Island Style
Showing a little more shoulder in fashion's latest little tops

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

As Island girls head back to school, there is a definite shift in fashion emphasis, from the midriff to the shoulder. While the focus for the past few semesters has been on low-riding jeans and bare tummies, eyes will travel upward as alluring little tops with bare shoulders and decollete become the thing.

Vega models the season's hottest silhouette, the one-shoulder top, from Forever 21 in Pearlridge, $12. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Last week, Island Style went back-to-school shopping with two members of the Fashion Forum (a group of young fashionistas who help us track trends), Jennifer Yoshimori, a 2001 Castle High grad who is heading to Honolulu Community College to study cosmetology, and Rachel Borg, soon to be a Punahou sophomore.

Like many of their schoolmates, Jennifer and Rachel like to shop at trendy but price-conscious boutiques where they can afford to buy something they know will last only as long as the fad that spawned it. "Styles are always changing so I like to buy lots of different things," Rachel said.

Here's what we found:

Pearlridge Center

• Forever 21

Everything, in every style, is cut in at the shoulders at this popular fashion hangout. Cowl necklines are fresh and flattering. There are also V-necks with a little ruching down the center front — a figure-friendly look, especially for the small-busted. Ruching (tiny pleats or gathers) is also evident on some feminine versions of the muscle T. A metal ring around the neck is one variation on the spaghetti strap halter: the ring holds the tiny straps in place.

Jennifer said she wears muscle Ts because they work with her petite figure (size 0-2), but she says they can make some girls look too muscular.

Every imaginable shade of red and blue were in evidence. There was also a clothes rack of black and white, touted as one of fall's biggest color stories.

Texture is more varied than ever, with ribbing, terry cloth and lace sharing racks with distressed denim. Layers of lace over sheers of varying weights and colors were eye-catching.

Texture also is created by foil stamping to achieve the look of sequins, glitter and beads. Prints are all over the place, from Pucci knock-offs to tiny retro geometrics, to prairie bandannas, gingham and polka dots.

A note of interest: They were sold out of the current rage, the one-shouldered top, and there were no tube tops at all.

As we strolled from store to store, we mused about who should wear these bare tops. Should girls with heavily muscled or plump rounded figures steer clear?

No rules, the forum member said. Said Jennifer, "They might want to watch out for spaghetti straps. But with other styles, if you're a person who's comfortable and confident, and thinks she looks good, then go for it."

Rachel agreed: "I applaud people if they feel confident and carry it off. I give them credit. Whatever rocks their boat."

• Charlotte Russe

A few doors down, at Charlotte Russe, it was glitter and glitz. Cartoon characters like Wonder Woman are emblazoned on black muscle Ts with "Beat it creep! Pow!" in red, white and black, with silver foil accents. Rachel said she liked these because "they are confidence builders. They say, 'You can't touch me. I'm above all you guys.'"

The one-shoulder Ts here are all glam in sparkly pink, black and silver. In contrast, across the store the preppy trend comes through in form-fitting striped knits with white cotton collars.

Unusual textures are prevalent, with faux fur and feathers at necklines. There are pastel pink ombre tops in a shirred fabric reminiscent of plastic packing material, as well as waffle weaves in bright floral prints. Spaghetti strap halters come in a range of striped knits. Unlike Forever 21, there are plenty of tube tops here.

Ala Moana Center

• Old Navy

Here, teensy halter tops come in bold shades of emerald, coral and red. A lavender tie-dye tank top is styled like a man's undershirt but colored for a '60s hippie chic.

Geometric prints and preppy rib knits come in edgy shoulder-baring styles, with spaghetti straps tied around the neck. A more conservative rack features v-neck Ts with crossover bodices in turquoise, celery and black.

Nearby are red and cobalt blue rib knit mock turtlenecks, but all are cut in at the shoulders.

There's a section of body- conscious knit camisoles presented like pajamas, a more revealing version of Ally McBeal's bedroom attire.

• The Gap

Color! Robin's egg blue, poppy red, turquoise, lavender, orange, purple. Embellishments are bold with the graffiti look popularized by Louis Vuitton, as well as sequins and a cute little fluffy black cat with a red rhinestone collar.

The message shirt is also popular, with one in the window reading "Butterflies in my stomach," with a bevy of gold butterflies sprinkled across the bodice.

Styles are all shoulder-baring: tube tops, spaghetti straps and one-shoulders.

• arden b.

Cowls are clearly the neckline of choice here. There's ruching everywhere, from the center front of the neck to the sides and shoulders. Ruffles were in evidence at arden b. (cute at the edge of a one-shoulder baby-blue top) while rows of ruffles traveled around the neck and down the center front of a little beige number.

Rachel especially liked the tops with built-in shelf bras which negate the need for a bra. Colors are a full range of tones and hues: red, pink, coral, dusty rose, beige, baby pink and the ubiquitous black-and-white.

• Wet Seal

Halter is the big style story at Wet Seal. Narrow spaghetti straps support — big, bold flower images: hibiscus, roses, lilies. Prints range from a cacophony of graffiti to preppy stripes.

There's a lot of slouch here, brought on by serged-edge finishes and slashed necks that take the shirts right off one shoulder.

• bebe

Lingerie looks are big at bebe, right down to the details: bra-style straps and boning. There are bustiers in leopard prints, florals, brocades and even denim. Lots of black-and-white and black-and-beige. Also coral Vivienne Tam-type prints, Pucci look-alikes and more graffiti. Lace is combined with stretch dotted Swiss and satin for a multi-textured affect.

Scrunched-up tie-dyes are among the interesting textures, along with pleats, tucks and pukas in strategic places.

• Island Snow

Jennifer loved the backless red cotton top with ruffles at the neck and around the armholes and a bare back with only a spaghetti strap tie, a throwback to the early '70s. A row of tiny metal hearts at the hem added to the affectation.

Jennifer said the Volcom Stone logo cap sleeve Ts are popular with girls on the Windward side. Another little (pale blue) T that caught her eye had a pouch pocket above the hem with a zipper closing.

What are the stores showing with these trendy little tops? Jeans, of course. Also black pants and skirts with asymmetrical handkerchief hemlines.

As for the dratted question of what you do with your bra straps when you're wearing these bare little nothings, Jennifer and Rachel concurred that showing your bra straps are OK with some styles (and figures), but not others. No straps with halters, they decreed, but thin little straps are OK with spaghetti straps. "At school, a lot of girls solve the problem by wearing bathing suit tops under their halters," Rachel said.

Lingerie manufacturers are hip to these bare new styles, too, and have come up with all kinds of convertible bras and straps. Also a huge range of colors. Spotted at Neiman Marcus: Cosabella, the hip lingerie line Hollywood has taken to, now comes in 31 colors. A great way to get the look Rachel loves: a colored bra (she matched it to her jeans) under a tiny top under a lacy long-sleeved top.

"With spaghetti straps, it's OK to have your bra straps showing," Jennifer said. And as for the one-shoulder? Gotta be a strapless bra "or nothing at all."