When you think of terry cloth clothing - do you think of bulky bathrobes, baggy beach cover-ups? Do you think dowdy, nerdy or square? Well, think again. Believe it or not, some of the funkiest fashions you can find are being made from the same cotton towelling you have hanging in your bathroom.
"Terry cloth apparel has changed," claims Elizabeth Hough, senior director, Fashion Marketing for Cotton Incorporated. It's not those over-sized silhouettes you remember from the 1950s and 60s. Now, a lot of it is really lightweight, thin and easy to wear. The treatments are more modern too - a fitted jacket, an A-line skirt, a kilt, a jumper. Young women who might have shunned the terry cloth sportswear of the past are discovering these new interpretations of a familiar fabric are fun pieces to mix into their wardrobe."
Case in point - Bergdorf Goodman featured a white terry cloth drawstring tote bag containing a terry cloth dress, triangle top bikini, wrap skirt and bodysuit in their Spring/Summer catalog. YM magazine recently showcased a Jill Stewart terry cloth baby-doll dress in a trend display at New York's Fashion Cafe, the model-themed eatery and several "super-models" have reportedly been seen sporting the style.
"Our readers want to know what's IN," explains Rondi Cooler, Fashion Director, YM regarding the teen publication's enthusiasm for the looped cotton textile. "Terry cloth is very glamorous. It feels cool and it looks cool. It reminds me of Marilyn Monroe at the Beach - that kind of thing."
Los Angles-based designer, Robin Piccone, included terry cloth wrap skirts embossed with the Holiday Inn logo in her "ode to the country club" collection. "Terry cloth is an American classic," she says. "I just love the texture and plush surface - it provided a nice counterpoint to the rest of my line."
Jeannine Braden, co-owner and manager of the Fred Segal Flair shop in Santa Monica, a mecca for hip, happening types, confirms that terry cloth togs are hot on the West Coast. "The whole craze started when Vogue magazine showed pastel colored terry cloth dresses from Tocca in their pages. The little sleeveless shifts seemed like something Sophia Loren might have worn. As soon as the issue hit the stands, I must have sold 200 of those dresses. Within two weeks I had to re-order. When handled the right way, terry cloth can be surprisingly chic." |
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