Among the fashion set, a pair of boots was fall's must-have item. One particular pair of boots has athletes and Margo Powell jumping for joy, and if she has her way, everyone else will be hopping around right beside her in rebound boots.

The owner of Bikini & Things has been using the exercise boots ever since she discovered them while attending a trade show in San Francisco last fall. She's finally ready to bring them to market through her swimwear boutique, as well as her new Honolulu Lifestyles shop, opening Jan. 14 at 909 Kapahulu, across from the Safeway complex.

The exercise boots will be easy to spot. They sit on 6-inch, curved flexible bands that bounce with a wearer's every step and stride.

“;I was hot on it the minute I saw them. I couldn't wait to bring them back to Honolulu and set things in motion,”; said Powell, who said she had been living with the effects of middle age and two years' lack of exercise and was looking for a fun way to keep fit.

“;I was growing thick around the center. I have a bikini shop and I see young girls struggling with that all the time.”;

She said she started noticing her waist slimming down three weeks after beginning to use them, and now, three months later, she said, “;I've lost my pouch, I've lost my saddlebags. It corrects your posture because it causes you to stand very straight. I feel like I'm 20 when I'm on them.”;

THE SWISS-MADE boots were developed 11 years ago for joggers, to reduce impact stress on joints by as much as 80 percent. Since then, researchers have discovered other benefits, from increased circulation to increased endurance, but Powell speaks from experience.

“;I used to ski, so we'd use conditioning equipment to prepare ourselves so we wouldn't get injured. I believe these will be the newest craze because using the boots strengthens core muscles. You can use them to run, walk, dance, exercise. It feels like an extension of your foot, but you have light impact, and when you're wearing them, you don't want to sit down because they're so much fun. I've worn them as long as 15 1/2 hours.”;

Although the circular shape of the flexible bands makes it look as though you need a good sense of balance to stand upright in them, Powell said she's seen everyone from children to overweight adults try them on and no one has fallen yet.

If anything, it's just the extra weight of the rigid boot, like a ski boot, that takes adjustment. Bringing in a pair of boots for me to try, I noticed their aerobic quality. Even though they're fun, the extra effort will have you breathing a little harder, even when walking or going about normal chores.

The boots cost about as much as a basic annual gym membership, at $190 for children and $250 for adults.

Powell says she doesn't believe she'll tire of the boots. “;For one thing, whenever I take them off, I find it harder to walk. I get so used to twirling when I'm in them. It makes all your movements so much more fluid.”;

Although she doesn't view the rebound boots as the center of a “;religion,”; Powell certainly has an evangelical tone and glow when speaking about them. She envisions conducting treks, including rebound boot walking trips from Bikinis & Things to the Honolulu Zoo, as well as dance classes at her soon-to-open Honolulu Lifestyles.

“;It's really popular in Europe and I hope that as it becomes popular here, we can do things that have been done on YouTube, where thousands of people have gathered for rebound events at arenas.”;

The boots have changed Powell's mindset as much as they have streamlined her physical appearance.

She stands 6-foot-5 in the boots, creating quite a spectacle when she's walking down the street, and while at first she had to be accompanied by a friend to deflect notice, she now doesn't mind being the center of attention.

“;They've given me so much confidence. When I was younger I used to be very shy and I was very tall, which added to my insecurity. I'd never have been the first person on the dance floor. Now, I'm dancing, twirling doing all these things I never thought I'd be doing in public, just to show people how they work.

“;All I wanted was to just have fun. I feel like last year was difficult for everyone, not just financially. I had 12 losses of people in six months and was raw emotionally. I'd talk to other people and find they had lost people or had broken up with their girlfriend.

“;I just wanted to feel alive and that's what these boots do for you. It releases a lot of endorphins, which gives you a greater sense of well-being. I keep thinking if I had found these when I was 30, I'd own Honolulu.”;

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Bikini & Things is at 3118 Monsarrat Ave. Call 739-9112.