Fashion 88 : BLOUSES : Making It on Their Own

After years as underlings and also-rans, blouses are the Cinderella items in spring wardrobes.

No longer shrinking violets by design, these ’89 tops can go out on their own, without the

need for added jackets, jewels or other enhancements.

The new blouse bonanza opens up a world of opportunity for creative dressing, for mixing up a batch of put-together outfits that express the personality of the wearer more than that of the designer.

Swing blouses, also known as pyramids or tent tops, look good with anything from jeans to long, slim skirts. Some are cut short to reveal the midriff; others swoop down to tunic length, ending at the thigh.

Fitted blouses, with or without sleeves, have the nipped-in look of bellhop jackets. They are shaped, but not tight--and there’s a definite difference. When combined with skirt or pants, the gently shaped bellhop blouse adds a finished, jacket-like effect that turns the unmatched twosome into an outfit.

Embroidery, especially black figures on white cotton, is a popular theme. Some embroideries look trite or tiresome after you’ve seen them for a while. Others become more lovable every time you wear them. The howling dog on the front placket of the white cotton shirt pictured below is in the lovable category; it has a timeless charm and could last for years in any animal lover’s closet.

It would be an understatement to say that the camp shirt, the classic front-wrap shirt, the sleeveless eyelet shirt and the clown-collar shirt are not new this season. These basic styles have been around for decades. But there is something new about these assertively elegant interpretations. They are cut from the kind of cloth and shaped in a such a way that they become a focal point rather than a silent partner.