"PEACOCKS" FEATHERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 17

"PEACOCKS" FEATHERS.

AUCKIiANDERS AND DRESS

(By "B."> I am going bald—alas! a sinister bald spot has appeared in the region of my occipital bone, and all the pomades and products of n modern civilisation seemingly do not case my anxiety. I aui no longer the smart, upright young man about town, for since ray return to Auckland I have crept about like an Ishmael, for 1 am now not one of these strange men who roam the town of my former joys, an alien race has appeared, and I go my way in sorrow, noting the alarming inroads a strange culture has meted out to my fellow townsmen.

It has all been caused through dress, that extraordinary wave that sweeps over us when we first earn our 15/ a week and go into long trousers. Then through its nourishing into the secondary stage, when we purchase our first dress-suit and curvel and bend opposite mirroi-3 to see our sinuous figure in glad rage.

The present generation in Auckland do not know how to dr«ss, the girls much less than the men. and a fairiy lengthy sojourn from the fair city has impressed mc more on the point. Seven months ago I was in Boston, the smartest place in all America; two months ago I was in London, tho turnstile to Europe; but the appearance of a modern Aucklander would cause sorrow at any gathering there. I hold that the modern Aucklander cannot dress, and I append hereto ina,ny reasons that have prompted the suggestion. Take any function of note in"our city, and behold the youths and men of the city approachieg the portals.

They steal out the night grim spectres enveloped from head to toe in long garments tightly wrapped about them, and clutching brown paper parcels. They wear the dirtiest of overcoats they caii'iind, as though they dread the thought of their evening attire peeping through to be seen by others in the tram car. The paper parcels puzzled mc for some while —perhaps the sojourn in America created the wrong impression. No, they were not bottles, but shoes. Yes, a man walking along the road carrying his shoes, dancing shoes— horrors! I dread the thought in Boston. Let us continue. He slinks round the portals awaiting his "maiden fayre/ , and when she. appears, parbleu! Nasty whieps of tulle hang from her hair, her throat is bandaged with ribbons. It may have been tonsilitis in this case. Georgette, ninoii, satin, and diamante —yes, they're all there, but gaze upon them! Let us break into their stronghold, let us behold them sway and whirl to the Eastern music. Careering about as though suffering from a bad attack of rickets. Impressions of a down town dance hall momentarily appear.

Girlish features sweet, and figures supple, distort themselves in all directions, the former disfigured with an alarming application of rouge and powder. Tf Auckland girls know not liow to dress they are surely artists where paint is concerned.

Let us tako the attive of the youths. Tail coats, white waistcoats, black bow*. Oh. yes, I have seen them. Dinner jackets, black waistcoats, and white ties (70 per cent ready-madoi. Oh. yes. I have seen them. ' Street", shoes, dance shoe?, white socks, and fawn socks. I reiterate —I have seen them. And the girls! Horrible strings of "pearls" that, would put Marie Antoinette to shame— gigantic ones, fully the size of a pea. Overdressed and undcrdressed. Ihcv are all there alike. Jake a peep any eve. and be it a warm lanpourous evening you will see the same men muffled up. to the neck in their vile overcoats. T do not know who is to blame, but it is very patent, and how many must leave our shores and carry away such terrible truths, .~nflers cannot, dress. Alas I even fc-olomon in all his glory, oven he was not arrayed as one of these.