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ANDORRA, Apr 22, 2004/ FW/ --- The blonde spiky-haired student wore really fun bell-bottoms. When the semester was over and I headed to Europe I made the plunge and bought three pairs of bell-bottoms.

I did it on a student budget and bought them on sale for 21 Euros apiece…basically 25 dollars a piece at that time. Even at that price I would get complements on them.

As much as I enjoy fine designer items, there is something to be said for “street wear”.

One of the reasons I had fought switching to bell-bottoms is that I had worn them as a teenager. I had been there, done that.

By the time I was at University (UCLA) I was wearing bell-bottoms with platform shoes, at 5’6” and barely 100 pounds I truly looked like a toothpick.

I wasn’t anorexic; I ate like a horse. I lived by the ocean and ran 2-4 miles a day, but genetics played a good part in my body type; my mother was petite and my father was Fred Astaire thin.

So, here I am in Andorra, one of the shopping capitals of the world and also one of the smallest countries in the world.

With all the shops available I could not find a single pair of black bell-bottoms that I liked or that fit. I stopped and had some tapas (appetizers) at one of my favorite restaurants downtown, then caught a bus half way up the mountain, stopping off in the Parish called La Massana.

I popped into the boutique where I had found my first three pairs of bell-bottoms.

I wasn’t thrilled by the selection of black bell-bottoms, but I zeroed in on a pair that fit well from the sale rack (once again 21 Euros).

They were a little too decorative around the waist or should I say hip area for my taste but what the heck, they were a possibility.

The owner of the boutique and I spoke in a smattering of French, Spanish and English – we always have fun attempting to communicate, learning a few new words each visit.

I indicated that I needed a blouse. She brought me a black blouse with a crinkle texture to it. I put it on but it appeared to be missing a bottom button.

I tried to tuck it in but that didn’t work very well – perhaps I could add a button.

I put my silk and wool Ralph Lauren turtle-neck-sweater back on – it actually looked quite nice with the pants and covered up the decorative part that I wasn’t too keen on.

I passed on the blouse and bought the bell-bottoms.

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