Suits are back for fall but with embellishments: Clotheslines
By Special to The Plain Dealer
September 23, 2009, 6:46AM
By Marlou Luther, Special to The Plain Dealer
Dear Marylou: Before I invest in some new fall clothes, I need to know if there is some underlying trend that will be around for a while, and if so, what is it? -- D.S., Aurora.
Dear D.S.: After several seasons of contradictory parts, as in the disparity of mannish blazers with flouncy, feminine skirts and sporty jackets with all-gown skirts, the suit looks fresh once more.
Shalini's silk crepe suit illustrated here looks especially directional as it uses crisscrossing ribbons to accentuate the midsection. Without the ribbon closure, the jacket is a soft blazer, so if you have some old jackets in your closet, follow the designer's lead and make them current by closing them with ribbons or belts.
Dear Marylou: Are the new men's jeans narrow or boot cut? -- H.P., Staten Island.
Dear H.P.: I like the quote Macy's men's fashion director gave MR magazine: "Denim has evolved into a lifestyle. Guys are wearing all different styles, and doing so creatively. They have a distressed style for the weekend, dark and dressy for going out."
The men's magazine also reports that wrinkles are in -- from thighs to hems on narrow pants. Picture a too-long -- way too long -- pair of narrow jeans that have been pushed up the leg, forming natural folds or wrinkles. MR shows the look by Naked & Famous.
Dear Marylou: Any new breakthroughs in sustainable clothes for men? For women? — A.J., Hogansville, Ga.
Dear A.J.: The newest “green” fiber, introduced at the spring 2010 menswear shows in Florence, Italy, is abaca, a bananalike plant fiber that resembles cotton but is naturally water resistant. It is being used in trench coats. According to a study by the Mintel International Group Ltd., global sales of green merchandise increased to an estimated $654 billion in 2008 from $438 billion in 2003, but they are forecast to be flat this year because of the recession. In Mintel ’s survey of 2,500 adults, 54 percent said they would buy more green products but consider them too expensive. Consumers ages 35 and younger were most receptive to them, but seniors were less likely to pay the higher costs. Mintel defined green products as those that minimize impact to the environment through recycled materials; have no harmful chemicals or solvents; are made with organic and pesticide-free farming; reduce energy and water consumption; are made of sustainable woods; and are produced in ways that create lower waste and pollution.
The major boost to sustainable clothes came in July, when Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, announced its new environmental labeling program to measure the social and ecological impact of products. The initiative, which requires all 100,000 of the store’s suppliers to absorb the costs, is intended to produce efficiencies that will eventually lower costs. Experts say it could take five years or more for the reductions to register at retail.
Dear Marylou: I like pretty kimono robes that are roomy and flowing, but I can’t find them in size 18. Do you know a source? — G.G., Fayetteville, N.C.
Dear G.G.: Try to find the kimono you like in the closest size to l8. If it’s an almost fit, sew a band of contrast fabric along the front closing. (Many kimonos are made this way.) Determine its width by the number of inches you require for the correct fit. If your kimono already has a band, remove it in favor of a wider one. Or find your fit by going to a men’s store and looking for a classic wrap robe.
Luther welcomes questions for use in this column but regrets she cannot answer mail personally. Send your questions to: Clotheslines, Fashion Department, The Plain Dealer, 1801 Superior Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114
By Special to The Plain Dealer
September 23, 2009, 6:46AM
By Marlou Luther, Special to The Plain Dealer
Dear Marylou: Before I invest in some new fall clothes, I need to know if there is some underlying trend that will be around for a while, and if so, what is it? -- D.S., Aurora.
Dear D.S.: After several seasons of contradictory parts, as in the disparity of mannish blazers with flouncy, feminine skirts and sporty jackets with all-gown skirts, the suit looks fresh once more.
Shalini's silk crepe suit illustrated here looks especially directional as it uses crisscrossing ribbons to accentuate the midsection. Without the ribbon closure, the jacket is a soft blazer, so if you have some old jackets in your closet, follow the designer's lead and make them current by closing them with ribbons or belts.
Dear Marylou: Are the new men's jeans narrow or boot cut? -- H.P., Staten Island.
Dear H.P.: I like the quote Macy's men's fashion director gave MR magazine: "Denim has evolved into a lifestyle. Guys are wearing all different styles, and doing so creatively. They have a distressed style for the weekend, dark and dressy for going out."
The men's magazine also reports that wrinkles are in -- from thighs to hems on narrow pants. Picture a too-long -- way too long -- pair of narrow jeans that have been pushed up the leg, forming natural folds or wrinkles. MR shows the look by Naked & Famous.
Dear Marylou: Any new breakthroughs in sustainable clothes for men? For women? — A.J., Hogansville, Ga.
Dear A.J.: The newest “green” fiber, introduced at the spring 2010 menswear shows in Florence, Italy, is abaca, a bananalike plant fiber that resembles cotton but is naturally water resistant. It is being used in trench coats. According to a study by the Mintel International Group Ltd., global sales of green merchandise increased to an estimated $654 billion in 2008 from $438 billion in 2003, but they are forecast to be flat this year because of the recession. In Mintel ’s survey of 2,500 adults, 54 percent said they would buy more green products but consider them too expensive. Consumers ages 35 and younger were most receptive to them, but seniors were less likely to pay the higher costs. Mintel defined green products as those that minimize impact to the environment through recycled materials; have no harmful chemicals or solvents; are made with organic and pesticide-free farming; reduce energy and water consumption; are made of sustainable woods; and are produced in ways that create lower waste and pollution.
The major boost to sustainable clothes came in July, when Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, announced its new environmental labeling program to measure the social and ecological impact of products. The initiative, which requires all 100,000 of the store’s suppliers to absorb the costs, is intended to produce efficiencies that will eventually lower costs. Experts say it could take five years or more for the reductions to register at retail.
Dear Marylou: I like pretty kimono robes that are roomy and flowing, but I can’t find them in size 18. Do you know a source? — G.G., Fayetteville, N.C.
Dear G.G.: Try to find the kimono you like in the closest size to l8. If it’s an almost fit, sew a band of contrast fabric along the front closing. (Many kimonos are made this way.) Determine its width by the number of inches you require for the correct fit. If your kimono already has a band, remove it in favor of a wider one. Or find your fit by going to a men’s store and looking for a classic wrap robe.
Luther welcomes questions for use in this column but regrets she cannot answer mail personally. Send your questions to: Clotheslines, Fashion Department, The Plain Dealer, 1801 Superior Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114
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