'50S FEVER; `BAYWATCH'S' DONNA D'ERRICO GOES RETRO.Byline: Barbara De Witt Daily News Fashion Editor The Daddy-O decade is stylin' again. Sure, it took 40 years to rediscover the nifty '50s, but it was worth the wait to wear all those saucy little ensembles made famous by blond bombshells like Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Kim Novak. We're talkin' tight, doll face. Like capri pants, pencil skirts with sweaters worn a size too small ... and glam, with marabou-trimmed baby doll pajamas pajamas Noun, pl US pyjamas pajamas npl (US) → pijama msg; piyama msg (LAM , cocktail dresses with mink stoles, hefty rhinestone rhine·stone n. A colorless artificial gem of paste or glass, often with facets that sparkle in imitation of a diamond. [After the Rhine (translation of French caillou du Rhin : jewels, high-heeled mules, cat's-eye sunglasses and tiny scarves knotted at the neck. It's a style ``Baywatch'' star Donna D'Errico can really dig. Poured into a pair of capri pants (those tapered, cropped pants named after the Italian island of Capri) with a low-cut top and posed behind the wheel of a vintage convertible at the Petersen Automotive Museum The Petersen Automotive Museum is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest automotive museums, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a non-profit organization specializing in the education and history of for a Daily News fashion layout, she's got the look. But D'Errico is only playing a part ... although she thinks the little scarf that hides the tattoo - ``Nikki,'' her husband's name - on the back of her neck is cool. ``The '50s was definitely an age of innocence. The fashions were more modest - and the pinup pin·up n. 1. a. A picture, especially of a sexually attractive person, that is displayed on a wall. b. A person considered a suitable model for such a picture. 2. girls were classy - compared to today,'' observes D'Errico, a former Playboy Playmate of the Month Playmate of the Month nude girl provocatively gracing Playboy’s centerfold. [Am. Culture: Flexner, 285] See : Beauty, Sensual who looks a lot like a young Marilyn Monroe. But she couldn't imagine living in the decade that gave birth to Hula Hoops, Corvettes and padded bras. ``They didn't have VCRs then, did they? And what about microwaves and video cameras. And sushi. I gotta have sushi ... and I don't think I could wear that Cross My Heart bra,'' she quipped. Talking about the clothes, she complains, ``Everything is sooo high-waisted. Did they really dress like this? And the ponytail and bangs are dorky dork n. 1. Slang A stupid, inept, or foolish person: "the stupid antics of America's favorite teen-age cartoon dorks" Joshua Mooney. 2. . Wow, I feel like that really annoying cheerleader in `Grease,' '' she giggled. Yep, this spring, ``Grease'' is the word in fashion. The musical about the '50s that has been re-released for its 20th anniversary has introduced the postwar ``Happy Days'' styles to a whole new generation - and designers are ready for them. No poodle skirts California Designer of the Year Janice Levin-Krok of Poleci has several styles right out of ``Grease,'' but she and her design partner Tom Nguyen aren't stuck in a time warp. ``It's only an interpretation of the original '50s look that I hope will appeal to a younger woman, because it's new to her, and also to women who remember the '50s but don't want to wear a poodle skirt,'' Levin-Krok said of her capri pants and skirts in gray menswear fabrics and twin set sweaters in '90s shades like seafoam. Santa Monica designer Shawna Christy also went retro, but she took inspiration from Vargas girl pinups and reruns of ``I Love Lucy I Love Lucy is a television situation comedy, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, also featuring Vivian Vance and William Frawley. The series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on CBS (181 episodes, including the "lost" Christmas episode and original .'' Offered at edgy L.A. stores like Limbo Lounge and Electric Chair, Christy's designs include boxy box·y adj. box·i·er, box·i·est Resembling a box, especially in simplicity or rectangularity. box  i·ness n. shirt-jacs in black-and-white gingham and