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Show The fashions look familiar --we're back to the '40's t V- ; : r : , -T - ' H iv - -. ; " V i- H, : ; j t; , , ' j if'? : - i '1 r ' i -' i - '" " 1,, : ' BY JOANN JACOBSEN Chronicle Staff We've come a long way baby. . . a long way from Cleopatra, Queen Berengaria and Pioneer Annie. Yup, we've come a long way liberators, and even our certain "unmentionables" mention it. . . all the say from our long johns, to pantaloons, to chemise, to flannel petticoats, to highly starched crinoline crin-oline slips, to nylon half-slips, to lace bras and panties, to the now braless look. Down at the beach our slinkly, slender sect has always been in rare form-all the way from our bloomers and long stocking swim -uits, to wet suits, to one-piece bathing suits, to bikinis, to topless sunwear. Even we porcelain dolls in our "lady-like" cover-ups have come a long way-from hoop skirts and puffed sleeves, narrow skirts and long trains, tight fitting, deeply pointed bodices and bustles, "hour-glass" silouettes, flappers,' to mini, midi and maxi attire. When the age warren ted, we women wearing the pants in the family, leggins were the rage, and thick woolen trousers, knickers and peddle pushers. But the age has turned the times of fashion skin tight stretch pants, bermudas, bell bottoms, lederhosen and finally fi-nally hotpants. But in reality fellow females-just females-just how far have we come, and from where and when? Sure in 1971, on one of those cold April eves of sleet, slush and snow, out of the freezing night comes "Hep Hazel" looking smug-snuggy smug-snuggy warm in her maxicoat-opened maxicoat-opened to reveal high button boots, a long climb of dark pantyhose, panty-hose, ready up finally to a skimpy pair of playshorts. But she easily could have been mistaken for a 1940 damsel in distress because her junior high gym shorts were too short, her mom's "hand-me-down" coat too long, and she was told not to get her feet wet. We've come a long way, baby-from baby-from the age of silent movies to the age where clever publicity can turn a pair of short shorts into sexy hotpants. But more important, we've come a long way from the age of fads, and Seventh Avenue, to the period where clothes are finally just clothes. People are wearing only what they want-no more mini-midi controversy. Fashion designer Betsey Johnson John-son explains it "Whenever I get confused about designing, I look at what's happening in the world. How can you expect sanity to come out of insanity? You just have to do what you feel." Geraldine Stutz.the enormously influential president of Henri Ben-del Ben-del expounds "To be in these days is to be out." If you were in a time machine, you could zoom back to the 190 's and be dressed for the occasion-that is, if you were wearing the hot pants or long-skirt look. .9. .. .. : ? f. ' ?- . . ' i 1 ' |