FASHIONS ON SKI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 3

FASHIONS ON SKI

WET WEATHER WEAR ' VARIED ACCESSORIES [from our own correspondent] THE CHATEAU, Monday Winter sporting at Tongariro National Park of late has been a wet and cold affair compared with other seasons, when bright sunshine has invited gav woollens and colourful flannel suits up to the ski-ing grounds. This year, macintoshes are the wear for all, so the average skier looks like a more or less shapeless bundle, whose only touch of really vivid colour is a particularly rosy nose, and even the few clever people who contrive to look as charming as ever in their waterproofs acquire a complete suit of snowflakes on their way up the liill and are soon indistinguishable from snowmen.

Nevertheless, it is astonishing how varied and how attractive waterproof garments can be made to look. New Zealand women skiers are for the most part loyal to the regulation ski-ing suit of navy proofed garbardine. In fine weather slack suits of brightly coloured flannel are often seen, but these are impractical for such a season as this. In happy contrast to the severe navy,"*howover, are several suits of leather and suede, one particularly attractive outfit consisting of olive green suede trousers with a tailored belted coat of soft blue leather, buttoning up round the neck with a cosy stand-up collar. A lumber jacket of fawn suede is another variation, arid an especially striking outfit consists of navy trousers, baggy at the ankless like elongated plus fours, with pillar-box red leather jacket and leather peaked cap, with woollen accessories in the same shade of red.

There is no doubt that red is the most dashing colour for the snow, though blue, green and yellow are also popular. A smart hunter's green costume consists of Donegal tweed plus fours, flecked with red, and hand-knitted jumper, cap and socks, and the charm of this colour is seen also in a lounge suit of bell-bottomed slacks and knitted jersey. A rust-red plus fours suit with b.olero-waistcoat to match, made in diagonal tweed, is also unusual and attractive.

Accessories are as gay and varied as ever, giving great scope for individuality. One or two feathered tyrolean hats have made their appearance, and the intricate and gaudy patterns of jumpers, socks, gloves and scarves grow more amazing every year. Red flannel puttees are a sensible notion and keep a lot of unwelcome snow out of the boots. The visiting Australian women skiers have given some indication of prevailing ski-ing fashions across the Tasman, where there appears to be rather more latitude in the matter of what the welldressed skier should wear. The actual team uniform consists of navy trousers and jacket, with dark green flannel shirt and langlauf cap, but many variations of this outfit are seen. Miss P. Farquharson, last week's winner of the New Zealand women's slalom championship, looks well in navy trousers, which are almost short enough to be plus fours, a green flannel shirt with green and white spotted silk scarf to tone exactly, and a mannish tailored waistcoat of light reddish-brown suede, complete with suede buttons and back-strap. Miss Far-

quharson's decorative ski-cap, covered [ with badges and adorned with a feather, attracts much interest. Mrs. T. W. Mitchell sometimes wears a very becoming jacket of powder bine wind-proof material with a smocked effect, and Miss Hordern's red one, rnched to fit neatly at the waist, is another bright spqt among drab maccs." Several of the Australians have been seen in white jackets with ties, headbands and belts to match, and Mrs. Davy, captain of the women's team, declares that these white and brightly lined windproof coats are very popular in Australia, and that there is also a far greater vogue for plus fours than there is here. Ski fashions in this part of the world differ considerably from those of the European winter sports centres. The same emphasis on windproof and waterproof qualities is not necessary to the same extent on the Continent, siniv the snow there is drier, the ski-ing grounds are always within easy reach of shelter, and skiers seldom venture out except in good weather. There is therefore far greater scope for picturesque, unusual and eccentric costumes Divided skirts and plus fours had a great vogue at Garmisch, Germany, during the recent Winter Olympics, the matching jackets 'being tailored like a man's single-breasted lounge jacket. Homespuns proved popular for these suits, and white was the favourite colour. An example of the striking effect that may be obtained under these conditions was a suit of white garbardine, with dark green collar, white lapels, polo-necked sweater in the same shade of green, v white jockey cap and white gaiters trimmed with green leather.