Dress for yourselfand your family

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33110, 28 December 1972, Page 5

Dress for yourself—and your family

(By

NORMAN HARTNELL)

LOX DON.

How do you begin the day: in a crumpled dressing-gown or overalls, or do you take the trouble to slip into a nylon brunch-coat, a crimplene dress, perhaps, or a pair of east-care trousers and a bright shirt?

If you are the type who would not be seen dead in the creased dressing-gown and the unflattering overalls, the chances are there is a lot of romance left in your marriage.

For right from the timei you get up in the morning. ■ it is obvious that you care I what you look like — in par-! ticular. you care what you'

look like to your husband and children.

Unfortunately, though, there are many women who cannot be bothered to take this kind of trouble. My advice to them is that the sooner they do, the better. BAD HABITS

■ It is all too easy to get : into bad dressing habits and j to put yourself in the frame | of mind that your husband I does not notice any more. j Well, let me tell you that , husbands do notice and, if I you have never considered it | before, just remember the I number of attractivelyi dressed women he sees | about him during the day

when he is .at work. Of course, it is not only first thing in the morning a woman needs to be bright and alert in the fashion sense. You need to be very much on the ball when your husband gets back from the office, too. If you say you cannot afford to spend out on yourself, I know how you feel. Mums have so many calls on their budget that they are inclined to relegate their own needs to the bottom of the list. You know the sort of thing that happens; you need a new dress but, at the same, time, little Johnnie needs a| pair of shoes for school or| your daughter must simply, have a new outfit because ofi her super new boyfriend. Then your husband de- i cides he needs a‘new suiti and, after that little lot, your I dress gets forgotten.

MORALE BOOSTER Bu Well, just occasionally, ! T1( think of yourself first for a change and let the rest of the J' o family wait. It will not hurt them, and it will do your morale — and your marriage — a lot of good. sei After all, technically you have the same claim on the family budget and, as it is let more than likely your family lot have taken it for granted °f that you are always putting bu yourself last and going with- fas out, it is high time you mt looked after No. 1. And what wc better reason to salve your conscience than that it is for bo their benefit, anyway. be For the best effect, the be ideal time to show off the un new you for the first time is foi in the evening just before < your husband comes home ba from work. Give yourself a so

new make-up and try the effect of a black velvet trou-ser-suit instead of that sensible skirt and jumper. I know it is not easy if you have a young family to look after, but it can be done if you are determined enough. And anything that makes a husband take a new look at his wife cannot be bad.

Don’t run away with the idea that I’m suggesting you

stage a fashion show three times a week. What I’m saying is that you should use clothes to get rid of your “wife-and-mother” image and make him remember the girl he married.

Who knows, it might even encourage him not to change into baggy flannels and a shapeless sweater after staggering through the front door? As for the velvet trousersuit, it might even have the effect of making him suggest a quiet dinner for two somewhere? LEISURE GOWNS

You are not the type for trousers? Then try a caftan or one of the new leisure gowns — they will serve the the same purpose. Neither are they particularly expensive—you could even make the caftan yourself at home. , And while you are about it, take a long hard look at the outfit you wear for bed. Do you still buy the same sort of nightdresses you did when you first married? If not, why not? All right, so fleecy pyjamas are probably warmer, but they are hardly what you would call glamorous. So, while you are still being “selfish,” treat yourself to a couple of flouncy nighties — anything that makes you feel more feminine makes you look more feminine as well. Smart, well-cut gear need jnot cost a lot more than the safe, neutral-type clothes.

ut then very often it is not lore money that is needed, is a change of attitude on our part. So often I hear women say: [ couldn’t wear that style at ty age,” and it makes me ;e red. What has age got to o with fashion? Think of people like Marine Dietrich, Elizabeth Tay>r, and Lauren Bacall. None f them are in their twenties, ut they have a flair for ishion which shows that allost any fashion can be orn by any age-group. Basically, I suppose, it oils down to a case of not eing fobbed off with second est, but searching around ntil you find the right outfit >r you. One final thought. Husmds are contrary creatures; > don’t feel too hard done

by if he should moan about your new look and attitudes for a week or two. It will probably take him a while to get used to it. but 1 bet he will be boasting about it to his friends . . .