REVISIT THE FLIRTY '30S; THIS FALL, GET SUITED UP FOR RETRO GLAMOUR.Byline: Barbara De Witt Daily News Fashion Editor Fashion fans aren't ready to let go of the past. The new century is waiting in the wings, yet designers and the women they dress remain fascinated with styles from the '30s, '40s and early '50s. According to Elena Hart of the New York-based Fashion Association, ``Fall fashion reflects Broadway, Hollywood and pop culture's love affair with cafe society.'' She thinks it may be due to the recent success of Broadway's Tony-winning musical ``Cabaret,'' but if you can't get to the East Coast, you can get the mood of the moment by checking out those sassy sas·sy 1 adj. sas·si·er, sas·si·est 1. Rude and disrespectful; impudent. 2. Lively and spirited; jaunty. 3. Stylish; chic: a sassy little hat. little suits worn by Claudette Colbert in ``It Happened One Night,'' and Marlene Dietrich in ``Witness for the Prosecution.'' Or blow the dust off your old ``Nancy Drew'' mystery books and study her fashion clues. ``Clearly, it's the year of the suit,'' says Sears fashion director Fran Yoshioka, who adds, ``The mood for fall is sumptuous, as plush and luxe fabrics cross over to day wear.'' Zero in on those old Hollywood films - and fall's early arrivals at stores - and you'll see plenty of suity silhouettes. They may be made of masculine fabrics such as tweed, plaid and pinstripes, but the details are girly girl·y adj. Variant of girlie. , with small shoulders, narrow sleeves and nipped waists. The color palette is traditional autumn (rich reds and browns, cool grays and purples), and even the face-framing hats are right out of Mom's old trunk. But don't think museum quality. These suits and the new skirt and sweater ensembles are loaded with fresh touches (spandex woven into wool, slit skirts) designed for the modern woman who's spending more time at the office than the ladies' club. And, although they may be accessorized with frivolous touches such as a feather ruff, mink trim, velvet collar or a fringed scarf, they carry much more clout than last year's slip dresses. It's a year when details count, so buy that little hat you always wanted - and go heavy on the embroidery, the scarves, the dragonfly dragonfly, any insect of the order Odonata, which also includes the damselfly. Members of this order are generally large predatory insects and characteristically have chewing mouthparts and four membranous, net-veined wings; they undergo complete metamorphosis. pins and the pearls. It's a bohemian fantasy that feels good after spare-and-spartan styles. To show you how to take a basic suit and make it your own, we turned to Mia Cottet, the madcap star of Fox's new fashion-fantasy sitcom ``Living in Captivity.'' She slipped in and out of several new numbers by the likes of Donna Karan, Ellen Tracy, Jones New York and Oscar de la Renta Oscar de la Renta (born July 22, 1932) is a leading fashion designer. Early years De la Renta (born Oscar Aristides Renta Fiallo) was born in the Dominican Republic to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father. for our fall fashion layout. According to Cottet, a former showgirl (she says she was Prince Rainier III's favorite), ``The new fashions are glamorous and fun, but I think it's important to put your own twist on them through accessories. Think about the women of the '30s and '40s and how they wore hats and created mystery. Of course, they probably spent three hours to get ready, but they looked so put together.'' Stopping only to catch her breath and change clothes, the coquettish co·quette n. A woman who makes teasing sexual or romantic overtures; a flirt. [French, feminine of coquet, flirtatious man; see coquet. Cottet talked nonstop about fashion (she never wears jeans), comedy (``I love being silly'') and how she became an actress. ``I didn't go to college, didn't win beauty contests and didn't pose for Playboy magazine. Actually I went to the School of American Ballet The School of American Ballet is located in New York City, in Lincoln Center. It is considered one of the most prestigious and notable ballet schools in the United States and teaches some of the most talented young dancers in the country. at 14 to become a ballerina but changed my mind. I started working as a showgirl - actually more what you'd call a cabaret performer - in Japan, Montreal, Paris and Monte Carlo. And, no, I wasn't a stripper, and no, I didn't ever work in Las Vegas,'' says Cottet. ``But I do like feather boas, stilettos and the color fuchsia fuchsia: see evening primrose. fuchsia Any of about 100 species of flowering shrubs and trees in the genus Fuchsia (family Onagraceae), native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America and to New Zealand and Tahiti. .'' Oh, and she also likes Richard Gere. ``He's the sexiest man alive. I've seen `American Gigolo' 50 times,'' she quips. After lots of auditions and parts in sitcoms that never made it to TV, Cottet says she finally got a role on the pilot ``Alhambra Nights,'' (as a showgirl, of course) and an invitation to ``The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.'' ``And I have to tell you, I'm offended,'' she giggles again. ``He didn't ask me if I was wearing underwear.'' The leggy leggy said of