As women, we’re used to skirt hemlines going up and down like yo-yos from season to season.

But pants?

The styles rolled out in the spring-summer 2006 collections are confusing, to say the least. Is there a difference between a Bermuda short and a pedal pusher? How does one distinguish a palazzo pant from a gaucho? And are short-shorts or long-shorts hot?

In the last week, I’ve had three people ask me whether or not capri pants were still in. Worse, I didn’t know the answer. Well, I did, but it requires a bit of translation.

If you call them Capri pants, then no (although I admit I’m still wearing mine). But if you call them cropped pants and throw a cuff on them, then they’re hotter than Patrick Dempsey. OK, even hot pants can’t be that hot. But they’re still all the rage.

And speaking of hot pants, who wears short-shorts? Well, I thought I did, until I went to Old Navy and discovered that what I call a short-short, the industry calls a mid-length. Microshorts have a leg length of about an inch, and you can find a cute roll-up version at Target and a Madras model at Old Navy. I tried them on only to decide that this look is best left to high-schoolers and coeds. All women over 30, please take note, regardless of how much time you spend at Pilates class.

Shorts are a touchy subject for women. They bring out a whole range of body issues that skirts and pants seem to skip. But this summer’s style of choice, the Bermuda short, is flattering for every body. Bermudas are versatile, they hide a multitude of sins, and unless you have serious knee issues, they ease the anxiety – especially the roomier, roll-bottom styles, which look best with a tank top or T.

In May, the New York Times ran an article about how tailored, creased, crisp-looking long shorts – or short pants – are now considered appropriate for the workplace. One of the pictures that accompanied the piece showed Elisabeth Hasselbeck of “The View” wearing knee-grazing black shorts, a fitted denim jacket, rope-soled black espadrilles and giant black sunglasses.

The funny thing? She didn’t look ridiculous. She looked fabulous. I was inspired to dress up the chocolate-brown Mossimo shorts I snagged at Target for $9.99, so I paired them with a fitted twill blazer and a long string of beads. The result? An equally cool, slightly hipper alternative to a skirt.

Other great skirt substitutes are the ubiquitous gauchos (which hit mid-calf) and palazzo pants (which are like flowy cropped pants that hit about two inches above the ankle). A friend of mine dressed her palazzos up with a twin-set, pearls and sassy flats and looked perfectly professional. I wear my gauchos with a sheer T-shirt and flip-flops for a comfy dress-down look.

Compared with the pedal-pusher, which is a fitted pant that hits just below the knee, gauchos and palazzos are easy to wear. I’ve seen this style in various suit-like outfits at various department stores. It’s always on a mannequin and I’m pretty sure it should stay there.

Not so for the cropped pants you can find everywhere from New York & Co. to Kmart. I snapped up two pairs on clearance at Target – a crisp, wide-legged pair in seersucker and a sleeker tan linen version, both tailored. The key to success with this look? The wider the leg, the more fitted the top.

So, ladies of style, I urge you: Experiment with spring’s new styles. Do not fear the bottom line. Whether it’s long or short or somewhere in between.

ShopNotes

. Congratulations to Samantha Gifford of Brewer, winner of the annual $250 ShopGirl Shopping Spree. Samantha is a stay-at-home mom who loves a good bargain almost as much as she loves her family. She spent the days before our spree combing the aisles of local stores to find the best prices on a sweet caf? set and porch swing for her home, a new set of dishes for family dinners, as well leather-look lampshades for her son’s newly redecorated bedroom. In late May, Samantha and I hit the town and had a blast – we’re cut from the same bargain-hunting cloth, so we had plenty to talk about. And now, she has plenty of place settings for the large family dinners she likes to host. Thanks for a great time, Samantha, and as always, happy shopping!

. To market! It’s time once again for the much-loved outdoor market along the Kenduskeag Stream, near Pickering Square in Bangor. The market, which features live music and more than 30 booths, takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through July 20. For information, call Sally Bates at 992-4234.

Reader question

Dear ShopGirl,

I’d like to replace my nice wood-strip laundry basket, which is falling apart from old age and much use. This sort of Indian-made work basket used to be widely available, and I can’t believe they aren’t still being made and sold somewhere.

Sincerely,

Beth Kidder

Bar Harbor

Dear Beth,

Thanks for your patience. They are still being made – and sold. The Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance in Old Town has a variety of shapes and sizes of ash-strip laundry baskets made by local weavers. They range in price from $125 to $350.

The shop is located at the Wabanaki Arts Center Gallery on Main Street in Old Town. For information, call 827-0391 or visit www.maineindianbaskets.org.

I hope this helps!

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.