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Contents
Gift
Guide 2
clothing
guide
Scene
Stealers
It Girls
4th-Grade
Somethings
Little
Women
Action
Jacksons
Shredding
Bettys
Boys
to Men
Edge
of 17
Dads
Who Dig
Hip
Mamas
Gift
Guide 1
$35 and
up
Fun
and Games
Literary License
Windows Shopping
Kitchen Aid
Get Out
Gremlin-Free Gizmos
Discmen
Skintillating
Eat, Drink and
Be Merry
Gifts That Keep On Giving
Child's Play
Well-Furnished
Gimcracks and Geegaws
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It
Girls
BY MAC
MONTANDON
Knowing it when you see it is an increasingly
valuable skill. In these pastiche-mad times ("This band is
like jazz-punk-ambient pop, with references to Japanese cocktail
napkins and '50s toaster designs"), a keen intuition helps.
The It Girl may have the keenest intuition of all:
She can make fashion waves in a kiddie-pool garment.
Audrey Hepburn, of course, had it. Diana Rigg still has
it. Catherine Keener is one new actress in the 310 area
code who genuinely has it. Portlanders Mieke (MEE-ka), Krislyn
Dillard and Amber Tika May have it, too. In addition to
proving that today's It Girls come with one to three names,
these women also reveal how it-ness can appear in many different
forms.
Mieke, a self-diagnosed "shopaholic," was causing an out-of-state
commotion during the photo shoot, so she served primarily
as an it consultant. Having recently returned home
after a few years' stint in New York City, she's organizing
a monthly Berbati's party--"Pop"--to begin Dec. 15. Partial
to Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci, Mieke often augments clothing
with feathers, beads and dye, noting that "nothing leaves
my house the way it enters."
Krislyn is seen modeling our Mieke-inspired looks. Studying
sculpture at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Krislyn also
designs her own fantastical looks.
"I like to go for something a little different, something
you might find a little shocking," Krislyn admits of her
creations.
Amber, as a newly promoted movie-theater manager, is now
out of her uniform and into trousers and cardigans, subtly
suggesting a young Katherine Hepburn.
"I'm not impressed by names," Amber states. "If it says
Tommy or something on the label and so it's super-expensive--I
think that's just ridiculous." Her impatience with designer
haute-iness translates into an elegant, demure style--elegance,
after all, has always been in vogue.
the
goods:
leather the storm
There are certain things that will never go out of
fashion: the three-button suit, a coy cardigan and, of course,
the full-length black leather coat with matching fur-trim
collar and hem. Be your own pimp in this scene-starting
stunner. Most self-respecting vintage stores in town will
have a comparable model in stock. During the chilly months
you'll drive Johnny wild when he can't figure out what's on
underneath, if anything. $225 at Torso Boutique, 64 SW 2nd
Ave., 294-1493.
heavy
petting zoo
I was first introduced to the many wonders of the fur shirt
when the frontwoman of a local band sported one for a show.
The top reminded me of the prehistoric wattage given off
by overheated, sand-cheeked cavewomen in movies destined
only to be played during drowsy Sunday mornings. The fur
shirt makes you look as hungry as a wild animal. The fur
shirt is kitten-soft. The fur shirt invites you to pet it.
This acrylic fur shirt by Nanette Lepore is sleeveless
and mock-turtlenecked. $108 at Elizabeth Street, 635 NW
23rd Ave., 226-9424.
101
degrees in the shades
Wearing your sunglasses at night is a meaningful
gesture. It suggests you've just had a retina reattached
after a wicked scrape or are anticipating the paparazzi,
ready to bounce their flashes off your shades like fist-sized,
floating diamonds. Or perhaps you're simply lucky enough
to own a pair of Dolce & Gabbana specs, in which
case there is no reason to ever take them off. In black
and white, black and mustard or faux tortoise-shell frames,
the rectangular eyewear can transform even a Corey Hart-sized
square. $220 at Elizabeth Street, 715 NW 23rd Ave., 243-2456.
fringe
benefits
For years, fringe had a bad name. Ruined by people with
names like Cher, it reeked of musk-scented '70s swingers
and urban cowboys more likely to mount an electric bull
than their hard-up homegirl. A gray Lurex top by Nell
should go far toward banishing notions of this kind. The
slinky material and party-ready, sea-toned shade are only
improved by the angel-hair fringes sprouting from the cuffs
and bottom hem. $176 at Odessa, 611 NW 13th Ave., 223-1998.
fore!
