FIRM FOUNDATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 64, 13 September 1939, Page 14

FIRM FOUNDATIONS

TRAVELLER INTERVIEWED

MISS LEVICK IN WELLINGTON

A recent arrival in New Zealand is Miss Anne Levick (Mrs. George Baildon), who returned to Wellington last week after spending four months touring the United States of America and Canada. Miss Levick, when interviewed by a representative of "The Post," looked handsome in a black ensemble. The new square-cut, fulllength black cloth coat was trimmed with panels of Persian lamb, and her black fiat-crowned felt hat showed a glimpse of satin ribbon. Smart blacklaced toeless shoes, a new large travelling handbag, and a shoulder spray of pink and petunia purple flowers completed her ensemble.'

Miss Levick has been travelling extensively in the States and Canada, and saw much of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle, Montreal, Winnipeg. Washington, and Ne\ York, besides many other cities. She also visited the famous tourist resort of Jasper National Park, and lunched and dined at many of the most fashionable restaurants and saw the current shows of New York.

"I consider," she said, "that we in New Zealand are as advanced as the United States of America in the fashions worn here. When I left, in the fall, which is the autumn season with us, black was very much worn. The coats were worn wtih large fur collars, the larger the smarter, the day frocks being elaborately trimmed with beads. For evening wear sequin trimmings were very popular. Continental jewellery was much worn at all times. Gold especially was in vogue, and looked very smart with black, many of the gold neck ornaments having numerous dangling gold extras and chains attached. In fact," Miss Levick said, "to quote an American salesgirl, 'the more doggy one looks the more fashionable om is.' For the younger set taffetas and tartans for evening wear and gold and black for day occasions were popular."

In New York among a crowd of 2000 buyers Miss Levick was the only New Zealander. She had attended an exhibition by Warner Bros., giver at the Astor Hotel, where the very latest creations in foundation garments were displayed on living models. A new invention of perfected lastex material had been displayed, and Miss Levick had included this in her New Zealand order. She visited many large New York stores, and in San Francisco spent much time in a corsetry department and helped to organise a surgical corsetry school, where in some cases patients had gone direct from hospital to be fitted by this highly-specialised method.

Careful study has resulted in a complete revolution in fabrics, lastex lace, lastex satin and nets, which were fascinating materials that clung softly and firmly, yet exercised the necessary control of the figure. Whirlpool brassieres and stay-up backs were among the new tricks that. Hollywood especially demanded in the youthful line.

,It is gratifying to know that the increasing difficulty of obtaining clothes which overseas visitors display before our envious eyes does not extend to foundatir/n garments, and that in this important matter New Zealand women will be well supported.