New England Regional Edition, September-October 1996

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New England Regional Edition

Fashion: Pulling Your Look Together	Review: Chez Henri
Tastes of the Town Dining Guide	The Harvard Scene
Sports Schedules

Murray Pearlstein and his daughter Debi Greenberg, showcased in his store. He is wearing a brown suit from his private label, Louie. Photograph by Bill Miles.

Murray Pearlstein and his daughter Debi Greenberg, showcased in his store. He is wearing a brown suit from his private label collection, Louie.

Surrounded by the subdued elegance of his fashionable store Louis, Boston, proprietor Murray Pearlstein '50 makes style seem easy, even simple. In fact, according to the onetime Dunster House resident, simplicity is key. "To build a wardrobe that works," he says, "you need only a few intelligent, classy items that work together in concert."

For men, Pearlstein says, the basis of any wardrobe will probably be a suit. "It's the canvas on which everything gets painted," he explains. To this may be added dress shirts and ties, or even knitwear, which can dress down a look while still maintaining a professional style. Such advice is easy to understand as he pulls first a suit, then shirts and ties off the racks of his multilevel Newbury Street store to illustrate his point. A pearly gray silk shirt brings out the subtle plaid in the jacket; a crisp white shirt makes the same outfit more formal. From the one basic suit, suddenly several possibilities appear. "These have got a silky hand to them," he notes, running his hand over one of the new wool and polyester blends. Most of the jackets he reaches for are a classic charcoal; some have muted patterns or sport a wide pinstripe. "Gray is the color of choice to start a wardrobe," he advises. "Brown is more challenging." He himself is wearing a chocolate-colored suit with a deep blue shirt. "Blue," he adds, "is everyman's color, a no-brainer."

While he talks, he demonstrates more ways a suit can be expanded-with a complementary pair of pants, a sweater, even a sports jacket. The possibilities pile up. As the third generation of his family to run the business, perhaps such style comes naturally to Pearlstein. Most of the rest of us, men and women alike, can use some advice about how to create a look that works now and for years to come.

Fashion novices need learn only one lesson: the importance of a good wardrobe foundation-a core curriculum of clothing, if you will.

Judith Rosenthal, who has been helping dress people with her service, The Gifted Buyer, for 11 years, believes that a suit may be essential for women as well as men, but adds that a wardrobe may also grow from such fundamentals as skirts, slacks, and jackets. "Ask yourself if you have enough of the basics," she advises. "Enough blouses and tops? And do you have enough wardrobe extenders-jewelry, scarves, and ties? And what about finishers-the shoes, belts, or briefcase? Only by putting these things together can you create a total look."

"Examine where you are in life and what your wardrobe looks like," she recommends. Before you shop, she suggests going through your current clothing piece by piece. By dividing what you own into three piles-what works, what is iffy, and what you should discard-you can get a better sense of what you need. Then, says Rosenthal. "Think of what you do in your career. Think of what you do in your social life-and if your weight has changed."

Now you can go shopping. To maintain a contemporary appearance that fits your core collection, Pearlstein suggests updating one's wardrobe every six months or so. "You start to add pieces," he says. "A new shirt or a pair of pants. A couple of ties" Rosenthal notes that fashion-conscious consumers can "look at what's currently being worn by going to stores and by browsing through magazines."

Retailers point out that many basic wardrobes can be updated this fall with just a few additions. Sales clerks who are fashion savvy can clue you in to which looks best fit your goal of updating your perennial wardrobe without a major overhaul in your personal style. If you feel young and daring, points out Barbara Cohen of Jasmine in Cambridge, there are fun accessories that can shift a classic look into fall. "Take a printed neck scarf, in a leopard print, and a chain belt and you've created a whole new look," says the buyer for the hip Harvard Square boutique. Janie Zimbal, a personal shopper at Bloomingdale's, agrees. "Prints-especially animal prints-are going to be very important."

Even if these sound a little wild, remember that experts say accessories are key for any style. "Basically, you personalize your look with accessories," says Karen Schlenker, assistant general manager of merchandising at Saks Fifth Avenue. The one key item she sees for fall? "The gold belt for women," she replies. In fact, she reports, "Silver, gold, and bronze are going to be important" for both genders.

If you want to totally update your look, both Jasmine's Cohen and Bloomingdale's Zimbal advise checking out the new shapes, cuts, and fabrics coming on the scene as the weather cools. "Put a pair of hiphuggers and an open shiny shirt together, and you are all over the fashion magazines," says Cohen. For those who veer away from hiphuggers, the low-slung look can still work-with modification. Cohen recommends a big shirt worn open as a jacket over a low belt or lower-cut pants to instantly update last season's sporty look. Zimbal sees this new shape modified with flat-front trousers and slinky turtlenecks, which give a streamlined illusion to all ages and sizes. Look for "sleek and narrow" this fall, she says.

For men, this season sports subtler changes, especially in office clothing. Tony Belliveau, store manager for Brooks Brothers in Boston, says, "We're dressing up even the most conservative suit with a dazzling shirt and tie now. Right now, we're finding people really enjoy wearing horizontal rep ties with brightly coordinating or contrasting shirts-perhaps a stripe, perhaps a check-or perhaps with a pair of silk braces or a silk pocket square. What's new now is colors," he adds, noting the lime green and navy blue combinations and the vibrant coral oranges and reds that now grace classic ties.

Do any of these sound interesting? Remember, the trendiest parts of fashion should be a treat, a smorgasbord at which you pick up only what seems tasty-and what fits with your core look. "If you can take just one item that's a fashion 'must-have' and add it to your regular wardrobe," says Bloomingdale's Zimbal, "then you are way ahead of the game." And as you bring your look into fall, think quality. "Get good things," emphasizes Murray Pearlstein. "They last longer and you'll always look good in them." That's the kind of foundation you can build on.

Clea Simon '83 cleaned out her closet while researching this article.

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