Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me Match

Dear Fashion Police: I am a colorblind gay guy. All of my gay friends are great dressers (I know it’s a stereotype, but it’s true). I seldom dare to go beyond a strict palette of black and gray. I want to be more adventurous but have embarrassed myself in the past.

I have tried developing systems to put different colors together (matching shirts marked “A” with pants marked “1,” “2” and “3,” etc.), but it gets old and confusing. Save me from my monochromatic life!

--COLOR ME SAD

Dear Sad: Sounds like you’ve had quite a struggle keeping up with the well-dressed Joneses, and we appreciate your efforts.

Colorblindness is caused by a recessive gene and usually affects men (let’s all think back to biology class and Mendel’s peas).

According to Dr. John Heckenlively, professor of ophthalmology at UCLA, you probably were born colorblind.

“There is a wide range in terms of the degree of colorblindness,” he explains. “Some have some color perception and others are unlucky and don’t have much color vision at all. Depending on the level of colorblindness, you may need to get feedback from others in discriminating colors.”

In other words, you may have to rely on some tasteful friends for help. If you can persuade someone to go shopping with you (an expensive lunch is always a good bribe), he or she can help incorporate some colors that flatter you into your wardrobe.

Although your letter-and-number system sounds viable to us, we also can see how it would become tedious. If you have a computer, maybe you could scan pictures of your clothing, have a friend match up what works and then check the combinations when you get dressed--something along the lines of that scene from the movie “Clueless” when Cher is getting ready for school.

We’d love to hear from other colorblind people out there on how you cope. Let us know your tips and strategies, and we’ll report back.

Dear Fashion Police: Not being able to tell the age of the Fashion Police, I fear my question is about something too far in the past.

I was a teenager in the ‘50s when we had slumber parties and all wore Lanz nightgowns--actually, they were called Lanz of Salzburg. They were thick flannel with long sleeves and had yokes and collars trimmed in eyelet and came in wonderful small floral prints and great colors.

I have tried to locate a Lanz store or catalog but have not been successful. I’d like to know if you’d be able to find out what happened to the company.

--FLANNEL DEPRIVED

Dear Flan: You don’t know how happy it makes us that you cannot tell our age. Just for the record, we like to think of ourselves as younger than springtime.

However, we do remember Lanz nightgowns (though that might date us) with all the trimmings as you described. We even remember Lanz of Salzburg stores.

The flannel gowns are alive and well and being manufactured by New York-based Komar Sleepwear (the label still reads “Lanz of Salzburg”). The Lanz trademark florals and plaids are still around, along with colorful Tyrolean patterns and some updated novelty prints.

Apparently, you’re not alone in your attachment to Lanz. Company Vice President David Komar says he occasionally gets pictures from customers “where you see the whole family in the gowns. It really plays into a deep emotional memory women have of childhood and comfort.” Hmmmmmmmm . . . maybe a future “Oprah” show theme?

Lanz is carried at Dillard’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Nordstrom and L.L. Bean, and also through a Newport Beach store called Kristen’s. They’re online at https://www.kristens.com, or call (949) 631-7399. Although Komar doesn’t manufacture Lanz slippers, they can often be found where the nightgowns are sold.

Write to Fashion Police, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to socalliving@latimes.com.