Elsa Klensch style
Q. I am a baby boomer, born with the bumpiest, knobbliest knees on the block. For years I've hidden them under trousers, waiting for longer skirts to come back. I don't mean ankle-length florals but the simple below-the-knee suit skirts that most of the women of my generation consider dowdy. Have longer skirts come back? Are we at last going to see women dressing as conservatively as men? A. At some designer shows, skirt lengths took a definite plunge toward the knee. But it's not a 'conservative' look. The skirts are soft, flared, gathered or pleated for movement. New York designer Isaac Mizrahi sums it up: 'I do skirts in different shapes and lengths for different women, their different moods and the different roles they play in their lives. There are skirts of all lengths, some full, some narrow. The only real news is the knee-length skirt. It looks fresh to me. I like it as a softly gathered dirndl with a high waistband. But that doesn't mean I expect it to sweep into fashion and that women will wear it across the board.' So there you are. I'd say hang on to your trousers for at least another season.
Q.Watching a birthday tribute to Alfred Hitchcock's films I became fascinated by the glamorous, timeless fashions. Did Hitchcock have a particular interest in fashion design? I was especially taken with the pastel green suit and backless blouse that Grace Kelly wore in Rear Window. Where can I find that style today? I'm size four and can find nothing to wear but square blazers with unprofessional mini skirts. Please help! A. The legendary Hollywood designer Edith Head created the clothes for Rear Window and a number of other Hitchcock films. Author Donald Spoto, who has written extensively on the life and art of Alfred Hitchcock, quotes Head as recalling Hitchcock was 'extremely clinical in the preparation of the clothes the actress would wear. There was a reason for every colour, every style and he was absolutely certain about everything he settled on. For one scene, he saw Kelly in pale green; for another in white chiffon; for another in gold. He was really putting a dream together in the studio.' Spoto says Hitchcock used the green suit as a device to link Kelly's character to the other women in Rear Window who are only seen in their neighbours' windows. As for finding similar fashions today, you're in luck. This season both glamour and colour are back in style. I can't guarantee you'll find a suit quite the same as Kelly's but there's a good chance you'll find something equally pretty.
Q. My problem is my small hands and tiny fingernails. I work behind the jewellery counter at an exclusive department store, so they are constantly on display. The way some customers stare at them makes me feel deformed. I've asked my friends in the cosmetics department what colour nail polish I should wear but everything from red to sheer looks silly. Please tell me the best nail colour for tiny hands.
A. Jessica, the Los Angeles manicure specialist who looks after the nails of several celebrities, says colour alone is not the solution to your problem.
'Nail shape is equally important,' she says. 'All nails must be the same length and for tiny hands an oval or round shape is best. Keep nails at a medium length to help elongate your fingers.' In choosing a colour, Jessica says, find the shades that flatter your skin tone. Cool pink, alabaster or a sheer with just a glimmer of white are possible pales. With reds there are three possibilities - a true red, coral or a deep rose. 'Since you are so unhappy about your nails, invest in a weekly manicure. That will help you feel much more comfortable when your hands are on display.'