Styles Are Simple, Sleek For Spring

You say you’re sick of wearing drab colors, clunky boots and heavy layers of shapeless wools?

Good.

You won’t find any of those things in stores for spring.

Instead, spring clothes are colorful, in a palette that ranges from the coolest pastels to the hottest brights. Spring clothes are sleek and streamlined, with close-to-the-body lines and simple shapes.

And forget about the complicated process of layering. The most important piece you can add to your wardrobe this spring is a sleeveless dress, which you will wear - if you are the fashion-conscious sort - with some low-heeled leather sandals and a squared-off shoulder bag.

Jewelry is not only optional, it’s mostly superfluous, which will make it quite easy to get dressed in the morning.

If all of that sounds too good to be true, well, there is one small catch. Spring clothes are simple, yes, but they’re also body-conscious. Pants are narrow. Jackets are fitted. Skirts are short. Dresses are sleeveless. Sweaters hug the midriff, and cropped tops expose it. And hipslung pants and skirts are everywhere.

“Spring is about showing the body,” said Cindy Capobianco, director of public relations for DKNY, the lower-priced line by designer Donna Karan. “It’s simplicity, modernity and really pared-down.”

In many respects, spring clothes are reminiscent of the 1970s, perhaps the only decade in history to feature not only hip-hugging pants, but also ice cream colors and shiny polyester. They’re all back this season, but in updated, more wearable versions.

Here’s a look at the major trends for spring, piece by piece:

Color. The first and foremost thing that’s new for spring is color - pastels and sorbet shades to acid brights.

Try a turquoise blouse, a pale pink sweater set, a red cocktail dress, bright yellow sandals, acid green capris.

The trendy will wear color from head to toe and in a range of shades. European and American designers showed a mix of greens, blues and aquas on the runway, and it’s a fresh look if you can wear it. With so many choices, you’re bound to find something that goes well with your skin tone and hair.

Also big? Icy, pale pastels and bold citrus shades are all over stores. As the weather warms up, so will the colors. Expect hot turquoise, hot pink and acid green for summer.

Dresses. You can’t go wrong no matter what style you pick, but sheaths and shifts are the top choice of many designers, who did them in every fabric from lace to denim to silk shantung.

Sheaths can be worn to the office with a matching jacket and pumps, or out to dinner with a pair of strappy sandals and a tiny evening bag.

The other newsy shape is the button-front shirtdress, often with a short A-line skirt and bracelet-length sleeves. Designer Anna Sui shows a fetching version in bright orange. But when it’s done in longer lengths and lighter colors - the approach favored by the trendsetting Prada label - the shirtdress can resemble a waitress uniform or a lab coat, which may not be the look you’re aiming for.

In addition, you’ll find apron dresses, shirtwaists and bias-cut halter styles, all of which provide plenty of emphasis on the waist.

Skinny pants. Whether you choose leggings, capris or slim sharkskin trousers, narrow pants provide an instant wardrobe boost.

Generally, they have flat fronts and may zip at the side or back to give the slimmest line at the hips. Most of us will choose styles that have normal waistlines; the truly trendy may opt for the hip-slung version that stops an inch or two lower.

Pair them with sweater sets, silk tunics, fitted jackets or - if you’re daring - slim shirts in shiny fabrics. Add a silver chain belt at the hip for extra dash.

Yes, it can be a nightmare to find narrow pants that fit well. But what else makes you look so tall and slim?

Fitted jackets. You don’t have to squeeze yourself into skin-tight contraptions that resemble straitjackets, but you should be looking at jackets that nip in at the waist and skim the hips.

Ralph Lauren does his curvy spring jacket in crisp white silk shantung, spring’s most popular fabric, while Dana Buchman tailors hers in a trendy snakeskin print. The Chanel version comes in a nubby pink tweed, Todd Oldham’s in a sprightly floral print.

Wear these jackets with just about any skirt or pants - so long as they’re slim.

Sleeveless shells. This is what you’ll put under that fitted jacket. In spring’s trendy citrus shades or pale pastels, a shell adds a kick of color to an otherwise businesslike suit.

It’s also what you’ll wear as a stand-alone top for those ubiquitous narrow pants.

In its trendiest versions, the shell is not only sleeveless, it’s cropped, stopping at the waistline or slightly above. Donna Karan paired hip-slung miniskirts with waist-length shells, displaying a couple of inches of toned midriff in between.

Though this look was all over the runways in New York and Europe, retailers rush to point out that it’s basically a tiny blip on the fashion radar screen in real life - there for those who want it, ignorable for those who don’t.

Prints and patterns. Last year, it was butterflies. This year, the pattern of choice is the floral print, often done in bright colors on even bolder backgrounds.

Plaids are out in force, too, particularly sporty ones that have a hint of tartan about them. Mismatched plaids were a part of the runway scene, but it takes a real fashion eye to get the mix right. Of course, you could always argue, as designer Miuccia Prada is doing this season, that bad taste is fashionable - and that it’s even harder to pull off than good taste.

Meanwhile, get ready for horizontal stripes. Gianni Versace practically blinded the audience at his runway show when he brought out fitted T-shirts and knit skirts in eye-popping stripes of navy, red and yellow.

But there’s no need to go overboard. Stick to black and white stripes if you so desire. That combination is hot for spring, too.

A wisp of shoe. Put away those clodhopper boots. Treat your feet to lighter shoes, such as spectator oxfords, ballerina flats, strappy sandals or thongs.

Though these shoes bare quite a lot of the top of the foot, they’re frequently anchored by blocky heels and substantial soles. Even dressy pumps tend to have low, chunky heels. The result? Comfortable feet for a change.

These simple shoes can be had in neutral shades or blasts of color. Even Calvin Klein, long a fan of neutral tones, brought out shoes and handbags to match his pale blue and yellow jersey clothes.

Minimal accessories. You might think these simple clothes would need lots of help from accessories, but the opposite is true. There are so many prints and bright colors that the clothes need little else to shine.

The exception is the lively range of handbags on the market. After a year-long infatuation with top-handle purses, designers are turning back to the oh-so-convenient shoulder bag. This time, though, it’s a sharper, squarer bag suspended from two short straps rather than one long one. This bag tucks under the arm at waist level instead of banging against one hip. Look for it in neutral leather as well as bright vinyl and shiny nylon.

If you must have jewelry, stick to silver - perhaps a small pendant, one thin bangle or a pair of tiny drop earrings.

But don’t pile on the pieces. Spring fashion is about simplicity. Everyone - trendy or not - can take advantage of that.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Must-haves for spring Narrow pants Sleeveless sheath dress Something made of silk shantung Spectator shoes Fitted shell Hip-slung skirt Something in a color

Banish to back of closet: Wide-legged trousers Boxy blazers Anything grunge Big shoulder pads Anything big and baggy