Dressing
Zooful of animals
up:
snap at the
alligator
By Debbie Nelson
Battalion Staff
Alligators may be the "bite" of
fashion, but the rest of Noah's
Ark is fighting for a place in the
closets of the well-dressed.
Animals with varying degrees
of ferocity and snob-appeal cling
to shirts, sweaters, socks, jack
ets, nightshirts and belts in
nearly every major clothing
store around.
The weight of your wallet may
help you decide which breed of
furry (or scaly) friend you want
to wear over your heart.
And there are other things to
consider — like the range or col
ors available and whether the
shirt can be tossed in the dryer
without shrinking to Barbie-doll
size.
The most popular item seems
to be the basic polo (small "p")
shirt, with prices ranging from
$14 to $24.
Here's a partial list of some
local animal-peddlers:
Court's Western Wear:
Wrangler seagulls float on
sweatsuits; sweatshirts $11.50,
sweatpants $12.50.
Mustangs gallop across $15
polo shirts, with long sleeves
selling for $17. Mustang cordur
oy pants and jeans are also avail
able.
Sandy Sebesta, manager of
the Culpepper Plaza location,
said mustang shirts have been
around for about two years, and
seagulls appeared more re
cently.
R. Rush and Company:
Izod and Polo shirts—the ori
ginal Preppie animal shirts —
are the main attraction here,
although the store has carried
armadillo shirts in the past.
Mens' short-sleeve Lacoste
Izods average $24, and women's
average $22, said manager Brad
DuPlantis.
Izod alligators snap their jaws
on everything from shoelaces to
socks to an "Official Preppie
Night Shirt."
Boys' Ralph Lauren Polo
shirts average $21.50. The
Lauren logo features a jockey on
a horse.
DuPlantis said the store only
carries the boys' Polo line, be
cause it is less expensive than
either the men's or women's.
An Oxford-cloth button-
down by Ralph Lauren costs ab
out $22.50.
Lauren started in the clothing
industry making ties, DuPlantis
said, and has expanded into ev
erything from colognes to
keychains.
DuPlantis said the demand
for Izod shirts and Polos is just
as high as it ever was, even with
competition from other labels.
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one at a time or full
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are available—
iamond Room
3731 E.29th
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Bryan
707 Shopping Village
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College Station
Prices do rise, DuPlantis said,
but they do so comparable to ev
erything else in the clothing in
dustry.
/.C. Penney:
Penney's says the answer to
the alligator is the fox, $16 for
women's short-sleeved polo
shirts and $18 for men's.
By comparison, a comparable
unadorned men's shirt costs
$12.
Clerk Carla Pfeffer said the fox
shirts are "almost as popular as
the Izods."
She added, "I like mine better
than my Izods because they
wash better."
Fox shirts are relatively new
on the clothing market, having
only been out for two years.
The only obvious differences
between the fox and the alligator
is that the fox is 50 percent Dac
ron polyester and 50 percent cot
ton, while the Izod is 100 per
cent cotton.
Foxes also adorn velour shirts
and men's button-front and pul
lover sweaters.
Penney's also carries sweaters
featuring the famous droopy-
eyed Hush Puppies dog. Vests
or long-sleeved sweaters are
$17.
Sears:
Dragons breathe fire on
$13.99 Sears men's polo shirts,
50 percent cotton, 50 percent
polyester.
A comparable men's golf shirt
costs $5.99, but has a pointed
collar instead of the ribbed one
which seems to be "regulation"
for animal shirts.
Clerk Isabel Huebner said de
mand for the dragon is high.
"Our rack was almost empty
there at one time," she said.
There's also the men's dragon
sweater (button-front and pul
lover) and a $20 cotton Dragon
jacket.
The dragon has been around
for about six months, Huebner
said, and is only available on
men's and childrens' shirts. She
expects the line to expand to
womens wear soon, though.
Socks complete with fiery
beast are already on the way.
Shellenberger's:
Izods and Polos are also fea
tured here. Boys' short-sleeved
Polos are $21.50, men's are
$29.50.
Assistant Manager Jennie
Wilder said, "It's hard for us to
keep men's polos in." Supplies
are low right now, but an order
is expected in November.
As for the problems of the all
cotton Izods and Polos, Wilder
said, "We recommend every
body to hang them to dry, don't
dry them in the dryer. That's
how I do mine. That keeps them
from fading, too."
Beall's:
Shirts by Lone Star, featuring
the ever-popular armadillo, are
$17 at Beall's, where they hang
side-by-side with $28 Izods.
Tommy Benbow, manager
trainee, said, "Izods have been
around for years and years, and
the armadillo just came along."
He estimated the armadillo
has been in Beall's for five years,
but locally is about a one-year
resident.
Montgomery Wards:
Armadillo shirts in the boys'
department are $12.99, with a
pointed collar. Although the
animal was the same, the patch
is different from the armadillo
Beall's sells.
Margo's La Mode:
Gloria Vanderbilt has her own
brand of polos, featuring her
swan logo.
Clerks say the $26 shirt has
been popular "with the young
girls."
Other:
And if you're really creative,
or just a little playful, buy a plain
shirt and a tiny animal patch
(usually under $1) and create
your own combination.
But if you want to be in style,
don't wear a plain shirt. Every
one will think you've lost your
animal.
Lou’s Fun Shop
Now with a complete selection
of Halloween & fright masks
(65 to choose from). Makeup &
wigs. Also Adult gag gifts &
cards, and party gag items.
Down S. College Ave.
just past Weingarten’s
Call us about special order items
9-5:30 Mon.-Sat.
775-2063