Wide-Brimmed Hats At Riccarton

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29893, 6 August 1962, Page 2

Wide-Brimmed Hats At Riccarton

Spring was everywhere in Christchurch on Saturday and nowhere more evident than at Riccarton racecourse when the Canterbury Jockey Club held the first day of its Grand National meeting.

The gay new season’s hats and suits, the perfume from sprays of spring flowers worn by some women patrons, crocuses in bloom and the excitement of the running of the main steeplechase race were all in keeping with the spring sunshine.

Wide-brimmed hat# in fine felts and stitched fabrics introduced the newest line in millinery. Many of them took the width at the sides, others had narrow front brims which swept deep at the back in the 1962 version of the sou'-we ster Several of the softer feka were fluted. One large, side -drooping velvet sou'-wesier in a rich burgundy shade, had a narrow front brim caught up with a seif bow and a shovel, effect back brim which touched the shoulders. It was worn with a fitting black and burgundy check suit.

Another of the wide-sided felts featured a silver grey deep crown and a dawn grey brim. It was worn with a seven-eighths jacket plaided in the same shades and a plain dawn grey sheath skirt. The combination of straw and fabric was seen to advantage in a striking model with a high crown of beige straw and a wide, upturned brim of matching stitched satin. Floral Beret

Big berets moved into spring in satins and silks. One, in a rich brown satin, was pleated down the back and caught in a low self bow. Another was made entirely of tiny florets of lemon lilac, relieved with green leaf buds. Both were worn with brown-toned lightweight wool suits. Another spring trend was the head-hugging cloche of fluted ribbon. Some were in jet black, others in pastel shades with flower buds tucked into folds of the ribbon. Flared Skirts Gently flared skirts for suits confirmed an autumn trend. Several were teamed with straight, back-buttoning tops which fitted snugly at the hips. One brown and beige checked suit introduced godet flaring just above the knees. The overseas fashion for frills was emphasised in soft white jabots, often turned over no-collar jackets, and on embroidered lawn blouses. Navy and white turned attention away from the hazy brown, beige, blue and green

combinations of autumn to a clearer view for summer A navy and white checked felt cloehe. with a white upturned brim and wide white ribbon trim, was worn with a Chanel-line navy jersey suit edged in white round the jacket. Junior navy and white was particularly Battering in a broad-brimmed white fabric hat polka-dotted tn navy and worn with a wide matching collar on a plain junior navy suit

Mrs Gilbert Grigg, wife of the chairman of the club's committee, presented trophies for the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Handicap to Mr H S. Hill, owner of Golden Defaulter, and to the rider. J. H. Hely. in a birdcage ceremony after the race. Mrs Grigg wore a cinnamon brown and blue check fine wool suit, finished with a brown velvet collar Her feather cloche hat was of wild duck green brown and golden tan tones Mrs D. W. J. Gould, wife of the honorary treasurer, chose a cocoa brown boucle suit with an astrakhan collar. which she wore with a small emerald green toque. Mrs P D Hall, wife of the chairman of the Judicial stewards, wore an Irish tweed suit in mist blue with a matching blue Breton felt hat

Visitors to the meeting included the following:—Mrs H. C. Nolan (Gisborne); Mr and Mrs E. W. Ormond, Mr and Mrs John Ormond (Hawke’s Bay); Dr. and Mrs T. Jenkins, Mr and Mrs J. E. Brunton, Mr and Mrs W. E. Hodge, Mr and Mrs L. G. de la Perrelle, Messrs R. W. Wilson, A. N. Smith. J. M. Samson, R. C. B. Greenslade (Dunedin); Sir Matthew Oram and his daughter, Mrs Patterson (Palmerston North); Mr and Mrs W. E. Hazlett (Invercargill); Mr and Mrs G. A. Lang, Mr ana Mrs R. A. Whyte, Mr A. M. Mcßeath (Wellington); Mrs T. C. Lowry (Hastings); Mr and Mrs L. W. Davis (Auckland); Mr and Mrs Q. Donald (Featherston); Mr and Mrs J. E. Farrell (Oanaaru); Mrs Fullerton-Smith (Marton) and Mr and Mrs P. Pinckney (Southland).