FASHION Abbreviated sweaters, shrugs dominate designer lines

Women will find it impossible to shrug off the new stylish knitwear.
WASHINGTON POST
Fashion went short and sweet this season as miniature sweaters -- shrugs, capelets and boleros -- eclipse the poncho as the stylish knitwear of the moment.
"They are light and whimsical, and lots of fun," says Kelly Shelsky of Cousin Johnny sweaters, who has designed lots of abbreviated sweaters for her latest line."
Shrugs, long-sleeved sweaters and knits that fasten or drape just below the bust-line, have made their appearance everywhere from the Gap to the set of "Desperate Housewives," where actresses Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria sported them in back-to-back episodes.
Angelina Jolie and heiress Nicky Hilton have been featured in the style press wearing different versions of a sequined bolero dressed down with white T-shirts and designer jeans. Jeans, by the way, are the way many stylists advise going when wearing some of the more fanciful shrugs on the market.
"I like them with skirts and dresses, but I've done a lot with stripes and embroidery in colors that look great with jeans," says Shelsky, who sells her line at retailers including Nordstrom. Her favorite pieces to pair with jeans include a front-tie shrug that comes in colorful horizontal stripes and a capelet in pink that features a garden of blue embroidered flowers. "I think they are the poncho of the season. They have a hip, retro feel, but they are a little lighter," says Shelsky.
Ageless style
Jaime Delaney of Stamford, Conn., lead designer of Manhattan-based Rocket 898, says the pieces work for women and teens with diverse style sensibilities. Her green apple-hued crocheted top with a front tie is one that has the potential to be a hit with young and slightly older wearers.
"A lot of the shrugs are young and have a lot of teen appeal," Delaney says, but adds that she's seen more mature retailers, like Chico's, pull off great looks using shrugs over loose-fitting camisoles and silky Ts. "Some of these can even work well over a turtleneck. The fun thing about a shrug is that it's open to a lot of interpretation and what you wear underneath it really determines the overall look."
Lindsay Fredricks, spokesman for Bloomingdale's in White Plains, N.Y., says shrugs and capelets have replaced wraps and cardigans as the go-to item for women.
"We are showing them in our dress departments as well as in knitwear collections," says Fredricks, who says a fun, flirty capelet or colorful shrug can be a fun addition to a cotton dress, while a luxe one, perhaps in cashmere or an open crochet knit, is great with formalwear.
It is the perfect accessory, she adds, "to transform something you already own by giving it a new detail and making it more current." Fredricks advises women to think of shrugs and other abbreviated sweaters as an accessory. Like a great chunky necklace or bold bangle, she says, "they can add color and texture to something simple." So if you wear one, Fredricks suggests keeping other accessories to a minimum. "You don't want the overall look to be too busy," she says. "Let the shrug be your statement."
On teens, Delaney likes shrugs and other shrunken sweaters over fitted tanks and camisoles. In her collection's look book, she even has a few models sporting a belly-baring midriff style with miniskirts and shorts.
Cling free
Delaney notes retailers are showing lots of tanks and camisoles this season that are fluid and a little longer, their drape being the perfect complement to any woman who wants to avoid cling at the waistline.
At Bloomingdale's, Frederick says younger customers are scooping up styles by BCBG; more mature customers are interested in shrugs by designer Eileen Fisher. "You can find them very fitted or with cuts that are more generous," she says.
Seek pieces in elegant fabrics, advises Shelsky, and shy away from anything too clingy underneath, or match pieces to create a more linear look.
Even if you love the look, don't go overboard. The style, like so many others, is not expected to last past the next holiday season.