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Hanes Ultimate Legwear presents

Kim Johnson Gross
Fall Fashion Advice

October 12, 2000

Kim Johnson Gross, co-author of the "Chic Simple" book series and editor of the "Chic, Simple Solutions" column in InStyle magazine, chats about the latest in fashion, including how to update your fall wardrobe with accesories.

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Hanes: Welcome to an hour of informative fall fashion advice from Kim Johnson Gross, co-author of the Chic Simple book series and editor of the "Chic Simple Solutions" column in InStyle magazine. Now is your chance to ask Kim everything you wanted to know about the latest fashion trends.

Kim Johnson Gross: Hi. I'm really happy to be here, and I'm really looking forward to answering your questions.

Birdie: What do you see as being the biggest fashion trends this fall?

Kim Johnson Gross: Probably the biggest fashion trend is a return to luxury, but luxury does not necessarily mean expensive. There are a lot of leathers and suede's and soft knits like cashmere available at all price levels, and any one particular item in embossed leather or a suede jacket or skirt can instantly update your wardrobe. There are plenty of bargains out there on these items. Another key trend is the return to legwear after many seasons of bare legs, and you can instantly update your wardrobe by adding patterns, socks, or colored or textured hosiery. Hanes Ultimate always has great items.

Bari: Is there a way I can update my fall wardrobe without incurring a huge expense?

Kim Johnson Gross: Oh, absolutely! You should first step back and really take a good look at the wardrobe and the pieces that you find yourself wearing over and over again, and weed out all of the items that you haven't worn for at least a year Then you can decide what the holes are in your wardrobe that you need to fill, and you can fill those holes with items that update. An update can be as simple as purchasing a new bag. Some of the new shapes are practical, as well. They look like a bowling bag or a doctor's bag, and they are perfect for lugging a lot of things around, because they are roomy. An update could be simply buying a piece in bossed leather or a rich suede in camel, burgundy, or fuchsia, and just pairing it with your basics. Updating your wardrobe is simply taking your basics and adding a special piece.

Wendy: What are the latest colors I should be incorporating in my wardrobe?

Kim Johnson Gross: Colors this fall are fairly basic. We've moved away from black for several seasons. There is a return to black, although some people never stopped wearing it, and some people never will wear it. There also are a lot of rich browns, camels, and burgundies. On the brighter color side, there are jolts of fuchsia or bright pink and a little bit of yellow here and there, and, surprisingly, all of those colors work well together. There's also a lot of texture in addition to color, and those textures include many men's wear inspired textures or patterns. You will find a lot of argyle, even in socks--Hanes Ultimate happens to have an argyle sock--or other menswear patterns such as Houndstooth, which is a menswear fabric, or classic plaids and tweeds.

Forever Dieting: What style would you suggest for folks who are more comfortably proportioned, such as cut, color, and pattern?

Kim Johnson Gross: When you are not emaciated and model thin, as you shouldn't be, the most flattering thing you can wear is something that creates an unbroken line and elongates the body. You can really wear any color that you feel great in as long as there are minimal details, or unfussy detail, and things that don't cut your body in half such as a belt in a contrasting color. Most people believe that dark colors create a slimming line, and that is true, but if you love color, don't be afraid to wear it as an accent, maybe in a scarf or a sweater. And if you are someone that likes to wear trousers, wear flat front trousers--not pleated, as commonly thought. Start close to the body up top, and ease into a slightly fuller leg. That is a very flattering proportion. If you are a person that wears skirts or dresses, the most flattering thing you can do is to wear matching hosiery. Wear all one color--wear a skirt, dress, hose, and shoes all in the same tone or color--and the most flattering color is a dark color. But again, you can always add color as an accent.

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