Gray Matters : How to Do It Big

This fall, key items are sweaters and skirts . . . especially long skirts . . . especially glittery skirts, a glamourous item that can be worn from day to night.

Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo created this charcoal gray, 100% wool sweater set for his fall 1998 collection. The zip-front cardigan has two patch front pockets. It’s $410. Underneath is the matching “funnelneck” sweater (the latest twist in turtlenecks), for $520.

Ferragamo finishes the look with an ankle-grazing skirt, striped with a touch of silver Lurex in a wool, rayon and polyester blend. Price: $420. The black suede handbag almost looks like an antique coin purse, but it’s a Ferragamo original for $475. Everything is available at Salvatore Ferragamo, Beverly Hills, and at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

Total: $1,825.

How to Do It for Less

If you want the long and lean sportswear look for fall but can’t afford the designer price tags, look for clever look-alikes. The sweaters shown here are made of washable acrylic knit and were found at Ross Dress for Less for $19.99 each. If it’s wool you want, J. Crew’s newest catalog offers a similar Shetland wool, zip-front cardigan sweater and matching turtleneck. The cardigan is $48 and the turtleneck is $42. They are available in 10 colors.

This gray, bias-patterned ankle length skirt that fakes the shimmery look in the stripe is from the new collection at Express stores and in Orange County, for $49.

The black velveteen coin purse handbag was a great find at Ross Dress for Less for $9.99.

Total: $98.97; $148.99 if you do it with the wool sweaters.