HERE COMES THE STYLE

The new look in bridesmaids' dresses isn't about dresses at all, it's all about the two-piece ensemble. It works this way. A bride selects the color, fabric and the style of a skirt -long, short, A-line, and so on. Then, each bridesmaid chooses a matching top that suits her body type and maximizes her best feature--shoulders, bust, gorgeous long neck, whatever. Each top is the same shade and material as the skirt, so all the attendants are uniform, but each looks slightly individual. And all of them feel pretty.

"Vera Wang is definitely at the top of her form with this idea," says Kerry Waterman. "I sell more of these two-piece outfits than any other type of gown for bridesmaids."

Waterman notes that 95 percent of women who come into her boutique end up with a strapless wedding dress: "Even when a bride tells me strapless is the last thing on her mind, that's what she'll ultimately select. Strapless is really in right now and Florida weddings make the choice ideal." What other trends does the wedding expert notice?

* The black-and-white wedding is over. It was on the way out but the events of 9/11 finished the concept. The aftermath of the September tragedy has had other ramifications: Big, family-type wedding celebrations are more common. Weddings are seen as a major celebration of life and family unity, a colorful reunion.

* Deeper, richer shades for bridesmaids' ensembles. Popular colors right now include purple, dark moss, tangerine, and ocean blue. Celadon and sky blue are always desirable and pink will always be in.

* More children in wedding parties.

* People are paying more attention to designer invitations. The ones by William Arthur and Anna Griffin are sought after and quite expensive, about $1,000 for 100 invitations (and that's before postage). Traditional in script, paper stock and wording, these invitations feature a modern but tasteful twist. For example, the inside of the envelope will be lightly brushed with a pearl finish or the envelope might be square instead of rectanglular.

Waterman got into the couture wedding dress business about six years ago when people coming into her Paper Mill boutique (established in 1982) to select upmarket wedding invitations complained about the selection of luxury wedding gowns in this part of Florida. Waterman, who has loved fashion since she was an English major at the University of Michigan and made her own clothes for her tiny size 4 frame, took off for New York and sat through a season of bridal shows. These big events occur every October and April in Manhattan, which is the world center for the bridal industry.

For the first round of shows, she just observed and said she was too overwhelmed to buy. On a second visit she ordered sample gowns from Christian Dior, Jim Helm and St. Pucci, selecting conservative styles more appropriate for the Southwest Florida market. The following year, Waterman met Vera Wang and decided that Wang creations would form the centerpiece of The Bridal Path. A Vera Wang wedding dress starts at about $4,000. The 40-year-old designer is credited with overhauling the wedding dress industry by offering women sophisticated and sexy gowns of impeccable tailoring made from only the finest materials, such as duchesse silk satin.

Impressed with the designs of Alvina Valenta (starting price about $2,800), Waterman immediately stocked them, too. Today, she has an inventory of about 30 different dresses during any one season. They are all in a size 8 or 10, even though 25 percent of her clients wear upwards of a size 12.

"All the dresses are samples," she explains. "A bride tries them on for color and style, and then once she has made a decision, the dress is sewn just for her, with regular fittings taking place during the five-month process." Waterman admits that in extreme cases (and only if the sample dress fits nearly perfectly) she will sell a sample. "If a bride is here visiting from another state or country, tries on the perfect gown and has major time constraints, I'll sell the sample," she says. " But that's rare."

Waterman's clients come from all over Florida and the world. She recently provided the wedding dresses for two DuPont sisters. "The parents were vacationing here with relatives in Sanibel," she says. "First one daughter came in and bought. She was married in Annapolis. Then the other daughter came in and selected a gown. Her wedding was at the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande. Both young women went with Vera Wang gowns. My business is mostly through word of mouth. One bride's family tells another. My showroom is open only by appointment."

Equally as important as style is a wedding gown's color, which ranges from white to ivory and to darker shades of champagne and rum with a delicate blush undertone. "The difference in shading is so subtle that as a guest in the church, you'd never be able to tell the difference between white and ivory," Waterman says. "The color differences are meant to complement a bride's skin tones. For example, a blonde, blue-eyed, fair-skinned woman is shown to best advantage in an ivory gown. If she has raven hair, dark eyes, she's probably best in white. And the Irish good looks of black hair and blue eyes will want white."

Waterman observes that darker shades are usually selected by older, independent women who want to make a fashion statement. These women are buying their own gowns and don't come to the showroom with their mothers. The average age of her brides runs between 25 and28. Sometimes, young women bring photos of dresses from bridal magazines. Sometimes they come in with pre-conceived notions about what they think they need based on self-perception.

"Full-figured women will always tell me they want a simple, straight gown," says Waterman. "I listen, then I bring out what I think they should have, and they are amazed. A column dress just calls attention to the fact that a bride is full figured. What that woman needs is a gown that flatters her best features. And today's luxury gowns are made to do that. It's just a matter of being willing to try on several to tell what's going on."

Not all of Waterman's clients are brides or members of a wedding party. Many buyers are local gala-goers who call and make an appointment to try on party shoes from the Italian house of Fenaroli. These beauties sell for $185 to $285 and can be dyed to match a gown or left white. Many styles feature crystal and faux jewels. "My necklaces are another good buy at $200 to $300, and lots of local women will stop in to buy them for themselves or as gifts," Waterman says.

The bridal expert's daughter, Julie Magardino (now an attorney with two sons), became one of mom's first clients six years ago. Daughter ultimately selected an ivory modified A-line Alvina Valenta dress designed by Victoria McMillan. It had a full skirt with silk roses and off-the-shoulder top. Waterman says she has noticed over the years that Alvina Valenta does a particularly good job with gowns for the petite bride. "If you're five-foot-two or under, I always bring out the Valenta samples," she says. "The cut of her gowns really flatter a petite bride. Alternatively, the Vera Wangs seem to have a longer torso and most of them, but certainly not all, work better on a taller woman."

When Waterman isn't in her bridal salon or in The Paper Mill helping people select wedding invitations, gift items, or cards, she can be tracked down on horseback. "The Bridal Path name is actually double entendre," explains the equestrian. "I'm a student of dressage and have been training with Joan Humphry for two years and competing. My life today has me back and forth on two roads, bridal path and bridle path. I love them both."

The Bridal Path and The Paper Mill

Cypress Square, 13451 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers

437-2252

The Paper Mill

The Promenade, U.S 41 in front of Bonita Bay

949-6800

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A California art glass designer and expert on creative entertaining, Annie Morhauser, came to the Naples area earlier this month for a trunk show at DuFrane Jewelers at the Promenade in Bonita Springs. She introduced several new lines of high-end gift and tableware from her Annieglass collection, signed pieces with her diamond-tip Dremel tool, and shared her insights on how to give a party with genuine pizzazz. One of her tips is to use palm leaves as table runners. Another is to fill a banana-shaped bowl (she makes one) with small shells, clear glass pebbles, or pearls, nestling votive candles in the stabilizing filler.