LA GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN; CALIFORNIA DESIGNERS (F)ROCK 'N' ROLL AT SPRING PREVIEW.

Byline: Barbara De Witt

It was frills, feathers and rock frocks with an L.A. edge - just what you'd expect from the stylin' City of Angels.

But there were also major hints that all those pretty dresses from the '70s will be returning. The day-long fashion shows Sunday at the CaliforniaMart downtown let press and retailers get a sneak peek at the spring '98 collections of more than 50 local designers.

The news? Bankers' stripes, velvets, chinoiserie details and elegant slip dressing will continue into spring, with mid-'70s details coming into sharper focus as designers wax nostalgic.

From the looks of the shows, the fashion savvy soon will be shopping for dresses with scalloped necklines, wrap fronts a la Diane von Furstenberg, and peasant styles featuring drawstring bodices and leg-of-mutton or cape sleeves. Other hints for spring were super skinny capri pants with zippers at the ankle, scoop-necked sweaters edged in marabou feathers, bugle-beaded roses and leaf designs splashed across sheer dresses, pedal pushers, pants with racing stripes worn with colorful running shoes and cardigan sweaters tied around the neck or waist for that I-just-came-from-the-gym effect.

Accessories included feather boas, beaded choker necklaces, fringed triangular stoles, drawstring bags, flowers in the hair, rhinestone tiaras, sequin tube tops and decorative cat's-eye glasses for that studious-about-style look.

Garden prints - especially big roses, leafy vines and bamboo designs - were hot, followed by ombre (graduated) stripes, but monochromatic dressing still was the favored statement, whether it was in cotton pique, chiffon or polyester jersey.

Even the color palette has changed, with turquoise, coral pink, sky blue and red replacing lime green, fuchsia and orange. However, bold basics - like black, white and chocolate brown - looked the freshest.

Dresses were a pivotal part of the collections, modeled on ultra-slim (think early Kate Moss) mannequins who walked ever-so-carefully on stiletto heels, thrusting hips forward to create that dramatic sway-backed ``S'' silhouette not seen on the runway for about 30 years.

Like they were in the pre-'80s, many of the dresses were hemmed at the knee, and caressed curves instead of exploiting them. There were few dresses revealing cleavage, but the dainty '20s-inspired slip dresses were so sheer they begged for a real slip to wear underneath.

Two of the best collections shown were by newcomers Eduardo Lucero (he was awarded the California Rising Star Award later that night) and Michele Lucas for Rouge, who both got raves for their over-the-top styles the city is known for producing.

Lucero's collection had a Pocahontas-on-the-club-scene theme expressed in a buckskin ultrasuede safari coat with nude-colored crochet dress and American Indian beads and leather arm bands. Also hot were his divine red dresses with red lace-up sandals and red chokers and a cowl-necked olive-colored sequin top paired with a fishtail wrap skirt and accented with a feather in the model's teeth (like a tango dancer's rose).

Lucas' collection was a bit more wearable, with '40s-inspired ensembles including a pin-stripe suit and a plum-colored knit dress accented with ruching (a type of shirring), as well as a racy red leather tube dress with an orchid marabou chubby coat (more of the '40s), and a stunning zebra-print sheath with a matching coat lined in red.

On an individual basis, there were numerous standouts, a pink floral drape-front silk dress by Mica; a sheer rose-print draped-front dress accented with ruffles along the back of the neck by Dorothy Schoelen of Platinum; a burgundy cowl-neck dress with silk roses on its train by Maral Chatoyan for M. Kalan; a French Regency-inspired embroidered silk gown by Jane Booke; and a ruffled garden-party dress in turquoise chiffon by Holly Ross for Duchess.

Mesh and tulle dresses also were hot numbers, including an Oriental flower-and-thorn embroidery on cap sleeves design by Electra Casadei, and a black orchid-flocked mesh shell with a bamboo-print side-slit skirt by Max Azria (he later received the California Performance Award) for his new To the Max collection.

Like all fashion shows, there were hits, misses and comic relief. Although we're not likely to see a woman - even in L.A. - wearing a swimsuit with cowboy boots and hat, or an entire suit made of wood-print fabric, they reminded us that fashion is, after all, supposed to be fun.

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11 Photos

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) On the cover: Red leather tube dress and marabou coat by Michelle Lucas for Rouge.

(2--Color) Eduardo Lucero featured Pocahontas panache.

(3--Color) Michelle Lucas offered slips as dresses.

(4--6--Color) Some of the funkier fashions at the CaliforniaMart were by Girl Star, left, Mossimo Giannulli and Estevan Ramos.

(7--Color) Ombre striped racer-back dress looked new again, by Hot Kiss.

(8--Color) Holly Ross' ruby peasant gown with choker was a blast from the past.

(9--Color) Fluttery chiffon dress by Holly Ross for Duchess was a hit at L.A.'s spring previews.

(10--Color) Silk roses accented the train of M. Kalan by Maral Chatoyan.

(11--Color) Mica's rose garden theme was romantic and wearable.

Photos by Tom Mendoza/Daily News