FASHIONS AND BUSINESS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1929, Page 8

FASHIONS AND BUSINESS

SYDNEY WOMEN’S ACTIVITIES

SYDNEY, Nov. 17

Apropos of the Health Society’s crusade in Sydney against feminine footwear, one is reminded, as a matter of peculiar interest to the womenfolk, of a sidelight on the big round of spring meetings at Randwick that assumed almost the proportions of tragicomedy. Almost countless women observing slavishly the mandates of the Grand Moguls of fashion, hobbled painfully about there in the latest stumpytoed, stilt-heeled coloured shoes of all the rainbow’s ; colours. The new-fash-ioned shoes unquestionably looked smart, in tone with gorgeous frocks, and struck a gay note in the brilliant sartorial picture. The trouble appeared to be that most of the women had sadly under-estimated the size of their pedal extremities. The fault appeared to be not with the shoes but with the wearer of them. im *

The move for the adoption of what is regarded as more sensible footwear among women reminds one of the endeavour of the Roman Catholic Church in Sydney to restrain the tendency towards extreme fashion, and to promote what might be termed a more - modest outlook sartorially among the fair sex In fact, what with saner shoes, longer skirts, and so on, there appears to- be all the elements of a nice little war m Sydney, even if the Apostle long ago prescribed modest apparel. Other Churches as well as the Catholic body however, have pronounced their blessings upon the efforts of one of the women’s organisations to promote what is regarded as a healthier public opinion in this matter of dress. A noticeable impression at big dances in Sydney is that of a growing tendency to wear long skirts, possibly, however, because they look more graceful under such conditions, rather than from any desire to support in a practical way Isaiah’s scathing denunciation of extreme or extravagant adornment. More and more Sydney’s women, in common with their sisters in New Zealand and other parts of the world, are invading domains of activity which were formerly regarded as the monopoly of men. At least one woman, for example, wields the hammer as an auctioneer in Sydney. Only recently two young women established themselves in a tennis and other sports depot in the city, while in at least one establishment it is possible to 101 l back and i have your hair or whiskers trimmed or vour face shaved bv women barbers.

An announcement a day or two ago In an obscure and unimaginative property column of one of the newspapers shows that women have invaded the real estate business, with its ramifications of high and involved finance in an even more aggressive form than tney have established themselves in other activities hitherto regarded as the exclusive field of men, a married woman now the head of her own firm, is a striking example. She is Airs Rudder known as Airs C. J. Rudder and Son. Left a widow with two small children she drifted from a store into the business of selling and letting houses. Two years ago she went into real estate in earnest, and later took in her sqn as a partner. Mrs Rudder, a Fellow of the Real Estate Institute, says women like to do business with: women at least in real estate. Another woman in real estate in Sydney is a daughter of a former Stipendiary Magistrate Another woman founded a firm which now has a turnover exceeding a quarter of a million pounds a year.