Coming Trends In Wool Suits

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29754, 22 February 1962, Page 2

Coming Trends In Wool Suits

When planning a new suit for autumn, whether to make it or have it made, overseas trends should be noted. Suiting-weight wools are expensive. But if a style is chosen that will still be fashionable for next spring and autumn of 1963, the lasting qualities of wool make a suit a good investment. Advance pictures of English designers’ suits for spring show subtle, but quite definite changes in line.

Jackets define the waistline. Skirts are shown with four or six gores which give a slight flare at the hemline. The straight jacket worn with a pencil-ohm skirt is not out, but it is on the wane according to the new collections.

Hemlines are a shade longer and so are most jackets in the photographs which arrived from London yesterday. The Queen's dressmaker, Norman Hartnell, used the collar - and - lapel neckline, standing well away from the neck in his new suits. Most of his sleeves were set in to the jacket He favoured a hip-length. two-button jacket, with the lower button at a loosely marked waistline. Some of his skirts were pleated all round, others were very slightly flared. The designer, Michael, showed many "boxed" skirts Stitched or stiffened seams down the two front and two back panels give this effect.

One of Charles Creed’s most eye-catching suits was in navy blue and white chalk stripes, buttoned to the nocollar neckline and belted at the waist with a narrow navy leather belt

Another Creed suit in grey wool had a wrist-length, belted jacket, open collar and easy-fit straight skirt. Ronald Paterson's suits had clean-cut tailored lines and the easy-fit look. Outside stitching on the skirt-front panels and small unpressed pleats at the waistline give his suit skirts the new “hipster” line. Paterson’s suits have a youthful appearance, but can be worn successfully by the mature woman with a slim figure just as easily as by the teen-age girl. Victor Stiebel gave much consideration to suits for the young. For them he introduced the short, cutaway jacket which shows the blouse above the waitsline. His skirts for this type of jacket were slim over the hips but flared slightly towards the hemline.

Another designer who included specials for younger women was Hardy Amies. In his collection he repeated a fully-flared skirt teamed with a short-cropped jacket, tailored revers and doublebreasted effect. These short Eton jackets were sometimes worn over matching frocks with swirling flared skirts. Versatile A line that will appeal to Christchurch women is the plain-necked jacket with detachable scarf collar. Shown by several of the English designers as a carry-over from autumn-winter styles, this type of jacket can be made snug with the scarf on a chilly day or worn with the top button open with a cascade necklace when the weather is warmer.

Tweed mixtures of two or more colours were the most popular fabrics used. Houndstooth checks and smoky glen checks were also promnient in some of the collections.

Many of the suits could be worn with berets or tyrolean hats made of wool fabric to match a suit for autumn into winter. Then, in the spring, the suits could be given a new lease of life with a light felt or straw hat and a change ot accessories.