Flounce is out, slim is in for fashions this fall

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Feb 23, 2003 by Elizabeth Wellington Knight Ridder Newspapers

NEW YORK -- You know those flouncy, bouncy, floral peasant dresses you bought with a vengeance over the past two years? Better slip into 'em as often as possible this spring. Because come fall, those long flowing skirts, billowing blouses and ruffles will be replaced with slimmer silhouettes: pencil pants, slim three-quarter-length skirts, and belted jackets.

As the fall 2003 runway shows got under way here recently, fashion's biggest names let go of the frills that marked their designs in recent years and went with cleaner, understated looks that move well from day to evening.

Last fall, it looked as if designers took sneak peeks at their competitors' crib notes. This year, however, each of the lines was unique, from Carolina Herrera's classy use of satin and pearl gray to Oscar de la Renta's wearable knits and tweeds.

DKNY's shocking orange and yellow wool coats would be cute on a blustery day. Nicole Miller showed a collection of solids and dresses so soft they seemed like spring clothes. Even Sean Jean let go of diamonds and chinchilla for a creased military look.

Gone are the chunky boots and lacy, pointy-toed shoes. Expect to see slim pumps and, yes, sandals in the winter.

"The clothes have been very beautiful for fall, they've been colorful, and there has been a nice balance between luxurious embellishment" and more practical styles, said Janet Ozzard, executive editor of Style.com. "The peasant look is totally gone. These designers are inspired by the '60s. Beautiful, slim, tailored looks."

Following is a closer look at some of the collections:

Carolina Herrera. Wispy up-dos, deep-red lipstick and fishnet stockings gave each of Herrera's models an Audrey Hepburn look, but the way she meshed the timeless accessories with creamy silks was futuristic.

This line was one of her best. Her business wear was full of chalky pinstripes, herringbones and houndstooths. Her concept came together perfectly in a pale beige wool and silk work suit. Herrera's cocktail dresses stalked down the runway in lace, organza, beading and beiges, and were after-hours must-haves.

Cynthia Steffe. Three-quarter-length leggings and short boots turned Steffe's 9-to-5 fashions into rebellious teenager threads. She took classic pieces -- pea coats, tweed skirts and V-neck sweaters -- and jazzed them up with polka dots, fur vests and mink capelets. The result was, shall we say, interesting.

Steffe did her best work when she mixed textures and colors that don't typically go together. For example, she paired a silver fox capelet over a salt-and-pepper tweed chenille sweater and a blush damask pant. Another great working-girl ensemble was a white- stitched black velvet jacket over a fuchsia tee and matching velvet pants. Sometimes, she wasn't as successful. Hooking up a leather bomber with a tulle skirt just didn't cut it.

Oscar de la Renta. His fall 2003 fashions would have made Philly's fashion-forward jump for joy this winter, as we braved wind-chill factors of 7 and below regularly. What do we mean? De la Renta's day wear was warm and soft, perfect to snuggle in. The plum cable-knit and cashmere sweaters with matching hats and chocolate-brown suede gauchos, suede boots and alligator skirts were fabulous.

His pink satin jacket with feather-trimmed stole and slim black pants drew gasps from the audience, and the satin and silk brocade outfits were colorful and rich with an Asian fitted flare. His use of black, however, was a little too much. Black embroidery and taffeta pieces were too dark, giving the clothes more of a vampirish feel than a chic one.

DKNY. As usual, Donna Karan's 2003 fall line can be worn together or separately and still achieve the same level of grace and hipness. Like Herrera, Karan mixed muted shades and bold colors -- slate gray and bright orange -- for oomph, but the DKNY line was definitely more schoolgirl.

DKNY's pieces were shocking. The bright orange coat and gray wool scalloped skirt were serious and fun. Her houndstooth-wool stretch dress with calf-length socks and mustard Mary Janes was classy. Even the men's line stood out: Sleepy houndstooth and wool business suits were awakened with bright tomato-red scarves and navy vests.

Betsey Johnson. Her Wild West motif was wild and free for next fall, and while her clothes were fashioned from dark hues, the really- mini minis and the barely-there halters left one thinking this was a spring line instead of a fall one.

Most of Johnson's 82 outfits, which she collectively called Betseyville, featured teeny-tiny striped bras with long skirts or skinny jeans. The striped sweater dresses would be great for daytime outings, if you're a size 2. She lost it with the lacy prom dresses, Communion dresses and evening wear, all of which looked like something a washed-up star might wear to the Grammy Awards for attention. Ick.

BCBG Max Azria. Azria streamlined the wide shoulders and bulkiness of the peasant look for a softer, more tailored look that remained whimsical. BCBG's line for next fall can be worn just about anywhere, from his chocolate cotton canvas overall to his dreamy tops.