LADIES COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1910, Page 11

LADIES COLUMN.

London -Fashion Notes. SOME FEATURES OF EVENING DRESS (From Our Own Correspondent.) ■ LONDON, 4th February, 1910. Very many of tho evening dresees aro cut on Princess linos, following the figure very faithfully; indeed there are times when the closeness of the fit is astounding—a second skin could not cling more affectionately. All these skin-tight robes necessitate the sparoost of underclothing, and what there is beneath must bo ot silk — oven corsets now arc of «ilk of as. thin a nature as will stand tho strain of compact fastening. • Soft satin is really mott liked for tho evening dross cut on princoss lines; the bodico portion fits without fold or crease, and this exacting condition is maintained to the knocs, whore the long tunic deapery is lifted up and divided and tied into a bijj bow or a scries of bows, at tho feet. Buckles of old Spanish paste are used to catch tho draperies here and there, for nearly all the evening tunics have b«en outlined with fur. In thii romarkablo period for veiling everything, oven a bordering of fur is covered with a transparency of tulle. For the tall figure, tho tunic is encouraged to make a straight line across tho knees or thereabouts. For tho short person tho long tunic that entirely vtiils tho more substantial undcrdres3 m recommended. For tho stout, there is the tunic which docs not fit in closely to the wnist, while for the very «lim person tho pnnier-draping is introduced, tho tunio then usually being of somo soft material, a good deal of which can bo used without clumsy effect. Some tunics aro embroidorcd all over, others are outlined with fur, or hanguiß beaded fringe all round the edge. The mission of tho most favoured tunic seems to bo to drape and veil at tho samo time. Very strange, and anything but pleasing, ii the "sack tunic, so called bocaaso it is exactly liko a sack opened up at the sides and elunp round tho shoulders; it falls square and unbecomingly; it is moro usually of glistening net or tullo, which reproduces exactly the colour of tho gown beneath; fur is liked as a border. When loft fairly full, tho draped tunio may be quite graceful and picturesque. Tho upper part of the bodice may bo urrangod in fichu folds, but theso must not interfere with tho linos of the figure. PANIERS, OR FRILLS— OR BOTH. At prwont the latest models suggest two quite distinct periods of dress, borne of the best -recognised designers ore bringing out evening drosses plenteously HAinced, some ot tho skirts consisting wholly of gathered flounce* from hem to just below the waist, with a pointed and rather short-waiatod bodico as an accompaniment. Then again quite different nro the models whereou tho panicr is introduced, usually draped. A wholo overdrosa may form a panioi «jr looped polonaise, cut away in front to chow some »kirt deoorution of richor and heavier material or of wondorful ombroidory. Tho accompanying bodico is usually draped from a point at tho waist, kimonostyle, over tho shoulder, forming a draped sleeve. Lvoning frocks of lace which are flounced right to tho waist, usually have the decolletago cut in rather oblong shape, outlined by a narrow tucker. Younger than a pointed bodice is a folded wai&tbe't of silk or satin, held in placo by a very deep fancy bucklo of enamel, which it of tho same colour as tho belt. Tho all-black evening; dress is extremely popular, and many in tho immediato future will be of Ohantilly lace, generously boflounced about tho ekirt. Tho exporiment is being tried of mounting tho block laco drcas on n foundation oi coloured shot silk, and introducing touches of trimming to correspond. For tho homo dressmaker tho following hints will probably bo acceptable:— "ln cwlocting a bodice, it must bo borno in mind that there is a complete alteration of cut No aeams aro to be found at nil in tho latest patterns. Even tho new season blouses aro moulded very closely to tho figuro, and there is no Boam to bo discovered, for tho shoulders oling as does the Japanese kimono. Tho new bodice, when short and when trimming is introduced, looks very woll, and is not so trying as tho plain ono for daywear or the blouse. Tho latter, when composed, as ore tho newest, of eatiu crepe, or the finest silken-backed cashmere, must outline the form without a crease or wrinkle. They still fasten bohind, and the shoulder and sleeves continue the effect of literally moulding tho outline of tho wearor." LUXURIOUS TAILOR-MADES. Item from Paris : 111 tho spring nearly all our tailor-mades are to be in Liberty materials; points to bo noticed aro tho double flounce, tho two lines of buttons reaching down to tho ompiecement of the skirt