The good news about summer's drawing to a close is that it's also finally bringing down the curtain on any fashion stragglers who are still into high-glitter disco threads, punk costumery and ultraconservative style right from the pulpit of the Moral Majority movement. To be well dressed today is, above all, to exude self-confidence without self-aggrandizement. The movers and shakers of menswear are responding positively to the challenge of increasing male fashion awareness by producing an immense diversity of fabrics, colors and cuts--all designed to appealto the educated eye. And they're also not putting all their fashion eggs in one basket, as they often do, emphasizing only a single look or a smattering of trends. Instead, manufacturers are giving males a variety of good designs, relying on the individual to put the looks together correctly. Collectively, our fashion eye has learned to expect the unexpected--in part because there are so many new looks around worn so well. And here's another tip: It's wisest not to mix a single new item of fashion with older, alien elements of your wardrobe, as that type of team-up usually won't jell. For example, if the gun-metal-blue andcream-colored reversible coat by Randy Allen shown in this feature were combined with a conservative business suit, the whole ensemble definitely wouldn't knit. But when the coat is combined--as the designer envisioned--with a cream-colored sweater, shirt and slacks, everything works. It's that understandingof what's mixable and matchable that makes today's fashion scene so interesting--and challenging. Designers are increasinglyputting together total looks that integrate but don't overly coordinate. The result is a new enthusiasm for bolder patterns, more unusual colors and textures and unexpected shapes. Take a cue from them and try it yourself.
Women's fashions by Bill Atkinson, Ltd.
