MEN'S EVENING WEAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22197, 26 August 1935, Page 13

MEN'S EVENING WEAR

CHANGING FASHIONS AUCKLAND TENDENCIES "Auckland men are gradually learning how to dress correctly," stated a leading city tailor on Saturday. "One of the most striking instances of this is the increasing demand for full evening dress. Until a few months ago most Aucklanders, young and old, thought that a dinner jacket was the correct attire for just about any occasion. "This winter, however, we have sold more sets of 'tails' than for many years past, and it appears that men are beginning to realise that this form of attire is definitely the only correct one for use in the presence of ladies in evening dress," he stated. "A dinner jacket should not be worn at dances and other mixed social events. It is essentially a club dress." Compared with residents of Christchurch and Dunedin, Auckland men were generally careless in the matter of evening dress, continued the tailor. "Where the more conservative people of the South Island adopt the styles set by such recognised fashion leaders as the Prince of Wales, there is a marked tendency in the North Island to imitate Hollywood male fashions," he stated. "Young-men-about-town" and other American film heroes had set an example of carelessness and freakishness in the matter of evening dress, which for some years had had a marked effect on the sartorial ideas held by the younger men of Auckland. Only now was this influence weakening. Until recently a surprisingly large number of prominent citizens did not possess full evening dress, declared the tailor. "It lias been quite a common experience for us to find some of our most prosperous clients making inquiries about the hiring of 'tails' when important functions are to be held."