SHADES OF THE '70S : ACTRESS/SINGER CONNIE STEVENS SHOWS US HOW THESE SUNNY FASHIONS WERE WORN THEN AND NOW.

Byline: Barbara De Witt Daily News Staff Writer

Help me, doctor. I'm having those recurring double-knit dreams. You know, that decade when everybody wore polyester instead of natural fibers and thought they looked great?

Polyester - jersey, crepe and double-knit - is back in fashion favor, leading a revival of '70s fashions. Hip-huggers, more currently referred to as ``hipsters,'' and bell-bottoms (now called ``flares'') are appealing to a whole new generation, teamed with midriff-revealing halter tops, tight sweaters and chain belts. Slinky Quiana nylon gowns, tie-dyed denim jackets and dusters over dresses also are on the comeback trail as the century winds down.

So doctor, here's the problem. Those clingy fashions were designed to be worn on young, firm bodies, and mine is in a middle-age slump.

We turned to Connie Stevens, the ultimate '70s babe, for a few pointers about indulging in flashback fashions without embarrassing ourselves.

That twinkly eyed, effervescent songbird who charmed teens with ``Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)'' and ``Sixteen Reasons'' in the late '50s and early '60s, went on to headline in the '70s in Vegas, where she sang at the Hilton, the Sands and the Flamingo. Later, she starred on Broadway as the ``Star Spangled Girl'' in myriad polyester costumes, accented with feathers, beads and fur-trimmed peacoats.

After playing Cricket in TV's ``Hawaiian Eye'' in the '60s, she acted in numerous teen films, including ``Susan Slade,'' ``Parrish,'' ``Palm Springs Weekend'' and ``Grease II.''

Now, in her 50s, Stevens has added a few pounds to her curvy frame, and sports middle-age laugh lines on her face. But she's still got it.

A youthful appearance isn't so much about plastic surgery or clothing as attitude, Stevens confided at a recent gab fest at her penthouse office on the Sunset Strip. Easy for her to say, curled up in a chair wearing a long filmy skirt with a long, loose sweater that hung over a bare shoulder.

Instead of retiring into has-been oblivion, Stevens reigns as TV's Home Shopping Network's top-selling celebrity (she grosses an average of $25 million in annual sales) with her line of Forever Spring beauty creams and cosmetics. Besides telling women across America how to defy age with her skin-care line, Stevens continues making music and movies. This summer, you'll see her as an over-the-top school teacher from the Bronx with Paul Sorvino and Dick Van Patten in the film ``Oh No, Not Her,'' and as James Dean's agent in ``Racing With Destiny: The James Dean Story.''

But back to the fashion advice.

``Yes, I wore all those fashions of the '70s, but when you're older you've got to be careful not to look like you're trying too hard. I prefer an eclectic wardrobe where you mix and match with timeless pieces, but it's OK to try a new fad for a day or two. Have fun with it, doing it with the knowledge that you're playing for the moment,'' Stevens advised.

Wallowing in nostalgia, whether it's personal history or clothing is soooo aging, she said.

``Instead of going head-to-toe in retro, just accent your ensemble with one piece, like a jacket, or create the attitude without revealing too much skin.''

The bare midriff trend is a good example. ``Instead of baring all with hip-huggers and a crop-top,'' she advised, ``try a gauzy shirt tied above the waist over the skimpy top or camisole, and wear with pretty sandals. And don't overestimate the power of a long blazer or duster over narrow pants or dresses.''

According to Stevens, ``I think every woman over 30 looks good in soft, lightweight clothes and soft sweaters, and the goal should be fluid and easy-fitting. One of the best hip-hiders is bias-cut chiffon, which I wear often.''

OK, so you've shopped with an enlightened Generation Xer, tried on a zillion clothes in the privacy of the store dressing room and emerged with a few figure-flattering items on the cutting edge. Now, let's get to your hair.

``Hair is a big deal,'' Stevens said. ``You can tell a woman's age by its luster - or lack of it. And big, overdone styles as well as overdyed or bleached hair is a giveaway that you're older than you'd like to look. Like your skin, you've got to take care of it, so don't stray too far from your natural hair coloring. Keep it soft and in a youthful fashion. But I don't mean like a kid with little bows or barrettes.''

