March 1934: A day in the life…
Madge has planned a motor trip today. Last week she received her new motoring tunic in ‘ice blue’. As it covers the knees, she doesn’t need to worry about keeping a blanket in place, and she can look smart if she needs to suddenly pull-over to speak to an acquaintance (people have complained about her ill-timed stops, so she will only stop for someone ‘worthwhile’. Of course, pedestrians should keep out of the way and look where they are going). It fastens at the back, in actual fact, and has a belt at the waist to secure it. The ice blue colour complements her eyes beautifully (her eyes aren’t blue but she likes to think they are). Although the shoes are a bit utilitarian, they indicate a certain sportiness that she is happy to show off. It is quite satisfying to walk into the petrol station tearoom wearing her motoring shoes. Anyway, she recently got a new coat in ‘haze-pink’ that has a low cross over front and is fastened at the side with large brown buttons, so these ‘go’ with the brown shoes. It was featured at a dress show in Dublin recently. The coat has a scarf collar that wraps around the throat. It gives a fashionable tube-like silhouette because the back is straight and the front is tailored. She also purchased a divine grey-green cloak that fastens to the shoulders of a smart two-piece suit. Really useful for women who travel a lot.
Sports are really having a ‘moment’ in fashion and it is the first time in years that she has felt really enthusiastic about new styles. It is like owning a daring new persona – the best, most adventurous version of herself. She has been reading much criticism about women getting too involved in sports like flying; there have been suggestions that ladies are learning to fly just so that they can show off their licence but then they don’t fly at all! Madge might do the same – why not? Who knows when a flying licence might come in handy nowadays. The plans for the ‘Blue Lagoon’ on the north coast include landing space for gypsy moth aeroplanes and all the chicest people will go there to fly, sail, swim and motor (there is a grand seaside boulevard being built along the coast to the Velvet Strand). Madge sees herself fitting very well into this scene, and is happy that at last all the new plans for Dublin are beginning to happen! It is not enough to have the best up to date environments for night-time entertainment (we have our super cinemas in styles to suit all tastes, the atmospherics and the moderne varieties) but to have more coastal venues – with an air of exclusivity – is really what is needed to-day. Especially now that the north coast has been invaded by day trippers of the lowest sort, camping in old tram cars and shacks.
Those flying suits really are very modern and appealing… The only nod to the feminine is the accessories that the aviatrix herself wishes to add, like a thick necklace of coloured beads. They are normally a fully white one-piece costume and the ladies she has seen photographed were wearing matching white high-heeled shoes with them. Dressed the same as the male aviators, they paint a perfect picture of equality (and originality).
For the motoring trip, Madge considered adding an acquaintance and making a party of it, but she rather thinks she prefers the idea of getting away from it all and really working on being an independent, modern woman. She wants to enjoy the vision of herself appearing like a shot of emerald green as she speeds through the local village in her ‘sunbeam’, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake, stopping where she wants to and giving her motoring clothes a real test. She might contribute an article to the Irish Tatler & Sketch. Now that’s an idea! She will be the fashion and motoring correspondent and will call her column ‘Motoring Matters for Ladies’.
nova: vintage treasure 