SOME ASCOT STYLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23865, 20 July 1939, Page 21

SOME ASCOT STYLES

DREARY DRESS DISPLAY ABSENCE OF SUNSHINE * (From Our Own Correspondent) CONDON, June 19. The bitterly cold wind was sufficient to account for the smallest opening day that Ascot has seen for many years, and also for the dull clothes. As the day wore on the wind became more and more keen. The other days, too, were unutterably gloomy. On the last, the rain was so heavy that streams had to be negotiated in the paddock and elsewhere. The absence of the King and Queen and consequent lack of the usual pageantry provided by a royal procession along the course may have affected the attendance adversely Not only were there fewer racegoers than in former years in the paddock and the grand stand enclosure, but on the popular Heath side as well. The Royal Standard flew over the royal box for the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester represented the King and Queen. Other members of the Royal Family included the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood.. and the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice Countess of Athlone, The huge glass screen operated by a push-button was kept in place in front of the royal box throughout the day, but the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke and Duchess of Kent strolled among the crowd in the paddock to watch the horses parade before the Ascot Stakes. Has there ever been an Ascot meeting when so many dresses prepared for a great occasion have been left at home unborn? Even on Gold Cup day. few summer clothes were brought out. Blue of Various Hues On the second day the ladies in the royal box wore blue The Duchess of Gloucester had a full-length coat of Cambridge blue crepe de chine, worn over a lace dress of the same shade. Her hat was a wide-brimmed straw, which matched frock and coat, and was turned up slightly all round. The Duchess of Kent chose turquoise blue with a smart little turban to tone. The Princess Royal s dress was of deep ice-blue georgette, which was almost covered by its complementary coal, the latter trimmed at the hem with several rows of hand stitchery. Her hat was of straw to match, trimmed with blue gauze bows. Princess Alice also wore blue, as dia Lady Patricia Ramsay, whose dark blue dress was patterned with white floral sprigs; and Lady May Abel Smith, who wore a powder-blue ensemble and a darker blue coat The Dowager Duchess of Norfolk wore a black silk dress patterned with flowers and a black coat over it, and her hat was bound at the edge with blue and trimmed with a floral posy. Lady Winefride Howard, who was with her. wore a printed crepe frock and a large white straw hat. Her coat was of dark blue figured crepe. Viscountess Astor was very smart in navy blue and white. Her frock was dark blue, and was worn with a little hip-length

white jacket, and her navy blue hat was wreathed with a cornflower feather. She had navy blue shoes and a handbag to match them. Gold Cup Day

The Duchess of Gloucester, on Thursday, wore a becoming shade of carnation pink, her simple crepe dress matched by a short coat, and a hat in burnt straw tied with blue ribbon, with a bunch of pink roses in front of the narrow brim. The Duchess of Kent wore her most striking dress on Gold Cup Day. This was a very becoming tangerine yellow pleated silk with a long coat to match and frilly cap of the same material cut into large petals. Very successfully her gloves, court shoes and handbag matched each other precisely, the whole harmonising well with the couple of natural red foxes across her back. Lady Louise Mountbatten walked in the paddock with the Duke of Kent during the afternoon. She wore a short dress —a fashion she has always adopted—in a small design of black currant-red and white. Her white straw sailor hat was tied with dark red and white veiling. An amusing silk print was worn by Miss Elisabeth Bergner, a pen-and-ink sketching of the “World’s Fair” on black silk, outlined in pink and white. With this frock, a dirndl design—full skirted like the Austrian peasant’s dress—Miss Bergner wore a small black felt sailor hat, studded with red sequins and tied with a black veil beneath the chin. Coloured Macs and Umbrellas Wet weather made the final day of Ascot week more of a mackintosh parade than a display of smart frocks. The royal party remained the same as on the other 'days of the week, and all the members of it paid a visit to the paddock when the weather permitted. Women wore mackintoshes of every colour and kind. Some of them were transparent, in pastel tints, and patterned with small dots. Others were oilskin, in reds and greens; and there was a number of rubber capes of vivid shades of scarlet and emerald. They carried umbrellas of transparent oiled silk in a variety of colours. The Duchess of Gloucester wore a navy blue suit and a rose-pink blouse, and a little hat of navy blue straw trimmed with flowers and pink veiling. The Duchess of Kent was in a smart black dress and a little fitting jacket which finished at the waist. Over it she wore a bolero of beautiful blue fox skins, and her hat was a small white straw trimmed with a wreath of field flowers. Her gloves were of fuchsiaree suede. Some Details Coloured details—feathers, bags, gloves, shoos, belts—all to match are very striking, and the colours are all unusual and bright, including the whole gamut of cyclamen—petunia — magenta. One large, flat-crowned, widebrimmed straw hat was embroidered with country flowers, and bag of the same straw, similarly worked, was carried. Tailored panamas are trimmed with wide soft velvet ribbon. Heads and Feet Most of the charming young girls arc wearing little else on the hair

than a flat plaque of flowers placed over the right eyebrow: a band of ribbon round the back of the head keeps this posy in place. If the plate is not composed of flowers it may be wholly of mixed fruits. Floral toques are comfortable and gay. for many flowers of many colours are crushed together on each piece. Much of the present-day headgear is incredibly silly. If the pretty girls choose an apology for head-covering they also choose an apology for adequate footwear. Most of the shoes are backless —just a strap round the ankle to keep the sole and wearer together, and they are toeless. They consist of straps of leather attached to a thin sole piece, and to this is attached a high heel. Paucity of material does not lessen the price of these fantastic models. Short Skirts and Much Veiling Most of the dresses had very short skirts—some unnecessarily abbreviated. The weather did not encourage the wearing of long dresses, but there were a few. Over a dress of printed crepe de chine, one visitor had a cream coat with sleeves of ostrich feather and a very becoming feather-trimmed Edwardian hat. There were miles of cr;sp veilings variously used—all good for trade. They were draped across the back of the neck, tied over the head or under the chin, were placed anywhere in fact, except where a veil is expected to be —across the wearer s accord with the dull days most of the men came out in black toppers instead of grey, and these added to the gloom created by heavily clouded skies.