NOTES FROM LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 19

NOTES FROM LONDON

(By B trbara.)

LONDON, April 30.

This is essentially a season of accessories—it's even almost easy to dress on nothing a year. iHere is a recipe for sartorial success tha f. is well within the reach of every purs c: the ingredients— a flare for colour, a lively wit, discrimination, applica Bon, and a background suitable for- all four: the result—a distinction a Ind effortless style your wealthier sisters will envy. The background 3 iou in all probability already have. If you live in the country it will most likely be A suit —either with a short,, fitted jacket," or a longer, boxy reefeiu If your home is in town it may akib be a suit, or it may be one of those plain, wool coats that go over innumemole' little dresses. If you are lucky it is i both. I know of nothing more useful ifor the city girl than a dark .wool coe it, collarless, and cut very, plain with; ■ I'idish shoulders, no revers or very sma h ones, a slender waist that just meets >in front and a gently flaring skirt. Add to it a plain black frock;- lift both.' from obsciifity by ingenious accesso'iy changes, and you are mistress of as* many moods.

■ - .. i -.■■■! Now let us consider the ; accessories that work these miracles. I;hiave listed all that were desirable, practical, and within reach. 'Of course titjere are some novelties that are onl;p created for the few who can afford Id discard mercilessly. .These will ne\^er reach New Zealand—others will coiree to conquer. . ■' ' =

High in the conquering class come reddish brown leather and sui?de. For town mornings they are unbeatable The young lady in my sketch has realised . this—she muffles her thiioat with a tan suede cravat, hand-stitched in black; she dons hand-made tan gloves, also stitched with black, and c arries a serviceable bag to match. He:c ( Breton, sailor hat is of natural s'tnew and matches her plain wool dress. A boutoniere of cowslips is a refreshing divergence from severity. For luncheon she makes a complete change of "face." Her hat is a< bonnet of nile green, corded ribbon; her scarf is taffeta, roman-striped in .yellow, green, tomato, .and blue; she wears green suede gloves, carries a J green bag, and treads in the same bla-k shoes shown in my. sketch. Noi^ice ths hiEh cut and the elastic gusstits in either side.- ' , ,'

She remains in the same ri(g for afternoon bridge, but before cc^ktails slips home to remove everything but the coat, emerging once more Rearing it over a little black wool dre:ss that has a fashionable bleak' neckline-- Her hit is now a flower-pot of blairik felt piled high with blossoms; her gloves are discreet black suede; she (tarries the fluted bag shown in my sketch; wears satanic black shoes that 'climb high to the ankle and winds rour.sd her waist the belt at the top of the sketch —Gaugin pink in colour it matches the gayest flower on her hat and,'is itself bedecked with bright blossonjs. Suede and patent leather; are'lhie uncrowned kings of acdessoriana." i We have bags, shoes, and belts of both, either combined or alone. Their jnost conspicuous hallmark is riotous ccllour. and their common denominator, > the dressmaker style in which they i are treated. In my sketches I have gjf#en you examples of the careful casualties* displayed everywhere. Take the fbag1, and belt set at the bottom of the pageHyacinth blue suede is gathered ih ai Ippuch and spiked through the, top virithj! a chromium bar to make one of fthe»| most .aristocratic bags on show. 'FhG' accompanying belt is merely a wpdfi sash of the same material that can; be manipulated in a dozen different wajys The tulip shown above them is a more studied example of good taste and hfeh fashion. Round the top is clamped^ a jade bracelet carved in the inimitablle Chinese manner. Tulip bags and flsit oblong bags.that are fitted like' miniature dressing cases are fashion firsts. , The* Tyrolese belt sketched in the; centre of my page is one of many. Thisi one is white canvas and has heaijt^, flowers, and'figures of felt pasted on (it. These are easy to make and dashing no wear." You can match them up wfflfla collar and cuff sets or if you prefer something less compromising, make your belt of plain coloured felt witli felt flowers bunched in front, and tite round your neck the floral felt necklace shown at the bottom of the sketclh.

With a suit "background" you can do most of the above-mentioned thinjp and more besides. Lunching on Sunlday last at the Tudor Close Hotel (an enchanting inn at Rottingdean, on th£ South Coast) I saw Frances Day, thte film actress, wearing a French blup suit and over it an extra three-quarteir coat of violet, yellow, blue, and cerisp plaid woollen. Round her neck sh o hung a cerise woollen scarf and oil her feet were blue suede brogues. At the next table Phyllis Konstam (Mrsi! Bunny Austin) lunched with her husr band in a cardigan suit of burgundy wool. • Her duck-egg blue blouse wast) lightweight woollen and had quilting iiti conventional design do\#i the front.

England is the recognised home qiW wet-weather fashions and today she | beats her own record with coats, boots, jl landfjimbreUas-.that. welcome-.the .rain.;?

Coats of proofed velveteen are lined with rubber and cut on strictly tailored tines. Oil silk makes enchanting umbrellas in the gayest colours, often spotted, dotted, checked, and strip*! and sometimes with the small realistic animal and mannikin designs we have xown4orJookifor..oii pur. : printed silks,-