RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED... : IF OUR FASHION TIPS CAN MAKE RODNEY DNGERFIELD LOOK GOOD, THEY'LL WORK FOR JUST ABOUT ANYBODY.

Byline: Story by Barbara De Witt Photos by Tina Gerson Daily News

Guys, it's true. You are what you wear.

Look at Cary Grant, Fred Astaire. And look at Rodney Dangerfield, the comedian with a 47-inch waist. He has spent his entire career whining that he gets no respect. It's no wonder.

The man wore the exact same ill-fitting black suit with a white shirt and red tie for literally hundreds of TV appearances over the years without so much as a single trip to the cleaners.

Then he asks, ``Could it be my clothes?''

Talk about no respect. This man has no respect for fashion. On my recent visit to Dangerfield's swank Beverly Hills apartment, he appeared in baggy pajamas and canvas deck shoes with holes in the toes. His closet looked like a Salvation Army drop-off station, with piles of ripped sneakers, stained leisure suits and loud bathrobes.

Dangerfield confided he was seriously ready for a make-over.

``No kidding, I've even gone on the Internet in search of fashion advice,'' he said.

But we all know how much free advice is worth. Hundreds replied to his recent ``Help Me Get Respect'' contest, and most of the suggestions were unprintable and unwearable. Nothing but ribald reflections from fans who thought Dangerfield should forget respect and go for the glitz in red sequined G-strings or Calvin Klein underwear.

One even suggested he'd make a better fashion statement in the nude. This fan encouraged him to launch a line called ``Emperor Rodney's New Clothes,'' and display it next to Jaclyn Smith's Kmart collection.

No respect.

I suggested to Rodney that he start thinking about guys with a reputation for good taste. ``You know, think like Prince Charles or some Ivy Leaguer in a natty blue blazer with a crest, which gives you instant clout. That silk ascot and pocket square will make you look debonair.''

``Debonair? I like it but I can't spell it!'' he said with a laugh.

Like a lot of aging baby boomers, Dangerfield has noshed on burgers and burritos for so many years that elastic-waist trousers and oversize pullovers are the only thing he feels comfortable in.

But with a few tips, you can take 10 pounds and several years off your look. You might not pass for Richard Gere, but you don't have to diet or get a face lift, either, experts say.

If you'd like to get new respect for your wardrobe, read on.

First, ``get out of the time warp,'' advised Jane Mannfolk, stylist and fashion consultant for TV's ``Leeza'' show. ``Quit wearing things that date you, like gold chains around your neck, aviator glasses and helmet hair ... or that kiss of death, the short-sleeve plaid shirt tucked into khaki pants.

``But don't try too hard to look young and hip, either, or you'll look equally unsavvy.''

Mannfolk said any man who wants to freshen up his image should begin by removing all jewelry except his watch and wedding band. Then get a haircut, a classic style with a side part.

``Leave the slicked-back look, long sideburns and long hair that curls up at the end to the kids. And quit trying to hide your bald spot by combing your hair from ear to ear. If you're trying to look younger and thinner, you need a polished look that's going to be kind to wrinkles around the eyes as well as the waist,'' she said.

When you've got your personal grooming under control, check yourself in the mirror, said Durand Guion, men's fashion director for Bullock's/Macy's West stores. ``Just admit that you are no longer slim and trim, and quit trying to squeeze into your old jeans. After all, it doesn't matter what size the clothes are as long as they fit you properly. That's especially important this year because clothes have a slimmer silhouette now,'' said Guion.

If you want to look more youthful, add color to your wardrobe, suggested Leatrice Eiseman, color consultant and director of the Pantone Color Institute in Seattle.

``Pinks, peach and coral are extremely flattering to complexions, while blue-greens like turquoise enhance all eye colors,'' Eiseman said. ``To look younger, break tradition. Instead of wearing royal blue, try a trendy peach or violet polo shirt.''

Tom Julian, a menswear expert at Fallon McElligott in New York, suggests wearing classics in an untraditional manner to update your image. ``For a casual look, consider khakis with a linen tee, unbuttoned vest and driving shoes instead of leather deck shoes, which are associated with men over 40,'' said Julian.

Michael Trocchia, menswear expert at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, said you'll get instant clout with a new tan or mint green three-button linen blazer.

``It's the latest style, without flap pockets or vents, and it's an instant update that takes years off your image, especially if it's worn with a black T-shirt or collared polo shirt,'' said Trocchia.

He also advised tan trousers with a dark sports jacket to take the eye away from the waistline. But if you've got to wear a suit, he said to look for a dark - but not black - pin-striped suit. ``And don't wear a matching three-piece vested style, as it'll put years back on you,'' he warned.

To create a younger professional silhouette, avoid suits with rigid tailoring and shiny fabrics, and shop for luxe quality fabrics such as crepe, boucle and anything with a twisted yarn, Julian said. For a slimming effect, choose trousers with two pleats on each side that lay flat.

