TWIN PEAKS

in the nineties

IF YOU recall that Joanna Woodward classic, The Three Faces of Eve, it

is possible to identify those same schizophrenic tendencies in this

season's favourite look, the twinset. This little knitted woolly combo

has extraordinary chameleon characteristics. You can almost visualise

the mood swings -- one minute the mouse, quiet and introspective, and

the next, gregarious and fun-loving.

This is how the history of the twinset is charted. From its early

incarnation in the 1920s as a practical look for women golfers, the

twinset has created contrasting images over the years. There is the

demure, bookish look; the formidable country life charity fund-raiser

type (think Vivienne Westwood), invariably accompanied by a string of

pearls and a tweed skirt; and at the opposite end of the spectrum, the

sexy glamour-puss look.

This spring's flirtation with retromania toyed with two of these

images, while the county ma'am was left at the WI until the autumn

collections. On the catwalk Versace gave knits glamour appeal with

gingham or lacquered stretch pencil skirts and high heels, circa 1950s.

So did Anna Molinari, adding a taffeta skirt to her glittery version,

and Gucci, teaming a floral satin dirndl skirt or capri pants with

crimson cashmere twinsets. Infact, the overall effect hovers close to

the original sweater-girl look.

Of course the first sweater girl was Lana Turner, who starred in those

1940s teenager movies, sipping soda pop in her skintight sweater. She

was followed by the dizzy blonde glamour puss Jayne Mansfield, who made

the most of her generous bosom with those early torpedo bras.

Maidenform, with the conical-style California, and later the Playtex

cross-your-heart brassiers produced the same pointy shape under knitwear

which Madonna brandished on stage in the late 1980s with the help of

Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana corsets.

Arising from the silver-screen clean-up campaign in the 1920s, this

voluptuous sweater-girl look was the closest the restrictive Hayes Code

allowed Hollywood movie directors to get to anything remotely

provocative on celluloid. In fact, at this point the taut twinset came

close to identifying the good-time girl.

Needless to say, the look was picked up by the teenage rock'n'rollers

who wore tight twinsets (cardigans knotted around their necks) with

dirndls or prom skirts and little ankle socks, another catwalk favourite

this season with Gucci and Sportmax. The beat generation adopted the

look, wearing the knits either with prom skirts, covering crackling

petticoats, or slim capri pants.

Over in Paris the Existentialists were similarly attired in tight

jumpers and cardigans with dirndls or pencil skirts. The group's

perpetrator of style, Juliette Greco, was rarely without her black

polo-neck, black trousers, and heavy black eyeliner.

On the one hand twinsets were the epitome of sensuality and

rebelliousness, and on the other they looked demure, even regal. Of

course the Queen is known for her twinsets, so was Grace Kelly. On the

catwalk, Prada, Isaac Mizrahi, and Calvin Klein all opted for a simple,

demure Grace Kelly style. Prada contrasted a shrunken black chenille

twinset with a cream satin skating skirt. Mizrahi and Klein bleached it

summer white and Donna Karan at DKNY made it slightly sporty, with

stripes or cable stitching. Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, chose Kelly's

contemporary as his muse. The Mary Tyler Moore-look was achieved by

slipping the cardigan over the shoulders and fastening the top button.

Classic twinsets and saucy shrunken versions are being swiftly snapped

up from the stores. There are the prettily-coloured sea-island cotton

styles from John Smedley, the powdery pastels in cashmere from Scottish

designer Belinda Robertson and in lambswood from Pringle. The original

twinset is a Pringle invention.

Oasis has captured the Kelly look with twinsets using the fifties

turtleneck-style sweater with a silver, satinised dirndl skirt. Kookai,

French Connection, Top Shop, and Jigsaw all produced fluffy soft styles

in mohair for last winter and this spring translated the look into silky

viscose and angora to wear with satin or gingham skirts, flashing a

generous view of the midriff. Proving those good-girl bad-girl

characteristics live on in the nineties.

STOCKISTS

* Above: the sensuousness of twinsets in sea-island cotton from John

Smedley: T-shirt #55 and cardigan #68. Lime Spandex pencil skirt about

#100 by Istante.

* Above left: a snappy, chic fifties look in cashmere by Belinda

Robertson: cardigan #145 and sweater #110. Capri pants #59 by OuiSet,

black patent belt #39.50 by Otto Glanz, handbag #220 by Dolce & Gabbana.

* Prada is available from a selection at The Gallery, Glassford

Street, Glasgow. DKNY is available at Cruise, Renfrew Street, Glasgow.

Belinda Robertson is Palmerston Place, Edinburgh. John Smedley is

available from Frasers, and Baccarat, Main Street, Uddingston. Istante

is available from Versace, The Italian Centre, Glasgow. OuiSet and Otto

Glanz are both available from Frasers and Jenners of Edinburgh.

Silhouette glasses are available from all leading opticians. Dolce &

Gabbana is in Sloane Street, London SW1.

* Hair and Make-up Sarah Bee for Joy Goodman.