European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 01, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Poge 20 the stars and stripes tuesday August 1, 1978 modern living fresh ideas inmen9/ by Victoria Graham associated press Hange is the nature of is the nature of men. And so men have Clung some say in fashionably too Long to sober suits and flannel apparel. But winds Are blowing into Boring closets. Fashion wary american men Are becoming As fashion wily As women and fall will Herald a striking change in what the gentlemen Wear. Men s clothes arc losing their up tightness As men begin to feel More creative says Lee Wright a new guard designer who Calls the new style facile italian for men Are conditioned to be the Nav Blue suit in the Corner and not to care How they look. That is said Wright who designs Subtle relaxed richly Tex tured Loose easy look. The traditional Tai lored look. The tight fitting disco look Allard competing for a Comer of a Man s wardrobe and piece of his s Wear is becoming As dynamic As women s Wear As designers try to Loose men s collars and unbutton their thinking. New guard designers like Wright want to dress men in soft a constructed or slightly lined clothes. It is the first major Silhouette change in 10 years and it is Slimmer and less padded shoulders Are Back for women the new men s look Calls for trim Mer realistic shoulders. Lapels Are Nar rower ties Are skinnier and looser collars Are slight even round. Pants Are straight and pleated at the flowing neck Scarf is almost a Stan Dard accessory. I think that changing styles definitely reflect changing sexual images lays Wright one of Many de signers at the recent fall preview inspiring Lake nj., of the men s Fash Ion Anoda Lon of America. It is not just High fashion for the few Al though sweatshirt blazers round collars and stringy ties will probably not Sears and Montgomery Ward Long time dressers of the Man in the Middle will be stocking up on looser and More relaxed clothes that can be layered and combined. The traditionalist need not fear. The old guard like designer Donald Brooks still opts for classic tailoring refuses to Bend to trendy breezes and says today s Union strutted jacket looks like tomorrow s Laun dry bag. Brooks a women s designer who entered men s Wear and designed for Robert Bedford says the new a constructed Lookis merely a slovenly fad disguised As style. Sloppiness is Over and men Are through with gimmicks said Brooks billed As one of the living labels by Greif & Cary Grant or a Fred Astaire would look at an a constructed jacket As thought were a straight jacket without restrain ing he Are aiming for the gentleman who is neither a Freak nor a stuffed shirt an executive who appreciates classics and still fresh ideas Are airing out Stuffy closets. There s so much that has t been done in men s says designer Charles Suppon. Nominated for Coty awards for his women s and new line of men s clothes. Men want to look like men but men careless open to change than women he says. The key is How much can you get away with and still be . Who admits that what Cooks in new York or los Angeles May fizzle in the Midwest says he can see men wearing Tux Edo jackets and jeans or a snakeskin Blazer and Tweed says a Man can Experiment with his old wardrobe take the old Navy jacket put a hooded sweatshirt underneath and a shirt and tie beneath must change a Man s head before you can change his clothes says Jeffrey Banks a 24-year-old designer the Amer two tone casual Topper designed by Marsha Akins. Ican Man wants to change gradually and is not going to throw out wide lapels and Are slow to change because of the Barrier Between what is masculine and what is dresses men in furs Long a woman s Possession. He is designing lightly constructed jackets in Rich tweeds and plaids that Are bold but not loud. He pairs a mauve jacket with a subtly plaid shirt. But celluloid shapes fashion too and John Travolta May be As influential As any top designer because he popularized the skin tight disco suit in saturday night in contrast to easy minimally Macho designer clothes the disco suit Breaks Al the rules it is a snug. Sexy three piece Light coloured suit of a polyester blend worn with a dark or printed open neck shirt. It s a totally different if you have it show it says Norman Karr. Executive director of the men s fashion association. And it s not just disco dressing. You May not Sec it in the office but you la see it on the stores Are Selling it manufacturers Are going in for the fitted Slack and textile makers know How Well polyester wears on the dance floor. A a Dupont promotion says. Disco and Dacron Are an inseparable combination a for 78." a Monsanto promotion says disc i co looks have caught on with the Foungoi crowd but not Only for a a promotion for body work by Haggar tit says the magnetic Appeal of John tra i Volta has set a fresh fire under wide Bot b � torn flared Fri Fred Astaire would t be caught Bijj dead in a disco suit but a Haggar col ,.,or advertisement shows a Man and a a swooning woman on a dance it says. A knockout three by piece in polyester twill with an action Back Mil sport coat and the latest in fashion details Tok a wow of an outfit that la Hustle Hern him casually tailored a constructed look left and right photos contrasts sharply with traditional suit
