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Closet Envy

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

After so many prime-time television seasons spent in hospitals, courtrooms and police stations, or in the kitchens of homogenized Gap families, the fall of ’96 finally offers some fashion diversions.

Guys with last year’s George Clooney haircut have virtually nowhere to turn for inspiration this year. (The young men who behave badly on “Men Behaving Badly” dress badly too.) But girls can experience closet envy during “Clueless,” “Suddenly Susan” or even the made-over “Murphy Brown,” depending on their age. And only time will tell if, as the pregnant Jamie balloons on “Mad About You,” expectant mothers will be craving stylish maternity clothes.

As the rich Beverly Hills teenager in “Clueless” (Friday nights at 9 on ABC), Cher (Rachel Blanchard), along with her slightly funkier best friend, Dionne (Stacey Dash), is merely an excuse for a good fashion show. Costume designer Mona May, who also did the feature film by the same name, puts her little fashion snobs in matching everything.

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A three-quarters-length coat is paired with a matching skirt, or a dress or hip-huggers with a jacket--all accessorized with loafers, Mary Janes or knee-high boots in the same color, and usually a hat.

“Don’ts” include maxi and knee-length hemlines, jeans (except at home), anything revealing (but for the occasional midriff-baring top), teetering heels and anything black. Colors are consistently “bright and happy,” May says, including saturated pastels for Cher and stronger oranges, fuchsias and yellows for Dionne.

She and her staff of nine--way beyond the size of a normal costume crew--shop like crazy, always searching for fresh ideas and designers to create Cher’s 12 to 15 changes per episode and Dionne’s 12. The “Clueless” shoppers hit such local retailers as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Fred Segal, Rampage, Charles David and BCBG for labels ranging from Dolce & Gabbana and Versace to Kate Spade, and May also works the phones to Europe.

“My girlfriend in England told me about these vinyl clothes we used [on the show],” she says. “A friend in Sweden is sending us nubby sweaters for Cher’s brother. Somebody sent me a pink and purple leopard purse from France, and it gave me an idea to use it as a trim. Orly, a new hat designer in New York, just called me to say she can get electric blue, fuchsia, lemon and bright orange straw. It’s like, ‘OK, sign me up.’ ”

Of course, the average teen could not hope to copy Cher, but she might steal ideas, like Ultrasuede is the new velvet. And as part of a promotional tie-in during the first 13 episodes, May is dressing the extras in affordable clothes from the mall fixtures Wet Seal and Contempo.

For young career women, Brooke Shields of “Suddenly Susan” (Thursday nights at 9:30 on NBC) is the clotheshorse to watch. In the first few episodes, the 6-foot-tall actress-model looked as if she had stepped off the cover of Town & Country, very conservative but stylish in a navy double-breasted blazer and gray trousers or little black dress with pearls.

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Then, beginning with tonight’s episode, costume designer Judith Curtis took over, charged with making Shields look younger and less stuffy. Since the actress isn’t the “Friends” type (trendy polyester in size 2), Curtis opted to show more skin, unbuttoning her blouses a bit, baring her midriff occasionally, and showing off her figure via fitted silhouettes. Oh yes, and she got rid of the pearls and added colorful Hush Puppies.

Curtis, who shops locally at Modasport, Ice, Nordstrom, J. Crew, American Rag and Emporio Armani, says Shields has yet to impose any labels on her, with one exception: When wearing sports shoes, she insists on Nike, the brand endorsed by longtime fiance Andre Agassi.

Over the summer, approaching her ninth season as “Murphy Brown” (Monday nights at 9 on CBS), star Candice Bergen shed her helmet hair for a short, sleek cut by John Isaacs, owner of the Michaeljohn salon in Beverly Hills. “She was a little nervous, but she was also very willing,” says Isaacs, who also does Julie Andrews’ short tresses.

With less hair and weight (Bergen recently dropped about a size, closer to an 8) on their star, co-designers Sandy Slepak and Bill Hargate decided to streamline her look as well. Big hair made sense in those first few seasons when Murphy sported big-shouldered suits, often by Donna Karan, turtleneck sweaters, scarves and chunky jewelry.

But the current fashion that closes in on the body, including slim jackets, leaves no room for heavy accessories.

As they clean out Bergen’s work closet, keeping some Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein pieces, the designers also hope to stay away from “outfits.” “I think it’s more modern to put things together to look like they weren’t purchased from a designer as an outfit,” Slepak says, adding that a flared Gucci trouser might hook up with a Romeo Gigli silk taffeta blouse.

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Although Murphy is known for wearing such pricey labels as Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani, Slepak also mines basics from men’s departments. And, like his colleagues on other shows, he’s hot for the unusual. “I just ordered a short, tailored black gabardine jacket embroidered with a horse, wagon wheel and cactus from the Gorsuch [catalog],” Slepak says. “I may use it for her for the office. It all contributes to her individuality. I call it a classic look with a twist.”

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