WINTER SPORTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20670, 8 March 1937, Page 12

WINTER SPORTS

INFLUENCE ON FASHIONS Every railway station in France is animated with an unwonted crowd. The interior is a forest of skis. Groups of girls and youths crowd the platforms, an extraordinary sight never before seen in Paris. W hat renders the scene still more unusual is that every skieur or neoskieur is wearing a ski costume as though the ski fields were close at hand. And what lovely and up-to-date costumes! This year winter sports are having a great influence upon fashion. It is a new charm for the Parisienne to be dressed in a ski costume. She becomes an elegant sportswoman, and the search for the right ski costume Is a new delight to her. So dressmakers have understood her new passion and have made her a great variety of costumes. Here is a blue woollen material jacket, with sleeves ending in fur gloves with zip fastening, and khaki coloured breeches. A second is in grey Impermeabilised material, double breasted jacket with straps on the shoulders. Another in white wool, trimmed with navy blue leather, skirt breeches partly in woollen, partly in leather. The navy blue woollen pullover to wear with this Is horizontally striped in white and red. A different blouse can be worn with this, a chemisier-blouse, for instance, in pale chartreuse green crepe, and a fur waistcoat, which can form a hood, can be fitted with the first costume, rendering It very comfortable and original. Some breeches are of the plusfours type. Others are short and shaped like riding breeches, trimmed with fur at the top of the boots. Another costume, very simple but of exquisite charm, is made of beige skidra. It has the little jacket of a tailormade, fastening with big buttons from the chin to the waist, where It takes the shape of a waistcoat. At the neck a little collar, and on the right and left of the breast are tv.- triangular pockets ornamented with stitches; the breeches are tied into the ski shoes. Other costumes, three-quarter length are made of lambskin, of which ths white hairy part is inside and the skin out; pockets are trimmed similarly, but the wool outside.

But when the pleasures of the day are over and the dance halls of the hotels at Chamonix, Aix les Bains, Megeve, Luchon and other resorts are bathed in a flood of light, the Parisienne exchanges her ski costume and heavy shoes for a long close-fitting evening gown of figured and printed material, whose designs are little human figures; the back and shoulders are bare, the front is in a V decollte, whose opening is laced far down the waist; a piece of black satin starts from the back of the neck, passes over the breast each side, and is drawn backwards before reaching the waist to join at the small of the back, where it widens in a flowing flare, the train is divided into two parts sweeping the floor. An original evening ensemble is in porcelain blue velvet, with a cape of the same material longer at the back, with a very charming hood. The Parisienne has also in her wardrobe r> most elegant coat in black velvet, reversible in satin, which she wears over a white satin gown. A plum-coloured lace gown, with a small cape draped in front and a long flap on side is a pretty combination. A black woollen crepe slip with a bluack tulle jacket, with applications of waxed satin flowers, in many colours, and wide independent skirt, in black tulle, is another original evening gown. A minimum red velvet coat originally trimmed in the back with marten, to wear over a black lacquered satin gown, with dull satin motifs and diamond hook, looks extremely smart on a tall slim figure. For evening wear the Parisienne has also other kinds of coats; a long redingote the same length as her dress, one of this season’s novelties, in velvet, or other material, an ermine cape with silver fox, or a long and wide jacket tn lame.