HOW TO DRESS FOR A MOTOR TOUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8841, 30 January 1907, Page 4

HOW TO DRESS FOR A MOTOR TOUR.

In the May number of •' The World s Work." Mr Henry Norman M.P., tells all about how to prepare for a motor tour. With regard to personal outfit, he says the outfitters otter a multitude of articles, meet of which are of the "freak" nature. Upon your choice, however, depend not only comfort, but also health. Each passenger on tour, lady or man, must have two coats— a thiu shower-proof hard-woven tweed, to button high, and a heavy coat of some such material as frieze. Both will be needed every day, even, in the hottest weather. For mv lady readers I may say (adds Mr Norman) that I once received a leeson that may interest them. It was my pleasurable duty to accompany as guide and interpreter the lady of " The- Flowing Road 1 ' on. a round of all the motorclothing shops of Paris, in search of a motor-coat. It seemed to me that we saw thousands of them, many of the most practical kind, many of the most flamboyant. She treated them all, even when displayed upon the perfect figures of superb "mannequins/ 5 with frank scorn. In vain I descanted upon what seemed to me admirable garments. She did not appear to hear me. When we left the last shop I said, " Well, what do you propose to do now? You have seen all there are." " I propose to have a pretty and equally useful one made," she replied; >( all these are either ugly or vulgar. Sure enough, in due course she appeared in incomparably the best and prettiest coat I have ever seen.. Its shape passes my powers of description, hut its material was^a soft cream-colour-ed woollen cloth lined with pale-blue ulk, with turned-back cuffs and collar vf ecru lace, over the blue. Over these ■he had a detachable collar and cuffs, A-hich she wore on ordinary journeys md removed when she wished to look smart. I scoffed at the pale-blue silk, but it was my privilege to he fellow-passenger with that coat for two thousand miles-

and at the. end of the time it was as Ginart and pretty as on the first day. When I confessed my error she remarked, "It is just- ac easy to be pretty as plain." An obvious remark rose to my lips, but as she gets quite as much flattery as is good for her, I did not utter it.