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JEANS ARE forever. They're
a basic in every closet and in
every casual wear collection,
But this doesn’t mean they
never change.

By Carol Crenna
Contributing Writer

Denim has shed its stitple image
and as a result. jean sates have
skyrocketed.

From relax-fit boot-cuts in
made -to-fade indigo ta body-
molding Lycra denim and gener-
ously proportioned straight-legs in
natural hues, youl be wearing
them where it counts this spring.

Jeans have always been used to
express individuality —- the fit, the
shape. the label. the way they ‘re
lucked inside a boot and cinched
with a belt,

More than ever they're used as
a creative outlet. which involves
mixing a variety of layers using
jeans as the foundation, and the
individual jaterpretation goes from
there.

Denim tends itself to more ver-
satility with lighter fabric weights.
new finishes and details.

Natural-colored denim is per-
ceived more as sportswear than
traditional casual wear. so it can
vo anywhere. Textured and pat-
lerned weaves, sueded and sand-
blasted finishes for softness add to
the dressed-up look of denim.

Depending on how you slide
them on this season, these are the
lop jean looks:
® Downtown denim: in natural
colors like ecru. beige and soft
brown: cut in shirts, dresses and
trousers and accessorized as
sophisticaled separates.
® Biker denim: in black or blue-
black: looks tough or ueo-punk in
short shorts. microskirts and
sleeveless jean jackets (the newer
equivalent of a vest).
® Fresh. young denim: in classic
blue and prints: shown in cute,
sexy tops, front-tied shirts. vests.
filtle cropped jackets, bermudas,
short shorts and relax-fit jeans,
> New Age denim: in livhtweight
fabric of soft, faded blues cut into
tong sleeveless dresses, used as
vests over sepanites, bibbed apron
skirts. short skirts, feminine blous-
es and little hippie tops.
> Industrial denim: in indigo and
“dirty blue.” (green-tinge thread
woven with blue or blue sandblast-
ed then dyed a yveliow-green), for
last-of-the-grunge looks that are
cut foose and layered including
overalls, shirts and trousers.

When your clothes-minded
throughts turn to denim. check out
Hangers in North Vancouver,
since denim is its specialty.

Owner Tom Young is known
for being the local denim expert,
and can answer alf trend and tech-
nical questions, as well as finding
# pair of jeans dit actually fit ver

His wife and partner Christine
Young states that the store hiss
something for every fashion pret-

erence, since fit today is usually
determined by the effect achieved
rather than measurements and pro-
portions.

Of its SO different stvles at
jeans, many Gtbels are Canadian,

Young exptams. "Canadian
Jed Ru Crurers are an tarp art

the trends compared to European
and American labels, and we are
finding that the established firms
there are looking to Canadians for
new direction.”

The store carties jeans and
denim separates by Holly wood,
Ikeda. Santana, Manayer,

-arasuco, Heavenly Bodies, Alfred
Sung ~- all Canadian labels —-~ as
well as Guess, Henry Choice,
Calvin Klein, Bulfalo and
Request.

The new Dewey, Pardie and
Howe pub (photographed heres on
Marine Drive in: West Vancouver

~ Morn Shore New

has the perfect atmosphere for
Jeans-with-a-jol-of-personalily
dressing.

The separates pictured here, by
fheda and Manager, are available
at Hangers. Makeup by The Bady
Shop's Cofourings line; fashion
ecordimation, Carol Crenna,

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