Don’t Dig In Your Heels Over Stirrup Pants

Dear Fashion Police: I have 10 pairs of stirrup pants. They are still in good condition, although I haven’t worn them in a long time. Would I look outdated if I cut the stirrups off? I’m 74, 5 foot 1 and slender.

--GIDDYUP!

Dear Giddy: Ten pairs? Were you hoarding them in case there was a worldwide shortage of stirrup pants?

You can always hang onto these pants in the event of a late ‘80s, early ‘90s retro revival, in which case you’ll be sitting pretty. Don’t wear them now. They are not in fashion. And please don’t cut those stirrups off. Those pants were made to stretch from your waist to the sole of your foot, where the stirrups ended. With nothing anchoring those pants, cutting them may pull the bottom of the pants up and up and up, until they hover somewhere around mid-calf. Not a good look.

So stash those stirrups in a drawer or closet or give them to charity. There are plenty of slim pant styles in vogue right now--many in stretch fabrics--that will flatter your figure and be comfortable. But please don’t buy 10 of each. Leave some for the rest of us.

Dear Fashion Police: Why does the clothing industry push men’s underwear as sleepwear for women? Not every woman wants to wear men’s shorts and T-shirts to bed. What happened to those beautiful and soft nightgowns and negligees? Where can we find them?

--ENJOYS BEING A GIRL

Dear Enjoys: Everywhere! We can’t walk into a department store sleepwear section without seeing them. Yes, some women do prefer men’s style pj’s (they don’t ride up while sleeping), but there are plenty of nightgowns for those who like a more feminine look.

Nordstrom has a pretty satin V-neck nightgown in polyester/cotton. You can find it online at https://www.nordstrom.com, or call (888) 282-6060, L.L. Bean carries those cozy Lanz nightgowns, in addition to T-shirt-shaped sleep shirts and flannel gowns. They’re online at https://www.llbean.com, or call (800) 441-5713. Speigel offers a cotton knit gown with a surplice wrap neck, as well as a poly satin charmeuse gown; they’re online at https://www.spiegel.com, or call (800) 448-7070.

And if that’s still not enough, It’s Personal has several girly nightgowns, from a long satin style to a cotton and lace sleep shirt. You can find them online at https://www.itspersonal.com. There. Now you can rest easy.

From the Fashion Police Blotter: Last week we heard from “Have to Wear Stinkin’ Badges” who wanted to make her employee identification badge more fashionable. Since then we heard from Deborah Siegel Cosentino, a former graphic designer and set decorator who now designs eyeglass necklaces under the label D’Cosco Art & Design. They’re beaded necklaces with a sterling silver ring at the bottom in which one can slip the earpiece of a pair of glasses to hold them when they’re not being worn. A security badge can also hook onto that toggle, turning a utilitarian object into a pretty accessory.

Necklaces range in length from 25 to 28 inches and come in different colors and styles of lamp-work, Japanese glass and Czech beads. They’re not cheap--$55 each. But if making a fashion statement is important to you, check them out (Make sure you’re familiar with the company’s return policy before ordering.). They’re at: https://www.eyeglassnecklace.com.

Another reader, Marian Merritt of Los Angeles, had this suggestion about security badges, and we thought it was an important one to pass along: “We also wear such badges at our software company offices, but our black fabric cords feature a breakaway clasp. This allows the cord to break apart if it caught on something or someone grabbed it. Employees who must wear badges on a string or chain should demand this feature.”

Size Wise: Plus-size petites, it’s time to celebrate--Talbots has introduced a Talbots Woman Petites line with the same classic look as its other collections, but proportioned for women 5 foot 4 and shorter, sizes 12WP to 24 WP. The clothes are available now at 11 stores nationwide and will reach 20 stores by the end of the year. Catalog and online shopping are in the works. Call (800) 825-2687.

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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.