Whats hot and what's not

Fashion insight for 2002

One would think that the holidays would provide a much-needed break for the FPHV — Fashion Police Harrisonburg, Va. — but as I learned, our work is never done. Even after leaving the Style Capital of the Shenandoah Valley for Winter Break, fashion still found me.

For instance, I celebrated the New Year's arrival at an Upper East Side party in New York. … Five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year! I utilized the following moments when party-goers exchanged New Year's hugs and kisses to closely examine other attendants' fashion offerings. After I made my rounds, I wondered, "Is my outfit OK?"

I looked down and saw nice boots … check; pants that people always compliment … check; a puke-green button-up shirt that I forced myself to wear because I refuse to wear only shades of black and gray … check and a crystal flute newly filled with champagne … check on accessorizing correctly. Whew, that was a close one.

In terms of more substantive issues, I began to think about the less fortunate: the despair of those people who wore 2001's fashion no-nos and those who will be wearing 2002 fashion-nots.
There is hope. In 2001 I felt hope for those who read my column and adjusted accordingly. This year I feel hope for those who follow my advice for what's hot in 2002.

After much thought and deliberation, I have come up with a list of must-have items and trends to follow as well as must-never-have items and trends to run away from.
In no particular order, here it is:

What's hot in 2002:

Robert Natt / photo editor Vintage overcoats in muted tones can add a dynamic look to a simple outfit.

1. Fur trim, but only when it is fake fur. We are all broke college students and everyone assumes what you are wearing is fake. So why kill the animal?

2. Black is the new black. For a while I thought camel was the black of 2002 but an inside source told me white was the new black.

Well, let's examine the issue. My favorite magazine cover of all time is the April 2001 issue of Vanity Fair with Gwynth Paltrow et al. on the tri-fold cover. She is wearing a camel colored dress and looks great in the color, but I have noticed that not all women are Gwynth.

Even more depressing is that camel does not look good on everyone. That same argument can also be applied to white.

In addition, white also has another strike against it. Check out this scenario: You decide you are going to wear a lot of white one day. You get out of your car in the gravel lot on a windy day and dirt is flying everywhere. Are you getting my point?

Robert Natt / photo editor Retro style is easy and less costly. Borrow the clothes your parents retired decades ago.

3. Leather will continue its reign as the fabric "du jour." I don't speak French, so I am not sure this line makes sense, but you get the idea.

Leather is great, but only when used appropriately. Just remember that JMU is neither a biker bar nor an S&M club. If you keep that in mind, your leather choices will be hot instead of not.

4. Wear your parents' clothes from the '60s, '70s and '80s. Vintage gives a wardrobe an edge and an originality all its own. Plus, raiding your parents' closet provides an economic solution to beefing up your wardrobe.

5. Simplicity and classic lines versus going overboard and dramatic dressing. Think more JBKO — Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onasis — and less BS — Britney Spears. If that doesn't make sense to you please e-mail me and I can tutor you.

Before we get to the nots, I would like to provide readers with what I like to call "limbo trends." Are they hot? Are they not? The A-fashion-nado may never know.

Limbo trends:

The members of the New York fire and police departments embody heroism and risk their lives day in and day out, even when that day is as tragic as Sept. 11.

This has caused us to go logo crazy. FDNY here, NYPD there, New York everywhere. While I like supporting real heroes, it bothers me that a lot of the merchandise's profits aren't going to the fire stations or police departments.

Maybe instead of buying that FDNY hat from a sidewalk vendor, you should head over to the police station or the fire station and give them a $15 donation. Whoa, so I have a heart. Please don't tell anyone. In any case, this brings us to the question: Is the FDNY and NYPD logo going to be hot or not in 2002?

On another note just for the ladies, I have wondered: Are sales at Victoria Secret going to be hot or not in 2002? Friends tell me they get great deals, but do you see the way women fight in there? It is pretty scary, and how about all those guys standing in the doorway watching — creepy. Is it really worth getting into a brawl to get the last 34B in that must-have color?

E-mail me with your thoughts at a_fashion_nado@yahoo.com.

Robert Natt / photo editor Size matters. This year, wear clothes that suit your shape.

I have found five things to stay away from in 2002:

What's not so hot:

1. Animal print, R.I.P. Enough is enough. An animal might not have died for your leopard-skin top, but the trend is dead, dead, dead.

2. Cargo pants. Who needs all those pockets? Why do people wear them with a sports coat and a tie to job interviews? Why don't you just fold up those cargo pants right now and keep them in the far reaches of your closet.

3. Sweaters with zippers. Do you notice how the zipper and sweater material bunches up? Why not just buy a sweatshirt anyway?

4. Clothes that don't fit. We all come in different shapes and sizes, and we all are beautiful.

Robert Natt / photo editor Zip-up sweaters are to be avoided at all costs.

So let's all gather around, join hands and sing, "I am going to wear clothes that fit. I look like I can't breathe when I wear clothes that are too tight. I am going to be a hit, wearing clothes that fit. I look like Kris Cross when I wear clothes that are too big. I am going to be a hit, wearing clothes that fit."

That was supposed to go to the tune of that "Because I got high" song, but I am not sure how successful I am as a songwriter.

5. Wearing too much of the same thing or the same article of clothing. For example, wearing a different black top with different khakis day after day after day after day would put you in this "not" category. Mix it up, OK? Don't be intimidated by a little bit of variety. We don't go to Catholic school, so why wear a uniform?

As a bonus, I have an "ultimate hot" and an "ultimate not" for 2002. Man, and I thought Christmas was over.

The ultimate hot:

Luxury items and over spending. We can revamp the economy by going out full force and spending more than we earn; thus giving the economy a much-needed jump-start. Who's with me?

Robert Natt / photo editor What does anyone need all those pockets for? Cargo pants be gone.

The ultimate not:

Shopping at the Mall, except at Auntie Anne's. My last trip to the mall left me uninspired and empty handed, with the exception of a pretzel.

My advice for the week: Look in the mirror every morning and repeat JBKO three times to channel her grace and style in 2002.

The dictionary describes fashion as "that which what looks nice to wear." Hi, I'm James David, and I want to commend all those people who see my column as a hand-up and not a hand out. I would also like to thank as well as look my nose down at all the little people I have stepped on to become the fashion maven I was in 2001 and will be in 2002. Happy New Year.