LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 101, 30 April 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

(From Our Lo

.don Correspondent.)

:|E reign of the ' violet hat is ■ triumphant at; the present moment, shedding its purple radiance upon us from every d i cection —■ \ f pom. sm art mill i n c r' s ' st roh gli olds and tlie heads

of smarb'wearers alike.

This'being thus, a violet chapeau will be aproposior the subject.of my millinery sketch, and is, therefore, duly revealed in the first Illustration. The model is a broad brimmed, low" crowned shape of deep violet velvet. Round the base of the crown is a thick double pleating or ruche of violet mousseline-de-soie, amongst which, at intervals, nestle bunches of, purple violets ; a chou of the same rest o;i the hair beneath the brim, 'while from the back "of the ciwn spring four violet ostrich feathers, placed upright. . A pretty sable collarette, mixed with a. spray of lace and bunch of violets, is sketched with this design. In spite of doctors' objections to these fur

collarettes, as weakening the throat; and the thousand and one good, bad, and indifferent imitations \vliich liavo deprived them of any prestigo, this winter finds them still in use in rail .directions. The newest are of blue and Celestial fox fur ; and theso delicate shades of groy arc in some cases more becoming in oloac contact with the face than sable, which, excepting tho black variety, is not a particularly be coming fur. . , ,i

In spite of some .severely, knowing prognostications thab the capo would.bo quite ' demode' this autumn, it still goes merrily on _ its way, though jackets', and the now übiquitous Moujik or Russian blouse being newer are more generally worn now. There are, however, sonic lovely capos still, not only being dosipnod and made by leading tailors and modistes, but being worn by tho ultra fashionable, so its day is far from over as yot. One just sketched from one of the' great West End houses in shown as a, specially dainty example for my second. skotch. , Tliia ia composed of dove-grey Irish poplin, and is trimmod with two frills of dove-grey velvet, headed by ' BluV .or . Celestial fox. fur, and above that a steel passementerie. Thft cape js lined with Hb/ell.-plnU silk^wi.tli a? pinked* frill round the" edge of thg

inside entirely, a suspicion of which I s revealed by the wearer's movementsWith this a full jabot of soft white laea ii worn, and a ' tilted ' hat of grey velvet find grey ostrich feathers—a big bunch of pink roses undor the t loft (tikoil) "fciii& Tjis common or ordinary blouse urges on its apparently immortal careev in Velvet 01' velveteen this winter, with ' Squire ! collar and cuifa of, white linen. Whoro velvet cannot be afforded, velveteen, of coulee, comes in, and a good velveteen k a. eon= soling substitute 5 l)ufc these blouses fire & distinct failure in a common make—as foi' the matter of that, all bodices are. Cordu"--roy velveteen is also being used for thia new phase of the \vinter blouse.

A very smart tailor-made from the show room of one of the very first tailors is re= vealed in my last sketch This is.built of

navy-blue cloth—coat and skirt—and has collar-revers of scarlet cloth braided over with black. An applique of scarlet cloth on bodice, cuffs and skirt is also braided over, with black braid. With this telling ■liitviia worn a scarlet felt sailor-hat,

trimmed with black velvet and black .wings. ' , : .; ' ; '. .-■ ' ;.;..;, ■■.

Hairdressing is 'still, a very important quantity in the toilette of the smart .up-to-date woman, and the' hairdresser— long passed over—is now a jubilant.and prominent tradesniaiv once more; such an amount of dressing, waving and -.artificial tresses being necessary to produce the coiffure, of the hour on tjie average woman's head. Much less 'fringe' is admitted now by those affecting, good form; in fact, though the hair may be arranged as loosely and ■ fully round the face as possible, scarcely any actual fringe is allowed; The ' Pompadour' is one of the latest popular modes. 'This is waved and rolled back as shown in our initial; the back also waved and carried up very high- with a top-knot, which, for evening, may be dressed with strings of pearls or diamonds, ribbons or flowers ala Pompadour. DfaSving the hair back thus, even when Waved and loosely placed, does not suit all faces, thin ones, for instance'; and a few Stray curls on the forehead are a great improvement. „• The styleoopfp wearing the hair most emphatically depends on the style of face it belongs to, aiid this is one of the matters that fashion should not be allowed arbitaiy rule in.

Peltry is employing our minds actively now, aiid already being worn as trimming a good deal, especially at * New Niagara,' where skating has been sometime.resumed under the most favourable auspices, promising to be. one of the most fashionable and select functions of the coming winter. Sable is a'craih. .the' fur, "but all good furs will be considered modish this winter, and will be used unsparingly. Sealskin is in great request, and Alaska and electric seal, capes and jackets will be immensely used. Celestial fox—blue fox dyed to a darker shade of grey —promises to be much in evidence, like the more extravagant ermine. Lace still seems likely to be wedded to fur, as'last winter. ' It seems an odd and 'incongruous mixture enough, and, to me, the creme de la creme was reached in a cape of sealskin I saw recently, fully trimmed with Valenciennes lace! It sounds impossible, but was; nevertheless, a fact, and a stylish one." There is a report of the return of the odious bustle, and, hideous as it.is, totally destroying the shape of the woman's figure, there is no doubt bub that once women believe it the correct thing, to wear, nothing in the world, will stop them from putting it on.

ROSELLE.