DINNER WEAR THAT IS DIFFERENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1936, Page 19

DINNER WEAR THAT IS DIFFERENT

The feeling of go-as-you-please that has marked, this season is never so evident as in regard to dinner wear— the informal occasion with the few chosen friends, the exclusive dining-out party, the theatre dinner, or the public function. One is becomingly garbed in diaphanous chiffon, in the still dainty but delightful crisp lines of tulle, .in the metallic glint of the new taffetas or the soft but elegant tailoring of' velvet. You may choose the material that befits the occasion and your character and find among the newmodels the inevitable mode, the one, in fact, you feel is made for you.

For sheer youth and loveliness it is fdolish to go beyond the muslins, organdie, used in the'hundred and one new ways that Paris has suddenly seen fit to invent. One of the most entrancing I have seen is sheer white embroidered to within a deep flounce depth—a flounce that is an effect merely, being actually the cleverly manipulated and exaggerated flair that dips upon the ground all round—in leaf green to resemble leaves, or dragonsized fish scales laid one upon another and broadening towards the hem. The bodice is cut demurely high to a round neck back and front. The sleeves are very full and stiffened to thorn-like points which continue the shoulder line, out and up. They are, like all the new model sleeves, exactly to the bended elbow, to which they are shaped. A swathe of the material encompasses the waist, is looped at the back through a ring of,tiny multi-coloured flowers, and hangs to the ground.

With ■ such an effect of shoulder- . breadth it is most necessary to achieve height in the matter of coiffure. This •was done by a slight variation of the Japanese national manner, a sleek shining roll carried from ear to ear over the crown of the head. The difference lay in the centre parting, and in the position of the flowers, placed one above the right ear, the other almost at the crown. The flowers were the dead white of camellias with a hint of green leaf. The secret of its charm depended largely, I think, upon the enormous crisp folds of the skirt flared from slender hips. OFJGINAL DESIGNS. For any one in these crowded days who has time, and penchant, for clever needlework, many of the exclusive and hopelessly expensive materials might be imitated, or original designs worked out to give an air of distinction. One deliriously dainty little frock in powder blue crepe depended for its whole success (apart from its very perfect and very simple cut), upon the sparse ■rings of finest stitchery that covered it—the crepe merely pinched together and a running thread used with minute stitches to make the outline in the same dress colour. GRECIAN EFFECTS. One may be a cloudy vision in swathe after swathe of georgette, made Grecian-wise, with the rather high-,

waisted bodice gathered fully into a round neck. The effect of the Grecian scarf is achieved to some extent by "wings" or scarfs, fully gathered on the shoulders and falling loose to touch the floor. Again this is sparsely patterned, perhaps with diamonds, hearts, moons, or stars, varying in size so as to give an effect of perspective. The waist is girdled loosely with a narrow ribbon of velvet which loops, this time in front, and hangs to the floor. The gown is cut with a quite considerable train and-envelopes the feet entirely.

But in each and every case one finds an extra, and apparently no less essential, garment accompanying a redirigote or coat that is cut away in front from a lightly-clipped, jacket, its long sweeping "tail' usually; lined'with another and contrasting colour. This is made frequently of lame, the new crumpled lame - is * undoubtedly most effective, of heavy satin, of taf-

fetas or of velvet. It is lined with the material of the full evening dress beneath it and caught together in | front with flowers or jewels.

One worn recently was of beaten silver lame over amethyst with flowers of deep dull purple. But by far the most attractive. I have seen was the choice of a celebrated Parisian hostess i

famous, for' her tall, clear-skinned, black-haired beauty and her unfailing clothes sense. She chose a gown, sheath-like-in its simplicity, of ivory satin, whose heavy folds made an almost liquid movement about her feet. The coat was of deep rich wine, its long "tail" lined with the ivory and cut up to a sharp point almost to the shoulder blades at the back. The sleeves were full and high almost to elbow and shaped severely to the wrist where they were pointed on to the hand. The forearm was finished with buttons. Pearls were looped many times about her throat in the regal and old-fashioned way and the-flowers, both at her waist and continuing the line of her blue-back hair low on the nape of the neck, were white.

The redingote offers enthralling opportunity for experiment to those of us •who dare be individual/