The Orlando Sentinel du lieu suivant : Orlando, Florida • Page 37

The Orlando Sentinel 1 Better Than Ezra Hot on modern-rock-tracks chart, band plays Sapphire Supper Club, Orlando, 8 p.m., $5 Dress for Less Layered, baggy look is sure to please choosy teen-age boys page E-3 Help yourself iji iiirky director does 6ER9 proud. VX )4 -X- -A A COMPENDIUM OF NEWS AND TIPS A Mother's Day gift she'll sing about Perfume, flowers and chocolates are all perfectly good Mother's Day gifts, but when was the last time you sent your mother a personalized song? A California company is ready to serve you in time for Mother's Day, which, if you need reminding, is Sunday. "To a Special Mom," a stirring if somewhat schmaltzy ode that's professionally arranged and sung, will have your name and your mom's incorporated into the lyrics. The company usually takes seven working days to turn around a song, but if you call by 3 p.m. today it'll get the tape to you or your mother Friday.

The overnight delivery will cost you an extra $19.95, but isn't Mom worth it? The tape costs $24.95, so your total will be $44.90. Call (800) 725-7664. Son-of-a-gun, he spends more on Mother's gifts On a related note, men outspend women by about 23 percent when buying Mother's Day gifts. Men spend an average of $53 on gifts for their moms, while women spend $43, according to a survey for the International Council of Shopping Centers. The survey also says flowers are the most commonly desired and given Mother's Day gift.

Free booklet gives tips in case of emergencies A free safety brochure for parents and kids is being offered by MCI and the American Red Cross. The 12-page booklet gives tips on how to recognize emergencies, when to call for help and what to do until help arrives. For a copy of the "Calling For Help" brochure, call (800) 297-3950. The maker of Pulp Fiction brings dark humor but also unexpected tenderness to the hit show. Don't expect "Pulp Medicine" tonight on ER, even though Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino delivers the episode.

The storytelling procedures inside America's favorite emergency room are loose enough to indulge Tarantino his zaniness (youngsters suffer with flatulence) and his dark humor (a doctor jokes while trying to save a boy impaled Quentin Tarantino (from left) directs Noah Wyle and Anthony Edwards in an episode of the hit drama Tiny tops are great big news yah 1 Ji II wild circumstances). But in the end, even a shock artist like Tarantino has to play by hospital rules. Working from a poignant yet intense script by Lydia Woodward, Tarantino reveals unexpected tenderness. Is this the same guy who directed Reservoir Dogs? This ER, titled "Motherhood" and set on Mother's Day, is more memorable than any of the widely hyped specials I've seen during May sweeps. But, hey, it has been a marvelous year for series TV.

I could say the same for recent episodes of Frasier, Homicide: Life on Please see TV, E-4 nod to screen under With a few adjustments, women with less-than-perfect figures can enjoy the incredible shrinking tops. By Jean Patteson OF THE SENTINEL STAFF Early last spring designers en masse came home from their studios with the same an-nouncement: "Honey, I shrunk the tops." STYLE And so a new trend was born. This spring almost every store is offering tops that have been shrunk to pint-size proportions. These mini-tops are ideal for trim young bodies and casual occasions, but they also can be adapted to more mature bodies and dressed-up situations. The so-called "baby tees" sell for just $9 to $15 at junior shops such as Scribbles, Wet Seal and Contempo Casuals.

But department stores and specialty shops that cater primarily to adults also are offering shrunken T-shirts, polo shirts, tank tops, halter tops, vests and sweaters. Skimpy, stretch-lace shirts for $24 can be found at Express. Mirror Image hai; cropped, ribbed-cotton cardigans foi $38. And most upscale boutiques offer a variety of miniaturized tops in the $50 to $80 price range. Even the classic twin set has been cropped above the waist.

And the corset, which is about as tight and tiny as a top can get, is back in vogue but as outerwear, not underwear. To any woman who isn't model-thin or model-young, this miniaturization can be disconcerting. Tiny tops reveal too much. Whatever happened to the long, loose tunics and oversized sweaters and T-shirts that have been doing such a good job of camouflaging less-than-perfect body parts, from the upper arms down to the thighs? Those big, baggy clothes have been knocked out of the picture (and most stores) by fashion's ever-swinging pen- Please see TOPS, E-3 A LESS-CASUAL LOOK Select small tops that are cropped at the waist, no higher. Then wear these over skirts or pants that have high waists or wide waistbands.

