WHAT WOMEN THINK

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25306, 4 October 1947, Page 8

WHAT WOMEN THINK

CHANGE LIKELY TO COME SOME OBJECTIONS TO FASHION London’s leading fashion designers have voted in favour of skirts 14 inches from the ground, designers in Paris and New York want them even longer, and women in Christchurch believe that eventually New Zealand will adopt the fashion for longer skirts. Some who were interviewed yesterday objected to the new hemline as likely to make everyone look dowdy, and said they would not follow the fashion, but those whose task it is to sell fashionable clothes believed that skirts would definitely be longer, even as early as next autumn. Here is what seven women and one man—a frock manufacturer —had to say about “the battle of the hemline,’ which has been agitating fashion circles in Paris, London, and New York. » Dress shop manageress: I think we will follow suit eventually. Women are funny that way. But I don’t think the new styles will come here for some time, and then they will be followed in moderation. I will wear the new frocks if they become fashionable. Of course, it just means good and bad legs will be covered up. A typist' I’m quite proud of my legs. I don’t want to hide them, particularly now when we have nice stockings. In any case I never follow any fashion in what I wear. “A Little Change” Wanted Mantle department head: I think tne new fashion will definitely come in next autumn. Skirts are going to be one or two inches longer, and already well-dressed women who wear tailored clothes are having them made longer. It’s time we had e little change in our fashions. For 10 years fashions have. all been more or less the same, and some young girls have known nothing else. Dressmaker: I don’t think the new fashion will come in. for a long while. It’s all right for some frocks, but when coats have to come down to the same length women are going to look terribly dowdy. $ A telephone exchange operator: I don’t care what they do. I’ll do What I like. When I was a W.A.A.F. skirts Were supposed to be the regulation 14 inches, but we used to turn them up. Businessman’s secretary: 1 don’t like the idea, Materials are so expensive now, and frocks afe dear enough without the extra length. Fashions over the last few years have been easy, and everyone can wear them, but I don’t think the longer frocks are becoming except for evening wear. A housewife: I like long frocks. They are much more graceful. Ahd besides, they hide the ladders in you r knees. Frock manufacturer: While nd one wishes to control women’s ideas of modern fashion trends into a uniform style, even if that Were possible, as a Women’s clothing manufacturer I hope that common sense will prevail in skirt lengths. The World shortage of materials and the needs of countries so much worse off than ourselves demand a Sensible approach to a matter that is, after all, not very Critical.