WOMEN OF SIXTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19792, 12 November 1927, Page 20

WOMEN OF SIXTY.

THE MATRONLY MODE.

"The woman of 60'"

Why not ? % Why shouldn't a woman of 60 continue to be eldjjant and a pride to ber relatives? What benefit is conferred either on herself "or her friends by her degenerating into an old lady ? As a matter of fact, the woman of 60 can, generally speaking, wear more youthful modes than the woman of 45 or 50 and is often a far more interesting proposition from the dressmaker's point of view than a much younger woman. This is because, normally, she has reverted to the weight, if not the actual outline, of her early. thirties, ... Fashiobs of the moment are simple, practical; and, above all, ageless. Their suitability is governed by the outline, not the years, of their wearer. There is no reason, therefore, why the woman of 60 who has kept a certain amount of suppleness and elasticity should not wear the same styles as her daughter —or grand-daughter. Elderly elegantes are a joy to the eye —but they are lamentably rare. One frequently sees, however, women who would be extremely elegant il they could only shed the habit of mind regarding clothes that they acquired during their more "matronly" years. They will stick to the stereotyped tricks for disguising a tooainpla figure, though they no longer require such aids, their figure having lost its rotundity. Deep V openings, wide lapels, and a discreet' amount of fulness on the. shoulders; too many meaningless vertical lines on a dress, which attract one's attention to the breadth of its wearer: too much horizontal trimming that leads one s thoughts to scrawny necks and bony elbows—these ire obvious dressmaking devices. , The really smart woman ot 60 takes fashions as they come, adds whatever she deems necessary to their length, and leaves it at that. It is the stereotyped and dowdy woman who always involves her friends in lengthy discussions about "counteracting influences" when planning a new dress. I

The smart woman of 60 has herself corsot-ed in the modern way—a hip "belt" and brassiere, or on 9 of the new tyne of corsets, instead of the old "ironclad." She docs not rest until she has found the coiffure that makes for the smartest ensemble. She does not wear "important"' looking hats "teed up" off the face.

She finds shoes that arc elegant as well as comfortable. She avoids anything that is cheap or shoddy. Her clothes are always of good material, good cut, and good workmanship This involves careful planning if means are limited, but a very few garments ■ will cover a wide range of use if they are chosen intellijjently.