International designers have gone far beyond menswear influences in tweed tailored suits, pleated trousers and newsboy caps to bad-girl boots, bags of every woven pattern, wallets, shoes and scarves.

This season, the look is all dressed up with school-boy ties as belts, wide-legged pants and suits that look like they were minted circa '55 for lunch at the Cincinnati Club.

But make no mistake, this season's tweed is new.

"Postmodern designers like Miuccia Prada and Marc Jacobs are constantly blending styles and periods - and textures like fitch fur and tartan, or patches of beadwork on masculine-looking houndstooth," writes Cathy Horyn in the New York Times. "When you take anything out of its traditional context, subvert it a little, you start to see it differently...You have to break out of form with tweed."

A good example of the season's twist on tweed are the tweed accessories shining with beads, rhinestones and metallic thread, lending a much-needed feminine touch to the bulky maleness of the weave.

Mix and match is what tweed was made for. Try tweeds with metallics, leather, a black satin dress or even plaids.

If you're really ready to stand out from the crowd, wear your tweed jacket over a camisole or nothing at all, then pile on layer upon layer of gold necklaces and chokers for a modern look.

If you are buying new, this is the place to make an investment. An authentic Scottish tweed in 100 percent virgin wool (and your favorite colors) will become a signature piece in your wardrobe.

E-mail mbauer@enquirer.com

REAL STYLE

My closest girlfriend worked for uber style-setter Diane Vreeland for years. Jeannie was always frantic to find the best representation of the latest style to wear Mrs. Vreeland's approval.

Aware of what her young assistant was going through, Vreeland took her aside and said: "It doesn't matter what the rest of them are wearing. Wear what looks good on you."

Said in the center of a Chinese-red room, by a woman who brandished equally red lipstick and nail polish her whole life through, this statement had quite an impact.

Today I'd bet big money Jeannie is wearing her last season's Chanel tweed jacket over Target sweats on the way to the club to take her twins riding. The sweats are undoubtedly "aubergine" (Target would have labeled them purple) and stuffed carelessly into equally old and authentic English riding boots.

Jeannie will not only look like a million modern bucks, but her style will be copied by all the moms in her upscale 'hood.

Tweed or checked

Confused? Over-stimulated? Starting to wonder whether that faboo pair of baggy trousers is tweed or check?

It's really simple to understand the difference. Just remember: tweed is a texture, check is a pattern.

Why not buy both? They look great together.

Marilyn Bauer