Latest London Fashions.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 145, 20 June 1891, Page 4 (Supplement)

Latest London Fashions.

(from our special correspondent. )

London, April 3q. /.

Want of variety in style is certainly not a feature of dress and fashion of the present era, for we have freely wandered from one c entury to another borrowing ideas from the classic belles to those of powder and patches, and on to the First Empire and our great grandmothers with equal impartiality. The result of this liberal adoption from more picturesque ages has been most advantagous to the members of our own sexi for the latter part of the nineteeth century might be handed down to posterity as the age of fashion inventions of the most peculiarly hideous description, for has it not produced the (now fortunately defunct) crinoline, poke bonnets, pull-back skirts, crinolettes, and dress improvers, to say nothing of that fearful and wonderful headcovering which is still clung affectionately to by the masculine community, yclept the top hat, which accompanies the equally ungraceful and sternly uncompromising garments for the human form divine of the opposite sex 1 The opinions of such competent judges of grace and beauty as Sir Frederick Leighton, Mr Watts, R.A., Mr Boughton, R. A., and other noted Academi°ifi nS ar m workh ha vir »g. and decidedly f avou rable. The one grievance they all coincide in airing, which I have never ventured to embark on, first, because it is toothoroughly threadbare, and secondly, because it is one tnat 1 do not believe the protests and arguments of all time will ever entirely alter, is tight-lacing, especially as the tailor-made style of dress renders what Mr Watts describes as a "stove-pipe waist" particularly rampant just now ; their other general oblection being pointed and high-heeled, shoes, a fashion which seems equally proof against all persuasion. Butlmuatnobforgeb in discussing this always absorbing Bubiecb to womanly woman my first Sketch which -e»JP.R» $Q.% ,tj?pjc. inJrpdjiceß $)*

old Greek bandeau, which has been much worn on the hair this season, both for day and evening wear, adapted to a bonnet. We have seen several very pretty ones thus made; the model our drawing is taken

from being rasher a happy cho.ee of colour and material, consisting of poppyred velvet in folds lengthways, and double bandeau of jet with small black ostrich tipa grouped at the back to break the extreme flatness. I see thab a new style of cape is beine introduced for warmish days, when heavy fur garments would be insupportable. I fancy that these capes would be very suitable for your climate, though, I sup* pose, quite in the south it is very cold in winter. The old-fashioned circular cape of last year is not worn. Though the present style is sometimes called circular, ye* it is in reality far more square in appearance. In a leading shop I noticed some of the most stylish, and, at the same time, comfortable little capes I have seen for some long time, one of which forms the

subjecb of the second illustration, Thia represents a grey cloth pleated high and full on the shoulders, and in rather broad box pleafca front and back, into a yoke and collar of grey Asbraohan. The same idea most successfully too in terra cotta, dark green, and dark red, with the yokes in black Astrachan. Frequently, and with very happy results, this useful wrap is made of the same material as the dress, ib is often ihaped like a circular, with bias back edges joined in a seam. Over the shoulders the fit ia secured by another seam, and an arched cross seam which forms a dart back and front. To produce the requisite fulnese on the shoulder, the lower edge of the cross seam must be gathered—the shoulder seam absorbs this fulness above—and securely stitched on to a pad. Without this pad ift will not retain its shape. Down the front the cape is fastened by hooks and eyes, which must be carefully concealed. A tape from the back seam and tied round the w.dsb keeps the wrap well in to the figure behind. An open or close-fitting Medici collar can be worn with this wrap. A very elegant costume was in dark green (olive) habit cloth, the jacket being made with long skirt from waisb rather fully cut, as they are now being re-introduced. The skirt and "under-bodice are perfectly plain and, as the third sketch represents, trimmed with revers, cuffs, and pockets

and three rows round the skirt of black bear fur—the hat of dark olive felt, alee 1 having an edging of the same. Many of the most stylish dressers deciare that when fur is worn either on the mantle ' or on the dress some of the 6ame fur musb be introduced into the hat or bonnet or toque. Certainly, the effect is very good, and I have noticed many ladies in Hyde Park dressed in this way, and to those who can afford a variety of chapeaux, or whose deft fingers manufacture their own, I cordially commend the idea. Rosem*