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Along with the return of baseball season, the advent of spring signals a renewal of that age-old dilemma over what to wear for the season ahead. If you’re a nineties kind of career girl or guy, you no doubt want a wardrobe that means business without sacrificing comfort, style and practicality. Well, the good news today is that you really can have it all and still be in tune with the times. For women, femininity is in full bloom for spring '97. Romance and ruffles are rampant, and there's a strong emphasis on color, delicate fabrications and long, languid lines. Also hot are knits, sheers, lacy lingerie looks and narrow, flat-front pants, paired either with slim tunics or shaped, sometimes belted, jackets. As for fabrics, silks, jerseys and lightweight leathers abound. In keeping with the new emphasis on femininity, the dress is being touted as the single most important new item a woman can buy. And the spotlight is on longer lengths and asymmetrical edges, putting a new slant on shoulders and hemlines alike. What will this mean for the working woman? You obviously can’t float into the office on a cloud of chiffon, even if this is the year of the dress. Fortunately, other options abound. For business attire, one of the most flattering and wearable styles to be found is the simple wrap dress — pretty in pastel, a romantic floral print or a perhaps a jersey knit. To tastefully interpret the season's other key looks for the office as well, save the ultra-feminine for your underpinnings, and the diaphanous sheers, bare-it-all styles and fishtail hems for after five. For work, try softening a tailored suit with a lace tee or ruffle-edged blouse, suggests Debra Palmer, director of fashion/publicity for Saks Fifth Avenue, Fashion Valley. Or wear your new one-shoulder or camisole top under a jacket you can remove when you leave the office. Another look that wears well for work is the increasingly popular "un-suit," which allows consumers to stretch their wardrobe and express their personal style. For example, a bias-cut skirt in the new knee length might be paired with a wrap-style blouse in a contrasting color one week and worn with a matching sweater set the next. "Jackets are no longer required, as basic, key pieces can stand alone," notes Nicole Fischelis, vice president, women's fashion director for Saks Fifth Avenue, New York. "It is perfectly acceptable to mix tailored with soft shapes, or to pair pinstripe pants with layered, sheer tees." Providing still more options that will continue to work well as spring slips into summer are this season's ethnic-inspired styles, featuring everything from Mandarin collars and embroidery trim to paisley and madras prints; and, for you tailored types, the new safari looks. To "femme up" the four-pocket safari jacket seen in many collections, simply push up the sleeves. Accessorize your new look with one bold, bright jewelry item a cuff bracelet in gold-tone metal, for instance. Then pack your essentials into a supple, oversized handbag, slip on some nude or textured pantyhose and a pair of slides or wedge-heeled shoes, and off to work you go, in comfort, style and good taste. As Palmer points out, "There's no need for women to totally reinvent their wardrobe. All they have to do is add a few key pieces to bring it current." For The Men As for men, there's a return to elegance this spring, emphasized in a slimmer silhouette. Keys to the season's business attire are the vented jacket with peak lapels, the one-button suit and the three-button "stretch" suit. Other trendsetters are the patterned sport coat, textured dress shirt, and, paralleling the trend in women's wear, the body-conscious, flat-front pant. Newer fabrications like mohair blends and other shiny fabrics prevail. Colors range from tan and taupe to navy, light grey and black. For the most part, sport coats are favored over suits because of the versatility factor, notes Lee Niemczyk, manager of Brady's in Fashion Valley. Texture is being emphasized for spring, as are fitted knits and enhanced-performance fabrics, with Lycra added for durability and comfort. And there's an explosion of color this season in shirts as well as ties, providing the perfect accent to today’s classic-colored suits. "Versace, all of Europe has brightened up the neckwear palette," Niemczyk notes. Speaking of neckwear, when it comes to conveying a sense of authority, the tie is still key; but, as with suits, comfort is being factored in with Lycra-infused fabrics. Further increasing the appeal are today’s hip new colors and a renewed interest in solids and wovens. Monochromatic dressing is gaining in popularity, as well, a trend that is sure to show up in boardrooms all over town. In men's shoes, the newest styles are square-toed. And, "You'll see a lot more woven designs, in slip-ons and lace-ups alike," Niemcyzk adds. "Tasseled shoes are still one of the number-one styles, but there's a stronger movement now toward lace-ups, especially to wear with suits." Spring also offers new choices for casual-days office wear. For men, there are crisp seersucker shirts in Easter-egg colors, madras plaid pants and knit sweater vests, creating a new sense of mix and match. Women can get ready for the weekend with blouses and matching pants in woven silks, silk-knit sweater sets and blazer-style jackets worn with slim-fitting pants. "There are lots of options," Palmer notes. "Being stylish and well-dressed is all about taking pieces that work for you and using them to update your wardrobe. You don’t have to start from scratch." The Look At A Glance For Women:
For Men:
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