1954-07-03 — Page 9

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1954.

WEEK-END WOMANSENSE

Irish Fashion-Still In Its

Infancy-Has Worldwide Appeal

By ANNE SCOTT-JAMES

WENT to Dublin to see an Irish two- year-old. I don't mean a foal of Tulyar, Nimbus, or Aretic Prince. I wanted to neo what is happening to that astonishing infant phenomenon-Irish fashion.

War?!

I waded through the mlats of Irish inconsequence (from my hotel porter: "The But is very today, you'd better take your macintosh""). Or Irish leisureliness (from the travel agent: wholl, if you mise that plane there's mire to be one the day after"). Of Irish fatalism (from my

"AK,

driver after the second puncture in the rain: "]} we get stuck on Die mountain, gure we can stop the night with the Cistercian manka").

Irish! Is The Cry

And I found that in that unlikely, rain-Urked, depopulated Island, fashion has grown from a speck into a werkd influence. Today, the great Bolen- cinga ures Donegal tweed. An Irish evening snat can hit the cover of "Life" magazine. And in the past 15 months nione the world sales of frish dress inen have multiplied three tima opet,

at

irish ideas from Dublin and Cork, from Ulster and Donegal, have hit not only England and France but the toughest of all markets the U.S.A.

The finger on the trigger is undoubtedly that

of the Dublin designer Sybfl Connolly, who has all the brilliance and gaiety of the frish plus a rarer ability to canalise her talent,

In less than two years she has transformed the traditional clothes of the Irish peasant Into high fashion. She has got the world's most elegant

into black shawis anet

Annel red

Erast Homespun kalula tweed and hand crochet.

Women

All 'Styled Up'

Of course these simple rustle clothes have gone

through a terrific process of "styling up."

You should see what Sybil

Connolly phd her colleagues have done with Donegal tweed. Until now these tweeds have. szemeit Invincibly coarse, heavy and harsh,

the colours. und though they had sort of primitive beauty, had nothing et all to do with fashion.

મ

(Not surprising, when you have seen them being hand-woven in the lonely, tumbledown, white- washed colinges, where strong tea stews forever on the stove, the hens stray into the kitchen, and the weaver may, never, have travelled more than a donkey- ride's distance from his home.)

But her new tweeds are wonderfully light and soft, and the colours are fashion colours; Ink-blue, charcoal, and a warm dark red.

I asked Sybli Connolly to tell me about the collection she is now to shore this the that found

month, and spring of native idens doesn't Her show a sign of drying up. bext show will be as Irish the last.

Surprises

as

I promised not

to tell you

what her Dew colour is--but

it's a native ono. The fabrics

BIGGEST SURPRISE: She is

will be kilted tweed, black working on men's things. The

volvet, and white linen.

in

A

flies. flax flowers, game-bird feathers); and working on linens in Celtic prints.

Bybil Connolly shows what can be done with Trish fabrics, from the humblest to the best, from kitchen Hoen to first-class térend.

Left: almost for joke, sho makes a evching

dress of Irish towelling striped in all colours. Itt of the simplest possible cat, with a matching

sielk

Right:

superb

suit of the new soft, fine Donegal tweed

in ink-blue, stubbed

In

white, with

huge collar.

THE BEGUM'S SECRETS

By EILEEN ASCROFT

London, June 18. multi-coloured. but extremely W WHY is it that one

neat, hounds tooth pattern, woman wins the Ascot outstanding among the average fashion stakes

plain grey neckwear, year after year? Even since the French beauty, Yvette Lab гадвае, married the Agu Khan nine years ago have read, with almost monotonous regularity: "The Begum Was the

smartest woman there."

We

Irish linen over pettinata:, evening necklines but covered summer dress by Cork arms; and for fitted tailored designer Elizabeth · James, coats so elegantly cut that they

It was the same story at this are more for evening than for

your'a Ascort. On Wednesday day.

she was a dazzling figure in pure TWO: She has wonderful white from top to toe.

Д

Her Gold idea for jersey dresses made Cup day butt was white again, with loose hoods. For day, you in re-embroidered I saw many of these kleus In

2000, with wear the dress with a coat over large straw hat swathed with an embryonic state; Боле of them will come off, some will be 11, and pull the hood up instead chiffon, and white ombrella,

of a hat. For evening, you let the hood down and

and it falls into an off-shoulder cowl neckline,

This over-the-head look stems from the Irish shawl. The Irish

discarded, but for the best

I forecast an immense

them Success.

