THE LO\ G THE SHORT

Long Versus Short - from thigh high to
ankle low;
Pantsuits for those who opt out of
the hemline controversy;
Masculine/Feminine Mix a sexy spin
on menswear;
Waist Watch fit-and-flare dresses and
midriff-revealing shirts;
Wild West go native (Indian) or prairie
princess;
thanks,
Underwear As Outerwear
Madonna, American women really
needed this;
Tutu And Tulle pretend-ballerinas in
full, bouncy skirts;
Sheerly There see-through blouses
and skirts;
Go Navy and black and white and
many other colors.
That's the capsule version. But let's
delve a little deeper, and also find out
how Detroit merchants think the
trends will fare with their customers.

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Long Versus Short

In the world of fashion, people get
hot under the collar over hemlines. The
eye becomes used to a certain length,
not to mention the expense and effort
involved in shortening and lengthening
hems.
This spring, there's good news and
bad news on this always controversial
topic. First the good news. Short, which
has been in vogue for at least the last
five years, is not being suddenly
dumped. Designers devoted about 90
percent of their collections to short
hemlengths, both "regular" (above-the-
knee; the prevailing length) and "ultra"
(mid-thigh).
For daywear, most of the short skirts
are slim. A few have a flutter or a pleat
to them, which designers emphasize
by making them up in fabrics like
georgette or tissue-weight wool. For
eveningwear, slim skirts abound but
the more fashion forward direction
is the full skirt underlaid with tulle
petticoats, so pretend-ballerinas can
pirouette across the dance floor.

WESTERN: Almost every designer gave it
a shot but the one who carries it off best is
Marc Jacobs for the Perry Ellis Company.
Critics call his western wear fun and free-
spirited. A casual denim shirt is worn with
a wide belt and do-si-do skirt.

PHOTO BY DAN LECCA.