49 - Sunday, December 10, 1989 - North Shore News Dress up for Christmas GETTING READY for Christmas can mean many things — preparing your gift list, selecting the appropriate Yuletide menu. In the midst of all the hubbub, it’s easy to forget about yourself. This year do yourself a favor: get organized early. Here are some suggestions about how to dress yourself up for those speciai holi- day occasions. DECIDING ON THE RIGHT OUTFIT The biggest decision is choosing the right outfit. innovations Evelyn Jacob Your choice will naturally de- pend on the type of party, whether it be an evening soiree or a Christmas brunch. If you already have an outfit to suit the occasion, the sooner you have it cleaned or altered the better. But if your closet is bare, you may want to buy or rent. FINDING THE OUTFIT A few local outlets have evening gowns for rent. Theresa’s Rent- A-Gown carries fashionable party dresses for sale or for rent. Rentals start at $50 a night, but owner Theresa Hopper says most people pay $65 to $90 for a special occa- sions dress, According to Hopper, the tradi- tional black velvet dress, strapless gowns, dresses made of satin, tafetta and brocade are all popular this holiday season. The simple look is in; beads and sequins are out. ‘I’ve got a lot of dresses with bows and frills but they aren’t Po moving,’’ says Hopper. (Her cheapest sequined gown is $485 to buy and $225 to rent). Dress length is up to you, but most people are opting for cocktail fength (three to four inches below the knee), according to Hopper. Full-length gowns are popular as are shorter dresses, but mini skirts are out. ‘Short dresses should be no more than one inch above the knee,’’ she advises. Dale Bonsall-Jevning of Tafetta says sequined is ‘‘really strong this Christmas and getting stronger for the spring.”’ Also popular is the black velvet dress with a matching velvet bolero jacket and gowns made of irides- cent tafetta. Emerald green is the big color this winter ~~ followed by red and purple. Rentals start at $75 and go as high as $275. Tafetta requires a $25 reservation fee. Gertie Todd of Perfect Setting recommends sequins, tafettas, silks and traditional black velvet for Christmas °89. Another popular style is the ‘‘mermaid"’ look: tight at the waist and hips with a little flair at the bottom. CHOOSING HOSIERY After you've found your outfit, the next question is what to wear under it. If you’ve chosen a strapless gown, a strapless bra should be on your shopping list; others will re- quire a camisole, teddy or bustier. But the biggest decision will be what kind of stockings to wear. Pat Payne of Something Special Lingerie says plain black stockings are in huge demand this Christmas. ‘‘Most people are look- ing for a sheer black stocking with a silky texture,’’ she says. Payne says stockings shouid always be sheer for evening occa- sions, no matter what the color. She advises against mixing pat- terned stockings with a patterned dress. But if you're set on a pat- tern Payne says it’s better to choose something discreet — a simple design near the ankle or a seam down the back. A different twist this year are Givenchy’s glimmering stockings, DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR BUSINESS. Yellow Pages™ have now been bringing B.C’s businesses and customers together for over 60 years. Our experience gives us the know-how to help plan the Yellow Pages advertising program that will most effectively increase your sales. Our longevity creates loyalty in consumers that no other business directory can hope to match. For example, almost half of all British Columbians turn to the Yellow Pages at least once a week. And 97% of people generally calt or visit a business after using our attention-getting directory. They know that Yellow Pages is the most accurate, comprehensive and reliable business directory available. It’s a fact. Advertising in the Yellow Pages means business for your business. For more information on how effective advertising in the Yellow Pages can be, call toil-free, 1-800-242-8647. Getting customers to call you is the first step in getting them to buy. [AJ B.C's favourite shopping centre. available in pale gold, black and off-white. SELECTING JEWELRY Sometimes even the perfect dress can look incomplete. The right piece of jewelry can add a finishing touch. This Christmas, Jennifer Mulligan of Beadworks suggests making your own jewelry. Doing it yourself is fast and inexpensive, and you can choose your own col- ors. NEWS photo Cindy Goodman BEVERLY BALL hairstylist Marinela gives client Laura a special cut for the holiday season. For evening wear, the multi- strand necklace is popular for Christmas. Making your own re- quires six to eight strands of waxed string and a couple of bottles of seed beads (small beads), available in a variety of colors. At 99¢ a bottle, you can’t go wrong. Or for an extra $5, Beadworks can make a necklace for you. Mulligan says Japanese Miracle Beads (looks like a bead within a bead) make stunning earrings. These beads come in different col- ors and sizes. Another nice touch is a colorful hair clip made from beads of your choice. If you know what you want, it takes two minutes to make a clip — all you do is slide the beads on to a barrette. Popular this year are coconut shelis and West German wood chips. FINDING THE RIGHT HAIRSTYLE One of the first things many women ask themselves is how they should wear their hair. Whether it’s long or short, most will want to do something extra special for Christmas. Beverly Ball of Beverly Ball Hair Design says ‘lots of short hair’ is the in look for Christmas. “It’s a short tapered look with a fot of hair on top,’’ says Ball, *‘It’s boyish looking but with a soft touch.”’ Ball says color is popular this year — maroons and copper lowlights and highlights with a hair glaze on top. Glaze gives hair a healthy, rich look and creates shine and movement, savs Ball. Whatever your choice, Ball recommends adding an ornament — small pearls, glittery stones, an earring or beads — to your hairdo. DRESSING HIM UP Just when you think you’ve put it all together, another burning ques- tion arises. What is your partner wearing? It’s important that his outfit doesn’t clash with yours. “We like to ask men what their dates are wearing so we can match them up,”’ says Deano Pellegerino of Classy Formal Wear. . Classy’s has a large selection of tuxedos for rent starting at $62.75. That includes a basic black tux, jacket, trousers, suspenders, shirt, vest or cummerbund, tie, cufflinks and studs. Popular this year is the double- breasted jacket with herring-bone design or geometric checks, and matching pants with a slight flair. Pellegerino suggests a 100 per cent wool suit for an evening party because it breathes better than polyester. Matching cummerbunds and bow ties don’t necessarily have to be black — Pellegerino says any color goes nowadays. Classy offers 37 different colors. Se aeeees STE. 1 epee nk nti sige penne a eae conareteatn annem nT eMapite stay er any ey einer Caauane’