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Issue Date: October 2, 2005
In this article:
 Belts
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Fashion
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Kitchen aprons get a makeover
Many of us remember our mothers baking while wearing a shapeless cotton apron that was more sauce-stained than saucy.
But that was then. Now, the average American eats out or gets takeout five times weekly. Even so, aprons are back in fashion -- and out of the kitchen. "They're about looking fabulous," says Anna Wang, designer of Kitsch'n Glam aprons, sold at Anthropologie. "Girls wear them over tank tops and jeans."
So forget white cotton, cutesy gingham and messages like "Kiss the Cook." Today's aprons range from fitted and yarn-appliquéd French lace or shell-adorned linen by Penelopé to cherry-printed linen at Sur la Table to orange-cerise damask by Kitsch'n Glam. Yeohlee's black-and-white optical diamond prints are even available at New York's Museum of Modern Art store.
So why tie one on? Credit longing for the cozy past, popularity of glamorous TV chefs such as Nigella Lawson and a resurgence of stay-at-home moms. "You can look pretty and sexy while serving food, even if it's catered," says Sur la Table divisional merchandise manager Colleen Anthony. "And you won't have to rip the apron off if someone comes to the door!"
-- Michele Meyer
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Belts: Baubles for the waist
Perhaps we tired of perpetually piled-on beads, bangles and brooches. Perhaps we became bored by shapeless tunics. Or perhaps last summer's ribbon-tied jeans cinched it. This season, belts have it all wrapped up.
"They're jewelry for your waist," says Allison Kahn, a co-founder and co-designer of Frank and Kahn accessories.
Embellished with bugle beads, some bands evoke the '20s flapper look. Embroidered with metallic threaded flowers on velvet, they elevate bohemian peasantry to Russian royalty. When studded or grommetted, they make a T-shirt and jeans look chic.
It's understandable, then, that designers Carolina Herrera and Proenza Schouler both banned other baubles from the runway. Yves Saint Laurent's square-buckled belt so entranced Harper's Bazaar that the magazine featured it (in suede, leather and velvet) five times in its September issue alone, despite the $285 to $375 price tags. However, there are many affordable options, such as Kooba's double-buckled Kelly belt (around $215), Banana Republic's tassel tie belts ($38), J. Crew's beaded velvet belts ($58), and Frank and Kahn's printed silk sashes ($48).
Price has been no object, according to Steve Blatt, president of New York's Searle: "Any new belt sells almost immediately."
-- Michele Meyer
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