Uniforms Can Be Glamorous

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 2

Uniforms Can Be Glamorous

Another in the series of articles by the British fashion designer, . NORMAN HARTNELL.

Wherever you look nowadays there seem to be women in uniform. They look after us on aircraft, hand out tickets on the bus, and give us a Mugging for parking offences.

And the more I see the female form decked out in uniforms of various sorts and sizes, the more I wonder just why this brand of clothing has to be so ugly. Technically, of course, there is no reason why it should. Most uniforms are simply coats, skirts and hats, and, as such, should follow the rules of fashion just as closely as ordinary clothes. But they do not—or at least not often.

I know the difficulties of designing female uniforms because I have done some myself. They have to be neat, functional, and at the same time contain a certain, almost subconscious, air of dignity and authority. The trouble is that dignity and authority are usually masculine traits, and by embodying them in a female uniform, you can end up with something starchy and unfeminine if you are not very careful. A Problem On the other hand, if you go to the other extreme and design a uniform which is too pretty and chic, you will end up making a policewoman look like a cinema usherette.

As you can see, it is a problem, and one that must be resolved. The number of women wearing uniform is increasing by leaps and bounds.

We are surrounded by them. Indeed, I looked out of my salon window the other morning and saw nine young women in uniforms of various sorts walk along the street in about three minutes.

I first came to grips with the problem during the war, when King George the Sixth asked me to design one for the Women’s Royal Army Corps. Later, it was copied in grey and scarlet for the Queen Alexandra Nursing Corps. The Red Cross uniform was another of my brainchildren —and so was the policewoman’s. With this I was after something authoritative yet feminine, so I brought back the cape and designed a boxy jacket which looked both smart and up-to-date. The policewoman’s hat presented a few problems. It had to be rain-proof, stormproof and thug-proof! Stumbling Blocks The hat was tested by Scotland Yard for three months before it was approved, and went through quite a bashing. While designing the police

uniform I came up against the problem that more than any other is responsible for the lack of flair in this sort of clothing—money! I was told that I could not make a skirt that needed seaming, because this involved individual tailoring and would send up the cost. Selection of cloth is another stumbling block. You probably read recently of air hostesses complaining about the roughness of the material used in the new uniforms designed by a talented couturier friend of mine. A Long Job In fact, this criticism was rather unfair: a couturier can only suggest a cloth —his client is under no obligation to choose it Usually, a designer has to submit his suggestions to a committee. If the women on the committee like what you have produced you have got a pretty good chance of getting it through. But however co-operative the committee, it is a long job. I remember when I did an air hostess uniform, I first

had to satisfy the official in charge of the project, then the divisional manager, then a trade union official, and then a group of air hostesses. Finally, the design—a bit crumpled by then—was accepted. But at least by then, everyone knew what they were getting and there were no complaints.

I like a committee that knows what it wants, and makes up its mind quickly, and accepts or rejects a product as it is. A design when first submitted is always at its best: the more it is altered the less vital a creation it becomes.

Obviously, these financial rules have to be imposed: it is usually the taxpayer’s money that is being spent, so we should be grateful that every penny is watched. On the other hand. I often long to have complete carte blanche to design my ideal uniform. Indeed, it is a favourite day dream of mine. And this is roughly what it would look like. Freedom Sought I would go for freedom of movement, practicality, and glamour as well—so what about a buttoned-through twopiece with a matching coatdress? I would choose an easy-care fabric probably man-made —in a dark colour relieved with light trimmings. Grey with scarlet trimmings could look striking, or wine-red with black. I love navy, too, and this eould be worn With detachable collar and cuffs in white pique. I would go for matching stockings and shoes, to accentuate the long-legged look that these action-girls need. I would have skirts to the knee or perhaps just a fraction above, and I would allow jewellery to be wom. Why are uniforms always so stark and undecorated?

The hat would need special attention. Why is uniform headgear always modelled on the masculine cap? I would prefer a real hat, perhaps something on the lines of a pill-box or boater. Silk Blouse To prevent the skin being affected by the costume fabric, I would stipulate a silk blouse, or at least a silk scarf at the neck. Such an outfit would look highly “dignified’’ and smart, and feminine, too. Instead of a shoulder-bag, I would prefer a small elegant case-something like a thin leather document case—which held cosmetics and a really adequate mirror in one

section, and documents, passport and so on, in the other. It could have brass fittings and, of course, the owner’s initials on the side. I do not expect to design a uniform like this—l suppose it would cost a fortune. But the nearest I ever came to creating a uniform of my personal choice was when an airline asked me to design a dress “which was not too uniform-like.”

I suggested they came to the salon to see the sort of thing we had. They did—and chose one straight from my collection.

It was the quickest, most painless, commission I ever expect to have.

Nurses’ Officers.—Rose Muir and Christchurch Hospital Nurses’ Association officers: President, Mrs M. Leete; vicepresidents, Miss A. Fleming, and Mias B. Hunt; secretary, Mrs N. Macaree; treasurer, Mrs G. Cant; committee, Mesdames F. Adamson, E. Berry, M. Biyth, M. Dixon, E. Griffen, E. Hills, G. Telford, E. Southgate, Miss J. Poff.