Super Gear

The Series: “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” 8 p.m. Sundays, ABC.

The Setup: Reinvented for the ‘90s, Superman (Dean Cain), the legendary man of steel, is disguised as eager-but-bungling newspaper reporter Clark Kent (Dean Cain). He takes his professional cues from Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher), an aggressive investigative journalist for The Daily Planet who loses her concentration only when thinking about The Caped One.

The Look: Striking a balance between the past--Superman was born as a comic-book hero in the late ‘30s--and present, costume supervisors Judith Brewer Curtis and Darryl Levine have created one of TV’s most stylish couples.

Lane appears not only authentic as a professional but also plausibly hip. She deftly mixes vintage ‘40s jackets and blouses with new tailored pieces--all in subdued black, beige, navy and brown.

To make Kent stand out from the mainstream American guy (after all, he is from another planet), Levine opts for a European approach to throwaway chic. He’s rarely seen without his tie, jacket and weird, brave mixes of colors and patterns. Basics include broad-shouldered sport coats in quiet plaids and stripes; full, pleated trousers, and dress shirts in strong colors like aqua.

Hemline Watch: Lane wears three lengths: just above the knee, mid-calf (with slit) and lower calf, for full skirts.

Quoted: “In the original ‘Superman’ series, George Reeves was padded in the shoulders and chest. We have a kid with a 44-inch chest and 32-inch waist,” Levine said, explaining how Cain fills out the Superman costume.

Hit: The blue and red Superman costume, updated as a Lycra unitard with briefs, small cape and high leather boots.

Misses: Daily Planet society reporter Catherine Grant (Tracy Scoggins) wears dresses so tight they look painted on, and even goes to work one day in a bikini. In the pilot, Jimmy Olsen (Michael Landes) wore bow ties and argyle vests, for a warm, fuzzy feeling; they’ve been replaced by bland T-shirts and jeans.

Sources: Lane’s vintage clothes come from Los Angeles stores such as American Rag, Animal House, Jet Rag and Ace Classics, while her new separates and suits hail from Margi Kent Studio/Melrose. Kent’s sport coats and slacks are by Hugo Boss, Mani and Canali. His ties are Charles Patrick, Hugo Boss, Armani, Format and others.