Fashion notes for every woman

Available today are scores of fashion magazines, both foreign and local, containing suggestions, illustrations and advice on how to be well dressed. As a result, it is heartening to find that a large percentage of women do spend time with their appearance and manage to achieve results that are eminently satisfactory. Colourful, gay and smart, they grace any occasion and are indeed a delight to behold.

However, there are other women who still find the business of getting an ensemble together difficult or nerve-racking, and who would, therefore, welcome a few practical hints.

With the vast assortment of fabrics—silk, cotton, wool and  man-made textiles—to choose from, and priced to suit every purse, there is no reason why good dressing and good grooming can not be achieved by each one of us.

No longer need the working girl envy her more fortunate and wealthy sister, for with sound commonsense, an eye for detail, and a little guidance, she too can be chic, confident and poised— secure in the knowledge that she is not a whit less attractive.

Though good taste and the ability to dress well is inherent in some—like a talent for painting or music-nevertheless those minus this gift can cultivate it and thus overcome any errors of judgement they might otherwise commit.

Despite the fact that America and England too are now going in for high couture and have their own fashion designers, yet France remains the leader in this particular field—with Paris as its hub.

In the West, exquisite and expensive custom-made clothes are the prerogative of the wealthy. We orientals have the advantage over them in being able to order ‘the tailor round the corner’ or one’s favourite ‘darzee’ to ‘run up’ an elegant dress or a cute choli in no time at all and at very little cost! The really good ones are surprisingly able and proud of their fine workmanship—seen in the beautiful finish given to the garments they make. And they are competent and will produce for you an exact replica of a Paris gown or a Chinese dress—in fact, just, about anything!

There are many who believe that a woman should fit herself to the prevailing mode and thus always be in fashion. This theory is fundamentally wrong, for certain styles are extreme, and look well only on the willowy mannequin—with the ideal figure for modelling and showing off clothes to advantage. Unfortunately, most of us do not fall in this envied category. So, the best thing we can do is to study ourselves and dress accordingly, instead of following the dictates of fashion blindly.

One can allow the general trend while modifying or eliminating unsuitable features so that what one wears is becoming to one’s own particular self. Thus, the world of fashion has finally arrived at the decision that the woman is more important than the dress she wears!

Pierre Balmain, French expert on women’s clothes was iodized by the elite of Europe for his magnificent ‘creations’. His ideas on points which we should remember if we are to appear elegant and attractive, are excellent guides to good dressing. We pass them on to you:

He says, ‘Fashion does not seek to change the woman. It is the changing woman and the clothes she requires for her mode of life that causes fashion to alter.’

Therefore, let your activities rather than your age govern the choice of clothes you buy.

But here too he feels that discretion and good taste are essential, as that which is suitable for a young, lithe teenager would hardly do for an elderly woman even though she is slimmer and spry.

First create the basic colour scheme of an outfit, and then introduce touches of colour to break the monotony and lend drama. ‘The more colours you put together, the more knowledge you need to do it successfully’, says Balmain.

The woman with a limited amount of money to spend on a wardrobe should go in for a few super ensembles—plain but smart. Ring the changes with a variety of interesting accessories.

The combination of colours in dress and choice of accessories is a fair indication of a woman’s personality, for they reflect her taste.

‘A small piece of real jewellery of good quality is better than a large piece of inferior quality’ insists Pierre. He also suggests that costume jewellery when used should be large and lavish.

Then, as a final word on the subject of fashion, Balmain admonishes that ‘a woman should never relinquish any of her weapons’ if she is to appear utterly feminine and desirable! This, I agree, is especially important as women today work side by side with men in business, profession or career, and it would be dull and tiresome if both sexes wore pants and swaggered around with a masculine air!