HOLLYWOOD TO-DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 14

HOLLYWOOD TO-DAY.

ECONOMIC NOVELTIES.

THE INDIAN INFLUENCE

(By SHEILAU GRAHAM.)

When a film star takes to economising on clothes you can bet your last cent the underlying purpose is not economy —but novelty. Take the latest double duty gown of pretty Madge Evans.

A twist of velvet guimpe and a diamond clip are the sole accessories required to transform her black broadcloth afternoon dress into a suitable garment for. the morning. Minus the velvet, the square neckline is fairly low with a email square piece cut out at intervale of a few inches. The hemline is similar. A gold belt at the waistline brightens the afternoon version. For street wear, belt, hat and gloves are bright red. Silver grey foxes add the right—and expensive—touch of chic.

Joan Blondell wears 17 different ensembles in her latest film, which means a lot of. changing—but Joan can take it. One of the nicest in the collection is a white chiffon jersey dress with a long overskirt of matching material which serves as a train, but is long enough to be worn tossed over the head as a scarf ala Indore. (Hollywood is very Indore conscious since the visit of the Maharajah and Maharanee of Indore.)

A black velvet dinner dress hae short puffed sleeves, heavily encrusted with pearls and flower sequins. The neck is square cut with a djeep V notched out of the centre of the square in front. The top points of the V are held up by a string of pearls, halter fashion. The velvet cape to the ensemble hae tiee covering the front decollete, but still exposes the jewelled sleeves.

Unusual is Miss Blondell's suit featuring beige wool skirt with brown wool blouse attached, zippering down the front. The coat is of natural coloured camel's hair, swagger shape and threequarter length.

Gail Patrick, recently returned from Honolulu, went on a shopping jamboree directly her boat docked. Among her purchases was a regal gown of platinum eatin designed by Edith Head and trimmed lavishly with platinum fox. The surplice lines of the bodice, the wide, crushed girdle of the satin, and the furbordered peplum give chic to the gown. To with it, Gail bought a long, circular cape of satin with a generous collar of the fur.

Another newcomer ie a shimmering, transparent black night club dress in material which resembles a cellophane fabric. The draped line& of the skirt are ultra sophisticated. The tunic descends at the back in a double train. A buckle of filigree rhinestonee adds a rich highlight. As an imaginary protection against the cold, Mies Patrick wears a scarf of the same fabric bordered in black fox.

While on the sul>jret of evening gowns there are two beaiitiee making the rounds in Holywood gay spots you should know about. One. worn by blonde Astrid Allwyn, features a shoulder cape as a mantilla. Gwen Wakeling, who designed the dreee, used fine black net beaded in jet sequins, the latter forming a border for the bottom of the skirt and lower edge of the cape.

Miss Ann Sothern is the lucky owner of sensational gown number two, made of black taffeta featuring a flaring skirt appliqued with clusters of gleaming sequins. The drese ie cut extremely low in front and back, with narrow shoulder straps of black sequins. Incidentally, the gown is copied from that worn bv Ann in "The Smartest Girl in Town."

Joan Crawford tons a high-waisted black crepe dinner «kirt with a diminutive blouee coat of silver metal cloth. The jacket is fitted tight at the waist and bound with a wide sash of matching fabric. The low V neckline is ornamented by a pearl and diamond clasp to match a single bracelet worn on the right wriet.

Twin birds, fashioned realistically from white feathers, serve as attractive hair ornaments in the formal coiffure of Betty Furness. The birds, with wings snread, repose in a cluster of curls directly over the forehead. With the coiffure Miss Furneee wears a period typp of gown of white chiffon and gay-col-oured peasant embroidery.