MY LADY’S DRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 17

MY LADY’S DRESS

A LETTER FROM LONDON Dear Phillida,—This morning I went to one of the most exciting dress shows I have ever seen. Not only were the clothes exquisite and individual, but the small audience was composed almost entirely of well-known actresses. Rosalind Atkinson, a New Zealander, who has done extremely well on the stage here, took me and pointed out the celebrities as they came in Sitting just in front of us was Diana Wynyard, looking very lovely in a stiff black faille coat with wide revers, important sleeves, and cut at the back in seven gores which flared from a small waist to a wide hem. She wore a tall black felt hat like a Parisian judge, which was tucked at the base and on top of its round crown. Beside me was Jessica Tandy, a young actress now starring with Lawrence Olivier at the Old Vic. wearing a very attractive coat qf geranium red wool, pure princess in style, and at the other side were Athene Seyler (Mrs Nicholas Hannen) and her debutante daughter. Greer Garson, a gorgeous red-headed beauty, was wearing a romantic black hat with a drooping, spotted veil. The show was held in the new rooms of Motley, Ltd.—a firm which began modestly a few years ago as stage set and costume designers. They achieved tremendous success with their costumes for John Gielgud’s production of “ Richard of Bordeaux,” and since then have designed costumes for innumerable plays. This showed their first collection of modern clothes, which were executed in connection with Elizabeth Margetts, a well-known London designer. . , , . The two suits in my sketch I chose as being particularly suited to New Zealand. Both the original models were purchased by American buyers. The frock and coat on the left shows an entirely new treatment of flannel. A grey flannel dress with long sleeves goes under a brown flannel coat. Both

coat and dress are outlined with cut scallops of the material. The pockets have this same scalloped edge, which is made from a separate piece of the material machined into place. The cap and wide belt are matching brown suede. The boxy three-quarter coat in the other sketch is perfect for the country. Made of corduroy velvet in a glorious smoky moss green, it is cut double-breasted and has built-out sleeves with a narrow flange of the material going down the outside. The six inset pockets have corresponding flaps and a boutonniere of primroses is a springtime gesture. This coat is part of a double duty ensemble. The suit that goes under it is of flecked tweed in the same smoky colour. The skirt fits high up over the ribs and the short, fitted jacket, which buttons down the front, goes over a dark green blouse of Rodier woollen with a gathered neckline. The top coat and jacket are interchangeable , , , Nearly all the suits shown had short, fitted jackets and slim skirts. The shoulders were wide but not over-em-phasised and the waists were accented back and front, giving a full, highbosomed look. One enchanting black wool suit had peaks of the material pointing upwards all round the waist and forming pockets in the front. The black felt hat which went with this suit had a cascade of coq feathers falling over one eye. Contrasting jackets went over plain skirts. A plaid velvet jacket in pluni and pink, which zipped up high in front and was gored at the back to flute in Edwardian style just below the waist, was worn with a plum wool skirt. A misted pink tweed jacket, cleverly seamed to make the waist appear smaller and the bosom higher, went with a plain black skirt. An afternoon suit had an amusing tailored jacket of brocade—dull green with a satin stripe and a scattered pink flower. , , Linings made of the same material as the blouses were featured in two dressmaker suits —one black and one iron grey. The fitted jackets opened to disclose blouses and linings of white

taffeta with a small modern motif design. With the grey suit the mannequin wore a wide-brimmed, tallcrowned felt hat in Coronation gold. Her gloves and bag were of the same bright yellow, and tucked in the high neck of her blouse was a brilliant posy of felt flowers. Grey was shown with while in an ensemble which illustrated the coming importance of stripes. A charminglysimple grey wool frock, with short sleeves and a high neckline cut to drape across the front, was girdled with a thick white cotton cord. The swinging jacket, which went over the top, was of grey wool with wide vertical stripes in white. There were some exquisite plain wool frocks with interest in clever touches of colour contrast. A geranium wool cut on princess lines was relieved at the neck and on one wrist with ringed clips of pale blue. It was fastened by a zipper up the back. The Coronation motif made a restrained entrance on a black wool ensemble and a more conspicuous one on the fell jacket of a black wool frock, which had a crown belt buckle. The first ensemble consisted of a black wool coat and frock cut on princess lines, the coat bound round the collarless neck and down the front with white braid. On the high breast pocket was embroidered in white the royal crest. The amusing jacket of the other ensemble was of tan felt, and had appliqued on it bold conventionalised motifs of crowns and laurels. Shoulder interest was evoked by two black wool afternoon coats. One had novel epaulettes of glistening sequin grapes, and the other padded shoulders on whicß were embroidered sequin le was m the evening clothes that the designers’ full genius for colour was displayed. Flowers and heavy, mediaeval jewels were used as colour accents. Light materials were contrasted with heavy ones, and lightcoloured coats were worn with darker dresses. Perhaps the most enchanting of the younger dresses was a mauve, spotted net. which spread in a full Victorian crinoline skirt from a tiny fitted

bodice. A dark green sash, embroidered with floral posies, was made of velvet, and had scalloped edges. Exciting contrast was shown when a pale grey-blue slipper satin evening coat, cut with a tiny waist, wide shoulders, and a spreading skirt, was worn over a tan, pleated chiffon frock. Another frock which caused a sensation was a lime-green satin cut on the cross with a slim skirt. When the mannequin entered she wore it over a black lace apron, which completely covered the front. It was cut high to the neck in the front, where it fastened to the straps of the frock, and it tied round the waist to the back. The skirt spread wide to a stiffened hemline. This apron removed and in its place she coiled round her waist a green velvet roll in which she fitted a spray of pale pink roses. The final, gasps of admiration were caused by_ a bridal gown of white silk net. On its full sleeves and spreading skirt were appliqued swallows in flight and a swallow of white feathers had alighted on her brow. Another display of quite a different sort, which I went to this week, was at the Royal School of Needlework. Here the train to be worn by the Queen for her Coronation was shown in the making. ■ You will all have r’ead of its design—the emblems of each part of the Empire embroidered in gold on purple velvet, which was executed by a student of the school. It was extremely interesting to see the w’onderfully fine work put into it and the graceful development of the various stitches. We were also shown a number of other embroideries done by the school for the Coronation ceremony. There were the chairs which the King and Queen will sit in just prior to the crowning—each exquisitely worked with their own emblems. There were chairs for each of the Princes, similarly worked, and there were numbers of banners for both regiments and towns. Most of the designs were . very beautiful both L/7 in shape and IWSXH. colour April' 8.