Bonnie's Backyard
Here, lined up on the back porch of her Westchester County, N.Y. farmhouse, is Designer Bonnie Cashin's Fall '55 Sporting Look. Her leather and tweed clothes are made especially for the woman who leads an active, outdoor life. Their simple structure and blending of fall fabrics are classic Cashin hallmarks. From left to right: tweed greatcoat with hugging pockets, an ear-warming collar, $135; red wool jersey shirt coat, $100; an ivory kidskin coat with knit sleeves and collar, $125; leather walking skirt, lined with alpaca, $55, and sweater with hood-forming collar, $25; suede skirt, $35, matching sweater to order; leather ski-lift coat with knitted hood, $140; tapered leather pants, $65. All clothes available at Bonwit Teller, N.Y.; Marshall Field; I. Magnin.
Diminutive Bonnie Cashin is a native Californian who now lives in a farmhouse near Briarcliff, New York, purchased from Actress Dorothy McGuire and her husband John Swope. In a studio overlooking the rolling green countryside she "architects" sports clothes which become classics with almost seasonal regularity: she has received both the Neiman-Marcus and the Fashion Critics' awards for her designs. She believes clothes should make a woman at home in her background, knows how to create those that do from years of designing for the movies, the mass Seventh Avenue market, and from traveling constantly and living the active life for which her clothes are fashioned. No other designer has combined tweed, leather and knits with such success as Bonnie. She cuts leather like a fabric, lines it with alpaca for coats and skating skirts, combines it with cashmere, prints it with patterns, dyes it bright colors. Her tweeds and knits used separately and together have the feel of fall itself. Philip Sills manufactures her leather garments, Mr. Siggy the wool coats.
For spectator events, a tailored kidskin coat with buttoned pockets on both sides of back vent, striped jersey lining, $160. Shooting stick, binoculars at Abercrombie & Fitch.
For at-home entertaining, cobbler pants of leather, seamed in an apron effect in front, worn with wide neckline, bulky sweater. Marlene Dietrich owns these pants in many colors. Pants are $65; sweater, $16.95.
FOUR PHOTOS
ROBERT HALMI