LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 304, 24 December 1898, Page 6 (Supplement)

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

j Millinery this year is very much of j the 'wear what suits you' style. ; Althcmg-h many of the newest hats i and toques show a distinct tendency ' towards flatness as far as trimmings , and the crowns are concerned, there is I yet a quaint charm about the demure 1 and down-turned brims, of the hats ! especially, which makes them very becoming. Coloured straws are very popular," particularly In pale shades of Parma violet, leaf yreen and periwinkle blue, while there are many pretty tones of pink which are quite new "and very charming, and a real

poppy red of the most brilliant description, which will be remarkably becoming to brunettes. Ma.ny of the toques are very much larger than they were last year, being, in fact, both wider and with higher crowns. In fact, they are so large as to be almost worthy the name of hat, and in Paris they ha.ye lately been known as 'toquets,' a word which seems to be taken as implying something which is too large to be called a toque and too small to be known as a hat.

Many of these 'toquets' are made in soft straw, folded and fastened into various becoming forms in a ma.nner which is altogether indescribable, and trimmed with oddly shaped bows and loops of corded silk ribbon. Small paste ornaments are more frequently used than ever in the centre of rosette bows, whether of tulle, glace silk or corded ribbon, and among the favour-, ite forms taken by these bright little ornaments an important place is given just now to the diamond tortoises and to the lucky shamrocks.

...The passion for alLthat glitters, so far, shows no sign of waning. Sequins in gold, in silver and in bronze liolcl their own, even on the most fairylike toques of tulle or net, while quills on the newest hats are bright with shining paillettes.

My first sketch is a very pretty toque of white plaited. Yedda straw, with the brim turned up all round, slightly in the form of a pad, and spaugled all over. The crown is round, low and rather wide. In the centre in front is a Louis XVI. bow of black stiffened velvet, embroidered all over with spangles. The hat is trimmed with two white ostrich feathers, one upright behind the bow. the other running round the brim of the hat. -