A Suit Designed to Put Mom in the Swim
Question: I am 28 years old and have had a Caesarean section. I would like to wear a two-piece swimsuit this summer but feel that a bikini would be in poor taste because of my scar. Can you find a swimsuit that has the high-rise legs and comes to the waist? I would like a bandeau top. I saw such a suit at the beach, but can’t find one in the stores. Remember: The bottom must start at the waistline.--D.B.
Answer: Oscar de la Renta has solved your problem. His high-rise sarong suit decorated with rhinestones has a bandeau top and a bottom that begins at the waistline. Saks Fifth Avenue has it for $54.
Q: I have a pair of gray flannel slacks that I only wear with my navy blazer, and I only wear my navy blazer for dress, when I always have the jacket buttoned. The slacks have belt loops. Must I wear a belt, even though it will never show?--A.I.
A: Paris menswear mogul Nino Cerruti says you’ll flunk menswear if you don’t wear a belt with slacks that have belt loops. And, he adds: “The belt should not be the same color as your shoes. It should be in the same color family, however. For example, you can wear a gray belt with black shoes or a tan belt with brown shoes, but not brown with black or vice versa.”
Q: I’m a Size 16 and have fat feet--wide, fat feet that take a Size 9 1/2D. What shoe styles will be most slenderizing for me?--P.A.
A: To narrow the look of a wide foot, the throat--that is, the shoe’s top edge--should be low or V-cut. A high throat or any line that cuts across the foot has the opposite effect. Styles such as Mary Janes will make your feet look even fatter. To make your feet look smaller, choose styles with simple detailing. The eye will perceive the foot as large if it is made conspicuous with ornamentation. Color too can enlarge the perception of the foot. White, for example, maximizes and black minimizes. Red, orange and any other bright color should be avoided by anyone with large, wide feet as those colors draw attention to a part of you that should fade into the sidewalk.
Q: Please help me find a padded bra with removable pads. Lillyette used to make such a bra, but no longer. A simple padded bra is not the solution for me.--C.G.
A: Have you considered buying a padded bra and then adding pads? If you’ll try this suggestion, see Page 318 of the current J. C. Penney catalogue. There you will find half pads priced at $3.25 a pair. These are made of foam rubber covered with acetate tricot. The people at Penney’s say they are ideal for filling out meager bust lines. On Pages 308, 309 and 310 of the same catalogue you’ll find several padded bras.
Marylou Luther welcomes questions from readers. Mail to Clotheslines, Fashion86, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.
