New Trends Coming In Men's Clothing

Chronicle (Levin), 7 October 1949, Page 4

New Trends Coming In Men's Clothing

ifcusterity, always followmg doggedly in the footsteps df the upneaval" of war, has sh'own a definite effect "on the trend o'f fashions over the past eight years. However, with the approach of the 1949-50 summer season, there is every sign of a radical change in men's wear. Manufacturers Are g.eneraily correct in their prophesies of what the well-dressed man will be wearing, and this year they are preparing for a turn from the sombre to the light and more. unusual, said a Levin retailer yesterday'.. . The main feature of the new styles is lightness of weight. The average man' iio longer seeks seclusion in heavy tweed, but wbuld rather step out in light ' yet servic.eable materials. j Not to be outdone by the-gentle i sex, designers are quick to .follow the lead of wonien's fashion ex- t perts and are adopting a new look . for men. . Suit and sports coats have drppped two inches. Another feature of the new sports coat is the pencil edge, .a raised hem around the shoulders, giving a broader and jsmarter appearance to the figure; • • * v « v • ^ Fawns and browns - are replacing the previously popular grey in sports wear. Striped sports tro'user's are* also becomihg increasingly popular. - An alternative to the everyday sports coat cqmes with the reintroduction of blazers. Manufacturers have not ' as yet released anything but plain colours. NevertheleSs, when the restriqtions on clothing ease it is quite probable that stripes will once again be to 'the fore.. . \

The Vogue In Suits. The younger.section has created its own styie by popular demand. Double-breasted suits are now the vogue among young men- desiring something suitable for both evening . and everyday use. Greys and blues are still coiisidered the best' coiours, but they have a rival with the appearance of the gaberdine suit. In order to follow the lengtheilmg trend of coats, designers are concentrating on longer points for collars. Shirts with attached collars*will still be the mainstay of the gentlemen's wardrobe in preference to shirts with detachable collars. The porous type of . neglige shirt is most favoured for beach outings. The only. time that men will depart from cooler materiais is when they don the popular crew necked pullover, always to be • seen intermingled with the sun-tanned bodies and light shirts that line the country's many seaside resorts. As soon as material. becomes avallable, vertical stripes will distinguish the new idea in ties from the common floral and horizontal designs that have been the popular choice in men's neckwear over a period of years. However, until the supply can meet the * demand, figured and paisley ties will dominate the scene. Hats Important. This season wili see a campaign to instil hat consciousness into men. This move is' made with a view to impressing on New Zealand males the hitherto rarely recognised fact that hats do more to the wearer than cover the odd bald patch and keep his head .dry or shaded as the occasion demands. Hats do ffiatter, manufacturers say, and are just as important to a welldressed figure as matching socks and ties. ®A wide range of colours and shades will allow considerable scope for this in the new season's fashions. ' Other' features of the new hats are the wider brims and bound edges. Taken as a whole, the coming season's new fashions, should not give the men the appearance of gaily plumed peacocks on parade, but rather pfesent them with the opportunity to dress with taste, a factor that has for so long been the ' problem . of % the New Zealand male "population."