animals that appear to have legs longer than normal for the species, breed and age. blonde does wear underwear, but in her new series that takes place in the suburban community of Valencia, she's more often seen in sexy lingerie by Frederick's of Hollywood Frederick's of Hollywood is a well known retailer of lingerie in the United States, with stores in many modern shopping malls across the USA. The business was started by Frederick Mellinger (inventor of the push-up bra) in 1946. and Trashy Lingerie in Los Angeles. Or clingy clothes by Parallel and Max Azria of BCBG BCBG Bon Chic Bon Genre . ``You see,'' she explains, ``my character Lisa has lots of money but isn't allowed to go anywhere except shopping and to the hair salon because her husband is so high maintenance (needy) ... so she has plenty of time to coordinate her fashion stance,'' explains Cottet. ``Now, my character might wear this,'' Cottet says as she prances around the studio in a leopard print suit with a pencil-slim skirt swinging a big black feather boa. ``And this pleated skirt and sweater? Very French schoolgirl. Hmmm. Maybe Lisa would wear it when she goes to back to school, which happens later in the series.'' Next is a purple plaid suit with a velvet collar and matching hat. She looks like a character out of ``It Happened One Night,'' until you notice her bare legs. Cottet has left the heavy hosiery and 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. T-straps in the dressing room and added her own purple high-heeled sandals that show off toenails painted a deep rouge. Oh, well. Fashion, like comedy, should be fun. MEET OUR MODEL Who: Mia Cottet. Stars in: Fox's ``Living in Captivity,'' 8 p.m. Fridays. Last seen: As the catty cat·ty 1 adj. cat·ti·er, cat·ti·est 1. Subtly cruel or malicious; spiteful: a catty remark. 2. Catlike; stealthy. cheerleader in ``Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion High School Reunion
Born in: Newport News, Va. Lives in: Studio City. Sun sign: Capricorn. Wears: Size 6 dress; size 9 shoes. Marital status: Single; no kids. Education: School of American Ballet. Hobbies: Opera, kickboxing. Favorite Valley hangouts: Aroma Cafe and the Starlight Bar, both in Studio City. Her dream date: ``Brilliant, funny young man takes me to Pinot Bistro for a four-course dinner and then to the Bel Air Hotel for port and a second dessert.'' Actor she'd most like to co-star with: ``Richard Gere. He's the sexiest man alive. I've seen `American Gigolo' 50 times!'' - Barbara De Witt THE CHECKLIST A '30s-inspired suit Luxurious accents Hats (cloche cloche n. 1. A close-fitting woman's hat with a bell-like shape. 2. A usually bell-shaped cover, used chiefly to protect plants from frost. , fedora, beret) Feathers and fur Pleated skirts Something gray Formals with '40s flair Flats, Mary Janes, ankle boots - Barbara De Witt CAPTION(S): 14 Photos, 2 Boxes Photo: (1--Cover--Color) On the cover: ``Living in Captivity'' star Mia Cottet welcomes autumn in an Ellen Tracy pantsuit, $700, from Macy's. Her makeup is by Josee Leuc; hair by Judy Crown. All fashions by Macy's. (2--Color) Mia goes for the Claudette Colbert look in a purple Jones New York suit, $340;, accented with a Kenneth cole scarf, $35; and hat by Parkhurst, $34. (3--Color) Her leopard-print suit by Oscar (jacket, $398; skirt, $198), topped with a Liz Claiborne hat, $35, looks really swanky swank·y adj. swank·i·er, swank·i·est Swank. swank  i·ly adv.swank , says Mia. (4--Color) For those times when you've got to think like a man, Mia suits up in pinstripes and pants by Oscar (jacket, $398; pants, $238; shirt, $218). (5--Color) Playing the sweater girl of the '90s, Mia chooses a fake fur-trimmed cardigan, $320, with cashmere tank top, $138, both by Laundry. (6--Color) She's a French school girl in a DKNY DKNY Donna Karan New York ribbon sweater, $185, and pleated skirt, $225. (7) Dinner? Mia has just the dress, a slinky slink·y adj. slink·i·er, slink·i·est 1. Stealthy, furtive, and sneaking. 2. Informal Graceful, sinuous, and sleek: wore a slinky outfit to the party. black number with faux fur trim by Cachet cachet /ca·chet/ (ka-sha´) a disk-shaped wafer or capsule enclosing a dose of medicine. ca·chet n. An edible wafer capsule used for enclosing an unpleasant-tasting drug. , $148. Photos by David Sprague/Daily News A REEL LOOK AT TODAY'S FASHION (8) 1930 - Greta Garbo wears her famous slouch slouch v. slouched, slouch·ing, slouch·es v.intr. 1. To sit, stand, or walk with an awkward, drooping, excessively relaxed posture. 2. To droop or hang carelessly, as a hat. v. hat in ``Anna Christie.'' (9) 1934 - Claudette Colbert tied a cardigan around her neck in ``It Happened One Night. (10) 1936 - Barbara Stanwyck has the new longer hemline hem·line n. 1. The bottom edge of a skirt, dress, or coat. 2. The height of the edge of such a garment, measured from the floor. in ``His Brother's Wife.'' (11) 1939 - Bette Davis went for the lush life in ``Dark Victory.'' (12) 1946 - Check out Lauren Bacall's suit and beret from ``The Big Sleep.'' (13) 1949 - Joan Crawford shows current fashion savvy in ``Mildred Pierce.'' (14) no caption (Greta Garbo) Box: (1) MEET OUR MODEL (See Text) (2) THE CHECKLIST (See Text) |
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