How to Do It Big:

Outrageous British-born designer John Galliano must have had a Latin fantasy when he designed his Paris spring ’98 collection. His fitted, waist-length jackets made in floral printed silk moire or bright-colored cotton Ikat stripes look like something a flamenco dancer or toreador would wear. To carry out a Spanish theme for his Paris runway show, Galliano tilted miniature sombreros on a few models’ heads.

He paired Spanish-flavored jackets with silk, mix-and-match print or striped shirts and dresses that fall somewhere below the knee.

Each jacket looks like a piece of expensive art. The jacket featured is from Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills for $4,275. The skirt costs about $985. The John Galliano collection for spring ’98 can also be found in part at Maxfield in Los Angeles.

Total: $5,260

How to Do It for Less:

You don’t have to go to Beverly Hills to get a couture Spanish jacket. Instead, track down Olverita’s Village at Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. (It’s No. 24.) Here they have it all--folkloric costumes, Mexican clothing and charro suits.

This pink wool charro jacket costs $100 at Olverita’s Village. Charro suits can be custom ordered in any color, fabric or detail with matching skirt or pants for $179 to $225. Flamenco jackets made in Guatemala are available in red, green, black and off-white wool--also $100 each.

Los Angeles designer Deborah Linquist has reinvented tie-dye for the ‘90s. She dyes fabric, then turns unique prints into skirts, dresses and scarves. This rayon georgette wrap skirt is $190 and available at Atlantis in Malibu, Magnolia in Calabasas, 2 Sisters in Toluca Lake, Shades of Red in Newport Beach and Nicole in Los Angeles. Linquist’s designs can be special ordered at any of these stores.

Total: $325.