2004 FASHION FORECAST FOR MEN AND WOMEN

For women, the overall look for the season is happy, optimistic and engaging. The words most frequently used to describe the colors were "pretty," "elegant" and, above all, "wearable." Every single shade is softly feminine. Whether a delicate pink, a deep blue or a stand-out red, color's presence will be felt this season, and its absence will refer back to the recent past rather than look ahead to contemporary and future design. An attitude of assured femininity is what unifies all the colors on this forecast. For this reason, priority might be placed on the reds and raspberries, oranges, pinks and corals - foundation shades in cosmetics, lingerie and evening wear. Color can help us go back in time, and many of the shades suggest the pretty pastels of the 1950's, and the autumnal reds, oranges and browns of that decade, when gender roles were more carefully defined. Certain contrasts of this forecast from previous fall and winter seasons are notable: The darks are not nearly as dark, and certainly not blackened in any way. Replacing urban darks are rich, autumnal reds, browns, greened grays and taupes. Also absent are predictable women's winter resort brights. In their place are a warm yellow, a grotto turquoise and a ripened orange. These dynamic shades will energize women and enable them to move quickly. At the Associationís workshop on "Blurring Boundaries," Ji Baek of Rescue Nail and Aromatherapy Salon put the matter well: "The way you are dressed gives you speed or slows you down."

For men, the forecast projects fall and winter colors of gently light and richly dark colors. Notably absent on the projection are bright hues. Men's committee member Hank Ross of String Theory offered this comment: It seems that the whole world is getting very serious. Even the bright colors are more subdued. Popular shades in athletic wear will be dark navy blues, charcoal heavy grays, deep rich red, dark orange and deep brown." Adds Bill Baccini of Milliken, "The palette shows the basic men's darks, but with much stronger convictions or personalities, if you will. Grays become deep and taupey, navy blues are blackened and browns are red and saturated. These colors become perfect foils for an occasional gentle pale or rich, full color."