AN AUTHORITY ON DRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 233, 25 June 1908, Page 3

AN AUTHORITY ON DRESS.

There are only about ten men in the world 1 who do not regard themselves as authorities on the question of women's fashions, but ono would have; been inclined on first 'thought to include Mr. Cuteliffe Hyne, the writer of adventure tales,' among the ignorant ten; Not a bit of. it. Mr.. Cuteliffe Hyne has' been appealed to by "M.A.P." to faswer this question: How would you dress women if you were made arbiter of feminine fashion?" and oagerly he rises to the occasion. "As it . happens," he says, not realising how many million unqualified men have said the name .thing, "it is a subject I rather, fancy myself as a bit of a judge on. I can go into a ball-room, and, without- worrying my head.About the matter, describe next morning, two-thirds of the dresses there, and say wh'nt. vrers the points of thom, and how they. could be improved. I.;design, or pass the designs; of, all my wife's dresses. "On thp whole, I think women's dross fashions are all pleasing, so long as thoy avoid ■ the ontro and tho froakish. "But the recipo for a well-dressed woman is: first pick ono who can carry clothes, then dccide on what clothes she can carry best, then what material, then what designs —and there you have her. "But it is no uso wasting clothes on a woman who can't carry them, and I think that .is a quality that is mostly born with the individual and not taught afterwards. ,"It.-is-. impossible to dress a woman .who always looks as if-she slept in her clothes. You may spend £3000 a year on-her, and ahe will be clothed—but novor dressed." In France, w&ere lingorie and household linen are done up to perfection in the laundrying, soap; is often' kept for a year before it is used. Ironing is always done as expeditiously as possible, the countrywomen being well aware that dilatoriness where this part. of. the proceedings is concerned spells ruination to the colour of the linea.