Velvet

Three cheers for old school glamour. The lush fabrics, the classic tailoring. The jewels, the makeup, the hair! When celebrities find a way to bring back old Hollywood, and make it their own, it reminds us why we love to star-gaze in the first place. On the red carpet of last week's Academy Awards, actors and actresses combined style and beauty and grace, each in his or her own way. Elegance and romance ruled the night, but there were other trends that emerged. "The mermaid hemline was very in," said celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch, "very fitted all the way down and then flared out."

How you dress for holiday parties depends on your personality, and your pocketbook.Herewith, a series of suggestions ranging from economy to deluxe:* Man-tailored restraint. The menswear look is expected to be good for spring. (Has it ever been bad?) Why not get a jump on it with black-tie for the holidays?There are a couple of ways you can put this together.You might try to find an actual man's dinner jacket or black (or midnight) suit jacket in a consignment shop. Look for a small size, but remember: Loose and easy is in style.

Joe McHugh was one of several readers who asked: The picture in The Baltimore Sun on Dec. 13 showed a huge 25-point, nontypical buck that was still in velvet. I had never seen a deer still in velvet this late in the season. Is this common? Is there any explanation? (Please don't say global warming and/or El Nino.) More information on this phenomenon would be truly appreciated. Outdoors Girl replies: My mantra is: "Everyone should have a personal biologist." I am lucky to have lots of them.

Joe McHugh was one of several readers who asked: The picture in The Baltimore Sun on Dec. 13 showed a huge 25-point, nontypical buck that was still in velvet. I had never seen a deer still in velvet this late in the season. Is this common? Is there any explanation? (Please don't say global warming and/or El Nino.) More information on this phenomenon would be truly appreciated. Outdoors Girl replies: My mantra is: "Everyone should have a personal biologist." I am lucky to have lots of them.

A year ago, when Velvet and Ted Kitzmiller were still nursing injured squirrels, owls and other wild critters in the family room of their Pasadena home, they dreamed of one day caring for their furry friends in a top-notch veterinary clinic. Yesterday, the couple showed off such a facility to volunteers and supporters, including Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens. She had helped Noah's Ark Wildlife Center - the Kitzmillers' family room project - find expansive new digs on county-owned land on the Broadneck peninsula.

Around the house* Season new non-stick pans before using. Wash in soapy water, rinse and dry. Wipe interior with unsalted melted shortening or oil before cooking on top of stove.* Keep unlacquered brass shiny. A weekly wipe with a soft cloth that has been dipped in a small amount of liquid ammonia will help keep fixtures gleaming.* Need extra counterspace in kitchen? Pull out a cabinet drawer part way and insert a cookie sheet or wooden chopping board.* Plug up openings around pipes and vents that lead outside with steel wool.

When it comes to holiday dressing, there are two schools of thought. One says women should go for major glamour around this time of year, slipping into taffeta ball gowns, snazzy heels and velvet wraps. The theory: Dress to the nines, or don't go out.No, no, no, the other side replies, women should continue enjoying the casual life, throwing on easy trousers and sweaters, perhaps in more luxurious fabrics. Celebrating is best, they say, when you're comfortable.But everyone agrees on this much at least: Whether you're dressing up or dressing down, holiday style is in the details.

Shouldering the burden of styleCamisole top. Check.Taffeta ball skirt. Check.Dainty crystal necklace. Check.Think you're done compiling your holiday outfit? Well, think again.Without a little something extra skimming your shoulders this month, you'll look about as fashionable as Mrs. Claus. Here are a couple of wraps to keep in mind.* The shrug: Imagine a cardigan sweater with no front or very little back, just arms. Look for rich velvets or soft, fluffy mohair.* The shawl: Little more than an oversized scarf, wraps made of super-soft pashmina or velvet with contrasting satin, like this black velvet and champagne satin wrap by Echo ($98)

Tradition tends to rule the dress of the youngest bridal attendants, while brides choose for themselves whatever's most flattering -- classic or styled with a modern flair. Jewel-toned velvets and satins are perennial favorites for attendants in winter weddings, but the drama of an all-white wedding party holds appeal whatever the season.PRETTY AS A PORTRAITThe graceful portrait collar has been a favorite of brides for centuries. Here it's given a more sophisticated interpretation with a bolder cut, oversized train and striking column-shaped skirt.

With an audience of squirrels, ducks, birds and opossums in more than a dozen cages behind them, Ted and Velvet Kitzmiller signed a property lease with Anne Arundel County yesterday that guarantees the short-term survival of Noah's Ark, their center that assists wildlife in trouble. At a ceremony celebrating the center's future, the Kitzmillers sat at a table in their back yard surrounded not only by the animals they're nursing, but by the people helping to save the center. Attending the lease-signing were County Executive Janet S. Owens, County Council Chairwoman Shirley Murphy, and Dennis M. Callahan, the county recreation and parks director.