Paris in the Mirror

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 12, 13 July 1935, Page 19

Paris in the Mirror

Written for "The Post" by Germainc,

PARIS, May 22. : Fashion openings began with the Directoire boom, with its snug taut little jackets, with collars high at the nape of the neck, frilly jabots or cravats, or stocks, such as Danton, Robespierre, and "Marat, to say nothing of the "Incroyables," wore. Then came the full skirt widening gently from the hip lino, off-the-shoulder neck for evening, feather trimmings, gauging on the bodices of day dresses, and capes falling softly to the elbows, hips, or knees, all giving that feminine touch to clothes, which' make them easy to wear and becoming. Afterwards, unexpectedly, one came j upon another .inspired silhouette—the Japanese, Chinese, Oriental. At first

glance, it is evident that all that has been' said about the East being East, the West being West,: and the inability of the ■.twain." to meet; is • quite incorrect. For they do meet beautifully in these new-born clothes, without in the least changing the fundamental lines of Western clothes, without for one minute making you fee! that you have been costumed, to play a part in "The Mikado" or "Madame Butterfly." This Oriental influence is indeed remarkable. We see Chinese necklines, sloping shoulders;! and sleeves, ', the \ easy, loose

| sticks on you without any .elp from straps across the shoulders or around the neck—don't ask me how it's done. The idea is to allow you to get the sun-burn without leaving white strips in odd places, or being obliged to go around hanging on to your garment for fear of suddenly finding yourself in a state of great undress. There is a cord to slip round the back of your neck when about to breast the stormy waves. Women are wearing their initials in quite a conspicuous fashion to trim their bathing suits. Not only are letters embroidered on the bathing suit itself, but the latest fad is the initialled bathing cap. In some cases the owner's handwriting is copied. CONCERNING DIADEMS AND CURtS. Curls are important points in the new coiffure, but no longer ■ are they all grouped low on the nape of the neck. They are set rather high and flat on the head. In. some cases, the hair is waved at the backhand curls are arranged right on the crown. Some women have their hair dressed into a slightly conical-shape, .tapering up to a point;. others , achieve the classical .Grecian, knot with'just, short foamy curls ■jutting out at the back. The. ever-increasing popularity of diadems.is responsible for a surprising variety ■of i evening coiffures. Sometimes one sees the hair dressed in high curls over the brows, and a circular ornament holding it hi position with the back of the head very-simple. Then there is the peacock-tail type of diadem which is set further back: on the head, the hair being1 brushed, up against it from behind in a fluffy mass of soft curls. ■.'.';-.■ ' DETAILS OF FASHION. Heelless Evening shoes are a fad in Paris at the moment. They are .of satin or crepe dc chine, to match in colour the gown they accompany, and made with pointed toe's, after the manner of the shoes of the time of Louis XIV. The spirit of a smart fashion, as a true work of art, lies in its simplicity. It is a fashion this year to wear grey, and some women dress from head to toe in this cool, pure coloui'. A new throat ornament of novel design consists of double bands' of cane, which have been worked'into circles, so that they shape about the throat without any fastenings. They are generally enamelled, or covered with black eire leather. Twisted metal circlets are used to hold hair and keep curls in place at the back. These curls must be fairly long, and they are drawn through the metal coils, and fluffed out immediately afterwards, giving the impression that they form actually a heavy knot. Goo"? news to women in general is the announcement that berets are back in style. The new berets are wide and flat, and they are trimmed with feathers. The most striking hats seen at the Polo Grounds in the Bois de Boulogne were wide-brimmed, made of velvet or felt, and trimmed with clusters of ostrich or with large flat birds of osprey feathers plastered on the front brim. Blue hi all shades, from hyacinth to midnight, is the predominating colour in Paris just now. More significant of future fashions, though, is the rich rusty brown worn by the Duchesse Decazes, and other famous women, and the fruity dark red that a few smart women don.