WOMEN’S FAIR

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

WOMEN’S FAIR

Arranged According lo Seven Alain Interests

of Women

("Dominion” Special Service: By Airmail.!

LONDON, November 11

Jj HESSES of aluminium are one of

the surprises of the fashion display at Britain’s first “Woman's Fair” now being held at Olympia.

A woven aluminium evening gown is shown with a cloak to match lined with wine-coloured silk. You can hear the frock “clink” as its wearer walks! The creation is undeniably striking. Aluminium for evening is hailed as a rival to gold and silver lame. Its great advantage is that it will not tarnish, nor will it chip. The cost of an all-aluminium dress will, however, be beyond the pocket of the average woman, at least for the time being. But shoes and handbags are being made of aluminium that will sell at the same prices as evening shoes and bags of other materials.

“With an aluminium shoe you can kick a brick wall as hard as you like and it will not mark,” an official said. Some £4OOO worth of furs are shown at the fair’s fashion parade. The newest idea is a white evening wrap striped with pastel shades —inspired by the football jersey. A striking fulllength white evening coat of appliqued fur lias the effect at first sight of broderie anglaise.

Zips are used for decorations as well as utility on a number of dresses. A black gown has a violet zip fastening up the back, stretching from the neck to below the hip-line. A grey day dress has scarlet zips up the side which gave a military finish. Tweeds are one of the most. delightful features of this fashion show. The colours introduced are really lovely. I like this season’s tweed suit fashion of a plain skirt with a contrasting jacket picking up the colour of the skirt. An unusual contrast is a sky-blue jacket with a light brown skirt. Of the evening gowns displayed one of the most attractive is an off-the-shoulder, leaf-green velvet crinoline. In sophisticated contrast is “Rage of Paris,” a sheath-like black gown finishing in' S stately train. In contrast again is a frothy white “jeune fille” frock, with no shoulder straps and a flowing blue-trimmed skirt, called “I Married an Angel.” The Seven Interests. r pHE organisers have arranged the “Woman’s Fair” according to what they consider to be the seven main interests of women—the home, children, food, fashion, beauty, careers and leisure. They are not sure if they have placed these interests in their right order. “We compiled this list from a census we took among women in various walks of life and upon it we have based the exhibition,” an official said. “We hope to make this women’s fair an annual exhibition, and before the next fair is- held we shall endeavour to take a nation-wide census to get these interests in their proper order.” Among the distinguished women present at the fair’s inaugural luncheon was Viscountess Astor, M.P., the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons. Lady Astor had some pithy things to say about women and .their rights. ‘Women have almost equal rights with men today, and I.want to know what, they are going to do with that equality?” she asked. “One thing I do hope they won’t do, and that is try to be like the men. Women have fought for a single moral standard, and that means our standard, not the men’s.” In an earlier speech Mr. Beverley Baxter, M.P., had suggested that Lady Astor, “whose promotion in the House of Commons was long overdue,” should be Chancellor of the Exchequer, To this Lady Astor replied : “Nobody wants me. as a Cabinet Minister. And they are perfectly right. I am an agitator, not an administrator. '“Right-thinking women don’t want to be where they don’t belong. We don’t want to take the men’s places, but only to have our places by their side.”