After I had visited Sybli Con- nolly, seen some of the fabrics being woven and finished, I went south to Cork, where an-

other designer. Elizabeth James, is working on the collection she will show in Dublin and London this month.

Promising Trends

ELEMENTARY

The fashion

Becrets of this

women wind them over their tall and striking brunette are to

If I had to award a booby prize, I regret that it would go to the Duke of Marlborough. His veteran grey morning out- fit looked in need of pressing, while his cloth-topped boots were frayed at the buttonholes.

MAYFAIR SNIPS

Princess Alexandra's fringe, appearing at Ascot recently, has started scissors snipping in May- fair,

Debutantes are rushing to copy the soft, curly hairdo of their ga morous contemporary princess.

The fringe is a pretty style f

face

heart- oval or

your

19

shaped. But if your features are square or round, it's better left alone. Nowton, part, blonde model who If you're under 21, like Zoe

has stolen most of the fashion photographs in the hot three months, a cute, straight fringe Batters a retrousse ncee.

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The bird that looks

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Exquisite form

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JILAT CHOICE O

Cole dywiză: FEHACO' LTD

MADE IN USA,

heads in a graceful, Madonna- elementary that they could be like way, and somehow a baby followed by any woman. always seems to be comfortably folded into one corn

First SIMPLICITY. She never corner.

looks overdressed or spolls her And now for that question

If you're not so young, it can you always shoot at me can outfit with fussy accessories. you buy these Irish clothes? She possesses some of the most be a successful disguise for kines irst sumpies have arrived

can Yes, some of them be fabulous jewellery in the world on the forehead.

Another She is working on

and Celtic American

name who caused plenty of

foenous na bought in England, but that isn't but rarely wears more than two

POPULAR PUBLICATIONS Jewellery: very rough, uncut talk. The snob shops like Aber- Out of many good designs and the point of this story. I regard pieces at a time. A three-string has adopted the wear-it-it-sults-

crombie and Fitch are writing to fresh ideas, I fastened on two it as part of my job to

choloer of large report

matched pearls you fringe is actress Ingrid trends-with-a-future.

11:0 fashion She wants order them.

necklace. favourite whether is everywhere,

bor She Bergman, maiding stage This is Hong Kong (now ready) She is

debut in Paris a fortnight ago. dresa

with ties starting

of ONE: I

wore it at Ascot each day. loved her dinner it's buyable or not.

COLOUR CON- Most Secondly

tringe daithful waistcoats clothes, for the autumn, in dark Italian fashion started green crown-thread linen;

cut Enjoyable Cookery and dressing-gowns of her grey Irish flannel. I share her flop." special lightweight bainin; and belief in warm evening clothes of the hefty hand-knitted socks.

for winters, enrves She has used this flannel for patterns shing short dinner dresses with low

earrings and bracelets of nemara marble.

dinner

with

to make

bainin natural marble jewellery.

д

"It may be a terrible

she sayo, for none

of

Jewellery is ready yet. "But She is also designing

want it to come off."

with Irish

MODERN MARRIAGE SERIES NO. 6

GROWING

GROWING old together

beautiful,

unspeakably

OLD

a

trickle, and swelled to a tidal SCIOUSNESS. She knows that devotee is, of course, Mamie Baby Book

wave. Irish

on black and white are the most "bangs" Eisenhower, wife of the fashion isn't anything like that scale. But I dramatic and flattering colours President of America. think you should know about it while it's young,

TOGETHER

By W. W. BAUER, M. D.

to beautiful features, and rarely varies this combination.

In 1952 I remember her in single while slike dress and an

MINK? NO

| The Hongkong Countryside (Herklots)

Hongkong Birds (Herklots) Coronation Clory

exoamous black cartwheel hat, of all ages on what they want it's Fun Finding Out 2nd saries

A week's quiz among women King George VI In 1951 she wore white again, from life reveals the following

with large black polka dots and feminine black hat underlined with u white. In 1968, when

chose

EAST-TO-WEST HAT

considerate, tho

daydreams:

First, a

No Hiding Place (Behind Scotland Yard) Common Marine Food-Fishes of Hongkong

(second enlarged edition) Weights & Measurements

(Bernard Wicksteed) husband. Rupert Adventures (Annual) weather was treacherous, she Second, health and beauty. And More Adventures of Rupert (Annual)

a fauitless black sult,

third, enough money not to have

Rupert (Mögazinos), small, black volled

to worry any more. hat and dazzling white gloves and

Runners-up are mink coats,| The Magle Scroll blouse.

world trips, reliable domestic helps, slim figures

and wash- Get something constructive to

ing machines. do-together. It is a virtual

have been. reading in certainty that there is in every

McCall's Magazine one of the some organisation to his home, with his stink- ment is involved, it means community

For third secret is NOT Duchess of Windsor'a ideas ugly.

