EASY-GOING FASHIONS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 2

EASY-GOING FASHIONS

Easy-going clothes—informal, shapely, sweetly - coloured were the style of a parade presented by Studio 24 in Christchurch recently. The parade was at the modern Student Union lounge at Ham and the styles were mainly the work of the local designer, Karel Kirk. Two see-through crochet, ankle-length dresses were the parade’s highlight The sleeveless, scoop-neck style was closely stitched to just above the waist where it was laced with a tie belt, and continued in a lacy, diamond pattern. One was white and the other cream. In the words of the designer: “You have to be fairly game to wear them.” Made to cling to every curve, the dresses’ crochet pattern is lost if worn with an underskirt. Tights and a body stocking are recommended. WOOL DRESSES Wool dresses for day wear revealed the current revival of feminity. A demure style in brown, pointed with white cuffs and collar, gently bloused in the bodice, and the skirt was a swirl of pleats. A shapely baby pink A-line dress with a Mandarin collar had tiny covered buttons at the throat and on the long cuffs. Flared, three-quarter length jackets, teamed with short skirts, distinguished the handtailored suits. Colours ranged from appealing pale shades to bright orange. White fur trims frosted several pastel capes, in contrast to the almost mannish, high-collared styles. A muff or two carried through the Russian inspiration. An echo of the 1930 s appeared in a white wool suit. A band of white fur rimmed the neck and front closing of the long, slightly-flared jacket. But much of the evening wear had little to do with Depression era fashion—it

was an up-dated version of what granny wore when she was a girl. There were leg-of-mutton sleeves in sombre stripes, precise, hand-pin tucking on the bodice of a puffed sleeve style, and floor-length feather boas dyed to match the dresses. VELVET The sleeves of a softly shaped gown in brown velvet flared from the elbow and were fluffed out with frothy rows of white organza. Black velvet was given a refreshingly youthful touch in an empire-line gown tied with a big bow at the bust. Designs very much of today included a short lace culotte, a series of long and short gold and silver bra-dresses, and a selection of screen-printed styles. One of the most striking of these was a short model in silver-grey synthetic “silkshantung,” with bold, black printing covering the bodice and banding the flared sleeves.

FACIAL HAIRS PERMANENTLY REMOVED. Mrs J. Ashworth, F.P.E. (Eng.), 4 Salisbury Court, 139 Salisbury Street. Telephone 65-171. —Advt