ANDREA Discovers the LATEST Fashions in New York

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 71, 25 March 1936, Page 14

ANDREA Discovers the LATEST Fashions in New York

Bproy j FRIEND of mine, an English “court dressmaker,” has come to New York. She arrived by the Aquitania “to look them ft R R over.” Whether she meant clothes or New Yorkers, I am not S&gjJli able to say, except that, with true English superiority, she said that she was returning to London without buying a garment, as there did not seem to be anything worth acquiring, but that she had to admit, reluctantly though it was, that she had never seen such fabric designs in her life.

Now whether the lady was just plain blind or didn’t want to admit that clothes are better here than anywhere except Paris. I can’t say, but I disagree heartily with her. However, she was swept off her feet by the presentation of the merchandise in the salons and shops. Everywhere we went she gasped like a goldfish in amazement. Of course, I refer to the high-class department stores and exclusive dress shops. Let us take a stroll through the Marble Mazes of Exclusivity and see what the stylists have ordained for the season.

In the first place, although the snow is falling and we walk the avenue in our fur-edged goloshes, every shop window, is aglow with artificial sunshine and romantic with waving palms .spreading the tidings that we must answer the call of the cruise or point our noses south to Florida and Cuba. Every woman will wear, whether afloat or afoot, for her first “emergence” in cruise time, either a finely-woven flannel skirt in cream or pastel with a soft camel-hair pullover and cardigan to match, in some other shade, or a severely tailored twopiece in a light lainage, made gay and different by a colorful • kerchief or Ascot scarf and a novel belt.' The uniform for either of these distractions” is a felt hat with contrasting grosgrain bands, of which the wise woman buys several spares in all shades. In this way a few hats will do duty for any number of frocks. Then if you feel like a mermaid, don your most daring maillot, and let me tell you that one may be as dressed or as undressed as one wishes without being dowdy. I liked three “swimmers/* which I shall describe. The first is in heavy white kayser silk. It has a square decolletage in front and a deep V in back. It has a smart skirt, not too short and not too long, tucked in the most provoking way. It is belted in turquoise and had turquoise rubber cap and shoes. The second was a wool knit one-piece in turquoise, and the third a. pure rubber in reversible black and white, which has pattern perforations, is »-ed in front and in back and has a separate little skirt of its eh, laced up the sides. This is a most flattering thing for the figure. To get to the cabanas one wears either a linen sleeveless one-piece, walking-length, in some fantastic print, or shorts and a halter, and linen ghillie-tied shoes are the last note for such frocking. By the way, include in your ciruising or plage wardrobe a couple of one-piece garments of roughdried sailcloth. They sound awful, but, if well cut, there is nothing to touch them for chic. It is essential at night to lay it on. No pains must be spared to attain perfection. So much rests with the night. Everything from tailored ginghams with high necks and short or no sleeves to the most extravagantly bedewed chiffon or satin or tissue. of your choice. The Fortuna pleated gowns lend themselves to anything. If the exchequer does not run to Cartier or Tiffany, one may achieve distinction and fool even the eagle-eyes by spending a little more than one really wants to on costume jewellery. I have never seen such designs or such workmanship. White, of course, is still right for, the, grande toilette, and . ea iiv-colored velveteen three-quarter coats are seen everywhere. I saw a most irresistible Venetian hooded cape in burgundy velvet, lined with gold It flowed gloriously and rhythmically to the ground. . , IrS £ %TbSSM ypjtf a pair of strawberryjred or bottle green gloves.