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Spring
Fashion
Index
A
Woman for All Seasons:
This year and every year, women could stand to take a few
style cues from So-fee-ah.
Buh-Bye
Gwyneth, Hello Lita Ford:
You knew they'd be back before too long. WW presents
'80s looks now, in all their trashy glory.
The
Tale of the Taper:
Why guys should show a little love for their own legs.
Five-Minute
Shoe Shakedown:
We interrogated four Portlanders with serious shoe-buying
habits to find out why they worship at the temple of Imelda.
Taking
It to the Streets:
What do your clothes say about you? Quite a bit--but,
as our snapshot of Portland style reveals, the message is
often way off the mark.
The
Summertime Sum:
Legs of leather, a python purse and preppy pieces turned
on their heads will help you stride through summer without
sweating out your wallet.
Use
it or Lose it:
Traditional tennis togs are the least sporty sportswear,
which makes them perfect for off-court duty.
You
Lookin' at Me?
The season's best bets for hiding those lyin' eyes.
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It's happening. I'm 26, and I'm getting old.
The 20-year statute of limitations for trends is up for
the '80s, but I'm not ready for pussycat bow collars, logos
emblazoned across my chest and--God forbid--padded shoulders.
But here we are in the year 2000, and symbols of opulence
and vulgarity are all around us.
Of course, this is no surprise. We don't need a Bret Easton
Ellis revival to realize that the dot-com wealth and yuppified
mien of today's bold and beautiful mirrors ye olde Wall
Street world. Money was disdained in the late '60s, '70s
(except for its drug-purchasing power) and early '90s, but
now it's hip to be bourgeois. And look classically stylish.
Classic looks (think Ann Taylor, J. Crew) never go out
of fashion, which is why, for better or worse, we'll always
have preppies and they'll always be well-dressed. Most everything
else falls in and out of favor on a steady 20-year rotation.
We could only stand the clean lines of Calvin Klein minimalism
for so long. So, after gorging ourselves on tasteful gray,
black and beige, we're positively salivating for Pucci,
gaudy tawdriness and over-the-top fabulousness. And hell's
bells, the designers have delivered.
As reluctant as I am to don a pair of ankle-zip acid-washed
jeans, there are a few glorious reasons to embrace the decade
when Phoebe Cates was a household name. Here, our picks
for '00s interpretations of the '80s.
THE BOSS: MUSCLE T's
You'll have to start hitting
the free weights more often to pull this one off--but that's
a good thing. The sleeveless, unisex T-shirt forever associated
with the crowd who smoked out back in high school is back
in all its enticing, bad-ass glory. This time around, lose
the ass-tight jeans. Instead, pair a tee, like this one
by Daryl K, with tapered slacks or a schoolgirl-style skirt
for a tailored, millennial look that still retains Born
in the U.S.A. charm. ($84 at Pokerface, 128 SW 3rd Ave.,
294-0445)
RISKY BUSINESS: THE SHIRT-DRESS
The shirt-dress has
an awkward name that can dredge up ghastly images of oversized
T-shirts with leggings and white Keds (some '80s outfits
will not be returning!). But versions of the shirt-dress
that are rightly enjoying their second wind are smart, button-up
designs that, though they are preppy and business-ready,
are anything but buttoned-down. ($39 at Express, 700 SW
5th Ave., 223-8629)
WORK IT: PUSSYBOW BLOUSES
Talk about secretary sexy,
these blouses have run the gamut from Loni Anderson in her
WKRP days to Ally McBeal couture courtroom attire.
Whether polka-dotted or with slightly puffed sleeves, these
blouses (here, by Prada) work best when allowed to dive
right back into the '80s--like J.R. into his Dallas pool--and
are matched with straight, knee-length skirts and stiletto
slingbacks. ($460-$550 at Mario's For Women, 811 SW Morrison
St., 241-8111)
THE EYE OF THE TIGER: ROCKER CHICK SHIRT
For once,
let Beavis and Butt-Head be your style guides. They know
what rocked in the '80s, and from the pinups lining their
filthy bedroom walls, they know what lady rockers were wearing.
Tiger stripes. Not the gutless neutral prints currently
flooding streets--we're talking hot pink that could melt
Def Leppard's guitar strings. True, the Guess top is streamlined
in the oh-so-Gwyneth style of last decade, but it definitely
roars. ($44.99 at Guess Inc., Pioneer Place Mall, 228-4443)
SWEATER SISTERS: CABLE KNIT PULLOVERS
Animal House
is a classic movie for a lot of reasons, but not to be overlooked
is the style of quintessential sororityites Babs Jansen
and Mandy Pepperidge. Although the film was made in the
late '70s and set in the '60s, their look was pure '80s
pink-and-green preppy. In the new world order, demure pastel
sweaters have gone the way of the Delta House--that is,
we'll take the sass, but hold the snob. This year, sink
a pledge pin into fluorescent Polo cashmere. ($345 at Saks
Fifth Avenue, 850 SW 5th Ave., 226-3200)
KNOW HOW TO USE THEM: HIGH HEELS AVEC ANKLETS
Have
you ever, for just a tiny moment, fancied yourself a backup
dancer for ZZ Top? The look may only enjoy a brief resurgence,
but the latest in revival footwear--stilettos with ankle
socks--is one way to kick ass and take phone numbers. Think
Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper's love child from the ankles
down: a little slutty, a little silly, but all-girl. Nordstrom
has the best anklet selection in town ($3.50-$7, 710 SW
Broadway, 224-6666). For shoes, try: pink "Sima" or pony
skin "Aragon" styles, ($69 each at Nine West, 700 SW 5th
Ave., 228-1516); rainbow-lizard pattern "Cheyenne" by Bebe
($134.95 at Nordstrom); or Dolce & Gabanna black square-toe
stilettos ($430 at Mario's For Women).
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Willamette Week | originally
published April 12,
2000
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