FASHIONS CHANGE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20950, 1 November 1939, Page 3

FASHIONS CHANGE

WAR S EFFECT ON STYLE Fashions in Sydney have already been affected by the war, which has made popular for ordinary wear the colours, and some of the styles of naval, military and air force uniforms, states an Australian paper. Navy-blue, which had fallen from the favour of well-dressed men, has suddenly returned to popularity—the name, of course, supplying the reason. Ties, shirts, pyjamas and socks are in airforce-blue, while walking sticks, for years scorned even by the aged, are seen more frequently. “We are asked continually for navy-blue. An almost invisible strip in red running through the weave is first favourite,” said a leading tailor. “Women are buying their menfolk airforce-blue accessories,” the manager of a men’s ware store reported. Women, for their own wear, are selecting brighter colours than have been worn for years. Cherry-red and glowing-yellow are in demand. Make-up will be brighter to harmonise with more colourful frocks. Frock shops are displaying military braid as trimming—one example being a summer suit in royal linen with silver-white braided lapels and sleeve ends. Head ’kerchiefs for beach wear are printed with Union Jack. Wedding: Rings Change Even jewellery, apparently, is to be affected, gold braid of the fighting services reviving the demand for yellow gold. “Yellow gold wedding rings were associated so long with the ugly broad band, that the demand was for white gold or platinum. With so mucn gold braid about we anticipate the return to favour for yellow gold, and are preparing a stock of thin plain and patterned wedding rings in yellow gold,” said the manager of a jewellery firm.

But to many women—and men—biggest news of all is that the semishingle, product of post-last-war days, is back, shoulder-length styling and Edwardian curls being clipped off.

The erstwhile shingle has a new name, of course—the Shaped Cut.