Somewhere along the line, the navel has become the fashion focal point. Breasts are out. Bellies are in.

From the red carpets of movie premieres and awards shows to the catwalks of Milan and Paris, formal fashions are heavy on bare midriffs. "A woman's stomach and waist is the most feminine part of her body. It's sexy, but not overtly sexy like cleavage," Jane magazine fashion editor Elizabeth Kiester says.