COLOURS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 3 (Supplement)

COLOURS.

WHAT SHALL WE WEAR? WORK OF COLOUR COUNCIL. (By MBLISANDB KAT.) "When I was a girl we were content with the- plain colours to be found in Nature; red was red, and blue was blue, and white was white in those days; we were content to dress in plain, natural colours. These new names only bewilder me." Thus a 6turdy grandmother to whom I had just shown the autumn and winter 1934 British Colour Council's fashion card. "Faggot brown, old thatch, spindlebcrry, smokedrift, orangeglo," she went on sarcastically; "I have never heard of such names." I shall not detail the arguments I used to convince this diehard that the British Colour Council was a body of sane, and responsible men <uid women, consisting of artists, manufacturers, and fashion designers, whoee self-imposed job was to originate and name new standard fashion colours for each season. Neither shall I record granny's outburst at the end or all my eloquence; for her indignation was of a somewhat personal nature. But I am afraid that granny's frame of mind is not confined in New Zealand to representatives of the older generation alone. Not only old ladies but a. rreat many young ones, and at least half a dozen self - styled "fashion experts" in this country have poked fun at the British Colour Council in my presence. Which is a great pity. Shall I tell you why? When Fashion Became Anarchy. It is probably true that once upon a time people dreseed in primary colours that were called by their proper names. Even then, however, faulty dyeing produced several shades to each main colour. And, since mankind began to think seriously about dress, thousands of various shades and tints of the original colours have been evolved. The modern fashion expert, drawing on the past for inspiration, is faced with a bewildering range of colours and names.

It was to improve this state of affairs that the British Colour Council was formed some- four years ago. At the timo of its inauguration the avowed objects of the council were to etandardise all colours and their names, so that manufacturers might be ablo to offer the public a definite range of fashionable shades each season, and so that the public might know exactly what to ask for. Moreover, the council was to assure that colour determination for the British Empire would be the work of British brains and taste alone. And, from the point of view of the fashion trade, it was to limit the speculative element in colour decisions, making for economy in producing and thereby reducing the risks of buying and holding stocks. That sounds very technical, I know, but it was necessary to put it down in black and white. The proof of the pudding, nevertheless, lies in the eating. Has tho Colour Council really justified itself since its grandiloquent inauguration ? A Growing Colour Consciousness. For an answer it is only necessary to study the fashions of the last few years. For at least nino seasons or three years past it will bo found that fashions have depended moro upon colour than almost any other single feature. Before the council commenced work it will be found that fashions did to a great extent involve fashionable colours; but all of us know by heart the shades that have successively been the rage eince, say, 1931. Yellows, greys, reds and blues—thmcy have dominated our fashions' consciousness in the last three years. That lias been, the work of the colour council.

Now I am going to take you behind the scenes and demonstrate the council in action. I have before me what is called a correlation chart, that is to say a list of new colours as they should be worn in a complete ensemble for every occasion. . This particular one has just arrived from Home, and is fur the i 934 winter and autumn season. It is primarily for the instruction of fashion buyers of soft goods establishments, but every woman can take a tip from it.

The first thing we learn is that rich warm browns will be featured for next autumn, followed closely by greens of bluish and almond tones, and by a colour to bo called oporto, after the well known wine of that name. Secondary colours will be neutral and greyed browns, with such entrancing names as faggot brown, marsh brown, moorhen, old thatch; two new beiges, deer beige and rush beige; and a modification of oporto to be called very fittingly, prune. The Complete Ensemble. Now for the correlation. By studying the chart marked "daytime" we discover that if our preference be for a brown ensemble, and if the occasion be sports and country wear, then the correct tints will be wigwam, faggot or bracken tint; if the occasion be town or afternoon then it will be fashionable to wear wigwam, faggot, turf or marsh brown. Accents or contrasts may be provided by the pleasant-sounding shades, chestnut cream, cantaloup, autumn gold, orangeglo, or gipsy gold. Shoes and bags may be in shire brown, Monte Carlo, or Biskra; and gloves and hosiery may be in county brown, rosemarie, hazel, veldt, blonde beige, new brown, Muyfair brown, or palmetto. It will be correct to wear furs in cafe au

lait, nutmeg, marsh brown, or briarwood; and raincoats will have to be either in santono or spindrift. That is only the ensemble in brown. The correlation chart gives similar rules for red, mole or grey, green, beige, blue, and for evening wear and lingerie. Of course this chart is for the English autumn and winter season, and will not be effective here for several months yet. It is, moreover, for the use of the trade primarily, and is not addressed to the public. But it will give you a good idea of the work the British colour council is very successfully doing. Taka those names alone. Grandma might find them strange and bewildering, and many of iis, at first sight, might consider them superfluous. But they will eventually be in general use throughout the British Empire, will save buyers and fashion designers a great deal of time, and will have a good psychological effect upon the public. After all, as grandma said, brown is brown and red is red; but brackentinfc. chestnut cream mill einberus't—well, they arc the very latest! So tlni't one can find nothing hut praise for the pioneer work that is beini: dune by the British colour council. .\s a race we British have long dealt in a haphazard manner with details of fashion and dress design, thus aiving other peoples, notably the French, a tremendous advantage over us.