Classic Fashions Still Popular

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 2

Classic Fashions Still Popular

Ask any woman today which is the most useful item in her wardrobe and she is unlikely to choose something which is the last word in current fashion. In fact, the dress or the suit she finds she wears most will probably be of the type described as “classic”—dateless, elegant, simple and understated.

This Is the kind of suit made by a London company, which allies four generations of tailoring tradition with one of the most useful of fashion fabrics, jersey. Expert tailoring of this versatile material means that the fit and crispness of the suit is in the cut, not just the sewing and pressing of the fabric. Where washable fabrics are used, such as crimplene, nylon and courtelle, the interlining of collars, fronts and pocket flaps ensures a permanent bandbox look. In the company’s spring collection washable fabrics predominate. Some, including crimplene, which can be washed ovenright, have qulckdrying properties. Stitch detail provides interesting surface patterns. A jacquard jersey, for example, has a tree-bark surface from the weave, and twotone jacquard is woven to bring out the flower or leaf motif. Glitter nylon knitted into plain nylon gives a shimmer effect, and lurex thread gives more of a glint knitted into crimplene, courtelle and wool. With lovely fabrics in a variety of pastel and deepertoned colours allied to good tailoring, the styles are feminine and with the assured “rightness” for town, country and social wear which comes from classic lines. Suits are sleek, mostly with straight slim skirts and cardigan jackets. They rely on surface interest in the fabrics, tailored bows, curved seaming, pearl buttons or varied necklines. Dresses are carefully figureshaped with rounded or squared necklines and trim belts. Often they are teamed with matching jackets. Many of the dresses are short-sleeved or sleeveless which means that, when the jacket is taken off, they can be dressed with jewellery and

accessories for Informal evening wear. Full-length coats are tailored in a variety of styles and colours in washable crimplene.