NO DOWDY WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 September 1935, Page 8

NO DOWDY WOMEN

NEW YORK’S SECRETS. A student of fashion gives in the following contribution to the London “Daily Telegraph’’ her impressions of the art of dressing according to fashion’s last word as practised by. New York women, young and old. It must be more difficult to be dowdy in New York than in any other city in the world. One's first awed impression, concerning the* trim figured and immaculately turned-out women of all ages, is “how do they do it?” Later one realises that to the New York woman, smartness Is nbt a luxury but an integral part of her scheme of life, and this not only in her twenties but af all ages. . Her stockings are the sheerest silk. She buys them half a dozen pairs at once, but since they cost, quite good ones, under three shillings a pair, one can see how this is possible. Incidentally, the stockingiess. vogue is unknown in New York. She is fastidious about shoes; probably pays 8 to 10 dollars for them, or twice as much, as she does for a frock.

Since the garment trade is more highly specialised in New’ York than anywhere else in the world you never see a badly fitting frock —or rather dress. They don’t talk about .frocks over there. It is either dress or gown. Street dresses are all exquisitely tailored shirt waist style in washable silk or crepe, usually white, with navy or scarlet neckerchiefs. Alternatively there are floral ninons, With short coats to match. Hats, shoes, gloves and bags are inevitably spotless white. One department store is advertising bags of white beads about the size of shoe buttons-—as being “cool to hold.” Mostly the handbags are of linen, and will launder like a handkerchief. There is & distinct craze for lilac coloured dresses, coats and suits in thin crepe oi* linen. Hats are very smart, and it is possible to buy them very cheaply. In the less exclusive shops you can get three for a dollar (4/-). .“Imported” models, of course, are expensive. Anything imported, either from France or England, is the high whter mark of style. ONLY THE LATEST. With dresses so inexpensive, no New York womqn would dreUm of carrying over a summer frock to next season, or of “making over” anything to the latest fashion.

They have beautifully groomed heads. If they have a permanent wave it is always beautifully kept. If they go in for the fashion of massed curls all over the back of the head they have a “croquinole,” which means the ends are permanently curled; this costs less than a full permanent wave. If you have neither of these your hair is probably long and done in an immaculate bun or coil, or neatly shingled with carefully tended side bits. Even the cheapest hairdressing whops in New York shampoo your hair in the French way—tackwards, so the soap can’t get in your eyes. They are horrified at the thought that in England women still put their heads ill a basin.

The One flaw is the New York woman’s gloves. On the hottest day in midsummer, even if she is wearing nothing else but a slip and a dress, she insists on wearing a pair of white cotton gloves, usually with fussy opehwork gauntlets. In spite of her necessarily extensive wardrobe —in the New York summer you have a fresh frock, lingerie and stockings every time you go out —the New York woman does not seem to spend much more than an Englishwoman. A low estimate for a business woman’s dress budget is 225 dollars a year—about £45. But the New York woman gets more for her money. This is as far as clothes are concerned. When you come to the rent she has to pay for an apartment —that’s another story.

MANICURE HINTS. The following hints will prove helpful when manicuring: — First, thoroughly cleanse the nails. A nail brush, vigorously applied, With Warm water and soap is best for this purpose.

Next use a coarse emery board With which to file the nails. File from the edges to the centre, and smooth off rough edges with smooth side of emery board. When filing, maintain the shape of oval most suited to shape of finger. For most purposes the shape of the oval at the base of the nail can be followed also for the edge. Nails should be quite d'ry and free from grease before applying liquid polish: otherwise the polish will adhere unevenly and be unsightly. Use orange-stick to cleanse and whiten the nail-tip; wrapping a piece of cotton-wool dipped in cuticle remover around the stick. Nail-tips should then be gone over a second time with- dry cotton-wool wrapped round the orange-stick. When using cuticle remover it should be applied also around the sides of each nail, and the uneven or dead cuticle should be smoothed away with a soft towel.