pink-dotted swiss (a retro fabric that features flocked dots) with color-coordinated pedal pushers and pencil skirts. Max Azria, designer and owner of BCBG BCBG Bon Chic Bon Genre Max Azria fashions and this year's recipient of the California Performance Award, focused on other aspects of the decade. According to Azria, ``After years of minimalism minimalism, schools of contemporary art and music, with their origins in the 1960s, that have emphasized simplicity and objectivity. Minimalism in the Visual Arts and relatively somber fashion, it's time for softer, more feminine styles that I think of as postmodern Grace Kelly looks, such as a capri pant pant v. To breathe rapidly and shallowly. paired with a sleeveless turtleneck or a fuller skirt with a short-sleeve knit top.'' That fuller skirt (referred to as a circle skirt in the '50s) topped with a fitted bodice has been a big look on the local prom scene, taking a major cue from ``L.A. Confidential'' co-star Kim Basinger, who got rave reviews for the pale green satin gown she wore to the Academy Awards ceremony last month. That waist-cinched silhouette has also influenced bridal fashions, where the hottest ticket is a gown that looks remarkably like the one worn by Jackie Kennedy in 1953, right down to the off-the-shoulder cap sleeves. Accessory ladies Fashion fans will also recall that it was a ladylike la·dy·like adj. 1. Characteristic of a lady; well-bred. 2. Appropriate for or becoming to a lady. See Synonyms at female. 3. Unduly sensitive to matters of propriety or decorum. 4. era with lots of expensive accessories, all seen on Madonna in the recent film, ``Evita.'' The suits were fitted, the purses were sleek, the charm bracelets were gold and the furs real. It was a decade for pearl chokers (with matching clip-on earrings) and other ladylike accouterments ac·cou·ter·ment or ac·cou·tre·ment n. 1. An accessory item of equipment or dress. Often used in the plural. 2. Military equipment other than uniforms and weapons. Often used in the plural. 3. , including gleaming compacts that were pulled out in public to touch up red lipstick - a rather seductive scene for a decade that was so conscious of morals that movies couldn't show married couples in the same bed. Married to Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, D'Errico finds the '50s very foreign to her untraditional Adj. 1. untraditional - not conforming to or in accord with tradition; "nontraditional designs"; "nontraditional practices" nontraditional lifestyle, which includes traveling with her husband's band ...and sleeping in a king-size bed. And she'd never wear red lipstick. ``It makes my tan look pale,'' she lamented. Those were the days OK, so they didn't have cell phones, computer games or even microwave popcorn, but the '50s was a decade of modern conveniences, muscle cars and fun stuff. Here's what was new and nifty: The Game of Cootie Hula Hoops Electric blenders Pogo sticks TV dinners Bank credit cards T-birds and Corvettes Roll-on deodorant deodorant /de·odor·ant/ (de-o´der-int) 1. masking offensive odors. 2. an agent that so acts. de·o·dor·ant n. McDonald's TV quiz shows Sock hops 45 rpm records Frisbees ``The Ed Sullivan Show'' Push-up bras Miss Clairol (``Does she or doesn't she?) Green Stamps at the market 3-D movies Fuzzy dice The Los Angeles Dodgers "Dodgers" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" redirect here. For the American football team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). For the Eastern Basketball Association team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (basketball). Xerox copiers Paint-by-numbers kits Dior's ``New Look'' Revlon and Max Factor cosmetics Bikinis Up close and personal Who: Donna D'Errico. Stars in: ``Baywatch.'' Born in: Alabama, raised in Georgia. Lives in: Malibu. Marital status: Married to Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue. Children: Rhyan, 5, and stepchildren Gunner, 7, Storm, 4, and Decker, 2. Wears: Size 2-4 dress; 8-1/2 shoe. Hobbies: Cooking, jumping on the trampoline trampoline Resilient sheet or web (often of nylon) supported by springs in a metal frame and used as a springboard and landing area in tumbling. Trampolining is an individual