ROME -- It's interesting that at the dawn of the new century, with so much talk of high tech, new economy, and the future, fashion is indulging itself in a kind of retrofit of bon ton and a resurgence, even if with modern touches, of leisurely times gone by which featured elegance and class.
Surprisingly, in Italy at least, THE color for spring is lavender. Lavender, lilac, wisteria, the pale shades of purple, and sometimes periwinkle (lavender combined with blue) can be seen worn on the streets and in the shop windows.
Top fashion houses such as Blumarine and Fendi used these beautiful pastel colors, in clothes as well as accessories.
Chic Italian women always stuck to black, navy blue, pale shades of beige and greige, and grey, which was all over the place a couple of seasons ago. Emilio Pucci was the last Italian designer who really went wild with colors in his fashion. Today cotton candy pink, peony rose, taxi cab yellow, lime green, cobalt blue, lilac, and periwinkle are used for clothes, sweaters, and buttoned or zipped Eisenhower leather jackets, close-fitting and chopped at the waist.
(For those too young to know, Eisenhower was a five-star general before he became president, who decided to design his own jacket during World War II. Generals presumably can wear what they want. The jacket was subsequently included in the official officers' wardrobe for the Army.)
There are slick leather jackets for around $150 made by L'Altra Moda among others, along with the four-figure versions by Gucci, Versace, Celine, and others.
Remember the twin set? (Sometimes called tween set here) It comes in all varieties, cashmere, cotton, linen, with and without ribbing at the collar and cuffs, and usually with a snug fit. The above-mentioned colors are used. What could be more bon ton than the twin set, although today's young lasses will wear it with fringed and/or embroidered jeans and stiletto Gucci shoes. Or they can be worn with the Prada lilac or pale wisteria skirts, featured in their advertisements, for a more grownup look.
In all the years I have lived in Italy I have never before seen women wearing purple in any shade. It was considered to bring bad luck. Heaven forbid one should wear something purple to the theater! Paola Pisa, fashion editor of Rome's daily Il Messagero, explained why: when the Catholic church had more influence over the life of Italians theaters were always closed on Good Friday. In church the color for mourning was purple and for the folks of the theater purple meant a day they didn't work and therefore were not paid.
I guess I should have known something was afoot when my daughter commandeered my new lilac pashmina shawl last December when it was really cold. I have never cared if turquoise, aquamarine, lilac, or palest pink are in fashion or not, they are colors I love and have always worn, along with black. (Hides the dirt and disguises the weight)
The fashion manufacturers cater especially to young women, and who would have thought (!) that they yearn for lavender and old lace, for soft, powdery shades of lilac, for the languid look of the thirties and the turn of the century, for a return to good taste, for a contrast to minimalism, for a soft, ladylike look. Some fashion mavens are even hunting for antique ruffled shirts or blouses. In other words, they are being influenced by their grandmothers and great-grandmothers.
Recently I learned that I would become a grandmother for the first time, probably in late September. I could not help thinking of one of my grandmothers, Lulu Logan (for whom I am named), who really did wear lavender and old lace, with a circle brooch of pearls and amethysts. Unfortunately the brooch disappeared years ago during a move.
Eleanora Attolico, a young fashion writer for L'Espresso magazine when asked "Why lilac?" said: "There's a return ... to romance and femininity, and colors like pale wisteria, light limp fabrics, and garden party dresses just seem right at the moment."
Paola Pisa tells me that fashion is also invaded by ruffles, often on blouses made of chiffon or other limp fabrics. It started in London and is spreading rapidly. I remember from years ago an Armani blouse in silk chiffon with a flat ruffle around the collar, so simple and so feminine that it was a fashion statement by itself.
Anybody who has read my column knows how I feel about consideration for others and good manners. I can only hope that with the return to a softer, more feminine, and more ladylike way of dressing, young people will also discover that good (ladylike) manners make life easier for everybody.
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Logan welcomes questions and comments and will respond to as many as possible. They may be sent to ParadigmTSA, P.O. Box 111372, Stamford, CT 06911-1372 or by e-mail to paradigm@paradigm-tsa.com. Additional fashion and style information may be obtained from Logan's website, http://made-in-italy.com
(c) Copyright 2000 Logan Bentley Lessona
