LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT: Sunglasses, scarves and cigarette lighters are three small ways to fine-tune your look.

COLUMN
The Devil's in the Details

by ELIZABETH DYE
243-2122 ext. 335

Jayne Mansfield, Patty Duke and Willie Nelson all sang "Little Things Mean a Lot," a torchy tribute to the itty-bitty, free-of-charge gestures that (supposedly) secure the everlasting love of The Desired One better than furs, flowers and pharmaceuticals. We're not talking about those little things. And only once will I use that baneful word that spawned a billion mall boutiques--accessories. But in this episode, we climb into the petri dish to scrutinize fashion's single-celled organisms: details. Cheaper and more fuel-efficient than a whole new ensemble, details freshen the contents of your chiffonier and suggest laudable fashion fastidiousness. You are not only dressed, you're done. Remember
A Passage to India? All that stood between Dr. Aziz and colonial British society (besides, uh, the fact that he was Indian) was a missing back collar stud.

Dip those knees in a deep curtsy, kittens, to the power of detail.

1. Hey, Porcupine

Precious stones are pretty, but save them for the wedding tackle. In daily life, they snag on sweaters, chip on tabletops, disappear down the drain at dishwashing time. For your comfort, convenience and safety, consider sea-urchin-like rings in scientifically engineered jewel-tone plastic. These little darlings cost ONE THIN DIME apiece at Finnegan's Toys (922 SW Yamhill St., 221-0306).
Or go to Northwest and pay 10 times that amount. Wait, did I say that out loud?

2. Who Needs the Moon...

Before smoking became a jailable offense, it played a critical role in the movietone mating ritual. Who can forget that dual cigarette-lighting scene in Now, Voyager? Since we all know that films mirror reality, it stands to reason that communion between you and the object of your obsession is just a flick away. It helps if you both smoke. Options to j'adore galore are at Rich's Cigar Store (820 SW Alder St., 228-1700).

3. Push the Red Button

Button replacement is an excellent Stitching 101 tutorial for the sewing-phobic (of either gender). Eschew the fabric stores with their mass-produced plastic buttons shaped like duckies and rainbows. Estate sales (try the den or the garage) are ideal places to find coffee cans distended with a century of odd fasteners made of Bakelite, horn and glass. It may take you an hour to find a matched set, but what's an hour compared with the stunning effect wrought on that cast-off gabardine Pendleton?

4. Reclaim the Monogram

...from Brooks Brothers and the Preppie Handbook. From the underwear scene in Rebecca. From Laverne, Land's End and Pottery Barn. Put your name on the stuff you love. If you don't trust yourself with needles, enlist a professional. Portland's own Alicia Paulson of Posie Designs does breathtaking hand embroidery in an array of standard and custom styles. Tack on the added benefit that you're helping revive a neglected art by transforming a beloved object into an heirloom. Who knew consumer rebellion could be so simple? View Alicia's goods at the Lena Medoyeff studio (3200B SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-7259, or at posiedesigns.com).

5. Enjoy the Spectacle

James Dean died in them. Holly Golightly masked a week's hangover with them. Mrs. Robinson peered over them to snare a boy half her age. The Blues Brothers never took them off. You know what they are. You respect their authority. Now go get 'em, tiger, and don't break the bank on this one--stylish eyes can be had for
a ten-spot all over town.

6. Out of the Rag Bag...

Discarding the gore factor, it's tough to top the glamour of Isadora Duncan's 1927 death--yanked from her convertible when her long red scarf fluttered into the tires. Boy! OK, so that's one end of the spectrum, and duller-than-dull pashmina is the other. Find the stylish center in those wads of scarves vintage clothing stores can't seem to get rid of. Men will find fine linen and cambric handkerchiefs (much better than one's sleeve, darling). Ladies not disposed toward scarves can use the sumptuous patterns and fabrics to embellish or create a new garment. Pocket lining? New collar? Two sewn together as skirt? The mind reels!