LADIES' DAY AT RANDWICK.

Shannon News, 13 November 1925, Page 4

LADIES' DAY AT RANDWICK.

! It is 'estimated 'that ladies' day at Randwick—one of the features of the spring racing carnival—attracted no fewer than 20,000 of -the feminine element. It is estimated that, for 'the display by these wom'en of the very latest spring fashions, the outlay on frocks, hats, shoes and stockings, bags, gloves' and lingerie ran into the ,tidy little sum of £220,000. This is apart from' "etceteras," such as shingles, shampoos, marcel waves, manicures, face massages and motor car hju'e. It is safe to say, according to a woman writer who has delved into the question in detail, and in a column article in one of the newspapers, that the cost incurred by these 20,000 women for 'the. visit to ißandwick on ladies' day ran into the neighbourhood of a quarter of a million sterling. The spring gowns are put down at the very low average of five, guineas apiece, which makes a total of 100,000 guineas. 8o much for the frocks. Then there is the little matter of hats. The majority of >the newest and smartest hats worn were Bangkok in all colours. Real Bangkoks are not to 1)0 had under three or four guineas, so it is said, but the Avriter, to be on the conservative side, has put the hats worn for the occasion at an average of a guinea and a-half each, which accounts for another 30,000 guineas.

There were also shoes and stockings. Here, again, the writer does not make an extravagant estimate, for she takes into consideration those who had to compromise with cheap artificial silk stockings. Under 'those heads, shoes and stockings, 40,000 guineas are accounted for. The gloves worn for the occasion, calculating again on the conservative side, are put down at half a guinea a pair. Bang goes another 10,000 guineas! Then there are handbags which, even at a guinea each, account for another 20,000 guineas. But all this is top-dressing. It docs not account for such things as jewellery and sun-shades, or for silken lingerie which, it is reckoned, accounted for another 20,000 guineas. This, of course, is apart from all the money that went into the totalisator and the bookmakers' bags. "Many a piece of black moire cuddled under the arm," the writer adds, "cost more than hundreds of women spend on all their clothes in a month.