Clothing

In the lush farmlands east of Monterey Bay, the day opens with the sound of big-rig trucks hauling lettuce, apricots and other produce through this quiet agricultural town of about 36,000 people. At Jerry's coffee shop, locals exchange gossip over scrambled eggs while the crew at the downtown fire station washes the red engine and ladder truck. Welcome to the original Hollister, Calif.

Jennifer Taggart's testing gun seems an anomaly in this California Market Center room filled with pink tutus and flowery white baby gowns. She holds a laser gun, called the XRF Analyzer, to a tiny dress and waits. The scanner beeps: The garment doesn't contain any lead. Its designer sighs in relief. On Friday, clothing buyers from retail boutiques start pouring into the downtown Los Angeles garment emporium to decide which items to stock.

The president of Turkey approved a pair of constitutional amendments Friday that would allow female students to wear Islamic head scarves at universities. The legislation, which has exposed the deep gap between the Islamic-rooted government and the military-led secular establishment, is expected to face a legal challenge. Turkey's parliament, dominated by members of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-rooted party, voted 411 to 103 on Feb. 9 to approve two amendments.

This spring, going sheer doesn't mean dressing like a 1980s video vixen. Forget raunchy and think romantic -- ethereal chiffon floral dresses at Roberto Cavalli, sheer organza color-blocking at Jil Sander and Venetian brocades encased in sheer netting, as if in soft focus, at Dolce & Gabbana. Yves Saint Laurent put sheer on the style map in 1968, when his collection of barely there chiffon blouses hit the runways at the height of the sexual revolution.

Most retailers are tapping the brakes as they navigate a rocky economy. Forever 21 Inc. has its pedal to the metal. The fast-fashion retailer is expanding around the globe, increasing product lines and opening showy new stores. The largest yet, which at 90,000 square feet on three levels will be bigger than the size of the Rose Bowl playing field, is scheduled to open in Times Square next year.

SOMETIME last week, center court at Wimbledon began to look more like a fashion show than a tennis tournament. There was Serena Williams warming up in a chic, belted, white trench coat under cloudless skies, Roger Federer as Jay Gatsby in a white cardigan with an "F" insignia, and Maria Sharapova getting trounced in a sheer, pleated-front bib top and shorts.

For costume designer Susan Matheson, finding inspiration for the vintage T-shirts Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly wear throughout "Step Brothers" wasn't hard; the challenge was picking the right ones. "We wanted to distinguish their characters as being 40 years old stuck in childhood without making them look insane."

Squeezing real-world curves into lean-fitting denim -- few things are more frustrating. Thighs get sausagey, derrieres get flattened (or worse) and you can't bend over without offering innocent bystanders a free peep show. A few years back, Not Your Daughter's Jeans rode to the rescue with a line of functional denim -- jeans that promised to flatter what you have and hide what they should.

Turning A much-loved, over-worn pair of jeans into a skirt isn't a new idea -- nimble sewers have done it for decades -- but making the results look chic took the happy rediscovery of the mini. It's a trend that belongs to the street -- jean skirts were the coverup of choice at the recent U.S.

Back when the jean pool was but a mere puddle, denim sold itself on fit and cut and signature back pockets. Jeans didn't claim to cure Lyme disease or make foamy lattes. But lately -- with more than 100 brands of premium denim vying for your backside -- designers will stop at nothing to get you in their pants. Seeking enlightenment and a "divine" derriere? Try the 35th Street jean from Bishop of Seventh.