High-Water Mark
Floods are seldom forecast for sunny Hollywood, but this summer, trendy stars are snapping up ankle-baring pants fit for Noah's Ark. "They're girlie, young and fun," says designer Cynthia Rowley, who featured satin, taffeta and denim cropped pants in her summer collection. "They have a retro feminine feel. They definitely remind you of Audrey Hepburn." Perfect for waifs, the high-waters "create the illusion that you are long and tall," Rowley explains. "It's like, 'Look, she's so tall, her pants are too short for her.' " But if you have thick ankles, cautions Hollywood stylist Vivian Turner, who garbs Geena Davis and Jennifer Love Hewitt (neither of whom have the problem), "you might want to focus attention someplace else."
Casual with flats or dressed up with sexy heels, the short pants can go anywhere (except maybe the White House, as Martha Stewart found out). "When you're not sure what to wear, observes talk show host Leeza Gibbons, "they're a pretty safe bet." And when you're not sure of the weather. Jokes actress Lauren Holly: "They're great for a rainstorm."
with Steven Cojocaru in Los Angeles
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