PERFECT CUP DAY AT TRENTHAM

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 14, 17 January 1941, Page 10

PERFECT CUP DAY AT TRENTHAM

BOATER HATS FIRST FAVOURITES AMONG SUMMER FASHIONS

I Nor would it be possible for a summer race meeting to have a much more lovely setting. For although it was a midsummer's day there was not the dried-up, parched look about the countryside that is so often 'associated | with midsummer. The surrounding i hills were vivid green, whilst on the 1 course trees, heavy with foliage, cast i their shadows on lawns that were in 'perfect order. i STARTLING CONTRASTS. ;' The flower beds were ablaze with | colour but no less colourful were the clothes worn by the women racegoers. These, in some cases, even vied with the jockeys' racing silks for brilliancy so" hue and startling con'rast. For instance, one young woman wore with >a lettuce green tailored suit pillar-box red accessories and a red ribbon band held her matching boater-shaped felt : hat in place. Another person was wearing with a white frock and turban a hip-length loose candlewick coat which would surely have put Jacob's ,lo shame. Each rib of this thick material was in one of five different jolours—red, blue, green, yellow, and white, creating a striped effect. As usual Mrs. Eric Rid^iford, wife of the Racing Club's president, was one of the best dressed of the women. She wore an olive green and '■ lavender patterned silk ensemble, a .narrow band of lavender silk edging the coat. Her hat was a becoming dove grey in colour and of fine straw. WHITE TREMENDOUS^ i POPULAR. White for hats and accessories was tremendously popular and also tremendously attractive. Innumerable women wore white boater-shaped straws and felts and these were undoubtedly among the smartest on the course. Most were held to the head with a band of ribbon, and a white or a coloured veil to match the rest of the wearer's ensemble was usually the only trimming. Mrs. Duncan Menzies was among those who wore a white straw boater, her' frock and coat being figured in black and white. Mrs. W. E. A. Gill, who was dressed in a particularly attractive frock and jacket ensemble of powder blue and white striped silk," also wore a white straw boater trimmed with veiling and her accessories were all white. Mrs Gibson Stott's white straw boater was another that was veiled and she wore white flowers at the neckline of her navy blue ensemble. Little pill-box toques trimmed in front with white flowers were equally popular and equally smart. Mrs. Jack Halligan, who was wearing a navy blue and white silk frock and coat ensemble, and her daughter, Miss June Halligan, who was in pale enamel blue frock with lacy White cuffs and collar, both wore toques to match their outfits with clusters of white flowers across the front. Miss Colleen Bohan wore j with her black high-necked frock a I black straw of similar style with white flowers across the front, a white bow at the back finishing the black band holding it to her head. There were not, however, the number of "flower hats"

INDIVIDUAL STYLES

There were a number of men at the Trentham racecourse yesterday who were, for at least once in their lives, able to look without envy at the cool clothes worn by the womenfolk. These men were soldiers from Trentham Camp who, very sensibly, wore shorts and jackets of khaki drill. It gave a very tropical air to the racecourse to see tanned men going about in shorts, and the effect was further enhanced by a civilian who wore a khaki pith helmet. It was the first day of the Wellington Racing Club's Summer Meeting, and a more gloriously sunny day could not be imagined.

to be seen that the fashion forecasts might have led people to expect.

The fashions were certainly not without individuality. A number of smart ensembles worn by well-known and regular racegoers sh wed great originality in style as well as colour. Madame Andre Pouquet had on a hand-knitted two-piece suit with a crocheted handbag and skull cap to match. It was in an oatmeal shade and her low-heeled sandals were an exact match. The waist-length jacket, j which had elbow-length sleeves, was j bordered with two narrow bands of felt—one red and the other purple. There was also a slight trimming of these colours on her cap and the drawstrings of her bag. A vest of gold brocade was let into the bodice of a model frock of heavy ciel blue silk worn by Mrs. W. A. j Simpson, who has just recently ret turned from abroad. With it she wore a forward-tilted Dolly Varden shaped hat which she bought in Paris. It was made entirely of little feathers of an exactly matching shade. AMONG THE RACEGOERS. There were a great number of visitors from other parts of New Zealand and also from overseas. With Mr. and Mrs. Riddiford were Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Griffiths, who have recently arrived from England. Among others were Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Pharazyn (of Hawke's Bay, and recent arrivals from Jersey), Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Greenwood (Christchurch), Dr. and Mrs. McGregor Grant (Auckland), Mr. and JMrs. W. H. Gaisford (Dannevirke), Mr. and Mrs. W. Richmond (Hawke's Bay) Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Currie (Kai Iwi)! Mr, and Mrs. T. H. Lowry (Hawke's Bay), Mr. and Mrs. J. Bull (Hunterville), Miss Rita Barry (Gisborne); Mrs. R. T. Reid (Auckland), Mrs. Douglas (Gisborne), Mrs. S. Wood and Miss T. Wood (Invercargill), and Mrs. Benito-Calder, Mrs. James Ellis, Miss M. Favell, and Miss S. Savage (all of Melbourne, Australia). The newly-appointed Consul-General for the United States, Mr. Robert English, and his wife also attended • the meeting. Executive members of the Racing Club and their wives present included Mr. and Mrs. H. R. H. Chalmers, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Tringham, Mr. and Mrs. H. P. F. Blundell, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Green, Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Heath, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. lorns, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. H. N. Nathan, Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Spears Mr. G. B. Hull. Dr. and Mrs. F. E. Bolt! Dr. and Mrs.M. B. M. Tweed, and Miss Doris Bray (the club secretary). As there was no official luncheon Mr. and Mrs. Riddiford entertained a few friends at a picnic luncheon in the grounds, and many of the stewards of the club also held picnic parties. One of the features of the day was the delightful placing of the Trentham Military Band, their music helping a great deal towards creating a holiday spirit and being greatly appreciated.