Golf's ongoing resurgence has done little to benefit
the fashion world. Suddenly it's become acceptable for men
to wear poly-blended, print-pummeled golfing shirts to work.
Or anywhere, really. C'est très triste, say
I. Shoe designer Bettye Muller has found a way to turn this
tragedy to her advantage through a little number called
The Jiggy. By draping the golf shoe's slatted leather
tongue down the toe of her high-sheen leather creation,
Madame Muller has festooned an already clever stepper with
a touch of Willy Wonka-like whimsy. By fastening the day's
must-have molded rubber sole to Jiggy's underside, Muller
crosses comfort with style in most excellent fashion. $178
at Zelda's Shoe Bar, 633 NW 23rd Ave., 226-0363.
the
straight story
An East Coast cousin of mine has a tailor who speaks
very little English. Having arrived stateside from the eastern
bloc, Abe does, however, understand the language of style.
While trying to communicate how he wanted a pair of pants
altered, my cousin got nowhere with Abe until he stumblingly
said, "You know, more of a, a European style." Then Abe
knew what to do: straight legs, no pleats. Diesel Style
Lab apparently knows what to do, too, as evinced by these
gray trousers, stunning in their simplicity. Diesel
also treated the wool-blend pants with a trademarked water-repelling
procedure called Derm@.tex, making these slacks Northwest-ready.
$206 at Pokerface, 128 SW 3rd Ave., 294-0445.
time
tested
One of the best things about going through high school in
the '80s was getting to wear not one but two Swatches at
once. I've never understood what makes a Swiss watch so
much better than other watches, but I've always understood
Swatch's appeal. Known primarily for their monochrome plastic
bands and clear faces showing the mechanistic inner workings,
Swatches have developed a massive inventory of on-time keepers.
The Lavender Field style takes the Kennedy class
of a more traditional women's watch and splashes a sea-foam-green
leather band and clear plastic clasp into the mix. $40 at
Swatch, 617 SW Morrison St., 222-3380.
the
roaring '90s
In recent years, we've seen fashion-hounds re-explore
the '50s to '80s with swinging élan. With any luck,
maybe we'll go all the way back to the flappered and fantastically
decked '20s. In the event that our stylistic time travel
continues backwards, Mick's kid, Jade Jagger, will apparently
have us covered for accessories. Her ornate leather and
bead chokers provide the well-pronounced accent for
one positioned on a faded Persian carpet, a flute of absinthe
tilting in her hand. $165 at Twist, 30 NW 23rd Ave., 224-0334.
at
attention
Military-inspired clothes have gripped us in years past
with Pattonesque determination. Tight-fitting camouflage
T-shirts were Fifth Avenue favorites several seasons back,
and no one will soon forget the cargo carnage of the summer
of 1998. In the wake of these questionable fashion moments
comes a design we can salute: the army-green wool jacket
by a Denmark-based company, Trousers. Though the thick blend
makes this coat plenty warm for winter, the microfiber backing
keeps the piece light enough for the single girl to move
quickly along the dating front lines. $270 at Pokerface.
also consider:
mary
janes
It seems designers can't leave Velcro well enough alone.
Or snaps, zippers, molded rubber, Lycra, microfiber and
myriad other forward-looking gadgets. At least Espace knows
how to incorporate these elements slickly into a demure
Mary Jane. The store's take on the enduring, strap-happy
kick features six rounded, Saturn-like rings of rubber and,
yes, a Velcro latch, but somehow the simpler pleasures of
design aren't lost in this mother of all Marys. $198 at
Halo Shoes, 2428 NE Broadway, 331-0366.
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