THE LIVING IS BREEZY

Summer love is a phenomenon as old as, well, summer, but a lot of designers have decided that the summer of '97 is the season for romance. They're offering up delicate feminine frocks and fluid wide-legged pants that caress the body like a breeze. Pale tones, cool watercolors and neutrals are popping up all over in soft materials such as light wools, chiffon, crepe de chine and jersey. For the more daring, there's the citrus palette, with all its variations on lime green, orange and yellow. And for the downright bold, sheer fabrics are moving into daywear--although they're usually doubled in thickness, lined or worn with a body suit so that the nonexhibitionist majority can join in the fun. Still, some of the looks are so light and lingerie-like, it seems as if the designers are seeing how close you'll flirt with nudity.

The ever present slipdress is still among us. Only this year it's short and asymmetrical: one-sleeved is good; bias cut is even better. "All ages with good legs will wear miniskirts," says Bloomingdale's fashion guru Kal Ruttenstein. And Nicole Fischelis, fashion director for Saks Fifth Avenue, says the softer, swishier look is best topped with a tailored jacket, to break up the fluidity of the silhouette. Designers like Jill Stuart prefer a sweater. "A jacket is too hard for this collection," Stuart says. And while the dresses are soft, they're not always simple. A Chinese influence runs through many collections, evident in such touches as embroidery and delicate, frond-like decorations in the fabric. The cool looks could turn it into a hot summer after all.