London Fashion Notes

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 34, 8 August 1936, Page 19

London Fashion Notes

Specially Written for "The Post."

LONDON, June 19.

Ascot week and the peak of the London season have filled the town with gaiety and beauty. Blue skies and sunshine greeted the racegoers on the first two. days of Ascot, and the social atmosphere so peculiar to this event was as evident as the Ascot fashions which have become a legend.

Racecourses ip various parts of the world have tried to reproduce the atmosphere of Ascot. But it is as English as the language, and like the language, been built up over a period of time out of many considerations peculiar to this country. •

From a fashion point of view it was extremely interesting this year. Designers of exclusive gowns have been trying to persuade women that garden party-cum-evening-frocks were all wrong, even at Ascot. In many cases, they had prevailed, and there were more jacket dresses, with slim skirts, ■both long and short, arid fewer frilled organdie creations which only look right on the most tropically sunny days, with'no' sign of a storm in the offing.

As the much-talked of eclipse brought terrific thunder storms and torrential rain to chasten the last two days of the meeting, the new oilskin mackintosh capes" and coats had a chance to rival the all-white mackintosh which has been fashion's wet-weather favourite for the last few seasons. - ■

Printed dresses were as numerous as ever,- so you will know what to choose for smart summer wear. But try for an exclusive design either as to colour or pattern if you wish to create an. impression of smartness mi a big race gathering. A printed jacket with a plain dress is an- extremely fashionable combination, only rivalled by the .white jacket worn with plain and printed frocks. Many 'of these jackets have short sleeves.-with fullness at the top. SMART TUNICS. While tunics, knee length, both full and slim were worn over very, slender, black skirts, and with flat black hats having very wide or moderate-sized brims these became an ■ outstanding Ascot fashion. Printed materials were also fashioned into tunics over similar tight black skirts, and this style is extremely adaptable to functions which call for gala clothes or far more ordinary occasions. Not since the lavish display of prewar Ascots have so many flowers been worn, real and artificial,, but particularly artificial. Many wide-brimmed hats with tightly-packed -flowers for crowns, and the all-flower toque with a stiffened veil to give width. The wide hat with a single huge flower in the front, 'the "pill-box" with a clump of small blooms tipping over one eye, and the tilted hat with a mass of blooms on a back bandeau were: all ( represented in flower fashions. Tulips'tucked into v deep swathed waist belt, pink roses across the front of a black lace dress, and masses of lilies of the valley on everything. -~ ■ COLOURED GLOVES. _ The" finishing touch to many of the smartest Ascot toilettes was given by the carefully chosen gloves to accentuate some trimming of the.dress or an accessory. ■•■■•• ■; Very" lovely, Xvas.' a gown of black pleated crepe with a very wide flat black' hat having. a'shallow crown of black velvet and one .large .flat pink rose to .trim the centre .front.:. .Pinksuede gloves to match gave great disr tinction. . Pastel-coloured, gloves.- for evening wear are • again fashionable, and 'very distinguished' was a gown of purple chiffon, with, ;an enormous cluster "of pale,parma'.violets in ,the centre corsage, and parma shaded gloves to match. - ■ ;

For sport the chamois yellow glove

is. matched by a chamois belt on a dark suit, or a chamois yellow waistcoat or jerkin, and, of course, the red glove is used to match up a bag, a blouse, j a scarf, or a hat, with navy gloves to contrast with a wine red suit and match the other accessories of bag and shoes. Shoes are even more important than gloves. Our feet should be the first consideration for we expect them to carry us creditably, so to speak, from the cradle to the grave, yet we treat them with far less respect thai we

do our faces. And yet the sunny smile ..with which, you greet the world depends more, on the comfort of your shoes than the beauty of your nature.

It is easy to find shoes today which are made in a surprising number of sizes with narrow and broad fittings, but so many women buy a shoe because it looks attractive instead of searching for their own particular fitting and keepingto.it.'. , ;

Shoes, Jike ' fashions; are international; and rwhile: I-have -never cared for .the : short vamp of Continental shoes; we certainly have to thank America, for this ; idea of broad ; and narrow, fittings, and, half-sizes, as well as original designs, which ; are being made by. English shoemakers. -

Low-cut Oxfords continue- ;to ; be smart for spectator-sports and countrywear, and: the newest pump has a tinytongue.sticking out over the instep with a buckle and strap just below, to give good support, ■

RUTH SIBLEY.