BRIGHT AND VARIED WERE THE FASHIONS AT THE WANGANUI RACES

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 September 1950, Page 7

BRIGHT AND VARIED WERE THE FASHIONS AT THE WANGANUI RACES

Although the weather conditions early on Saturday morning did not look very promising the skies cleared and the sun shone out warmly for an hour or two, and later became overcast with a light drizzle of rain. Feminine patrons who came from a distance had come prepared for a chilly day, with fur coats and wraps over spring ensembles, while others chose tailored and two-piece suits, or woollen or astrakhan coats.

The fashion scene was bright and varied, many gay and lovely colours being intermingled with subdued tonings. Grey, in all the shades from pale dove to the deeper range was first colour choice, with the new browns and blues a close second. The new red shades, including the vermillion, and cerise tonings, made bright patches of colour; as also did chartreuse green, which allied as accessories with gay outfits, gave added notes of colour to the scene. Lime green was seen as accessories to black, and also to off-white outfits. Grey and off-white, grey, and vermillion, midnight or mid-blue with white, brown and cream, were other combined colours favoured. Lime green gloves and straw hat made attractive accessories to a smart black boucle coat, and in another instance, with a soft grey astrakhan coat. The wearers of several smartly cut grey coats, chose matching toques of draped felt with side trimming of feathers. Several spring suits showed the new trend of fashion, and coats in the latest shade of taupe and donkey brown had fuller collars and showed new features at the neckline and pockets. A grey coat widely striped in black and green worn with a plain grey skirt and small hat to match was smart. Several women looked smart in black, either in suits or full-length ensembles, worn with furs, and equally attractive were the ensembles in mid-blue and donkey brown. Several charming models in spring -millinery were seen. A long sprig of pink blossoms trimmed a blue-grey straw hat draped in toque effect, and worn with a matching frock and squirrel fur coat. Multi-coloured pastel flowers cascaded down the side of a blue straw hat with a matching veil. Some models had clusters of fruit, and others were trimmed with soft feathery mounts. A spray-like feather trim formed a half halo effect on a navy blue hat. The majority wore fur or fur felt hats, either in draped or toque style. Handbags and shoes toned with the outfits and in one or two instances bags and gloves formed the colour contrast for an ensemble. Mrs F. F. Newman, wife of the president’of the club, welcomed the visitors at the luncheon. She wore a smart navy blue coat with scalloped effect at the waistline at the back, blue felt hat draped at the side with a feather mount, and ornamented with a silver brooch in the form of a horse. Her wrap was a smoky fox fur. The floral decorations in the luncheon rooms consisted of wide troughs on the deep shelf massed with several kinds of spring blossoms, mimosa, flowering currant, japonica, and rhododendrons, and at each end a bowl of arum lilies and purple-blue irises. Red camelias arranged in floating bowls and daffodils and other spring flowers in large bowls decoratdd the tables.