FASHIONS IN LUGGAGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 286, 14 September 1933, Page 8

FASHIONS IN LUGGAGE

HUES OF THE RAINBOW. GAY SCENES IN LONDON. Rainbow-hued luggage is helping to enliven the holiday scenes at the railway stations in London this summer. Women have been snatching the opportunity provided by the sales to equip themselves with the gayest of playtime luggage that might have been designed for the chorus of a West End musical comedy. While departing from all conventions in the matter of shape, the new luggage is claimed to be far more serviceable than the drab suitcase or heavy trunk, with its complicated trays, that once symbolised the joys of travel. One of the .surprises of the summer sales has been the way in which women have been invading the travel departments for bargains in the new \''classified" luggage. Blouses, sports kit, the week-end wardrobes, and even needlework, are all classified nowadays and packed in their respective bags, specially designed for the purpose. One result of this development says the "Sunday Times," is that it is possible to tell a passenger's destination from her luggage. Cases to take bathing wrap and other beach kit label the seaside holiday-maker, while the diminutive cases that just take an evening dress and pair of shoes and night attire are all that the.modern week-end-er needs in the way of luggage. Holiday knitting alsS has its special case, designed on vacuum flask lines.

Even the airwoman is recognisable from her case, equipped with toilet accessories and containing a change of clothes, yet observing the restrictions regarding size and weight. This modern luggage can be obtained in every shade of the rainbow, but every woman must choose her shade and keep to it. The whole equipment, hatbox, suitcase, blouse-ease, workbag and all the other cases, must exactly match her travel clothes, handbag and exen shoes.

The gayest shades, including red and emerald green, are the choice of the debutante, the soft pastel shades, such as blue, are favoured by the young married woman, and the more sober shades by the older generation. Another colour classification is washable white luggage, piped with black or a colour.

The twentieth-century woman however, is not such a pioneer in the matter of luggage as she believes. Her arrival at her destination with her complement of small cases is curiously reminiscent of caricatures of the Victorians setting forth on their travels.