Add a jacket for the office. Consider a corset. They are constructed from sturdier stuff than most shrunken' tops and often are reinforced with boning plastic strips sewn along the seams to streamline the shape of the corset (and the woman wearing it). Also, they tend to reach just below the waist. Worn with soft skirts or palazzo pants, corsets make lovely party tops.

Teamed with tailored jackets and skirts or trousers, they can look conservative enough for the office. Hal Boedeker TELEVISION on a rod). There's also a Tarantino's penchant for violence (a socko punch 7 'hit -t "HI TOM BURTONTHE ORLANDO SENTINEL The shrunken twin set looks casual with a hipster skirt, businesslike when buttoned up under a high-waist skirt and jacket. Twin set by Easel (cardigan $89, shell $84), from Originals. HOW TO USE 'BABY' TOPS IN If you are young, trim or uninhibited, wear the shrunken tops short and snug just keep the context casual.

This is a look for play, not work. For a more covered-up look, read on Wear baby tees, polos and sweaters under slip dresses or jumpers. Wear shrunken cardigans and vests over long slip dresses and sun dresses. The extra coverage will make the dress seem less bare. Wear fitted tank tops or bodysuits under abbreviated tops.

Thus, when you stretch or bend, you will reveal a second-skin layer of clothing, not bare skin. Jean Patteson THE FASHION ADVISER Tied up in woes of pantyhose QUESTION: You would think that by age 28 I would have; figured out something so basic as what pantyhose to wear. Instead, I'm totally confused every time I go into the hosiery department. There are so many choices all those different brands, shades, weights and prices. Is there one kind of pantyhose that will do for all occasions but especially for work (with suits) and special occasions (with cocktail dresses)? ANSWER: Pantyhose labeled "sheer," in a shade close to your natural leg color, would be a good multipurpose choice.

However, even "sheer" has variations. Ultra sheer is the sheerest that is, the thinnest, smoothest and most delicate. This makes it a good choice for special occasions. Daysheer is slightly less fine and therefore a little more resilient, making it good for work. Silken sheer is similar to daysheer, except it has more spandex to make it stretchier.

All come in regular and control-top versions. The latter helps hold in the tummy, rear and thighs. The fashion this year is for the sexy, bare-legged look of stockings the same color as your skin including for evening. So find a brand you like and a color that matches your legs. Then get some of each in ultra sheer and daysheer or silken sheer.

In general, cheaper brands do not hold their shape or resist runs as well as more expensive brands. But no pantyhose is indestructible, so handle with care. Thank camels for coats Does camel's hair (the kind made into coats) really come from camels? Yes, from the Bactrian camel Please see ADVISER, E-3 High-tech computer helps keep weight off Between 75 percent and 95 percent of people who go on diets gain back the weight they lost within five years. This information may be discouraging, but dieting doesn't have to be a lost cause. One way to improve your odds aside from beginning a sensible exercise program is to keep track of what you're eating.

That can be tough with the variety of food that's out there, but the Diet Coach can help. It's a pocket-sized computer that, among other features, can analyze the calorie and fat content of thousands of foods and keep track of how much of both you're consuming on a daily and weekly basis. The Diet Coach costs $53.70, including shipping and handling, and is available from the manufacturer by calling (800) 322-0688. Buses and car pools cut energy use, pollution It is estimated that one-third of all private automobile mileage is from driving to and from work. So if you're interested in cutting back on America's fuel consumption, take the matter into your own hands and check out alternate transportation.

Try to find someone to car pool with or check out your local bus system. If each commuter car carried one additional worker who normally would drive, we would save more than 600,000 gallons of fuel a day and prevent more than 12 million pounds of carbon monoxide from contaminating the environment. Today's buzzword: Buster To teens, a "buster" is someone who busts up the fun they're having, as in a meddling grown-up who asks a raucous group to quite down and behave themselves. In other words, "Man, you're a real buster," is not a compliment. Tell us your buzzwords: If you've heard a word or short phrase lately that has a meaning not found in a standard dictionary, we'd like to hear from you.

Call (407) 420-5506. If you get a recording, please leave your name and a daytime phone number where you can be reached. Help Yourself is compiled by Harry Wessel. COMING UP IN LIVING Loraine O'Connell explores why some of us prefer friends of the opposite sex. Friday in Living.

RELATIONSHIPS I.