Fashion Trends

Pat Benatar's bandana. Madonna's lacy gloves. Michael Jackson's red leather jacket. And Kurt Cobain's Unplugged sweater. There were Puck's tattoos. Cindy's mole. Britney's belly button. Boy George's makeup. George Michael's stubble. And Snoop Dogg's locks. For millions of us who raced off the school bus, even bypassed the refrigerator in the rush to switch on MTV and see Duran Duran serving champagne on a sailboat, there's a video memory for practically every stage of junior and senior high.

LAST WEEK, Nike Inc. warned that its earnings would fall below forecasts this year and next, sending the stock of the Oregon-based athletic shoemaker reeling. The company, which derives 61 percent of its revenue from athletic shoes, blamed the shrinkage of retail space devoted to athletic shoes. Indeed, in the past several weeks alone, two of the nation's largest athletic shoe chains, Venator Group Inc., owner of the Foot Locker and Lady Foot Locker chains, and Just For Feet Inc., have closed what could amount to hundreds of stores.

Thirteen-year-old Katie Riggs is not allowed to wear mascara and isn't really going on dates, but she doesn't think twice about sashaying through the mall with -- heaven forbid -- her bra straps exposed.Grandma, cover your eyes: Bra straps are cool. The undergarment whose absence once symbolized rebellion has returned in a most visible way.After cropping up in New York and Los Angeles several years ago, the exposed strap has become a national phenomenon among under-30 women, fashion experts say. It's a look that young people variously praise as comfortable and feminine, in-your-face cute and alluring.

Handbag lovers now have a reason to carry on.The bags of the moment are smaller, hand-held styles, reminiscent of ones carried in the '40s and '50s, such as Chanel's quilted bag and Hermes' structured Kelly bag, named for the late actress Grace Kelly.Today's hand-held versions range from a tiny canister-shaped evening bag -- big enough for lipstick, mirror and a $20 bill -- to a soft, casual tote that holds keys, a billfold and cell phone. They come in leathers, knits, straws and a variety of linens and silks, in a bonanza of shapes and colors.

Fashion designers are a grateful bunch. In between setting trends, planning shows and running companies, they pause and reflect like the rest of us around this time of year. We caught up with some and posed this question: "What are you most thankful for from the world of fashion?"Patrick Robinson:The first thing that pops into my mind is that I'm able to have a platform to express my artistic self and my inner soul. That is something a lot of other people never get the chance to do.Nicole Miller:I'm most thankful that these days anything goes - from heels to flats, long skirts or short skirts, colors and prints.

Little show-offsIn a small way, children's clothes follow adult fashion trends. ,, Sometimes the translation is unfortunate, as it was a few years ago when biker chic and grunge made mama's little darlings look like gangster bambini and miniature tarts.This season the kiddie chic translation is endearing. Fashion's .. new accent on plush fabrics, embroidery and fluffy trim on outerwear harks back to the days when children had their dress-up moments for visiting and picture taking.Here, a '40s inspired red swing coat with faux snow-leopard trim, is a look that's totally embraceable.

LOS ANGELES -- A line drapes the front of the store, as showy and provocative as a low-slung hip chain. Giggling 14-year-olds in vintage disco Qiana; women with silver pageboys pacing in Emma Peel boots; Eddie Bauer moms with Osh-Kosh babes in tow; club rats; and last season's slackers -- all queued up, eyes trained forward.What's it all about? And who is the man in Johnny Cash-black, with porcelain-keepsake skin and kohl-lined eyes, jiggling a ring of keys?He's not a bouncer, it turns out, just a clerk tending to crowd control on a typical Saturday afternoon at the Beverly Center M.A.C store.

NEW YORK -- Yikes, it's gauchos! Just when we were feeling reassured that those walking fashion disasters from the '70s were forever dead, they came strutting down the Anne Klein runway to the disco thump of "Staying Alive."House designer Patrick Robinson missed the beat on this one, but he's to be forgiven. At 29, he's too young to remember the full effect those goofy pants have on a woman's backside. He did fine with the rest of this retro collection with some snappy maxi-coats, maxi-skirts and relaxed sportswear, which keeps this career-friendly house going.

OK, I admit it -- I cried. Big tears, all over my cashmere sweater. Still, I was fairly sedate compared to the man sitting a couple of seats away. Blubbering.He, I'd like to believe, was wrapped up in the emotion of the story, a romantic comedy in which a chauffeur's geeky daughter returns from Paris transformed into a beautiful and sophisticated woman who entices not just one but both of the millionaire Larrabee sons.I, on the other hand, was crying over the fashions.While I have to admit that pantsuits and sleek velvet ball gowns are more apropos of the '90s, some deep-seated '50s part of me was craving the sight of opulent, luxurious clothing -- and not on the male actors.

Eventually, it had to happen.Spam, the ugly duckling of luncheon meats, would have its day. And now, Spam fans, that day has come.The geniuses at Hormel have unveiled the ultimate in designer apparel, the kind of fashion statement that even Porky Pig would admire. That's right, Spamwear.Yes, executives at Hormel Foods Corp. have issued an official Spam catalog, replete with T-shirts, baseball caps and watches emblazoned with the distinctive, if boring, Spam logo.There's even, ye gods, Spam sweat pants -- with the word Spam strategically placed on the left ham hock.