BUYER RETURNS WORLD'S DRESS MARKET

Evening Post, Issue 13, 16 January 1936, Page 19

BUYER RETURNS

WORLD'S DRESS MARKET

THE NEW NOTE IN HATS

That .America has already become the centre of the world's dress market was the opinion expressed by Miss C. S. Lowry, buyer for one of Sydney's leading department stores," who 'returned on December 30 by the Mariposa from a.three months', trip to the United States,' ■ states ■ the "Sydney Morning Herald."' Miss Lowry .said that many London fashion houses now sent; to America to buy.

With regard to the trend in autumn fashions, Miss Lowry predicts a boom for furs. „• American women, she said, do not wear woollen frocks in. the cold. weather-M;hey cover their silk frocks-.with-magnificent fur coats. The furs for this coming autumn, she remarked, would be fox and Persian lamb; • Skirts- would be considerablyshorter. Cocktail frocks were particularly striking. They were of street frock length, and lame was the most

popular^^at.^rial,:;rjafticularly in com-. binations-of-'-black' and' silver -andgreen and silver. Black was definitely to be the most fashionable colour for the autumn, with green next in popularity, followed' by rust and brown.. American women kept navy as their summer colour. Miss Lowry related.

RENAISSANCE COLOURS

Evening frocks were mostly in the renaissance colours, green, purple, red, and royal blue, and were worn very low back and front.-They were tailored to the hiph'ne, and then fuller to the hem. Miss Lpwry .'expressed the opinion that accessories are now the most important note in smart dressing, and that the material used has become a secondary consideration. This coming autumn, she said, heads will be covered for evening wearcamellias and gardenias being worn on both sides of the head, and also fabric haloes, feathers, and even ribbons.'

Rhinestones were enjoying a wave of popularity, and most evening frocks were studded With them. Rhinestones decorated belts, which were most important, and also the cuffs and collars of cocktail frock. Coloured stones were also worn. - Accessories included clasps and buckles of dull gold and renaissance colours, and most belts were of gold - kid ' with beautifullyfashioned buckles. These were worn even with'street frocks. Pearls were also very popular, and were worn in as many as three tiers about the. Neck —even with sports wear.

The pearls were, all of one size and not graded. ■ •■ ■ ■

The new note in hats, she concluded,- was "up." This meant -a clever manipulation of brim and crown to give height, although it could not be said: that crowns were actually higher.