A successful mar-

is described in a new Chinese Creeds & Customs (V. R. Burkhardt) ing pipe, his unshaven face, retiring to something in that can use volunteer service STEALING HER OWN LIME which be riage in old age must

church,

health LIGHT. She hospital,

that concentrates the blography

Ins been dirty shirt and generally teresting, and not merely agency, social service oup. A drama of her

4th Impression based on

ensemble in one written by Geoffrey Bocca the foundations

unwashed hair. Along with from something. It means, few hours a day, two or the place, such as a picture hat, un

This is how she decorated her The D-Day Story in Pictures (Bookings Accepted); laid in earlier life,

him, she abominates his not an empty void, but days a week, is enough to bring unusual jewel, or a piece of ex- summer home on the Riviera:

new interests, now toples of

The quisite embroidery. Marriages built primari- dog (maybe he hates her a life filled

On Sale At Duchess than done a mud- ith things conversation, new friends.

At the Cannes International nificent job un the chatean's ly on sex are never the cat in return), and maybe worth doing.

GRANDCHILDREN best, and they tend to go she banishes them both to It means maintaining 11-

There

it

can

be

to pieces at about the time the basement.

The old

អ

WEL

that

HONGKONG

weak

$ 8.50

15.00

25.00

$25.00

35.00

10.50

10,50

5.00

4,00

5.00

1.00

5.00

10.00

24.00

15.00

$18.00 7.50

KOWLOON.

Film Festival last year she stole redecoration. In many of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, LTD. the fashion limelight from the rooms the Duchess played on Time

naturally be

effect of Blues are dependence of children as long

dressed-statem by turning up the contrasting overdre of the woman's meno innumerable ways in which as physical and financial capoel- devoted to the children and the in a white silk dress gorgeously and whites, and in doing 10 grandchildren. The more İle embroidered with black beads, mode fasting impact on Riviera pause and the man's middle two determined, experienced ties permit. A home, an spart teresting, attractive and alive And hat only Eccessories were fashion. The rooms had a blue age, if not earlier. Or they and not unintelligent people ment, or membership in the grandparents are, the more long black

well-managed home for the

gloves, and pearl and white motit. deteriorate into a snapping can irritate each other, ex- aged, in the best solution. Tat welcome they will be.

drop earrings. Hobbies? endurance. pertly. and marling

the neighbours talk

GUESTS JOIN IN Well, not boondog- old gling

lovely She realives Not making something contest, with the husband The common lyrical por- Podchlären will be happler If can't live away

and thai thildren and that nobody wants and that you spinine shoulders, do not need critically nasty about his trayal of two sweet, white- they are visitors in the homes

when you've adorning with heavy necklaces.

My other nordnation for the wife's lost beauty, her haired old folks sitting by of the younger generation, nut what unexpectedly salable and

is surprising best-dressed

wormen on Ascot "slipping" as a housekeeper. the fire or gazing Into the of the hontyod sentimentality. 20f #omebody may evolve. At Gail Cup day was Lady Bhawand cocktails were served in or being ralentra to her friends, belligerant not toward friendly visitors; either. What a bore. that strength 1a put aside.

residents. It is time that some

the right answer, parente

generally putting forth that would be

littlo extra effort that

makca the difference be

KEEP ACTIVE

tween being difficult and The modern concept of trav growing old applies to, bool

being impossible.

A woman of spirit does doing so together as woll othe

not take this sort of thing as alone. It calls for the

meekly and she has a string maintenance of an intelli- could hay

or, two to her bow. She is, gent and often «mation in,

made

But

to match,

"The cocktail bar at the tập of the house was bicie and whic

blue wont white

Tho when the hervants" brousart to the guess? Bedrooms would be, white with with white ably word

patteries with bit ridiculous; but Princess dress, die'Enghave my 10odel i

add a crowd of bourhood cheapenon and of dick boys in his binomist, Independence." with the train, belutal ballva man

not reticent about her terest in what is going wewe; udving into броше, ав an "ornament” in the

If retireture and a

Bithough

good R

of dresa It made In the her, womeri scriving at the

IVED

Cultured EYES

Pearls

CAN RUIN YOUR WORK!

When your wyss scho, wod To soothe and strengthe {gyes_regularly with

Eye Lotion. It wasbes

Doctors RECOM

FALCONERS Optre

+