Guion said jacket details are important. ``You want to create an overall appearance of fluidity, so if you're overweight, try avoiding jackets with big boxy flap pockets, and if you've got a big backside, avoid jackets with vents, which tend to pull apart in an unflattering manner,'' he explained.

If your job requires a briefcase, retire that hard plastic one that looks like a suitcase. The newest looks, said Guion, are soft leather with a shoulder strap.

For casual wear, stick to basics like blue jeans with a zip fly instead of buttons, a thick cotton T-shirt and two-tone suede Hush Puppies, an old guy style that's coming back.

``But rethink the shoes in color, like mint or light blue, and be sure to wear a geometric print sock instead of a white tube sock with a red stripe around the top,'' said Julian.

Feel undressed with just a T-shirt? You can still wear traditional polo shirts, but opt for a solid color instead of stripes, Trocchia advised. Although band-collared shirts referred to as Mandarin or Nehru style continue to be trendy with young men, they are not flattering to a size 18 neck. If you like the look, leave it unbuttoned and roll the sleeves up, said Guion.

When choosing a sweater, run past the cardigans and horizontal stripes and get a solid color boat neck or mock turtleneck style, Julian said. Don't tie a sweater around your neck, which is too '80s. ``That's passe and will really date you,'' Julian said.

Finally, accent your new image with fresh accessories. Try wire-rimmed or half-frame glasses in chrome or black, a steel or silver chronograph wrist watch, or a silver-buckled belt with textural detail, Julian said.

Takes off inches: Dark jackets over light pants.

Dark pin-striped suits.

Ties, as long as they hang at the middle of your belt buckle. Too high and your belly looks bigger.

Turtleneck sweaters can whittle a wide neckline.

Unbuttoned, solid-color sport jacket.

Trousers with pleats that lay flat.

Print shirt worn unbuttoned, like a jacket, over a T-shirt.

Puts on inches: Clothes worn too tight.

Double-breasted suits.

Plaid anything.

Horizontal striped shirts.

Buttoned-up Nehru collar-style shirts.

White pants and shoes, which are a new look for the very young.

Baggy jogging suits.

Khaki pants made from thick, heavy fabric.

Rigid suits in shiny fabrics.

Dress shirts with short, wide-spread collars.

Takes off years: Bright, clear colors.

Woven belts with silver buckle.

Oxfords, driving shoes and lace-up sneakers.

Unstructured suits.

Three-button linen blazer.

Steel or black-toned wire-rim glasses.

Stainless-steel sport watch.

Short hair with a side part.

Vests worn unbuttoned like a jacket.

Soft leather briefcases with a shoulder strap.

Puts on years: Three-piece matching suit.

Anything double-knit (only teens can get away with this retro trend).

Sockless deck shoes.

Cardigan sweaters.

Combing your hair ear-to-ear to cover a bald spot.

Plaid shirt tucked into chino pants.

Shoes and socks with Bermuda shorts.

Gold chains and bracelets.

Shoes without socks.

Helmet hair and long sideburns.

Aviator glasses.

Hard vinyl briefcases.

CAPTION(S):

7 Photos, 4 Boxes

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) MAKEOVER? ME?

(2--Colo r) Before...

``In my neighborhood, I got no respect. ... Halloween! Parents sent their kids out looking like me,`` says comedian Rodney Dangerfield, wearing his own duds. If you'd like to give him some make-over tips of your own, contact him on the Internet at Rodney.com.

(3--Color) After...

``I went to buy a suit. I told the salesman I wanna see something cheap. ... He told me to look in the mirror.'' Rodney Dangerfield finally gets respect in a navy crested blazer by Edgar Pommeroy, $1,250 at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills. For added dash, he has stuffed a gold silk Ferragamo hankie, $61.75, into his pocket; but unless you're on stage, keep it tidy with just the tips showing.

(4--Color) ``This book of `Hamlet' should give me respect,'' says Dangerfield, wearing a gold velvet smoking jacket by Dolce & Gabbana, $699.

(5--Color) ``Anyone for a game of croquet?'' Dangerfield sports a new image with his bright yellow slicker, $190, worn over polo shirt, $69, both by Izod.

(6--Color) ``Hmmm, not bad,'' says Dangerfield of his elegant red Ferragamo tie, $135, teamed with a fresh linen blazer by Lanvin, $1,095.

(7) For those formal events when appearance counts, Rodney Dangerfield slips into a slimming, quilted black velvet jacket by Saks Fifth Avenue, $680.

Box: (1--Color) Puts on inches (See text)

(2--Color) Takes off inches (See text)

(3--Color) Puts on years (See text)

(4--Color) Takes off years (See text)

MEMO: All fashions courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills. Styling by Barbara De Witt.