Silver fern out for N.Z. women

Press, 4 July 1978, Page 28

Silver fern out for N.Z. women

The New Zealand Commonwealth Games Association has decided on a uniform in navy blue and “-.amel” for the New Zealand contingent for the Edmonton Commonwealth Games next month. The men will retain a stylised silver fem on their jacket, but the women members of the team will not sport the traditional symbol. Instead they will have the words “New Zealand” scrolled in gold lurex on the back of their navy blue jacket, with the name of the sport they are representing on the breast pocket.

Details of the new uniforms were released yesterday by the association. It said that one of the most severe critics of uniforms worn by New Zealand teams, the Wellington fashion co-ordinator Miss Zosep.ine Brodie, had

been invited to select the uniform. The women members will have a travelling outfit comprising a threepiece ensemble of a navy jacket with facings and camel trim. The short styling o f the jacket will feature a softly-bloused waistline and a back with “New Zealand” scrolled across it. The jacket tops a camel single-knit wool dress which can be worn for the cooler weather when leaving New Zealand, with a matching camel polo-neck jersey beneath. For travelling the men will have a navy pure wool jacket and trousers in camel with casual shirts.

The ceremonial outfit to be worn by the female members of the team will be the shirt-styled navy jacket with a skirt which “has swing and movement

with tiered pleats, designed to complement the various figure types of the female athletes.” The and skirt will be worn with camel shoulder bag and “strappy camel shoes.” On parade the men will wear their travelling jacket, camel trousers, an open-necked shirt of camel with navy and rust tonings and camel-coloured shoes. “The lightweight wools that have been chosen are perfect for the conditions expected in Edmonton and the theme of the uniform is a story of co-ordinates for both men and women so that for variety they can mix and match the uniform while they are away,” said the association’s statement. Both men and women will be equipped with track suits with a white top and black trousers.