FASHION NOTES FROM PARIS.

(By a Parisian Expert.) PARIS, December 20. The Christmas dance season is now in full swing. Hunt bails and the dances given by hostesses of country house parties represent the great events of the year. which are looked forward to by "the winter debutante, and the- question of the first ball is always a problem for serous consideration on the part of those who arc responsible for launching her into the social world. CHARMING EVENING GOWNS. SOME " YOUNG FROCKS." The little ball frock is always '" en evidence." and is somptim.es. the subject of much thought anil patient planning, and resisted extravagant temptation on the part of mademoiselle in her late teens. The days when white tulle was the only wear, and variation was possible merely by ribbons and flowers, are gone for good, it would seem; indeed, tulle is not much worn by anybody just now, or net, or anything of that sort, while crepe de chine, chiffon, and ninon, aud the rest of that sisterhood, are more in demand than ever. A dear little frock is of a sort of aerophane. but not stiff and crepe like, as was its wont in old days (suppleness being still a sine qua non.l. and this in white and pale blue is very charming. In the very palest pearl grey, this supple aerophane is edged with crystal fringe even-where, and trimmed with round hunches of the smailer sort of wild 'lowers —pimpernels, speedwell, the common daisy, buttercups, forget-me-nots, and all the rest of them, irrespective of seasons—with feathery grasses and the lightest of ferns and foliage. In the hair n twist of many coloured satin ribbons to match the flowers—something rather new. 1 have seen much the same frock in white chiffon, with lots of coloured ribbons instead of flowers, and again in shot pink and grey with iridescent fringe interspersed with mother-o"-pearl beads, in pink and grey, too. with smart flat fringed bows of black satin. For a picturesque dark girl of warm colouring, who had to appear in fancy dress at a moment's notice —fancy dress is always hovering in the middle distance at this time of the year, and sometimes appearing in the foreground when we are the least prepared-—a most effective result was obtained by adding, to a smart simply-classic white crepe de chine, bands of leopard skin, obtained by sacrificing the facings of a motor coat of some years back, a wreath of gold vine leaves and silver grapes over one shoulder and in the hair. Another attractive and girlish ball gown is of soft hydrangeablue satin supplemented with a tunic of white shadow lace, which is slit up at the side, and ornamented with little Quaker bows of Malmaison pink charmeuse. The corsage is veiled in the samp dentelle, and completed with a single bretelle of tiny pink satin rosebuds, whilst the rucked baby sleeves of white tulle illusion are also ornamented with touches of pink, the bodice being completed with a vest of shadowlace, and a folded ceinture of blue charmeuse caught at the back with a chou of Malmaison pink. OUR SKETCH A charming evening frock, elaborate, and yet youthful, w"ill be found illustrated. Of a very creamy pink chiffon, it is made over a clinging little robe of white satin, which softens the tone of the pink, and is gracefully draped over an ivory Mechelin lace petticoat. The little corsage is adorned with tiny garlands of pink satin rosebuds, the same pretty satin flowers being employed with success to trim the skirt.

! FASCIN.ATING MT__NERT.

YV3—i I like —bout the ohapeau of the momenit is its beautiful outline. Even j now we get a few stray rays of sunshine, I and nobody even in these pace-making j days looks her -best wrinkled up a la 1 snapshot The big, very big hat does away with the necessity for .these very unbecoming face contortions. The ideal hat. its widely sweeping brim and : amoort'h curves, unexaggerated crown, 1 and graceful flowing trimming, all com- , bines to 'make it (and its. wearer) a thing lof beauty. Such a hat is becoming to I every woman, and if it isn't so much the j worse for her. j There is -another tiling about these j large hats which should be noted —the'rr j s-traiightness of brim _ttern-a*fctng with I _ieir curves, I 'liave just seen a huge j shape with a brim that takes a swallow j flight deep down over the right eye, and the softest swoop up again, in pile I green velvet, lined with ivory, and a I long, uncurled ostrich plume encircling | the low-sett crown, and rising like a gentle billow, like a wave appr<">aching the shore. That ie all, and it is con> plete and perfect in its completeness. If •this p_rtic_lar type of ha.t does not appeal, I have seen anotih er whicth. may be more suitable— ■a. really lovely featherless hat to go —broad, of pale l greenish-n_uive erin, of that lacy type j akin to gTenadine, trimmed with a I wreath of willow-catkins, with their | C—__irig salver grey, and an enormous bunoh of hepajtica-pink with (their dull s_TC_uling leaves to complete tis whole—_e

Pussy willow's gTey, U—-.e angel kittens t_at have lo3t thelx -way

I seek for forgotten adjectives to try and give you an idea of a brown tulle toque that I came face to face with in a little corner shop a.t the angle of the Rue de la Paix and the Rue dcs PeAits Champs —a turban shape of brown tulle and veiled foliage in various shades of brown, toning to gold and copper, carried out in satin, and finished with a couple of big quills in golden pheasant colouring—perfect! There are possibilities in brown—many possibilities.