14 ~ Sunday, April 7, 1991 - North Shore News FASHION The quintessential extras for 1991 PM NOT suggesting that your wardrobe would wilt without them, buc if you want to add more style with less effort to the way you dress this spring, updated accessories are essential. Carol Crenna FASHION STATEMENTS You do not necessarily have to clutter your closet with obvious trends or be guilty of coordination overkill, A limited selecticn of simple, statement-making pieces is all that is needed. - Stylish accessorizing is not sim- sly a matter of snapping up the jatest from the fashion pages. It is a matter of personalizing a ward- robe. jt should simply be a subile mix of objet trouve (found ob- jects) or an eclectic blend of things that signify your personali- ty. The best accessorizing appears totally spontaneous in its style and placement. it may simply be how a sheer scarf is draped around the head and then threaded through an epaulet, or the way a belt isn't buckled, but cinched with a knot. It could be the way some playful 60s leggings are slipped under a serious 50s skirt, and then **betrayed’? with the addition of next year’s shoe. When the economy is weak, the accessories business gets stronger. The recession has destructively hit the fashion market, and women respond by adding small items to update a wardrobe. Canada’s largest and most widely respected trade show called Mode Accessories 1991, which took place recently in Toronto and was attended by 2,808 buyers from stores across Canada and the U.S., forecasts what is selling for spring. In a nutshell: The 60s influence is everywhere, but it is said to be a forward, not a retro interpreta- tion. The grooviest accessories were inspired by flower power and Pucci prints, said to show move- ment with bold swirls and geometric shapes. Sea _ inspired motifs and colors are very strong, and include seahorses, fish, nautical themes, sand and blue water colors. Environmental themes also demand attention. Cool colors are the hottest news in blues, foam green, pale pink and coral shades. Quilting pat- chwork on headbands and purses adds an ethnic, homegrown look to accessories. Crocheting, fishnet and chenille yarns give pretty, feminine definition to heads, hands, waists and legs. Here is a list of seven sensa- tional pieces that any wardrobe worth its closet space should have in 1991. Look for a canvas hand- bag, short necklace, tights, fabric gloves, sheer scarf, fabric hair or- nament and a translucent bracelet. Fabric adds lightness to spring ENHANCE YOUR personal style with accessories. Shown here are the top spring accessories from Wesicoast Softwear and the Accessory Group. bags and allows high fashion styles to be had at reasonable prices. Look for witty takes on classic shapes such as the Kelly bag, a bowling bag and the mini Bugatti bag. Collar length necklaces give focus to a feminine neckline in Jackie O inspired large pearls, decorative metals or estate-like pieces with small faux gemstones that look real. Slide on any of the brightly printed or textured legg- ings that are shown this season, worn with micro minis, shorts or provocatively slipped under long jackets. A new ladylike appeal has been added to spring suits which are finished with white wrist gloves or crocheted styles. Accessorizing goes to your head this season, too, with 60s inspired stretchy fabric head and hair bands thai slide over the forehead or are pushed back to the crown. Scarves also fit into the 60s trend, making an entrance with vibrant prints and colors in chif- fon or jacquard textures on charmeuse. They may be as large as shawls or cut tiny square just big enough to cover your 90s bouffant. Wrists are given focus, with multiple bracelets worn together, either in matching sets or in a variety of different looks. They look best this spring in plastics, especially lucite, a translucent ma- terial that is clear or resembles frosted glass, shown in icy pastels. Wear these accessories alone, as solo accents to a spring outfit, or pile them on in wild abandon. Two North Shore firms have turned accessories into a suc- cessful fashion business. Designer Eileen Wheeler focuses on the hair adornment niche that has grown in popularity the past few seasons and sometimes adds complementing bags or brooches. Her firm, Westcoast Softwear, creates a sophisticated collection for spring/summer 1991, using a variety of unique fabrics imported from Europe and Japan. Her four groupings include Dottie, featuring button and bow combinations with nautical navy and white polka dots on grosgrain fabric, and White Renaissance which utilizes vintage glass but- tons in iridescent blue as cen- trepieces on gathered white chif- fon. Wheeler, a West Vancouver res- ident and an active designer member of the Designers and Fashion Association, was formerly a high school art and humanities “Tre never been Janet Bissell lost 73 lbs. ona program ats given, me muC hat this m e h food” teacher, but switched careers in 1985. She then established her fashion firm Westcoast Sotiwear, and her timing was right. Her merchandise is now sold across Canada and in Japan. Her designs are available at Phoenix and Lesley’s in West Vancouver and Tahari and Louise of Ker- tisdale in Vancouver, and are priced from $20 to $40. The Accessory Group, owned by Maryon Adelaar of West Van- couver, highlights the neck, the head and the wrist this season. Scarves, bracelets, earrings and short necklaces are major group- ings for spring. Adelaar travels to Europe and New York to stay abreast of the latest accessory trends, and selects merchandise from manufacturers and designers in Montreal, Toron- 10 and Vancouver. Her chosen niche in the accessory market focuses on updated classics at rea- sonable prices. This firm sells ac- cessories of all kinds at fashion presentations given through home parties and network marketing. A. selection of merchandise from The Accessory Group is also available at Stares in the Pacific Centre Mall. For more informa- tion on the home parties cail 681-7380, or attend the next open house which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9 at 4186 Rockridge Rd., West Vancouver, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the fashion update at f1 a.m. “When you think about los- ing weight, you think about food. Funny, isn’t it? The great thing about Jenny's food is that it not only tastes great, it’s nutritionally balanced, and there's plenty of it. So you never feel like you're being punished or deprived. Jenny's fresh-frozen meals make all the difference.” North Vancouver Vancouver Port Coquitlam = Richmond Surrey = Metrotown = Burnaby 985-1888 733-3017 942-6044 YLNIT 599-9339 435-6616 HH S49 "Sense tee ¢ Jennys Cuisine addtional © Magor credit catds accepted © Open Saturdays and evenings » Macntenance Products optional «© 1900 Jennw Craig Intemational