Satin

NEW YORK -- James Galanos flew out of the West last week with trunks bearing his spring and summer collection, his appointment book filled with the names of prominent retailers.Last year, this Los Angeles designer celebrated his 40th anniversary, but there was no party."I have more important things to spend my money on," he said in the Plaza Hotel suite that served as his East Coast showroom. Then his manner softened. "I'm very happy I have been in business these 40 years," he said. "That is something of an accomplishment."

Coats, like everything else in fashion, have been caught up in the craze for changing fabrics, categories and uses.BTC Once satin, velvet, lace and lame were strictly for evening, but now clothes made of or trimmed in any of these voluptuous fabrics are considered appropriate for day as well as night. Some of these fragile materials have also been treated to wear well in all weather.At the Paris fashion showings last month, several editors were spotted wearing a boxy topper of black velvet with quilted satin sleeves that reversed to a quilted satin lining.

UNTIL RECENTLY, my vision of hell was a fiery inferno where a lot of guys in canary-yellow polo shirts talked about golf.Now, I may have to amend that. Now, I see hell as a fiery inferno where, mixing in with the golfers, is an army of Elvis impersonators, bloated guys in cheap satin jumpsuits talking about upcoming gigs at the Holiday Inn in El Paso or Jersey City or wherever.This terrifying scenario is what keeps me walking the path of goodness while on this earth, so great is my fear of spending eternity listening to drivel about a shanked 9-iron in one ear and a third-rate rendition of "Hound Dog" in the other.

For generations of women, "It's snowing in the South!" meant their slips were showing. Now, with lingerie style running rampant, there is no need to be embarrassed. It's a look. Some designers are even building errant slips into their dresses.For a series of sexy cocktail numbers in his resort collection, Davis Church, a young designer, installed strips of satin behind and above the bodice and an extra pair of straps. When the regular straps fall off the shoulder a bit (they're designed to do so)

Illusion5)"Ain't no livin' with the man -- nodivorcin' either. Ya gotta have a bodyt' ease yer needs from time to time. Y'know,it jes' ain't right t' be alone. E's shoddybut better'n nothin' I guess. It's queer, 'eain't bad when 'e ain't drunk -- I al'as thinkit'll be diff'rent when 'e don't drink."A celebration of9-V's of geese against a sherbet sky, thevesper song of doves at dusk, cascades ofbridal wreath in May, and star-shaped podsof columbine that rattle in the wind likeelfin toys; narcissus standing sentinel atdawn; a satin rosebud jeweled in dew,the fox who gambols through the field, awide-eyed buck or doe; maple trees thatclap their leaves, surrounding me withsymphonies of praise.

Barbara Miller is a savvy career woman with style and an eye for bargains. She has worked as the business manager at Roland Park Country School for more than 20 years. She loves to party, and enjoys concerts, theater and browsing in Fells Point.How would you describe your taste in clothing?Conservative styles with a touch of the unexpected. I have conservative business suits, that I wear with scarves, sashes and belts.What's the newest thing in your closet?A lightweight silk jacket for fall in tapestry like muted autumn shades that I purchased at Hit or Miss on sale for $15.What's the oldest thing in your closet?

You watched the Oscars Monday night because you cared, more than life itself, whether "Dances With Wolves" won a stampede of statues.Yeah, right.OK, so you watched because life, as we know it, is so deplete of surprise, shock and occasional horror that you tuned in just to revive your meager existence.Gimme a break.No, you and 879 zillion other people were glued to the 63rd annual Academy Awards because you wished to snicker at the tasteless, overpriced and utterly inappropriate garments that Hollywood's finest chose to wear; you wanted to witness the Left Coast at its worst, making vacuous speeches and looking dumber than toast; and you wanted to see what overmoussed and underdressed bimbo showed up with what too-tan and too-tall slab of beef.