Evening star., 1954-05-23

~ HITU Ut u SCI GCC W UttGt
tDeH-dreSsed people are 1DeGr-
ING in UGriouS parts OF the
tDOrld.)
By ELeni
Venezuela is one place women
could wear orchids for every oc-
casion but don't.
The orchid is the national
flower of the country but con-
trary to what many people
think, women never wear them
in their hair or as corsages.
They are used in flower arrange
mentS, as they grow in such
profusion there.
The exotic flowers shape is
authentically reproduced, how
ever, in many of the gold and
pearl pins and earrings that are
typical of Venezuela. Another
typical jewelry piece is a neck
lace composed of gold nuggets,
as they are panned from the
river. set alternately with pearls
on a gold chain. The pearls
come from Venezuela'S famous
pearl center, the Margarita Is
land.
Sonora de Gonzalez, the tiny,
beautiful wife of the Ambassa-
dor, says that women in cities
like Caracas, Maracaibo and
Valencia generally wear clothes
imported from the United States
or Europe. The names OF Cell
Chapman, Henry Rosenfeld,
Nanty, along with others we'll
known in the fashion world are
as familiar there as they are
here.
International Buying
Wardrobe buying trips to the
United States and European
fashion centers are almost a
tradition with wealthy Vene-
zuelan women. Since many OF
their children study abroad,
they usually manage to combine
a visit to them with their shop
ping for an entire seasons ward
robe.
Sonora de Gonzalez's ward
robe, she points out, would be
the one she would wear in Ca
racas, Washington, New York
or Paris. In fact. buying
Christian Dier dress outside OF
Paris is simplified since he has
a beautiful salon right in Ca
racas. Pierre Belmain is also
contemplating the opening OF a
dressmaking establishment in
Caracas.
Cotton for Cosuols
Though cotton is worn here
for all occasions and at all times
during the day. Sonora Con-
zalez says that in Venezuela cot
tons are worn only for casual
wear. Chiffons. shantungs and
silk prints are favored. Sum
dresses are never worn on the
street regardless of what fabric
they're made.
Nearly all the women in Ven
ezuela wear a head-coverlng
called the "AndaluSa" that is
very reminiscent of the Spanish
mantilla but worn without
combs. It usually of lace or
what fabric and workmanship
a woman can afford. Unmarried
women wear a white "AndaluSa"
while married women wear black
one for church-going.
Very little adaptation of native
costume is seen in Venezuela.
Cotton skirts and off -the-Should-
er type white blouSeS are worn
extensively by the women in the
villages. Everywhere straw hats
are worn for protection against
the sun. Their native shoes are
called alpargatas and the hand
woven tops, sometimes embrold-
cred, come in all colors.
Spring never arrives suddenly
in Venezuela. Being in the Tor
rid Zone woolenS are seldom
worn except by those up in the
mountains where it is colder
There shawls are the favorite
coVer-up.
Male Foshion Popular
A male fashion that is seen
throughout Venezuela is the
''liquiliqui". This linen suit with
the high collared buttoned-
down-the-front jacket cut in an
almost straight line, has mill
tary origin of about 1870. Sonora
de Gonzalez has feminine ver-
sion of it with slim skirt that
she wears in the country.
Being well-dressed is being
simply dressed, Sonora de Con.
zalez feels. Social customs, d(
dictate, on the other hand, GER
tain exceptions to the fashion
rules of other countries.
Cocktail parties, for example
start in Caracas at Z in the
evening. They usually continue
through 10 or II pm. when 6
buffet dinner is served. Womer
attending them will wear decol.
lete cocktail clothes that woulC
probably seem "too dressed up
for a 5-to-7 cocktail party il
Washington. Even so, says tn,
Sonora, discretion in dress is al
ways the best standard for beihI
in perfect taste anywhere.