Date: Fri 25-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: I

Location: A12

Quick Words:

Dano-Gallant-style-fashion

Full Text:

(phone interview/book rvw w/ actress Linda Dano, 4/25/97)

The Lady Behind AW's `Felicia Gallant'-

Linda Dano Is Making A Fashion Statement

(with cut)

BY SHANNON HICKS

Emmy Award-winning actress Linda Dano may be best known for her portrayal of

the well-loved and flamboyant character of Felicia Gallant on NBC-TV's

"Another World." Television watchers may also recognize Ms Dano's face from

her appearances on QVC, where she sells her own line of accessories, or her

popular Lifetime talk show "Attitudes."

What many may not realize is that off the screen, the personable Ms Dano has

also been operating her own fashion consulting service, called Strictly

Personal, in New York, for over a decade.

Now Ms Dano has taken her beliefs - her successful beliefs, as the classy lady

has been praised by everyone from Leeza Gibbons and Judith Light to Rosie

O'Donnell and other past clients for her impeccable sense of style and taste

in clothing - and put them into book form. With the release of Looking

Great... It Doesn't Have To Hurt , shoppers of all types (and everyone fits

into at least one, if not more, of the well-defined categories she outlines in

the book's first chapter) can now identify their past errors, clean out the

closet and shop like a pro, and look like a million dollars.

The best part is, no one needs to spend a million to look beautiful. There are

basic steps in the book on dressing and accessorizing to flatter any woman.

Many of us have forgotten the basics. Linda Dano, with co-writer Anne Kyle,

has brought back the basics for us, the simple style rules we should always

follow, regardless of height, weight, or current fashion trend.

Linda Dano is on an eight-city publicity and book signing tour supporting

Looking Great... Connecticut fans will have two opportunities to meet the

part-time Connecticut resident in upcoming weeks. This Saturday, she will be

at the Hickory Stick Book Shop in Washington to sign copies of her book. Next

month she will be at Danbury Fair Mall doing what she calls a "hands-on

fashion show," where she will offer anyone who asks advice on outfits they may

be wearing or contemplating purchasing.

(In the meantime, "Another World" fans have been following a storyline where

Felicia Gallant has taken off to California to try to save a screenplay on a

book she wrote. Felicia is trying to stop the purchasers of the book's rights

from ruining her story.)

"The tour is going well," Ms Dano reported recently, calling between stops

from her hotel room in Chicago. "It's fun, and I'm getting to meet a lot of

fans.

"With this tour, when I talk to people I try to show all the various ways to

wear and accessorize outfits. Once you show someone their mistakes, I find

they don't repeat them again."

Ms Dano admits she has even caught models off-guard at times, changing

accessories or reshaping an outfit minutes before it is to go down a runway.

"I have to tell them ahead of time, `Don't get afraid of me,'" she said with a

laugh. "It throws a lot of them off!"

It is this principle she hopes to share with readers of Looking Good , as well

as those who visit her while she is on the road.

Ms Dano's book is a wonderfully easy read. Having seen Ms Dano on countless

television screens over the years, with her sparkling eyes and very positive

demeanor, it is easy to envision her laughing along while she was writing this

tome.

Even if they don't follow Linda Dano on television, readers will find

themselves smiling when they read this offering. Her personal touch in writing

makes the reader feel like Dano is chatting with a close friend rather than

talking to a casual acquaintance or fan.

Looking Great... teaches (or reminds) lessons in a gentle way - Ms Dano never

preaches, just shares her well-formed opinion - that make a lot of sense. It

also reaches across all generations; bodies alter with age, yes, but fashion

works with different body styles, not just ages.

Readers will learn to recognize their specific body style and face shape, and

then the dos and don'ts of what to wear to complement each. Then they learn

where to buy what to wear.

After department store shopping tips, Ms Dano offers the pros and cons of

outlet, television and catalogue shopping. Each has its positive points, and

Ms Dano has shopped long enough to know what to look for in each setting. She

offers astute words of wisdom on shopping any of these venues.

Once all aspects of fashion are discussed, Ms Dano moves into her favorite

chapter: Accessories. "Expressions," is the title of Chapter 10, but its

subject the author's favorite.

"I love accessories. They are my favorite, favorite things. I love my

accessories, I love my friends' accessories, their friends' accessories. I

would probably love your accessories," she writes in her characteristic humor.

Accessories are listed, and then described to fit with each specific body

type, and includes make-up. Ms Dano breaks down each make-up available, offers

a brief description of each, and tells not only how to select the perfect

color for any face, but how to apply and when to discard cosmetics.

The same approach is applied in a section called "Medical Miracles... and

More," where Ms Dano discusses plastic surgery. She discusses the options, and

the pros and cons of each, but does not necessarily encourage everyone to run

out and have an arm lift. "Medical Miracles" simply discusses another facet of

fashion, another option for women who need that extra touch to feel better

about themselves.

While readers are reminded during the course of the book the lady is an

actress, they also feel on the same plane as Ms Dano when she shares personal

narration and opinions on everything from buying her first real suit piece by

piece to learning how to dress casually when she and her husband moved to

Ridgefield years ago.

And remember, she says, Felicia Gallant is a character ; Linda Dano is the

person. While each has a very interesting sense of style, Felicia is a

somewhat fearless, sometimes splashy soap opera character.

"I play a character," Ms Dano reminded. "Felicia has a costume designer. She

goes a step further with her clothing. She goes right to the edge, sometimes

right over!

"In terms of us, I'm very conservative."

Linda Dano will be at Hickory Stick Book Shop, Route 47 in Washington Depot,

on Saturday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm.