Dowdy No More?

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Fashionistas handed Laura Bush the verdict even before the end of her first 100 days: Honey, you ain't in Austin, Teaxs, anymore. So last month the First Lady hired designer Arnold Scaasi to spruce up her look. The choice is not exactly fashion-forward: Scaasi also dresses mother-in-law Barbara. But he vows to make Laura look "snappier," in vivid colors like turquoise ("tur-kwaz") and "a bright bottle green." (The red that Oscar de la Renta put her in, right, may be a foretaste.) We asked Scaasi and celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch to appraise the First Lady's fashion choices thus far. Clip and save: Laura will unveil her new look when she accompanies George W. on a trip to Europe in mid-June.

REDRESSING GRIEVANCES From left, boxy green suit: "She has a beautiful figure!" raves Scaasi. "The biggest change will be in the proportion" of her suits. Red Inaugural gown: "Didn't hate it, didn't love it," says Bloch, who'd prefer to see her in "cool, hip" American designers, like Karan or Klein. Blue Inaugural coat: "That blue is pure Washington," says Bloch. "There is no blue like that in nature! Achh!" Purple plaid suit, worn to meet Hillary Clinton: "Fire whoever put you in that!" snaps Bloch. Off-white gown, worn to Jacqueline Kennedy exhibit at the Met: Should have been white, says Scaasi, like Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg's. "I'm not a beige man," Scaasi says darkly.