Flocking to England

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21248, 30 July 1932, Page 6 (Supplement)

Flocking to England

[special to n.z. LONDON, Juiie 10 Visitors have flocked to England this week for the Epsom race meeting, where the famous " Derby " event is the star turn, bringing, as it does, enormous surprise fortunes lo the most unexpected people. ~ i Even the stranger in our midst finds enjoyment in the evening gaieties which make the London social season so attractive. Gala performances "of music and variety organised for charity and patronised by the King and Queen have brought out all the prettiest evening frocks and wraps, and full dress for men is once more an accepted custom. During the war years, when life was harassed and pleasures were snatched, we got into very slack sartorial habits, and tweed suits were a common sight, even in the stalls of a theatre, for several years. But the pendulum always swings back, and now with more serious outlook and the revival of dignity, more attention is paid to the ceremonial side of dress. It is easy these days for a woman to look welldressed at a theatre; there arq so many attractive little capes and coatees worn that the same dress will do duty many times without even being noticed. The vast Albert Hall, which was chosen for the gala musicians' benefit, can bo very draughty, even on a warm night. Probably that accounted for so many of these wraps appearing at one performance. The Queen looked extraordinarily handsome in rose pink lace, with many diamonds and an upstanding diamond tiara on her beautiful silver hair, the huge

bouquet of red roses resting on the ledge of her box giving just the right touch of deep colour. Incidentally, both pink and red are favourite colours for evening wear in all the mid-season dress collections. A chic coatee, easily made by a cleverfingered woman, was fashioned of lacquer--1 red silk, embroidered with large gold spots widely spaced. It only reached the waist, and was ' tied at the neck with its own material, but the sleeves gave it great distinction, being largo full puffs to the elbow, made ' of two circles of silk joined at the outside * edges, and with centre holes for the arm to go through. Another unusual coatee consisted of the bodice part tied round the waist of pink taffeta, with the cape top of blue taffeta tied close to the throat, and worn over a white chiffon dress. A dark blue lace dress was worn with a short white and silver lame coat, with long tight sleeves and a wide scarf of gossamerfine chiffon in coral red, white and blue. A plain coloured dress and several coatees or short cape wraps will see you through many occasions this season. Tho low-necked, long-sleeved evening gown is another fashionable fancy. In royal purple crepe, quite untrimmed and worn with white jewellery or oldfashioned chased gold ornaments, it is extraordinarily distinguished, especially if you have golden, auburn, or silver hair. Hair-dressing for tho evening needs much attention. The same effect of exquisite grooming introduced by the shingto is still imperative. Hair is worn longer and softer, but tho length is taken up in deeper waves and closo curls, so that (bo shape of the head is still clearly defined. : The bunches of curls in the nape of the - neck have disappeared; even with tho utmost care they gave an untidy appearl anco. Although the newest hats are softer . t 0 tho face and have more trimming they still require an exquisitely groomed coiffure. The. popularity of the fine eye-veil, which is often tied over the hair first and the hat put on top, helps enormously to achieve 1 his neat appearance when the tilt of the , hat reveals about half the head. With tho success of the high-waisted , corselet skirt blouses have assumed a i new importance. Tho long-legged, short-waisted"-look so essential this season is I greatly enhanced by a dark skirt and > short, light top or blouse. [ Blouses are extraordinarily attractive this season, from tho most delicious transr parent models in organdie and spotted I muslin to snappy tailor-made shirts of linen and shantung. We have no sleeveless blouses or dresses this season; either short or long sleeves are I shown with every type of model except those for very active sports..

The Star

HERALD —COPYRIGHT] But short puff sleeves and little frills that cover the shoulder give the same youthful touch and are more generally becoming. All the blouses, like the dresses, fasten higher in the neck. Many have little " Peter Pan " collars buttoned close to the throat, or a scarf collar that £ies quite high, and the cowl neckline is draped veiy much higher. One of the loveliest blouses I have seen was made iri heavy cream romain, with a draped cowl neckline and long, close-fitting sleeves that buttoned at the wrist, with a bold line over the shoulders and crossing the front of the blouse in heavy silk faggot-stitching. This was worn above a black crepe, high-waisted skirt that showed pleats below the knee where the four panels of the skirt joined These high-waisted skirts and fancy blouses are very attractive with short fjir coats. One cool day this week I saw an exceedingly smart woman in Bond Street wearing a short brown-dyed squirrel coat over a brown skirt with a coral pink short blouse, ana a tiny brown hat simply trimmed with a cockade of tightly pleated pink and brown ribbons. Brown gloves, shoes and stockings, and handbags made ' the completed ensemble charming.