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Photo by Craig T. Kojima; Photo illustration by Bryant Fukutomi, Star-Bulletin
Do the math and it'll all add up; geometric patterns
are hot such as the one Natsumi Nakaoka is modeling
from Bebe's Ala Moana.

The color
and the shape

Square is in,triangles and
circles, too, as prints curve
toward '70s geometrics

---

By Rosemarie Bernardo
Star-Bulletin

HIGH school math was never as much fun as the new geometry.

Designers seem to have taken protractors, rulers and compasses to fabric, coming up with any combination of zig-zags, circles, squares, octagons and stripes in candy-colored patterns that pay homage to Emilio Pucci.

Members of Destiny's Child accepted their award for favorite Soul/R&B Group at the American Music Awards earlier this month wearing pink geometric prints in hip-hugging pants and bikini and one-shoulder tops.

Duplicate the look by walking into any store, where geometrics are represented by tight patterns of tiny squares for the timid, to bolder looks that seem to have been inspired by Piet Mondrian.

The new looks build on the return of '70s-style patchwork that left their mark the past few seasons.

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
At Jeans Warehouse at Ala Moana Shopping Center,
Christina Thieleman models a geometric top.

Squares in olive, blue and purple are patched together in a mid-length handkerchief skirt available at Sears for $25. Distorted octagon shapes in dark blue, turquoise, green and silver are also available in a handkerchief skirt for $24.

At Bebe, a plum-colored, V-neck, calf-length wrap dress, $110, consists of small printed squares.

Geometric prints today have a more modern touch than those of the groovy '60s and '70s, said Bebe's associate manager Robynyle Ballesteros.

An array of thin lime green lines, black streaks and peach, white and lavender circles dress up a silk long sleeve blouse, $69, with a string tie at its collar.

At Neiman Marcus, Laundry by Shelli Segal offers a silk geometric halter top for $128. This cream-colored top is decorated with pastel blue squares with a mini-yellow square in its center. Raspberry squares with light tan mini squares are placed sporadically throughout this backless top. Also at the store, a psychedelic black dress with circular rainbow prints from Vivienne Tam costs $255.

At Jeans Warehouse, salesclerk Maria Aparra said geometric prints are for the outgoing, not for the conservative.

A diamond-shaped print top in purple, yellow and turquoise lines with criss-cross straps in the back costs $16.99. Also for the young set, a one-shoulder sparkling nylon top with turquoise, dark purple and lavender rectangles is available at Jean's Warehouse for $13.99. Salesclerks describe this as the "Charlie's Angels" look because Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith modeled them frequently in their hit television series of the '70s.

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