By PAUL VLACHOS

So what's left? In 10 years, what's going to make a guy with a steel rod through the bridge of his nose feel mainstream?

I spent the last week undercover, probing the fashion elite, denizens of the cutting edge, and the general population, asking them all the same question: "What's left?" 

Here then, are some New Yorkers' predictions for the future of fashion:

Name: Call me KK...
Occupation: Fashion Model
Age: Early 20s
Prediction: I don't even know what's in now. As for the body piercing and all that, I think it's all gross...

Name: Peggy J.
Occupation: Art Therapist
Age: 24
Prediction: Uh...well, I think people are going to stop doing anything and they're just going to do it in virtual reality. People will be big, fat slobs sitting at their computers. I really don't know what the next step is going to be, but it's going to go over the edge ...possibly cutting off their ears or fingers. They'll call it "lopping or chopping."

Name: Marjan
Occupation: Downtown Cyber Diva/Digital Artist
Age: 35
Prediction: Bastardization of plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery for odd looks, such as lizard skin and additional body parts. Readapation of existing cosmetic technology for more alternative alterations. In particular, new skin colors, additional body parts, and better integration of biomechanical and fashion. And possible experiments in "wetware," mixing and mingling sort of like the fashion response to biological cloning. As in actually growing sheep hair as a fashion statement instead of natural hair.

Name: Thomas
Occupation: UPS Man
Age: 32
Prediction: They've done piercing; they've done the hippie thing; they've done the nerd thing; they've done the casual thing...I don't know what could be next. As far as "outdoing the last generation," I think the next generation's in trouble as far as that goes, to tell you the truth. There's not a lot left, but I suppose they'll think of something.

Name: Daniel
Occupation: FIT Student
Age: 22
Prediction: I really don't know, but I had this idea the other day for a fashion show where the models would stab themselves when they get to the end of the runway, is that any help? 

Name: Dana
Occupation: Beauty Editor at Major Magazine 
Age: 32
Prediction: In the future, the current emphasis on black in fashion and makeup will shift just perceptibly to...near black. Navy, dark purple, loden and deep slate, often shimmery, will replace the static flat black popular today. In clothing, these shades are as flattering as all black, and in makeup they are just as useful as black for drama and emphasis, but in both clothing and fashion, they are a little more fun (they allow choices) and softer-looking, in line with the trend toward increased femininity and "prettiness" (this last is the current overarching trend buzzword).

Name: Cedric
Occupation: Street Poet
Age: 28
Prediction: It's going to be the post-Apocalyptic look, man. The closest thing I can tell you is that they're all going to look like homeless people do now rags and dirt.

Original Story Date: 041797
Original Story Section: Style