European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                O t he Beach the right stuff by Donna car Centre Hartford courant if you live by the sea or on a Lake or have a Pool in the Back Yard you Don t need much gear. A suit a Towel and a pair of old sneakers and you re All set. But the rest of us need our Beach gear and there s lots of it. Beach gear is mostly functional but we can have some fun with a fashion spin. Cruise the local stores or Page through Cata logs to get an idea of what s out there. Here Are the basics from head to toe hats it s fashionably hip to Wear a hat and at the Beach you won t be the Only one with one. Men and women and kids can Wear baseball Caps in All manner of styles colors and Bill shapes. You can pick up a hat for As Low As $5. The j. Crew Catalon offers a stylish six panel Linen hat for $28. There is also an assortment of Straw hats that look Good on men and women. Try a Roll up $27 Panama hat for either sex from la bean. Hillary Clinton s hat maker Darcy Creech from Fairfield conn., began her hat making business with a Panama. She Sells a Straw collection including a collapsible travelling hat priced at $48, and a Hampton classic series at $98 each. Talbot s offers a wide brimmed hand Woven Straw hat in Many colors for $28 each. Scarves a Scarf can act As a cover up to provide a bit dressier look As you go from Beach to cocktail party an accent on your Straw hat an Anchor for your hat on a Windy Day or just something stylish to throw Over your shoulder. Try the $24 fish print Scarf from la bean or a metallic threaded solid Blue Scarf from have gear will travel Marshall for $10. Sunglasses your future s so Bright you be got to Wear shades. No problem. There Are plenty out there. Again nods to styles of the 50s, 60s and 70s Are in Vogue with cat s Eye styles round Tortoise shells John Lennon inspired Small round Metal frames and larger Silver and Gold frames. Another classic is the wayfarer Brand and the aviator shaped by Ray ban because sunglasses can make almost anyone look of so Cool top designers have Lent their names to peddling shades. And of course when you buy something with Paloma Picasso or Calvin Klein on it you can expect to pay More than $100. There Are also the tinted wraparound lenses by Oakley favored by Many baseball players. These also retail for $100 and up. You need a blend of function and fashion Here. Look for frames that fit comfortably with no Large gaps Between Eye and Lens. You re looking for Protection against ultraviolet Light. Whatever Lens you buy should not distort images or change colors. It can be dangerous to drive in tinted lenses that obscure your judgment. Cover ups sarongs paros and Over blouses Are All ires Chic this season. Again this is a Retro look but it accomplishes three things it books stylish when you go from Beach to party it keeps you away from the Sun and it can mask figure flaws. Prices begin at about $30. For the men there Are some swimsuit sets that match the pattern of the trunks with a shirt. Tank tops coloured to shirts Polo shirts anoraks and Nylon baseball jackets Are All readily available. To shirts can be had for under $10, Polo shirts for $15 and up and anoraks and jackets for $30 and up. Watches no longer Are you expected to Wear one watch. The infusion of Low priced colourful watches from companies such As Swatch and Timex have made it fun to change watches with your outfits. The fitness Boom has inspired watchmakers to include different time zones countdown times water resistance Day and Date alarms Chimes lighted faces Lap counters Compass and Altitude and depth alarms and sailing timers. Prices begin at $35. Shoes technology has Given us something we always wanted a comfortable Sandal that s water resistant. Swim in try surf socks with rubber soles Nylon mesh uppers and neoprene toe bumper. They re widely available at $20. The old reliable leather boat shoe $29 and up is a Good bet As Are Low Cut Canvas boat shoes $ 20 and up and espadrilles $25. Others you la need a Good tote bag. A Basic Canvas version can be had on be for about $20. Or you can convert your kid s Backpack to double duty. A Beach Towel is a must. Try a tie dyed Beach Towel from Dundee Mills $10.99 to $14.99another Retro look that is coming Back. You la need a chair. Basic Small chairs can be had at any discount store for around $20. Or you can go upscale with a folding Adirondack chair $129 from la. Bean or a wooden chair with Canvas canopy for $119. Or Combine a tote and a chair with the Carryall chair from sharper image $24.95 if you want to do a Little Bird watching carry a pair of Field glasses that fold into your pocket $89, . Bean. If you re doing your swimming in a Pool protect your eyes with Barracuda goggles with an anti fog Lens. $34.95 from sharper image if you want to keep up with the baseball game while on the Beach try a Sony Walkman thereva Sandal $30 to $80 was developed in 1983jtyark widely available at $50 and up Thatcher a White water Rafter \ or Jager clock and radio $39.95, from Colorado. Sharper image he came up with a Sandal that would protect his feet from rocks and gravel but would dry quickly. He licensed the invention to Deckers corp., which Sells a variety of styles. Birkenstock the other Retro trend Are As popular As Ever in Plain Brown to purple Berry and Loden Green and taxicab yellow. Prices Range from $60 to $90. If there s no snack bar near where you re sunning and running you la Welcome a water bottle. Crab the bottle from your Mountain Bike or pick one up at the drugstore. Water is the Best replacement for fluid lost under the Sun. If your face is feeling dried out try a mister product. Neu Rogena has a new product filled if you need a pair of shoes to moisturizing body my $7.75. 29, 1993 stripes Magazine