Daily Nebraskan Supplement
Monday, March 16
Page 12
CowogrQ
Worn to tine USA
Denim takes on frosted look;
chambray sweeps stylish scene
By Colleen Kenney
Staff Reporter
Denim has been a fashion classic
in this country since the days of the
California Gold Rush. And while it
will remain popular this spring and
summer, fashion experts predict a
lew variations to emerge: the
'frosted," bleacheddenim look and
(he "men's workshirt" look of
chambray, and the change in the
classic Levi 501s look.
Chambray is a light weight, plainly
woven fabric dyed to look like faded
denim. The frosted look, also called
snow washed or acid washed, is made
out of heavy denim that goes through
a process of stonewashing and
bleaching for a rugged, worn out look.
Rose Marie Tondl, UNL extension
clothing specialist, said chambray
and the frosted-denim look will not
replace the regular, dark, blue denim
"by any means," but will be fabrics
used to complement denim.
Shirts, skirts, dresses, swimwear
and flannel day suits are some of the
ways designers now are using
chambray, Tondl said.
"What is important is the denim
color and feeling, but not necessarily
the denim itself," she said. The
material is not as durable as denim,
which is made with a strong twill
weave. Chambray weighs about seven
ounces. Heavier denims, the type
used for the frosted look, weigh about
14 ounces.
Doug Farrar, manager of the
downtown Post and Nickel, said most
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if
of the chambray in his store can be
found in fast-selling shirts.
"We're really having trouble
keeping chambray in stock at this
time," Farrar said. "It's really
popular. I guess it's one of those
favorite shirts."
Farrar said chambray will remain
popular because it is a variation on
the classic denim style the faded,
blue workshirt.
"To be very honest, it's basically
the old man's workshirt," Farrar said,
"and because of that I think you'll
find it to be a staple." Farrar said
chambray's comfort and versatility
also will keep it popular.
While Farrar said the material is
here to stay, Tondl said the look will
not become a fashion mainstay.
"It'll be popular this spring and
summer, but there probably is going
to be something next spring to
replace it," she said.
Farrar said Guess, an Italian
clothing company, led the way for
chambray last fall. Calvin Klein,
Girbaud, and Ralph Lauren also have
made a lot of chambray styles for this
spring, he said.
The chambray style is most popular
with young customers, he said. But
many designers, such as Ralph
Lauren, have created styles for older
women that have made the fabric
"ageless."
"Chambray can be made into
everything imaginable," Farrar said.
Another store manager disagrees
with Farrar, Denise Smith, who works
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as a store manager and buyer for
Kearney's Brass Buckle, said that
most of the chambray materials will
be gone by next spring.
"People basically are buying it now
because of its market newness,"
Smith said. "By that time (next year)
it will have run its course."
But both are popular, he said. The
frosted look now makes up about 80
percent of Brass Buckle's denim
items, she said. Most of the frosted
jeans are plain five-pocket jeans, she
said. Lee, Zena, Levi and Bugle Boy
manufacturers are using the look
extensively now,"she said.
"Everybody doing it but Guess,"
Smith said. "I guess they have to be
different."
Bugle Boy has out a popular full-
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fitting, frosted-jean style with
suspenders, Smith said.
Because of the chemical process
involved with denim frosting, frosted
jeans are about $7 more than regular
jeans, she said.
Smith said a final addition to the
jean scene this year is in the-s'ize of
the Levi 501s. In addition to using
the frosted style, the Levi company is
using larger sizes for their 501s to
reach a broader consumer base. The
company hired a designer from the
Lee company who is designing the
501s with fuller hips smiliar to the
Lee design.
. Since the change last fall, Smith
says 501 sales have improved 40
percent. The original 501s were
narrowly cut, making people buy
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larger sizes, she said.
"No woman likes to go a size
larger," she said.
Smith said she thinks the Levi
change will remain popular. Jean
jackets, which have been popular for
several years, also will stay in fashion
because of their versatility. Frosted
jean jackets are huge sellers, she
said.
"They're the hottest," Smith said.
For at least the next year, Smith
said, jeans will be plain and
unadorned because the fashion for
shirts is big. When the demand for
smaller shirts come back in, the
emphasis may return to decorated
jeans, she said.
"Every year the market place has
to do something different," she said.'
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