only, aud not to its hem, as last year; and, finally, tho turnod-down collar, the jaboi, and sleovo ruffles in embroidered net. All of theso will shortly be worn. Ono important tailor is preferring delicate pastel shades — including a tono of groy called pewter, a soft sad green that will be known as cyprns3. Blue fumoe (or smoke), whioh is one of tho most up-to-date of colours, is vory dark, but has a bloom over its surface, and its general appearanco is quito different from navy or marine blues. Chalk-white silk will bo included among tho variety — indeed, costumes of heavy silk, in white, with largo rib, aro being taken . to the South of Franco. Thero is an increasing tendonoy for such coats to bo fastened down on the left sido < with heavy rolls of silk braid and braid buttons. White silk coats and skirt* will not be economical wear in London, but, doubtloss, some will be seen at a later poriod; meanwhile," silk coats and skirts tor London wear will bo of dull grey, dark blue, warm brown, and useful shades generally. Shantung, palo toned moiro velours, and very fine cloths, are being usfd as niuih for dresses as for tailor-mades. When of the lattor style, tho coats ore distinctly shorter, although a great many aro still fastened below tho waistline with ono gigantic button, and aro finish cd with the now-familiar roll collar. The jet button has not been altogothct discarded, but tho button covered with silk or satin is preferred. Paris is reported to bo preparing home double-breasted coats, made after tho old familiar pattern, with deep-seamed basque ; such v coat stops short just ab&vo tho knees. Braiding is shown on some of the late models, but the braid used is of tho military typo, and not tho narrow ono whioh has been favoured for rather a long while. Panels formed of wide braid are to bo seen on some of the coats, outlining what looks like a bolero superposed on tho coat itself ; tho braid is merely a trimming. Large braided flaps aro put on to simulato pockets; cravats and waistcoats aro in voguo in some cases. For tho roally useful morning tailor-mu.de trimming is not as a rule desired; it is worn with a skirt made in kilted pleats. Coat linings now are often of brocaded silks instead of whito satin, while tropa Paris intimation comes that such a lining as an Oriental cotton may bo substituted when economy has to be practised ; this material is of bold colouring, and ono such coat-lining recently arrived from Franco was finished right down tho front of tho inside with a neat quilling of satin ribbon, repeating the ground tone of the cotton — the restrlt is described as having been excellent. ALL IN THE SAME MOULD. It is not only in .London that we suffer from periodic epidemics in the fashion world ; tho samo thing happens in Paris. In both centres everybody looks like everybody olso This winter tho features of uniformity have been black beaver hats of big shapes worn with long straight fur coats — usually of some branch of the seal family— hanging without any fit or shapo from the neck to tho feet. These ooats of ono of tho cheap varieties of seal havo boon all the rage ; probably they will find their way into N«w Zealand in large numbers during the winter there. IF any trimming is needed, it must bo skunk fur, which forms_ collar and cuffs, and sometimes is seen in a deep band round the edgo of the coat ai wall. Cut on tho Noah's Arkianjrgei, these coats are not pleas-

ing to look at, but they arc cosy to wear, and they have been patronised so enormously because they nro f>o warm and permit tho woaving of tho most airy "At Homo" dress beneath, modo of chiffon or tulle or tho thinnest of cropo do chine. Onco tho fur coat is takon o(l, tho wearer is ready to enter tho nmart<»st drawingroom oven on the coldest day. Bnt thoro should be no objection to Uio long fur coat being out on moro shapely lines; it would bo rather moro snug, Midccd, if thoro was a soinbjanco of a fit übout it than is tho caso now, when it fulls loosely from the shoulder. But, of course, tno fur coat makers have modelled this winter's fashions on those which ha-vo ruled in departments controlled by tailors. Drosses now worn on wintor days are far more delicate alike in fabrio and in cojour than they were simuo soasons ago, including soft whito lawns and muslins, embroidered and trimmed generously with real lace, white chiffon, white ninon do soic, tastefully drapod and arranged over complete un-dor-robos of soft white satin. Foulards of satin-liko surface uro being chosen now as woll, in palo shades of Hlac, pink, blue, patterned »vith conventional de«ign» of cither black or white. Theso are _ simply made, with fiscbu-draped bodices and elbow sleeves with lace continuations to tho wrist.