.

“It just depends on the shade of red,” Totaro says. Those with so-called cool or bluish skin undertones can wear blue-reds, while those with warm or orangish undertones can wear orange-reds.

“There are so many shades of red,” she says. “There are some universal reds that almost everyone can wear. A true red and a watermelon red are fairly universal because they’re neutral. They’re equal parts yellow and blue.”

Wearing red can have a positive and negative effect, she says. Red can signal that one is upbeat and confident, or on the negative side, aggressive and domineering.

“You want to be selective about when you wear red,” Totaro says. “If you want to be recognized and catch attention, you’ll want to wear it. It can give a boost of energy and attract the opposite sex. But it could overwhelm them.

“Avoid red if you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. If you’re unprepared for a meeting and you don’t want the boss to call on you, don’t wear red.”

Red is so powerful, Totaro even advises against wearing it when meeting prospective in-laws.

“It might scare them,” she says.