

                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.1



                                   GREENBERG
                                ATTORNEY AT LAW
                                    TRAURIG
                                  [LETTERHEAD]



                                August 28, 1997


Biscayne Apparel, Inc.
1373 Broad Street
Clifton, New Jersey 07013

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to Biscayne Apparel, Inc., a Florida
corporation (the "Company"), and have reviewed the Company's Registration
Statement on Form S-8 covering 306,695 shares of the Company's authorized but
unissued common stock, $0.01 par value (the "Common Stock"), issuable pursuant
to stock options granted pursuant to the Company's 1997 Stock Option Plan, as
amended (the "Plan"). It is our opinion that shares of Common Stock issuable
under the Plan, when issued upon exercise of and in accordance with the terms of
stock options outstanding or to be granted under the Plan, will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         We hereby consent to the use of this opinion in the above referenced
Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we
come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

                                            Very truly yours,


                                            /s/ GREENBERG, TRAURIG, HOFFMAN,
                                            LIPOFF, ROSEN & QUENTEL, P.A.


