10 JULY 1964, Page 8

Scoop Topless dresses, it is quite clear, are this year's

Silly Season topic par excellence. It is not the sort of subject on which the Spectator would normally expect to be exceptionally well in- formed: but my colleague Roy Dewar reminds me that back in March we published a cartoon of his which accurately foretold the affair '011 heaven.—not that little black dress again!'

before anyone else had heard of it. Out of a vague, and slightly puzzled, sense of responsibility, it is reproduced here. Of course, Dewar didn't realise that he was dealing with something which would lash a thousand commentators, from the Archbishop of Canterbury downwards, into ac- tion. He thought he was just making a joke.

WKICHMAN