By Rusty Williamson

DALLAS - Buyers scouting out holiday immediates, resortand

early spring styles kept showrooms humming at Fashion

Industry Gallery, the boutique-style mart downtown here that

features contemporary and bridge collections.

Retailers were mostly in an upbeat mood during the market

that ended Oct 25, with increased budgets buoyed by strong

back-to-school and fall business, though some stores played it

safe with flat open-to-buys in light of the economic climate.

Buyers' must-have Lists included fashion items with sparkle,

shine, color and embellishment, especially metallics, beading

and embroidery, along with shrugs. retro pants, wide-leg pants.

longer hemlines and denim in myriad washes and silhouettes.

Shelley Cox, owner of Cayman's Clothiers, Norman. Okla.,

hiked her budget about 10 percent andshopped for spring to fill

the recently expanded women's specialty store that nearly doubled

in size to 7,000 square feet.

"We loved Poleci's colorful satinA-line halter dresses in the

new longer tea length, or midcalf," Cox said. "I definitely feel

that hemlines are dropping, but buying longer styles requires

caution. If it's too long, it looks wrong. We also bought

Chameleon's pointelle and leopard-pattern shrugs, which are an

important item for spring. “Shrugs are great because you can

throw them on over a tank or something dressier."

Cox also left orders for Weston Wear's lace and embroidered

sportswear, Jon's gold metallic blazer jackets and Fork's crinkled

stretch skirts in stripes and bright colors.

Carolyn Billet, owner of Maple Street Clothing, a specialty

store in New Orleans, scouted FIG for beaded bohemian tops

and denim pants. Her budget was up by 10 percent.

"We really liked Subtle Tone's beaded crinkled silk tunic tops

and full skirts, some of which were done in retro prints, such as

California in the Fifties or Sixties, and crystal-embellished denims

that lots of vendors were showing," Billet said.

Mary Stone, owner of Joni 's Boutique, based in Dallas, shopping

with a slightly increased budget, left orders for Renfrew's

classic tweed and more forward novelty jackets in pastels, some

with a quilted finish; Darjoni's sequined tank tops in colors.

such as champagne, and silk and spandex printed knit tops in a

spectrum of colors, and Leatherock's fashion belts in turquoise.

citrus brights and animal prints.

Carolyn Spradley, owner of Understatement, an innerwear store

in Little Rock, Ark, bought early spring novelty pajamas and lingerie.

Her budget was up less than 10 percent and was spent on

Loungerie's tank tops, lounge pants and hooded jackets in forest.

papaya and lemon; Nick & Nora's troll doll and monkey-print

nightshirts, and Scanty’s camouflage--print lounge pants and tank tops.