MARCH 2005

Wrap It Up!

With the continuing popularity of retro fashion, it was only a matter of time before designers rediscovered capelets, shrugs and other abbreviated sweater and jacket types. They're a logical follow-up to the pashmina, the poncho and the fur tippet that designers have shown in recent seasons, and the perfect transition from winter coats to summer skin.

So give winter the cold shoulder with one of this year's hottest, evolving trends, and take cover in the latest capelet and shrug. Reinvented for the spring in an array of fabrics, colors and prices to fit any budget or preference, when it comes to seasonal cover-ups, it's hard to keep them straight. What looks best with what? A capelet or a shrug? A shrug or a capelet?

A mini-cape, better known as a capelet, is a little number that just may be the fashion answer to the season's cover-up questions and the perfect strategy to reinvent the pashmina. A sweet but sexy touch to any outfit, the capelet flatters many body types as it creates a "T" shape, adding a little volume to the top and creating the illusion of a slimmer, straighter bottom.

For a touch of sweet to balance your sass, tie on a Halogen capelet sweater. Incredibly soft to the touch and accented with a sparkling brooch closure, it's the perfect way to top your favorite ensemble.

Too warm for a winter coat, too hat cold for a spring jacket? Nordstrom Horizontal Stripe Capelet Spice it up with Nordstrom's horizontal stripe capelet. A cute multicolored wool capelet that's softly curved and edged with extra-long fringe for a fun, funky day look.

Trina Turk's fur ´snow´ capelet is pure as the driven snow. This deliciously soft faux rabbit fur cover is a rich way to stay both warm and glamorous, night or day. It's lined in a beautiful, wine-colored satin with a sweet rounded collar and bow.

This breezy capelet from Collection X11X can add girly flair an otherwise ordinary outfit. The lightweight, open-weave capelet style finishes with a softly scalloped edge and an adorable velvet bow.

Last year's cover-up, the poncho, has been replaced with the more urban and glamorous shrug. Spring will be about wearing very traditional pieces in quite untraditional ways. The shrug will become the newly reinvented city piece; the new 'it' top with a little peekaboo effect, replacing lingerie.

Glam it up with the evening's 'it' item. And who does it better than Wendy Hil, and her truly fabulous faux fur, plush leopard spot shrug. With pink satin lining and hook-eye closure, this piece reminds us why we fell in love with the 1960s in the first place.

Absolutely stunning! This chic Central Park West shrug silhouette comes in a luxurious silk and cashmere blend. Faux-fur trim at the collar, with wide three-quarter-length sleeves, a cropped body, and a sparkling, vintage-inspired brooch. To die for.

Complete your evening dress with a cropped fur shrug by BCBG Max Azria. Indulge, as sumptuously soft rabbit fur shapes your body for a cropped, snuggly fit.

     Cover-ups continue to offer a way to bring color, pattern and texture to a wardrobe dominated by more sensible pieces. Wraps typically aren't items women buy as investment pieces; instead, they are the accessories that can jazz up a suit or even jeans that need to last more than a season or two.

Women have also changed the way they dress. They like to dress in the morning and prefer not to change in the evening but want to maintain an appropriate look all day. That's when pieces that are easy to dress up and down become essential additions.

Still don't know one wrap from the next? Here are some definitions that might help you out:

Capelet - A mini-cape that falls anywhere from the shoulders to the waist, with an opening fastened by a brooch or a button. Be aware: once it dips below the hipbone, it's a cape.

Stole - a long, wide scarf made of fabric or fur, worn since the 19th century. It gained popularity in the 1940s and 1050s.

Shrug - A combination of a shawl and a sweater, it wraps across the back like a shawl with edges drawn together to form short sleeves.

Bolero - A waist-length or shorter jacket, open in the front, with or without sleeves. It became popular at the end of the 19th century and again in the 1950s and 1960s.

Poncho - A rectangle of various lengths with a generous hole cut in the center for the head and sometimes one shoulder.

Pashmina - A fine woolen cloth with a soft, plush texture similar to cashmere. A Persian 'woolen' from 'pashm' wool.

Tippet - A covering for the shoulders, as of fur, with long ends that hang in front.