sport of acrobatic movements performed after rebounding into the air from the trampoline. and watching old movies. Trivia: Was a Playboy centerfold in 1995 and covergirl in 1996. Upcoming projects: A serious ``Power Strength'' exercise video shot at the House of Blues House of Blues (HOB) is a chain of music halls and restaurants founded in 1992 by Hard Rock Cafe founder Isaac Tigrett and his friend and investor Dan Aykroyd. It is a home for live music and southern-inspired cuisine, whose clubs celebrate African-American culture, specifically to be released in May, and guest spots on WB's ``Nick Freno.'' - Barbara De Witt Retro reels We've always heard about those happy days of the '50s, but there were plenty of fast times. For a glimpse into the past, check out these films: ``L.A. Confidential'': Still showing in a theater near you, this drama focuses on corrupt police, reporters and call girls in our own City of Angels. Fashion fans will note that ponytails and poodle skirts weren't the only style in vogue. ``Grease'': Re-released in theaters in celebration of its 20th anniversary, this upbeat musical is a realistic blast from the past, focusing on '50s happenings such as pajama parties, passion pits and drag races. Plenty of cherry cars, babydoll pajamas, poodle skirts and guys with DAs. ``Mullholland Falls'': A violent film about corrupt cops in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. with a good look at suburbia as baby boomers knew it, complete with cocktails and peignoirs. Made in 1996. ``The Two Jakes'': This sequel to ``Chinatown'' takes us into the late '40s and early '50s, when folks were moving from Los Angeles into the zillions of new tract homes in the San Fernando Valley. Plenty of fashion lessons here, including a trip to a swank beauty salon. Made in 1990. ``Rebel Without a Cause'': James Dean in a t-shirt and tight jeans on a motorcycle was the ultimate dreamboat dream·boat n. 1. A person considered exceptionally good-looking and sexually attractive. 2. A luxurious, well-designed automobile or other vehicle. of the '50s. Apparently not everyone in this era had a mom who baked cookies in a gingham apron or a father who knew best. Made in 1955. ``Jailhouse Rock'': This was the beginning of a new generation of musicals geared to teens, starring a young, hunky hun·ky 1 n. pl. hun·kies Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a person, especially a laborer, from east-central Europe. Elvis Presley with a pompadour 'do and squeaky-clean manners. Made in 1957. ``Pillow Talk'': Doris Day personified the ``good girl'' of the '50s who wore gloves with her boxy little suits, cooked dinner for her family, never swore, and carried on married life in single beds. Made in 1959. - Barbara De Witt CAPTION(S): 7 Photos, 3 Boxes Photo: (1--Cover--Color) On the cover: Speeding into '50s fashion at the Petersen Automotive Museum is ``Baywatch'' star Donna D'Errico in a lilac brocade suit by Saint John Collection, $245, from Macy's at Fashion Square, Sherman Oaks. (2--Color) It's the '50s with a '90s edge, thinks D'Errico, as she poses in gray flannel capri pants and a leatherlike top, $76, all by Poleci, from Bloomingdale's. Her compact is by Estee Lauder, from Neiman Marcus. design/illustration by Bradford Mar/Daily News (3--Color) At right, she's wearing BCBG jeans, $98, topped with a plaid blouse by Tommy Hilfiger, $46, from Macy's, and rubber thongs from J. Crew. (4--5--Color) ``It's sooo '50s,'' says D'Errico of this pinstripe pin·stripe also pin stripe n. 1. A very thin stripe, especially on a fabric. 2. a. A fabric with very thin stripes, often used for suits. b. A suit made of such fabric. Often used in the plural. skirt, above, by City Triangle, $44, and pink twin set, $166, by Ralph Lauren, all from Macy's. Her handbag is by Ferragamo, from Neiman Marcus. (6) D'Errico plays a homecoming queen in an ivory satin gown by Collections, $158. Her feather boa is from Bebe and her plastic crown is from Claire's Accessories. Photos by David R. Crane/Daily News (7) no caption (Donna D'Errico) Box: (1) Those were the days (See Text) (2) Up close and personal (See Text) (3) Retro Reels (See Text) |
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