Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 503, 10 January 1906, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

LATEST LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS, Bs MISS IDA MELLEB

[Am Rights Bbbebybd.]

A BOLERO COSTUME.

BROADLY speaking, the leading note in dress fashions just now is the pleat—and pleats of the moment are of all sizes and kinds, from the minute pin-tuok that covers oambrio and muslin blouses to the wide double-box- pleat that oonoerns skirts ohiefly. The smartest linen suits boast long, three-quarter ooats, fitting the figure on the upper part, and giving a foretaste of next autumn fashions, for there is no doubt that the long coat will lead the way in oooler weather. Bpaoially

smart are the linen coats strapped or pleated all the way down, out singlebreasted and the fronts turned baok with revers. A prevailing skirt haß folds of its own material running round the lower part, the number of folds varying, but single, double, or treble groups of three are, on the whole, most used. The skirt of the costume sketched has three rather wide pleats below tbe knees, and it is oompleted by a short draped bolero with embroidered revers and crafts, frilled at the edge, and a big bow in front. For oarrying out the dress, pale blue or grey oloth, with black velvet revers and ouffs and ohiffon or silk frills, would be pretty, the belt being of silk or velvet, and the vest and flounces to tbe sleeves of fine laoe. A BLOUSE WITH YELYET-THFEADED YOKE, The ohief difference in the blouse of this vear and last year rests in the Bleevss, the newer models being raised on the shoulders and terminating at the elbows, whereas last year's blouse-sleeve remained faithful, for the most part, to the early Viotorian droop, and was long to the wrist. The elbow-sleeve with the single or double puff is also a favourite, and a little ruse sometimes adopted to coax the material to stand out; is the insertion of round wires in the pafls, Gauging on oords is, of course, a trimming very muoh used on blouses, and is far more effective than Bimple gathers devoid of the 'support

cording. But even newer, and, to some minds, prettier, is the fashion of tuoking before gathering, the gathered tuck being

quite one of the most deoorative of selftrimmings, and having somewhat the efieot of a neoklace. It is used, four or five deep, as a border to yokes, sometimes traversing the arm in an unbroken line. The original of the blouse sketohed is gathered to the yoke in the manner suggested, but in this instance the tuoks and gathers cease at the arm-holes, the sleeves standing out wide on the shoulders and being drawn up with tuoks and gathers along the inner side. The blouse looks well in black, white, or coloured batiste, with a round yoke of ivory-tinted guipure insertion and beading, the latter run through with blaok bebe velvet, and the tight-fitting cuffs—whioh might, of oourse, be dispensed with —being composed in similar fashion, while bands of insertion olasp the sleeves at the elbows and the batiste frills are bordered with beading. Eaoh little band of velvet bears a wee bow, and the yoke is continued as a collarband. THE LATEST COATSketohed here is one of the most fascinating of the new basqued boleros, made of light, fawn-coloured oloth, witb a waistooat, out low, of ohine brocade, decorated with six enamel buttons and out with a small collar, from beneath whioh protrude double frills of raw-edged oloth, the material below being slightly gathered and strapped along the front edges. At the waist the ooat is drawn into a soroll-belt of its own material, oovsred with stitching, and from this springs a oharming little

baeque, The short puffed sleeves are held at the elbows with folds of cloth, gathered aud self-frilled, and double frills of fawncoloured chiffon fall below these, the arm from elbow to wrist being oovered by tight-fitting cuffs of lace. These might be replaced by long gloves, The hat that crowns the coat is of brown chip, wreathed with red rambler roses and foliage, and lifted higb at the left side, where it is paoked with more flowers and leaves, after the prevailing fashion. Or feathers oan be used instead of flowers, but they are more oostly.

A STRIPED FLANNEL COAT. In going away for a holiday at any season of the year one of the most impoi tant dress accessories is the wrap-coat, that oan be worn with any dress and reaohes almost to the knees. It should be loose-fitting, of course, and made with dimple ooat-Bleeves, wide at the wrists, or with Inverness sleeves. Such, at least, are the lines on whioh the newest travelling ooats are built, and smart touches are given by velvet collars. The model illustrated is of striped flannel material with a velvet oollar, and the same type of ooat is to be met with in loosely-woven tweeds- We find this ooat in materials matching the skirt worn with it, as well as independent oufls. It is neat and, and at the same time, smart and

beooming. Other travelling wraps are modelled on the lines of leather motor ooats, with yoke fronts buttoning over to the left and storm oollars. The main point to_ be considered with regard to the travelling wrap is that it shall be proteotive, but at the same time as light-weight as possible, for it often happens that one starts out for an excursion in a shower and returns in the sunshine, and to be burdened with a heavy ooat in fine weather spoils, to a certain extent, the pleasure of the trip. A flannel oostume with a coat as sketohed may be cordially reoommended as an Item in the holiday trousseau, and might be aooompanied by a sailor hat covered with little kiltings of ribbon and tied round the crown with a broad band of velvet or ribbon,