Flare play

MANILA, Philippines - It’s back to the old bells and whistles. Bell-bottoms and flared jeans, that is. The ’70s are back with a bang and with it a resurgence of boho, hippie and folksy elements. Laura Ashley prints, woven leather bracelets and fringed boots all spelled a return for the retro trend. Though the revival of flares doesn’t mean a demise for the skinny jean (although the current celebrated style isn’t so much skinny as lean with a few scuffs and rough patches), expect a rash of hip labels to follow suit. Forget the uniformly unbecoming high-waist jean (i.e. mom pants). Flared pants emphasize the length of your legs and flatter the line of your hip. Curvy girls no longer need to shrink from the sight of their thighs in the dressing room. Thanks to wonder jeans like J Brand’s version, you won’t have to resort to former wardrobe staples like skinny jeans that cut off your circulation. We can already hear women everywhere heaving a sigh of unfettered relief.

* * *

E-mail me at jackieoflash@yahoo.com.