THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 50

THE WEEK.

To those of you who were enjoying the spasm of summer that we had at the beginning of last week and resented the sudden change towards the end of it, I teel I owe an apology, as it seems as it 1 had been responsible for that change, lou see I S at down to write to a friend on Wednesday evening, and I enlarged upon the lovely days we had been having, and how nice it was to wear one's summer straight on end without having to fash out one's winter ones every second day, and it occurred to me at the time that I was a little rash, but I scorned to touch wood or do anything else to propitiate the Fates, and—well, next morning we were back to the good o'd grey drizzle. I am very sorry about it, I am really. I do like summery weather m summer-time, and it was a real pleasure to see the streets full of white and light-coloured frocks. It brightens up the landscape so. One must have some cool things for the brief spells of hot weather that come our way, and it is so annoying to get so little wear out of them. So uneconomical, too, unless we are strong minded enough to go on Avearing the same things summer after summer until they really are worn out, instead of getting a fresh outfit every year. With light things, especially, one is tempted to get them new and fresh, particularly as the materials are cheaper than, the heavier stuffs; and the feeding is not altogether a blameworthy one. Byjudicious management one can indulge < one's desires for at least something new every and at the same time make the most of one's older things, for, since the sudden jump to short, full skirts directly after the war there has been very little change in fashion, and so long as your skirts are well clear ot the ground—which is, after all, a very sensible" idea—you can wear almost anything you choose and look quite all right. People who like speculating- about things have often wondered about that sudden change in the fashion just when such big issues were concerned, and many reasons have been put forward to account for it, even to the idea that the short skirts came in because the maidens of the period found it difficult otherwise to keep with up with the martial stride of khakiclad friends and relatives "home on leave;" but I think the real reason is that stated In an article I came across recently in a woman's magazine. "The milliner and the dressmaker," says the writer, "are shrewd and fierce. They understood that only one force could vanquish economy—fashion. Their secret councils hummed with activity, and this is why the skirts of September, 1914, suddenly ballooned. It was necessary to force buying by making women conscious of the dates of their frocks, by making the old models unbearable when contrasted with the new. If dressmakers had not hit upon this device they would in most cases have succumbed to the • difficulties that assailed them." It is a rather terrible picture that the writer of this article allows his imagination to toy with—the makers of fashion in Europe busy in secret conclave, fiercely determined that though thrones might totter, and nations rise and fall, they at least would not go under, knowing full well that what they decided would be followed, not only by the women of the older countries'," but by those in faraway newer lands, overseas. "Fashion" has always been a word of might. "Gad, Sir Peter! you would not have me be out of the fashion!'' cried Lady Teazle some hundred and "fifty years ago; and women had been saying it for centuries before her, and wiU go on saying that, or some thing like it, for centuries ahead. After, all, the desire to be in the fashion, to do what others are doing, is only a development of that v social sense which binds mankind together; and a certain, amount of it does no harm. It is only when carried to extreme* that it becomes senseless and mischievous, and women have so much to occupy themselves with

now, and will have for a long time ahead, that they are not likely to let mere fashion run away with tliem too much. Instead, they help to make fashion by seizing on anything that is sensible and comfortable. That is why the short skirt had the success it did have, and not all the powers of the dress-designers' conclaves could make it longer now. The only drastic change they could make would be to take it away altogether; and indeed I have sometimes wondered how those thousands of women-in England who are working on the land, or doing other forms of war-work in tunics, breeches, and gaiters, will relish going back to clinging and hampering skirts, at least for out-of-doora. In the.same way open-throated blouses have stay, sleeves have and comfortable to wear; but—and it is a thing is easy-fitting, and an all in-one garment, such as the coat-frock, is much favoured. At the same time I am a little doubtful about the coat-frock. It is' certainly of a commendable simplicity, and comiortable to wear, but, —it is a big . "but"—unless it is of good . material and very well-cut, and worn by just the right person, it bears a fatal resemblance to a dressing-gown, and presents an appearance of indescribable dowdiness ; and appearances should count for something. I daresay I am not sufficiently accustomed to them yet. It is, strange how we get xised to a thing, and quite pleased by it, when it becomes the fashion, although we would have thought it quite odd a little while before. Curiously enough, while looking through Mrs E'arle's. "Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden" for- something else—which is a way discoveries are often made—l came across a note or two of hers on "girls and dress" which come in very appropriately. , She advocates letting girls dress "in the fashion, for there is no doubt that,, even if the fashion is ugly, to be dressed in the fashion looks smart." Well, there I don't agree with her. The very word "smartness" has about it a suggestion of—well, vulgarity, don't you think? and to follow a fashion that is ugly, simply because it is the fashion, seems to me downright silly. However, her further words are words of wisdom, worthy of -reflection. "There are always certain women who can dress artistically and peculiarly, and who look well in whatever they put on ; but these are the exceptions; 'and their imitators —as is usual with imitators —are apt to adopt their faults rather than their merits. Exceptional dress, independently of the wearer, is rarely, I think, attractive. Women who have dropped out of the fashion themselves are apt to be a little tried, when their daughters grow up, by the dress of the day,- and to think it rather exaggerated and ridiculous, just as the daughter would feel her mother's weddinggown to be impossible and out-of-date. A mother can only give her daughter general training, and then leave her to dress as she likes, merely offering the kindly criticism that would be given her by a friend or a sister, for every woman looks best in that which she herself has chosen, and which is an indication of her own individuality. By this I do not deny that many a mother would dress her daughter much better than the girl would dress herself; but the note of character would be wanting, which, in my opinion, makes dress in the long run the most becoming." EUZABETH.