COLOUR IN DRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20420, 23 November 1929, Page 14

COLOUR IN DRESS.

A PRONOUNCED TENDENCY. OPINIONS IN AUCKLAND. GAY NOTE AT THE SEASIDE. Auckland may l>o expected to support tho brighter clothes for women movement which lias been suggested by a Dunedin minister, judging by tho opinions expressed yesterday by representative men and women in the city. Not that it is conceded that, Auckland clothes are drab. Dunedin may need brightening, if the Hcv. .Tames Burns says so, but Auckland's interest in tlio subject, morcly lies in the desiro to got as much as possiblo of a good thing. Colour lends joy to life: therefore let Auckland bo as colourful as practicable. That is the view which seems to bo generally taken. At tho same time somo of the leaders in thought suggest, iri all solemnity, that women should mix their colours with discretion.

"Apparently the Dunedin suggestion is that street attire is too sombre," said a lady interested in social matters. "I think that that is right. Of course, it is a little too early to judge the summer clothes of tho Auckland girls and women, for costumes and coals have not yet been generally discarded for light frocks which allow scope for the use of bright materials. "But why should tho dullness and depression of winter days and wet ones be acccntuatod by the wearing of blacks, browns, greys, fawns and navy'! The right trend toward cheerfulness; has been shown already in the comparative prevalence of reds, blues, heliotropes and greens in mackintoshes and umbrellas. In all the immense range of brilliant and beautiful colourings to be seen in dress materials, surely there must be some which can bo taken into the streets on other occasions than summer days ?"

Harmonious Associations. Another lady, who also expressed hearty approval of the aim toward brightness in dims, suggested that cave would bo needed to avoid discordance. "The most vivid and varied colours are amazingly beautiful when seen in a sunset, but if women try to copy Nature's artist they may only produce the effect of a sunset gone mad. It is a question of tasto and artistic appreciation of tho values and blending of colours. A Veronese red umbrella, an apple green coat and a sunset yellow hat might make Queen Street look very bright, especially if all the women adopted variations of this combination without losing the bizarre touch, but it might lead to an agitation for the passage next session of a Women's Dress (Regulation of Colour) Act. I have confidence in the general soundness of the Auckland women's taste, however, and do not fear the results of a brighter clothes campaign—if there is to be one."

" If people do not wear colour it is their own fault." said a departmental head in one of the city shops. "If yon can wear colours, wear them," was the advico ho offered to the women of Auckland.

The brightness of Lido and other Continental seaside resorts is claimed to be available to shoppers in Auckland, in all its multiplicity of vivid hues and exotic forms. Summer frocks, or materials for them, are thero to be used in making the streets gavcr and gayer as the weather becomes hotter and hotter; but the beaches promise to bo one vast and prolonged splash of colour. Gorgeously-lined bathing costumes, wraps, caps and parasols have come to Auckland on an accentuated note this summer. The tendency to brightness, which was pronounced last season, has gathered impetus and. if beach frequenters do nob lose courajy*, a good time is in store for all who subscribe to the doctrine that a brighter garb makes a blighter people.

Nature's Colour Scheme. An Auckland minister, while not criticising Uie Dunedin pronouncement, ventured the view that the dress of Auckland women was already quite bright enough. He did not think that more colour was needed to brighten the outlook of the people, nor did he agree that it would necessarily have that effect.

A connection between Nature and human tendencies in regard to colour schemes was observed by this minister. It was a natural thing to dress in high colours in a tropical or semi-tropical country, where there was a great deal of colour in the flowers and works of Nature generally. In countries where Nature worked on a more subdued note, it seemed appropriate to dress more soberly, and a lady who wore a very vividly coloured dress became conspicuous and was likely to bo stared at. Tightness of life inside, not colour outside, was likely to be a factor in giving people a cheerful outlook. A scheme for increasing community happiness by inducing the peoplo to show moro colour in their dress seomcd rather futile.