FILM STARS AT ASCOT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 13, 15 July 1937, Page 19

FILM STARS AT ASCOT

(By "Barbara.")

LONDON, June 18. The day I went to Ascot the weather promised to be unsettled, and because of that, or perhaps because of the propaganda in their favour by dress designers and fashion journals, short skirts definitely predominated. The days of scraggy hemlines, trailing in the mud are evidently over. The chic Englishwoman has taken the tip and realised that a racecourse is no place for garden party frills. One of the most outstanding frocks on the course was worn by Elizabeth Allen, the film star. On a navy blue silk crepe were' j scattered parses in luscious shades of I purple and petunia, and round these pansies were written quite large "bon mots" in French. The sleeves were short, the bodice draped, and the skirt gored to swing from the hips. With J this enchanting frock Miss Allen wore an equally enchanting hat, a navy straw that presented an angelic front and, when she turned her back, proved

to be a halo proper—the entire crown being cut away and the brim held in place by a bandeau of navy net. These crownless hats—bretons, sailors, and bonnets —were a feature of the day.

Another chic film star was Miss Margaret Vyner, former Australian mannequin, who wore an ensemble of heavy silk linen in nigger and white. The nigger skirt was tight, the white blouse came right lo the neck and had a single straight slit down the front on which no fastenings were visible, and the swinging finger-tip white coat was trimmed at the hips with sealskin. Fur trimming again distinguished a midnight blue satin frock and coat—blue fox ran down the revers on the short jacket. The frock skirt was tight, yet slightly draped to kick in front on very slimming lines. With this was worn a blue straw beret which shot suddenly skywards in front. An intriguing colour scheme was presented by a tall blonde girl, who wore over her pale blue frock a coat of petunia colour. A wide petunia straw sailor, pale blue suede gloves, and shoes and bag of kid in the same two shades cleverly manipulated and combined finished her careful theme.

A christening ceremony provided quite a different fashion aspect. Here the very youngest set ran away with the honours. The baby in his handmade christening robe (a family heirloom) and his slightly elder brother wearing a perfectly-tailored tussore coat, his silk shirt frilled at the neck and scarlet buckle shoes on his feet,

"BALLERINA" DANCE FROCKS

and the youngest female guest, whose pale grey coat was tailored in the finest flannel, cut double-breasted, a belt across the back to hold the broad box-pleat in place, and stitched collar and cuffs of pale grey velvet made from the same piece as her jaunt.y, page-boy beret; these were the most attractive people present. The only possible exception was the baby's mother, who was very lovely in her black frock with its cross-cut skirt and soft gathered neckline and her widebrimmed breton sailor hat. This hat was one of the most distinguished 1 have seen—its saucer brim was cut and appliqued in transparent scroll design and the crown was very small and fiat.

It was at a cocktail party that I saw the two coats in my sketch. The one on the left was made from lightweight navy woollen arid was worn over a trock of the same material. Round the neck and down either side of the front ran a line of self-fabric encrusta-

tions. The back was held firm by a narrow belt. Ked braid was looped about the other coat sketched. Here the material was black linen—the skirt being cut wide and flaring in contrast to the tightly-fitting bodice with its row of covered buttons. At cocktail lime —in fact from luncheon onwards — the most successful coats of recent weeks have been tailored in black alpaca. They are often cut doublebreasted and have a rustling importance which gives an immense assurance to the wearer.

Full evening dress is worn at the Horse Show. Here the women have dangerous sartorial competition in the uniformed officers taking part in the various events. The trim green-blue of the Germans and their upwardtilting caps and the gold-trimmed black of the Gadre Noir will probably lay foundation for future fashions. The last-named, incidentally, give the most finished display of the evening—their thirty polished mounts performing unbelievably difficult dance steps with true sympathetic appreciation of rhythm.

At the Savoy 1 saw two of the new "ballerina" frocks, which were introduced by Schiaparelli a few weeks ago. The circular skirt of a scarlet lace frock was fully ten inches from the floor and a floral print in green, purple, and .cherry on a white-ground was equally full and short. This fashion demands a slender ankle and exquisite-ly-shod feet. It seems extremely unlikely that it has come to stay.