SPORTING LOOK
NEW TWEEDS from old IRELAND
The August gentlemen at left, bowler-hatted and stern, are pursuing their favorite occupation: the judging of some of the world's best horses at the annual, elegant Dublin Horse Show. But while they, like the less formal spectators below, may be concentrating on horses, they see beyond the horses the wonderful show of Ireland's other great pride—its women, dressed in their best for Ladies' Day at the Royal Dublin Society grounds in Ballsbridge. By no coincidence, tweed is predominant in their costumes, for tweed is indigenous to Ireland. The horseman is recognized by his hacking jacket of Donegal tweed, hand-woven in a thatch-roofed cottage. The Aran fisherman is known by the soft, white, undyed wool bainin (pronounced baw-neen) he wears. Here at Dublin tweeds are seen in a new form, for Irish dressmakers, now gaining fame as the Irish couture, have refined their native fabrics in clothes which are following Irish horses to the great sports centers of the world.
Judges Herbert Sutton and Major P. Donner wear Irish tweed hacking jackets which are the uniform of their exalted positions as judges of Ireland's best hunters. Below, intent "bench" judges, though unofficial, also cast a judicious eye at proceedings.
Aran Knit of bainin, in a fishermen's pattern typical of those used by the Aran islanders to identify individual families, is made into a coat and lined with the same bainin tweed as the dress worn by Dublin's Mrs. Patrick Mitchell.
New style shirt dress of Irish tweed, woven in bands of apricot, pink and mauve, is worn straight and belt-less by Mrs. Catherine Petersen of London and Dublin, who is an adviser on fashion to the Irish Export Promotion Board.
White Tweed is worn by Mrs. H. S. Tiel of Rutland, England as she checks her program after a judging of hunters. This dress, like the one below, is beltless. It is one of an entire wardrobe of tweeds brought by Mrs. Tiel to Dublin.
ARAN ISLE provides BAININ
Tweed suit worn by Hannah Jorgensen of Dublin uses bainin tweed, knitted bainin cuffs and waistband. Designed by Irene Gilbert, this suit reflects world fashion, is liked by Irish women and exported to the U.S.
Combination of natural and pink-dyed bainin tweed, by Dublin's Irene Gilbert, has Irish crochet at neckline of the dress and matching crocheted hat. Winnie Butler chats with Irish bagpipers, Patrick Wall and Patrick Farrell.
Dressmaker bainin suit is worn by Mrs. M. Kingcote as she stands beside judging paddock with Colonel G. T. Hurrell, dressed in judges' tweed hacking jacket and bowler hat. Colonel Hurrell also refereed judging of hunters.
Cardigan sweater of natural bainin is worn with a bainin tweed skirt by Mrs. Catherine Petersen at the jumping enclosure. Hand-knit bainin sweaters, traditionally bulky and shapeless, now are streamlined for export to the U.S.
NINE PHOTOS
JERRY COOKE