"There are tons of stereotypes out there, but young Latina women in the fashion market are young, fresh and full of ideas," says Thalia, the Mexican-born pop singer who also oversees a line of clothes for Kmart. "Maybe we're a little more colorful ... and there's always a little spice, a little flavor, and something flirty."

Styles included in the upcoming Thalia Sodi Collection for fall are burnt-out velvet tops, sweaters with metallic thread and a black-and-white striped shirt with tropical fruit appliques.

Hollywood stylist Phillip Bloch, who has dressed Mexico native Salma Hayek, notes that some of the fashion industry's top designers are Hispanic, including Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera and Narciso Rodriguez.

Bloch also points out some long-lasting Spanish and Hispanic trends: the bolero, the tango skirt, floral embroideries and the sleek hairstyle of a bun adorned with a flower.

"Especially now with the boho influence, the hippie and gypsy looks — they have Latin roots. Embroidery, embellishment, color, flowers and beading are important to Latinas and to Latin American history," Bloch says.

Dominican-born de la Renta probably weaves more hints of Latin flamboyance into his collection than his peers. His runway parades almost always include a dance dress with tiers of ruffles in a bright pink, yellow or green sandwiched between more sophisticated daytime suits and regal gowns.

But unlike de la Renta, who caters mostly to a socialite-and-celebrity crowd, Thalia courts the Hispanic consumer as part of the mainstream market — and at the mass level.

The 2000 Census counted 35 million Hispanics. Since then, Hispanics have passed blacks as the nation's largest minority group.

Kmart, for one, seems to have confidence in the Thalia brand, expanding its presence from 335 stores when it launched in 2003 to more than 1,400.

On this day, Thalia is in a clingy bright green top, slim jeans, an armful of gold bangle bracelets and Gucci stilettos. She says it's a look that is approachable and wearable for everyone (save the very pricey shoes).

"I don't want others to be afraid of my clothes as 'too Latin' or 'too weird,' " she says. Jeans are the best-sellers of her Kmart line and the top that has become her signature is a blend of cotton and spandex.

The Latina influence is in the details — the glitzy trim, the snugger fit. Otherwise, Thalia says, the fashion sensibility of Hispanics isn't that different from that of anyone else. They tend to like the mix-and-match, high-and-low wardrobe that you'll find women wearing in practically every corner of the country.

A vintage shell-covered Versace dress hangs in Thalia's own closet with her rock-climbing and yoga gear, and there are handcrafted Mexican shawls next to Christian Lacroix scarves. "I'm super eclectic. ... There's so much fashion to love and so much of fashion goes in cycles," she says.

Thalia got her first fashion gig in 1993, designing a line of lingerie when she was mostly known as a Spanish-speaking soap-opera star.

Through her Kmart deal, the collection has grown to include women's wear, children's wear, eyewear, jewelry, shoes and accessories.