‘HOW DO THEY DO IT?”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20261, 9 November 1935, Page 11

‘HOW DO THEY DO IT?”

DIFFICULT TO BE DOWDY THE SMART NEW YORK WOMEN It must be more difficult to be dowdy in New York than in any other city in the world, observes a writer in the London “Daily Telegraph.” One’s first awed impression, concerning the trim figure and immaculately turnedout women of all ages, is “How do they do it?” Later one realises that to the New York woman smartness is not a luxury, but an integral part of her scheme of life, and this not only in her twenties, but at all ages. Her stockings are the sheerest silk. She buys them half a dozen pairs at once, but since they cost, quite good ones, under three shillings a pair, one can see how this is possible. Incidentally, the stockingless vogue is unknown in New York. She is fastidious about shoes; probably pays 8 to 10 dollars for them, or twice as much as she does for a frock. Since the garment trade is more highly specialised in New York than anywhere else in the world you never see a badly-fitting frock—or rather dress. They don’t talk about frocks over there. It is either dress or gown. Street dresses are all exquisitely tailored shirt waist style in washable silk or crepe, usually white, with navy or scarlet neckerchiefs. Alternatively there are floral ninons, with short coats to match. Hats, shoes, gloves, and bag are in-

evitably spotless white. One department store is advertising bags of white beads about the size of shoe buttons—as being “cool to hold.” Mostly the handbags are of linen, and will launder like a handkerchief. There is a distinct craze for lilac-coloured dresses, coats, and suits in thin crepe or linen. Hats are very smart, and it is possible to buy them very cheaply. In the less exclusive shops you can get three for a dollar (4s). “Imported” models, of course, are expensive. Anything imported, either from France or England, is the high-water mark of 3tyle. Only the Very Latest With dresses so inexpensive, no New York woman would dream of carrying over a summer frock to next season, or of “making over” anything to the latest fashion. They have beautifully groomed heads. If they have a permanent wave it is always beautifully kept. If they go in for the fashion of massed curls all over the back of the head they have a “croquinole,” which means the ends are permanently curled; this costs less than a full permanent wave. If you have neither of these your hair is probably long and done in an immaculate bun or toil, or neatly shingled with carefully-tended side bits. Even the cheapest hairdressing shops in New York shampoo your hair in the French way—backwards, so the soap can’t get in your eyes. They are horrified at the thought that in England women still put their heads in a basin. The one flaw is the New York woman’s gloves. On the hottest day in midsummer, even if she is wearing nothing else but a slip and a dress, she insists on wearing a pair of* white cotton gloves, usually with fussy openwork gauntlets. In spite of her necessarily expensive wardrobe—in the New York summer you have a fresh frock, lingerie, and stockings every time you go out—the New York woman does not seem to spend much more than an Englishwoman. A low estimate for the business woman’s dress budget is 225 dollars a year—about £45. But the New York woman gets more for her money. This is as far as clothes are concerned. When you come to the rent she has to pay for an apartment—that’s another story. v