GOOD STYLE IN DRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 6 (Supplement)

GOOD STYLE IN DRESS

PRINCIPLES TO FOLLOW CHOOSING RIGHT FOUNDATION [SPECIAL TO N.Z. HERALD —COPYBIOHX] LONDON. Jan. 17 Nowadays when such a variety of styles and such a wealth of fashion is designed to accommodate every type of figure, colour, personality, and pocket, why not take that little bit of extra trouble to choose the right clothes — clothes which are not only attractive in themselves, but also form part of the charming personality which should be you ? This is not always easy. The very variety of choice tends to bo confusing, and that is where a faithful stocktaking of one's own shortcomings is necessary.

The first principle in the art of dressing for beauty is to dress consistently to type—not only to plan each ensemble carefully, but to keep each to the same line. For instance, it is a mistake to be girlish in the summer and heavily sophisticated in the winter. Choose Your Own Style Contrary to a quite general belief, this is not a more expensive business than haphazard dressing. By choosing your style with discretion and sticking to it you will often find yourself making unexpected economies, as, for instance, when the bag and gloves which go with one outfit add smartness to the next instead of clashing. The important point in planning a wardrobe is always to build round one or two carefully selected garments. Then the additions that serve to give variety should be chosen with an eye to being interchangeable with any of those.

One really smart becoming hat is worth several indifferent shapes, always provided you have carefully picked a neutral colour that goes with accessories and blends with your other frocks. Again, it is far better to have one really good clip than many odd pieces of nondescript jewellery. The clip can fasten into your hair in the evening, adorn the ribbon on your hat, or decorate the neckline of your dress, and look nice every time you wear it. Why not buy your coat or frock in the right colour? It is so easy to be persuaded that the style suits you marvellously, and possibly it does, but it loses all its charm if tho colour is unbecoming. Exercise Restraint Above all, when you buy a frock that looks just right as to style and colour, leave it alone. Too often the addition of some elaboration of accessories, or the alteration of the belt or the finish at the neck —small itertis in themselves —is nevertheless fatal to the style, which is possibly elegant simplicity, the most successful achievement in the dress world.

I have sketched two styles in the odd white jacket which has had so much popularity during the hot weather season. Indeed, at one time these jackets were unobtainable unless specially made, as the manufacturers could not cope with the demand. They can be made of any white material, such as pique, linen, crash, heavy crept taffetas or stiff faille silk. Equally, you can choose any style that suits you individually, as these jackets were worn waist-length, three-quarter and every other length in between.