Hems are falling, knits are hot, grey is fashion's new neutral and shades -- ranging from plum to red -- are spicing things up.

Fashions for fall `98 promise to offer women plenty of choice -- but just remember to keep your look lean, classic and long.

Leaf through any magazine and you will find pages upon pages of clothing in every conceivable shade of grey -- the ideal canvas for splashes of fall colour.

"Grey is the new colour for fall,'' said Maritza Sequeros manager of Calypso on Front Street. "It has taken over from last year's brown as the hot colour.'' And skirt length no longer seems to matter to designers anymore, everything from knee to ankle length is being offered for women this fall.

"Skirts are mid calf -- below the knee but above the ankle,'' Ms Sequeros explained. "Skirts are tapered, actually everything is long and more narrow.

"This year is more sophisticated, going back to the 50's. Everything is classic and chic. Last year everything was the 70's.'' Gail Foulger, senior buyer for Trimingham Brothers Ltd. said the Front Street store was well stocked with autumn neutrals.

"The fall collections are in from Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, Chaus and Ralph Lauren,'' she said. "The fabrics are soft and touchable.

"The silhouettes are slim and classically feminine. Colours of olive, cognac, black and jewel red with grey being the key player in all collections.'' Noting that most women do not go out and purchase a whole new wardrobe each season, Ms Foulger said ladies could update their closets with a few pivotal pieces.

"The must-haves for fall are a basic black cashmere sweater and at least one piece of grey, whether it's a jacket, sweater or trousers in either charcoal, sterling or heather,'' she explained. "One pair of bootleg pants, preferably Calvin Klein, and a twin cardigan set in a fine gauge knit, silk or cashmere.'' A skirt, slim trousers, coat or jacket in soft black lamb leather will also add pizzazz to a woman's wardrobe, said Ms Foulger. And a sightly fitted jacket which falls to the knee rounded out the Trimingham's buyer's list of must haves for fall.

"A long, single-breasted jacket will update anything,'' Ms Sequeros explained. "Look for anything with a more classic appeal, think streamline.'' She added that women should also pick up a "nice pair of wool pants'' for their winter wardrobe.

"They should have narrow legs with either a stitched in pleat or a flat front, the zipper should be in the side or back.'' She also recommended dresses with a long matching jacket -- allowing women to get more bang for their buck by wearing the dress separately or coordinating the matching jacket with other things already in their closets.

"Everything underneath is slim line with a jacket or something over the top.

People are going back to wearing more dresses,'' Ms Sequero pointed out.

If all of those pieces are out of the reach of your pocketbook, In Style Magazine recommends investing in only three.

"Your three smartest purchases are an unadorned cashmere or funnel-neck sweater, a pair of stretch-wool flannel trousers and a felted-wool calf-length skirt.

"All of these pieces should be in the same neutral colour, such as grey or camel... they're easily mixed and matched with what's already in your closet, creating an up-to-date look while prolonging the usefulness of your favourite clothes.'' The sales staff at Calypso added: "Look in fashion magazines to get a feel for what's going on. Invest in a good piece once a year and update with accessories. Go for staple pieces, don't invest in trends.'' LaVerne Zuill of Twenty Seventh Century Boutique on Burnaby Street echoed the sentiments and said that she expected to sell a lot of clothes in basic colours and styles.

"People can't afford to buy a lot, so they buy basics and plain stuff that will last them for a long time,'' she explained. "People buy seasonally, not all the time.'' Before opening your wallet, Ms Zuill recommended spending a little time looking through your closet prior to hitting the stores.

Basics in neutral colours, like beige, navy, black and white should be kept, she added.

And if you decide to purchase a few pieces to update your wardrobe -- make sure you can get a lot of wear out of them.

"I usually give them something they can use in three ways.'' As for the knit/sweater trend, Ms Zuill said it was not a practical one for Bermuda.

"Sweaters in Bermuda are kind of hard,'' she pointed out. "People still like jackets because they can take them off.'' And for the younger generation, Ms Zuill said wide leg jeans, little crop tops, and fitted skirts -- either long or short -- were all the rage.

GREY DAYS -- Expect to see more grey for this autumn's fashion scene.

Calypso's Torri Simons (above) models a grey silk Ghost oriental jacket with a chenille multicoloured boa. Grey has even made inroads into men's fashions.

For the classic look, try a pair of grey flat-front wool pants with legs tapered at the bottom. A black darted button-up shirt completes this `in' look, from The Edge, (at left).