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The
Lights of Spring
By
this time every year, we've settled very comfortably into our
roomy, warm winter clothes. A few cold, dark months go by, and
then, suddenly, Spring takes you by surprise.
The
weather gets warmer, the sun gets brighter, and before you're
really ready for it, you're dealing with bare flesh and bright
colors. Give me black and gray, you plead, my turtlenecks and
wool blazers. Sorry. Just like Daylight Savings time, you've got
to Spring ahead, fashion-ready or not. Luckily, there are lots
of different looks coming up this Spring and some of them, believe
it or not, are flattering
to real-life women.
 Let's
start with dresses - perhaps the most basic element of your Spring
wardrobe. There's no better time to be a woman than when men are
walking around buttoned up in suits and ties, and your outfit
consists of one glorious garment. This season, you can feel gorgeous
in a dress even if you don't have perfect legs or a tiny waist.
For the most part, hemlines are at the knee or lower, which is
particularly nice for those of us who don't love the maneuvering
it takes getting in and out of cars when we're wearing a mini.
More good news: most of the dresses for spring 2000 are not the
body-hugging, space-aged contraptions you may have imagined people
wearing at the start of the new millennium. In fact, they're back
to the future -- probably more in sync with what our mothers and
grandmothers wore. While shapes are simple, the dresses themselves
have movement and flow. Look for slimming sheaths that are ankle-length
or longer, in wispy, light fabrics. But, if you're more comfortable
in knee-length dresses, designers are offering plenty to choose
from, in easy-care, wear-to-work fabrics. While sleeveless dresses
and halter-like tops are still stylish, for a newer look try some
of the  V-shaped
necklines and short or elbow-length sleeves. On the runway, many
of the new dresses were shown with simple, classically styled
cardigan sweaters-just like the one you've probably got hanging
in the far end of your closet.
If
you're part of the more formal suit-wearing world, you'll be happy
with the new styles for spring. Jackets tend to be either really
long or really short, and many of them have soft, feminine details
like rounded collars, three-quarter length sleeves or nipped-in
waists. The cropped trouser, too, is back, but this time it isn't
skin tight, and it's being worn with short, relaxed jackets. Suits
look and feel especially Springy in lightweight fabrics and soft,
pastel colors. Skirts are knee-length and either straight or slightly
flared. The overall look: cool, confident -- never uptight.
 The
shoes you won't be able to do without this season are the new
lower-heeled sandals or slingbacks. They look great with all kinds
of dresses and slacks. Don't be afraid of the funky, pastel colors
you'll see in almost every shoe store-this year it's more about
mixing than matching when it comes to color. If pink or lavender
shoes just aren't practical for you, however, try a light brown
leather sandal to complement the lighter mood of Spring styles.
A final word of advice: stay as far away from black and gray as
you can. Fashion always comes full circle, and you'll be wearing
it from head to toe again before you know it.
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