St. Tropez

ST. TROPEZ, France — This small (population 6,248) port city in Southern France has a definite fashion look this summer. Clothes are short, tight and sexy. Dresses in floral prints, cyclist shorts in polka-dots and anything else that stretches and snuggles up to a body is the right idea for the city streets.

Out at the beach there are more one-piece swimsuits than ever, which do double duty back in town as body suits under leggings or bike shorts.

The glamour touch is metallic shoes and handbags: gold leather ballerinas and huge gold totes or quilted shoulder bags, even with the most pared-down sportswear looks.

There is no shortage of famous fashion faces around town. Italian designer Valentino’s low-to-the-water, navy blue yacht, Blue One, inches into port with Valentino’s partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, anxiously surveying the maneuvers. Giammetti wears a blue-and-white-striped robe while Valentino lounges on the top deck in a yellow Shetland and white trousers during the stressful procedure. Meanwhile, Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos is dropping anchor in the open water facing the port--his yacht is too big for the port facilities.

Portside fashion here often resembles a parade of bad taste, but this season there’s a fanciful look centered around cropped-at-the-knee floral overalls, white T-shirts and white tennis shoes. Or there’s an ultra-sexy summer look with stretch leggings in brilliant prints or bike shorts revealing more body than the shortest shorts or minis.