Australian and New Zealand Women

Southland Times, Issue 22333, 26 May 1934, Page 17

Australian and New Zealand Women

A BUSINESS WOMAN’S VIEWPOINT. “Australian women are smart and so are New Zealand women,” said Mrs L. V. Empson in an interview with a Times reporter during the week. Mrs Empson is 'an Australian business woman and has travelled extensively in both countries. She said that Australian women, especially those of Melbourne, wore tweeds and tailored clothes a great deal, they were very smart and particularly careful about detail and matching accessories. She said that the average woman today was tall and well built and of a “tailored” type, therefore she chose tailored clothes. In Australia black and white piedominate and only beige and light stockings are worn. Even with black, beige stockings are worn—there being few gun-metal stockings to be seen. For evening wear stockings are very light in colour and are of pure chiffon. Shoes must match evening frocks, and in the day-time if the ensemble is green, then shoes are green too. Gloves, handbags and stockings are given as much thought as the actual frock or coat, they are to match. Details such as these can make or mar the most' costly of ensembles. Mrs Empson noticed particularly the good complexions the New Zealand women have, she thought that the exhilirating climate they live in was the reason for the natural colour and healthy look they possess. In comparing the women of both countries Mrs Empson said she thought that New Zealand women were very smart. Climatic conditions forced them to buy more winter clothes than summer ones, and it was easier to be smart in well-cut winter clothes than the lighter and flimsier ones worn in the summer. “You have splendid shops in New Zealand,” she said. “They import directly, and it is very easy for women in this country to look as smart as women of other countries.” Mrs Empson went on to say that women attached great importance to the buying of a hat; they tried it on and then wanted to try still more styles before they decided. The buying of a foundation garment was just as important, no make-shift would do. There were garments made to fit every figure and only the right one must be bought, just the same as only the right hat must be bought. The most costly garment would look very wrong when worn over badly fitting foundation garments, while a simple washing frock would look the last word in smartness when worn over the right foundation garment. Not only did these garments keep the figure in its correct shape, but also they helped to control muscles which had weakened through illness or lack of exercise. For evening wear, especially . under close-fitting evening frocks which revealed the figure, onepiece foundation garments should be worn, because the muscles of the diaphragm which were very often developed must be kept under control so as not to spoil the lines of a smart In conclusion Mrs Empson said that New Zealand women knew how to wear their clothes. As well as that they had a great thing in their favour, and that was good carriage, which was a' very important factor—in fact the deciding factor between smartness and dowdiness.