All Women Adore Furs

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 160, 1 April 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

All Women Adore Furs

But Have They Become Silver Fox Snobs ?

JtjVERY woman in the world adores silver lox. Iheie J is not another fur, however beautiful and expensive, which has quite the same exquisite significance. A mink coat may tempt, a sable wrap excite, but silver fox does something quite different to a woman, something potent and overpowering.

YVHAT you waut to do is to watch silver fox wearers watching each other’s silver foxes, writes Cecile Lavinge in the “Daily Mail.” Observe the close scrutiny that doesn’t let a hair go unscathed. See the merciless mental pricing that takes place. Silver fox snobbery is a ruthless snobbery.

of last-year capes, which usually had the skins worked horizontally If you think all this sounds like sour grapes, you are dead right—-it is. In the meantime all sorts of things have been happening to make M. Reynard so übiquitous. In tin? past fifteen years a great industry has grown up round this enchanting little creature, with his dowry of lustrous, silvered fur, his whitetipped black brush. Thousands of silver fox farms have come into existence all over the world.

Women who own three-skin capes are made to feel terribly abashed in the presence of five- and six-skin women. Owners of this-year capes, which all have the skins worked downward, look down from a great height on wearers

Once free, lawless, the silver fox

was a regular he-man, leading a wild, spartan life. He fought and scratched and hunted for his living, roaming the forests of the great frozen North. Finally, he was trapped and killed by one of those men who are men.

In those days—not more than 17 years ago—he fetched a pretty price, something between £lOO and £l5O a skin. He was rare, and in danger of complete extermination. His rareness and his beautiful coat made him almost legendary. Today the fox has a most refined time down on the farm, his whole life’s purpose being to propagate himself and, in doing so, to grow more and more perfect. In case you waut statistics, there are between 4000 and 5000 silver fox farms in Canada alone, involving an annual turnover of £1,500,000.

In Norway, Sweden, Itussia, Germany and England, fox farming is a thriving and growing industry, offering unlimited opportunities. In England there are more than 100 silver fox farms. The industry is protected by its own association of breeders, and has a stud book. Its ideal is to make British silver foxes the best in the world.

If you are out buying silver fox, and you want a good pedigree, these are the points to watch:— The fox should be blue-black where he is black—that is, on his neck and hindquarters—his body' should be well silvered, his jet-black tail tipped with snowy white. The texture of the fur should be satin soft, the whole skin should feel like a well-padded cushion.

But if you are out buying—and I’m addressing my remarks to women now —please remember that while there was never such a flatterer as silver fox, the wrong set-up of silver fox can ridicule you. So, if you are short and fat, never go into a bulky cape. You’ll be shorter ami fatter. If you look exotic by' nature, never wear enough fox Io make people think of you as dripping with silver fox. And, of course, if you will put yourself into long silver fox coats, you are simply' asking to look ostentatious aud vulgar.

Men, as a rule, hate long silver fox coats on women unless they are the kind of men who buy them for you. Then, you are showing them off. not the coats.

Silver fox should l»e a subtle emphasis on a womau’s personalily, not a submerging.

TAAKLS dressmakers have started an ■*" entirely new line in tailored suits ami afternoon dresses. Lame seems to have conquered the field, and it is now quite in order to wear a glittering tailor-made of gold Or silver with a dark woollen pull-over. The lames used for these suits are treated in a new way. They tire very thick and sometimes quite rough, and the material is often slightly quilted. But although there are so many different weaves the glittering gold aud silver threads always form the base and shine brightly amid the various patterns.

A famous Paris house has created a new line in tweed lames in herringbone, check anil plait! designs. One charming suit Ims a short bell-shaped skirt with a little jacket, lightly titled lo the waist. The malerial is carried out in a liny check of gold rust and beige lame with a collar and facings in brown velvet. For afternoons, however, the lame is much lighter in texture, and some of Ihe models are pleated from yoke ti> hem. Almost all the frocks in this material .'ire cut on straight lines with slightly Hared skirts. Little Peter Pau collars and patch pockets add to the simplicity of this youthful style.