Five years ago, unless you were a flamenco dancer, you would
have walked right by a ruffled shirt and turned your nose
up at a flouncy skirt. Snakeskin shoes and gonzo accessories?
I don't think so. Polka dots? Forget it.
But
three years down the road, you allowed a little playfulness
into the closet--dark denim, tube tops--and then last year,
you discovered pink and orange. Hot damn, the floodgates
were opened.
Now
you can't even count on the Gap for a pair of khakis unadorned
with fringe or top-stitching. If you're not wild about paisley,
carnival colors and beading gone mad, brace yourself for
a serious shopping obstacle course. Because for spring and
summer, the look is luxe: opulent and over-the-top. Think
skin-tight python pants, purple lipstick, a purse drenched
in designer logos--in short, fabulousness.
No,
this is not a time for wallflowers. If you don't want to
be noticed, keep wearing mossy colors and denim overalls.
Remain cloistered in a pale twin set till the year 2010,
for all we care. But as designers seem to be looking through
wedding-cake catalogs for ideas, embellishment is on its
way to becoming the new minimalism. You might as well kick
up your stilettos and punt your gray garb, because as long
as the economy is flush, the clothes will be lush.
--Christina Melander, Editor
Contents
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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Willamette Week | originally
published April 19,
2000
|