Finally, we get back to weighty issues. Stevens thinks it's important to be healthy and exercise, but she says if you've never been model-thin, a middle-age crisis is not the time to try it.

``You'll look haggard and gaunt if you're too thin in middle-age, while facial lines seem to disappear if you're a little chunky,'' she confided.

And then there's that youthful attitude.

``When you're older, you've got to relax and take more joy in life. Make time to go the beach, go out with girlfriends, get a massage and laugh a lot.

``And don't isolate yourself from young people, as their enthusiasm is contagious. Use your kids as a resource to keep up with what's new in music and fashion.''

Stay tuned. If the '70s fashion revival continues, Thea Porter's caftans and gypsy dresses should be on the racks soon. Noted for billowy skirts and full sleeves, they'll hide anything that jiggles.

16 reasons why she's

still stylin'

Connie Stevens radiates youthful energy. At 57, the vocalist who hit the top of the charts with ``Sixteen Reasons'' in 1960 continues to work on stage and screen, as well as selling her own line of cosmetics. Here's her strategy for keeping that trademark bubbly image alive:

1. Take joy in life ... it's the best cosmetic.

2. Take good care of your skin. Exfoliate dead skin cells three times a week. And moisturize often.

3. Think like a young person. Go to the beach, gossip with friends, and try new fashions for a day. Put baby-blue nail polish on your toes.

4. Exercise, but don't let yourself get too thin or your face will look haggard and gaunt. After 40, a fuller face is more youthful.

5. Don't over-tan; leathery skin adds years to your face.

6. Get rid of dull, faded, old-lady hair. Don't stray too far from your natural color, try youthful styles, and keep it lustrous.

7. Take 10 minutes a day to pat yourself on the back and think of nobody but yourself.

8. Have independent goals, no matter how small.

9. Associate with younger people. Let them introduce you to new music, styles, ideas.

10. Get a makeup lesson. If you're applying makeup the same way you did when you were 16, it's time for a change and a lighter application.

11. Limit your intake of alcohol and tobacco; it makes you puffy and causes lines.

12. Enhance a less-than-perfect figure with fluid, easy-fitting clothes, like bias-cut chiffon skirts and shoulder-baring sweaters.

13. Bright colors are childlike, but those acid shades of green or yellow can be harsh on older complexions.

14. Accentuate the positive in both figure and face.

15. Pride of accomplishment makes you glow.

16. Don't wallow in nostalgia and the pitfalls of your past. It's too aging.

CAPTION(S):

10 Photos, 2 Boxes

Photo: (1--Color) Stevens brightens up her gar den in a lime-colored shantung silk sheath by Donna Karan, $345, under a lilac coat by a.b.s., $290.

(2--Color) Pop singer Connie Stevens relives the '70s in a tie-dyed denim peacoat by Todd Oldham, $208.

(3--4) (4--Color Only)Back in the '70s, Connie Stevens headlined numerous Las Vegas acts in polyester ensembles. That wonder fabric is back and so is she, with two new movies slated for late-summer release. Below, she's chosen a polyester double-knit jacket, $278, with a retro-print shirt, $129, both by Parallel. Her fluid polyester pull-on pants are by Laundry, $118.

(5--6--Color) Above, Stevens dives into summer in a gauzy cotton dress, $112, and jacket, $80, both by E.D. Lee. Her scarf is by Echo, $25. Right, it's soooo '70s, Stevens says of her red jeans jacket, trimmed with white top-stitching and snap-on daisies by Moschino, $295.

(7) Connie Stevens says she loves long, fluid looks like DKNY's new stretchy satin tube skirt, $235, worn with a long DKNY sweater, $355.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News

(8--10) no caption (Connie Stevens)

Photos of the present-day Connie by Myung J. Chun. Fashions from Macy's at Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks. Hairstyles by Laurent D of Prive Salon in Los Angeles. Connie Stevens is wearing her own Forever Spring cosmetics, including Imaging foundation, Glory blusher, Spring Palette eye shadow and Sexy lipstick. For a catalog, call [phone].

Box: (1) 16 reasons why she's still stylin' (See Text)

(2) Top trends of the '70s (See Text)