STYLE Fashionistas embrace denim, corduroy

This season features two favorite fabrics.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
This season many designers faced the music when it came to two of America's favorite fabrics. Denim had many of them singing the blues, and corduroy struck a resounding chord.
Style makers Alexander McQueen, Donatella Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Emanuel Ungaro, Tommy Hilfiger and many others sent a deluge of denim down the catwalks.
Various versions of the jean made appearances -- from sexy low-risers to skinny high-waist bottoms that bring back the days of "Nothing gets between me and my Calvins."
However, they only make up a verse of the denim ditty.
"(Designers) have incorporated denim in so many different ways," said Kelly Clayton at Pam Kelly, a boutique in West Knoxville. "It's not just a pair of jeans anymore."
Denim skirts are in good supply this year, with longer styles being at the top of the list. A smattering of dresses also has popped up. Shirts and vests are on the scene as well. Denim coats, from trenches to fur-trimmed eye-catchers, offer fashionistas protection from the elements.
One of the freshest items is the suit. Many have classic menswear tailoring.
"The pants are more like trousers," said Susan Benhayon, the manager at Shanel Boutique, "kind of like a man's fitted pant with wider legs. They are dressier than a regular jean."
Because of the styling, these pieces are office-ready.
Denim for dress-up
"Denim is no longer dress down," said Eric Hertz, a marketing and management consultant and former president of The Fashion Association. "It's a dress-up, stylish fabric. It's clean, sharp, fine for business and very professional."
Possibly the most-touted denim piece of the season, other than jeans, is the jacket. It has turned up on many must-have lists.
"The jean jacket is really essential," Benhayon said. "There are so many styles. It can go with anything."
Cropped, fitted denim jackets are at the height of fashion. Shrunken blazers and belted motorcycle and military interpretations are among the options.
"You can put a denim jacket with pair of dressy pants," Clayton said. "It looks great with khakis or leather pants. It doesn't have to be denim on denim. Mix it up. People do it all the time."
For a softer look, pair a denim jacket with a ruffled white blouse or a feminine prairie skirt.
"The standard-issue jean jacket gets a new cool when paired with unexpected pieces like a tweedy skirt," according to Style.com.
The jackets and other pieces come in many shades, from bluish blacks to pale palettes. Frayed edges, exaggerated seams and patchwork are among the details. Also, many of the items have a stretch to them, thanks to Lycra, making them more wearer-friendly.
Corduroy
Although denim dominates fashion, corduroy is stealing a bit of its thunder. Some pundits are calling the ribbed cotton fabric "the new denim."
Ira Livingston, a senior vice president at Cotton Incorporated, said, "It's going to be the next big thing in casual dressing."
Corduroy first became a big thing in the 1600s, when the French named it "corde du roi," which means "cloth of the king." Then servants in the French royal household donned it. Later on, it was worn by farmers and by the well-to-do during hunting trips. According to Yesterdayland.com, the fabric surpassed denim in popularity in the 1970s. After laying low for a couple of decades, corduroy clothing became a fixture of the grunge music scene.
Today corduroy, like denim, has become a versatile fabric, and it's embraced this year by such designers as Dolce & amp; Gabana, Marc Jacobs, MaxMara and Moschino.
"I love corduroy," Kelly Clayton said. "It's just a fresh look."
Silhouettes run the gamut -- sharp jackets, cool coats, flirty skirts and pleasing pants.
Wale (a.k.a. rib) widths go from narrow baby to super wide.
Shade-wise, "There are more colors," Benhayon said. "I've seen a lot of red, olive and brown."
The editors at Lucky magazine are fans of bright-colored cords. They favor hot pink, juicy orange and preppy green. Venerable designer Lilly Pulitzer includes vivid corduroy in her group.
Prints, such as paisleys, and stripes decorate some of the season's corduroy pieces.
Accessories
Corduroy and denim aren't limited to just clothing. Purses, hats and shoes have been crafted from both fabrics. Movado has even introduced a denim watch.
And Movado makes a good point: The time has definitely come for denim and corduroy.