B
,E PREPARED
see
some
to
super-
a d a p t a t i o n s of t h e c l o t h e s f r o m "The
A d v e n t u r e s of Robin H o o d " t h i s spring.
C o s t u m e p i c t u r e s u s u a l l y h a v e m o r e influence on c u r r e n t f a s h i o n s t h a n m o d e m
pictures.
A n d Milo A n d e r s o n h a s des i g n e d s o m e g o r g e o u s t h i n g s for t h e
W a r n e r Bros. T e c h n i c o l o r version of
t h i s f a m o u s tale, w h i c h will v e r y likely
h a v e m o r e t h a n a c a s u a l e f f e c t on s p r i n g
fashions.
Recently 1 went out to the famous
B u s c h Gardens in P a s a d e n a w h e r e t h e
a r c h e r y t o u r n a m e n t for t h i s picture,
s t a r r i n g Errol F l y n n and Olivia de Havilland, w a s being e n a c t e d .
Olivia w a s
s t u n n i n g in a court c o s t u m e of blue
and silver m e t a l - c l o t h m a d e w i t h a long
waistline, a c c e n t e d w i t h a girdle of
m e t a l l i c braid and a v e r y full skirt.
Over the long, t i g h t s l e e v e s of t h e
d r e s s w e r e outer s l e e v e s embroidered
in g o l d braid and j e w e l s . On her head
w a s a halo affair, not very different
f r o m t h e c r o w n l e s s h a t s w e wore last
s u m m e r e x c e p t t h a t it w a s w o r n over a
chiffon veil.
Errol F l y n n w a s very d a s h i n g in a
l e a t h e r jerkin and a g a y Robin Hood hat
with
long
feather.
Basil
Rathbone
w a s m a g n i f i c e n t in a tabard
(tunic
c o a t .split on the s i d e s ) of black and
gold brocade e d g e d in m e t a l l i c braid
and w o r n w i t h a j e w e l e d belt and a big
j e w e l e d pin a t t h e throat.
F o r adaptation, t h e men's c o s t u m e s
are a s inspirational a s t h o s e of t h e
w o m e n ; for i n s t a n c e , t h e leather jerkins
w o r n by Errol F l y n n all through t h e
picture. One is of browTi suede scalloped
around t h e b o t t o m and around t h e short
sleeves.
It is w h i p s t i t c h e d in leather
d o w n t h e f r o n t and w o r n with a w i d e
l e a t h e r belt. A n o t h e r h a s s q u a r e s c a l lops and is studded w i t h nail heads.
O l i v i a d e Havilland's m e t a l c l o t h gown,
which is a d a p t e d t o t h e m o d e r n m o d e .
ANDERSON
visualizes t h e s e j e r k i n s both f o r d a y t i m e and
f o r m a l w e a r a s a s m a r t addition to
milady s spring
wardrobe.
He
has
s k e t c h e d one version of a s t r e e t j a c k e t
w i t h a jerkin w h i c h could be m a d e either
in m a t e r i a l or s u e d e and w o r n a s a s u i t
with a m a t c h i n g s k i r t or s e p a r a t e l y
over d i f f e r e n t dresses. F o r an e v e n i n g
c o s t u m e he s u g g e s t s a jerkin m a d e up
in cloth of gold and w o r n o v e r a slim,
black crepe or v e l v e t skirt w i t h large
g o l d bracelet.
T h e tabard c a n be w o r n n o w a l m o s t
w i t h o u t c h a n g e . T u n i c s are c o m i n g back
i n t o t h e f a s h i o n p i c t u r e and t h i s one
could be m a d e up in a s p r i n g floral print
Flynn's ierlcin in m o d e r n
adaptation.
Knighthood's
and worn with a long-sleeved underblouse and akirt of satin. A jeweled
belt, auch as the one Basil wears, would
be stimnlng with this dress, particularly
now that jewelry of all kinds is so much
in vogue.
S t r a n g e a s it m i g h t s e e m now, t h e
m e n In t h e d a y s of Robin Hoo'" w o r e
m o r e Jewelry t h a n t h e w o m e n .
Maid
Marian (Olivia) and t h e ladies of t h e
c o u r t w o r e j e w e l e d o r n a m e n t s In their
hair and j e w e l e d c l a s p s o n their c a p e s ;
j e w e l e d hip g i r d l e s and s h o e buckles. B u t
t h e m e n of the c o u r t outdid t h e m . T h e y
w o r e h e a v y j e w e l e d rings, pins and buttons. Their l e a t h e r belts, d a g g e r s and
sword s c a b b a r d s w e r e s e t w i t h s e m i precious and p r e c i o u s s t o n e s . E v e n their
s w o r d s had j e w e l e d handles.
In one s c e n e in t h e picture Olivia
w e a r s a beautiful d r e s s made w i t h a
l o n g - w a i s t e d bodice of black and gold
m e t a l brocade w i t h a black velvet skirt
and m a t c h i n g cape. T h e cape, instead
of c o m i n g t o g e t h e i in t h e front, is worn
back on the s h o u l d e r s w i t h a m e t a l chain
a c r o s s t h e neckline and jeweled c l a s p s
on either side. Anderson believes t h a t
this m a y s t a r t a n e w f a s h i o n in capes.
H e also predicts that t h e halo h a t s
w h i c h Olivia and other ladies of t h e
court w e a r m a y influence a return of
t h e crov/nless h a t s . T h e new halo hat,
however, will be w o r n over s e p a r a t e
head veils, a s t h e y a r e in the picture.
T , H E Robin Hood h a t
in f e l t or suede w i t h a peaked c r o w n and
long feather, it s e e m s to me, will definitely be a spring millinery f e a t u r e .
There is a n o t h e r hat of Errol's. a s o f t ,
tall-crowned hat with leather laced e d g e
w o r n over a short shoulder cape, w h i c h
Anderson t h i n k s will have i t s influence
on the m o r e h i g h - s t y l e d spring hats.
T h e cowl and b o a t n e c k lines of t h e s e
c o s t u m e s , he also believes, will h a v e
their e f f e c t on s p r i n g clothes, since t h e s e
lines are a l m o s t u n i v e r s a l l y b e c o m i n g
t o women.
D u r i n g the Robin Hood period w o m e n
f r e q u e n t l y w o r e s l e e v e s w h i c h w e r e half
a s long a g a i n a s t h o s e w e w e a r n o w .
T h e y t w i s t e d t h e m around and around,
p u s h i n g t h e m u p their a r m s until t h e y
w e r e w r i s t length. It m a d e a very flatt e r i n g s l e e v e and A n d e r s o n s u g g e s t s i t
a s a n e w version of shirring. H e h a s
combined t h i s s l e e v e w i t h a tunic d r e s s
and added a shield appllqued on t h e
bodice a s a s u g g e s t i o n for a n e w s p r i n g
s t y l e . T h e tunic, w h i c h c a n be m a d e of
a n y n u m b e r of fabrics, m a y be w o r n
over a s l i m black skirt.
He has also
d e s i g n e d a shield s h a p e b a g w h i c h would
be a s m a r t addition t o t h e c o s t u m e .
shield
is
utilized.
Enrol Flynn's " R o b i n H o o d " jerkin iivspires new d a y t i m e or f o r m a l gowns.
S h e r w o o d Forest b r o u g h t u p - t o - d a t e .