DRESS CRITIC

Hokitika Guardian, 21 August 1929, Page 6

DRESS CRITIC

FLOPPY DIPS AT RACES

paris, July 1. Dress at the Grand Prix to-day was chastened. ’ That probably was the fault—or the virtue—of the weather, for many women waking in Paris this morning must have thought that the meeting would be a mackintosh review.

It rained 1 too, when most people were either deciding what to wear or actually setting out for races, though there was no i-airi during the meeting. Dress, i'fr consequence, was a surprising mixture. Tweed coats that would not 'have been out of place in a steamer, tailor-mades of various materials, wool stockinette ensembles. and jumper-suits mingled witli the georgettes, crepe-de-Chine, and satins. UNHAPPY-LOOKING FASHIONS. The draggle-tail dresses which did appear were’just as bad as the follies of As-cot, but at Longchamps they could be numbered in dozens, whereas at Ascot they came in hundreds. One printed chiffon to-day swept the gravelled walk at either side, the front of the dress being shorter than the back. Another had a floppy dip to the hem on the left oiily—an un-happy-looking dress that at first sight might have suggested a catastrophe with the door of a car. But no!. It was made that way! A r ery little white was to be seen. Prebably this too was due to |jad weather, as wh te is usually very popular at s'.a ;.np„. taut French racing meetin [. ! Llac-k or navy, printed with closelyset pin-head . yets, came in for a good deal a- favour, made up not only into ensenj...(.o, but also in the the traditional “tailor-made” style of skirt and short coat. The rarity of lace was as noteworthy as the rarity of mackintoshes, but Frenchwomen have no great love for that worthy garment. Moire was used for both dresses and coats-and-skirts. Several hats of medium size had the front o fthe brim uplifted over the left eye, a fashion which gives that curious sense of surprise which those off-tlie-eyehrow helmets gave when they were first launched. As at Ascot, so at the Grand Prix, T was congratulated on my condemnation of the floppy, shapeless type of dresses with uneven hem, ungraceful panel and purposeless bows. “A T our first article was in the nature of a bombshell,” one expert told me. “It was so astonishing to find anyone criticising fashions. Invariably they are accepted Unquestioning. Iy. Criticism is healthy, however, tiiat way progress lies/’ |