CATHOLICITY OF PRESENT STYLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 134, 7 June 1911, Page 8

CATHOLICITY OF PRESENT STYLES.

LACK OP GRACE AND ORIGINALITY. FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON. (From Our Lady Correspondents LONDON, April 28. If an essay competition on the subject of the present-day fashions were to be held it is difficult to see haw it could be interesting. Artists, surely, must condemn the well turned-out woman as she hobbles along the street, showing too much foot for bea-uty, too few graceful folds, no bright hair, 6uch as the Englishwoman is noted for, and a hat that is most charitably described as amusing. It is strange that after the wholesale fashion in which hobble skirts were attacked by most of the beauty lovers last year they are here again, more firmly established than ever in this bright season when the ordinary homely being might be forgiven for thinking that the use of her nether limbs ■was a thing indispensable to the modern young feminine athlete. But no such thing. In spite >of her cries for equality, for vote 3 for women, and a righting of the many injustices under which the gentle rebellious members of my sex consider they suffer, in these days of general independence, the fair ones actually prefer to spend their afternoons shackled in garments as unbecoming as they are senseless. THE SARTORIAL DIET is certainly fruitarian, and in Paris, as in London, I noticed all kinds of weird ibunches of fruit never seen on sea or land, tut very pretty and piquant as trimming, and calculated to make the heart of the bird-lover rejoice, for feathers and fruit none but a barbarian could group together even in these strange days. Cherries of cerise velvet \seTe, in Paris, the favourite trimmings, and were used to prop up the upturned brim of a hat in front or at the side, to peep coquettishly over the brim,, or to lie negligently round the crown. CATHOLICITY OF FASHIONS. There is a remarkable catholicity of fashions in nearly every department of dress. Nightgowns, strange to say, appear to be the only garments that demand one set style, and these are practically all now made on Empire lines. The average length of the fashionable coat* I am told, is twenty-Six inches— otherwise the natty little affair can be made up pretty much as one likes, with a V-shaped opening at the neck, with large square Tevers heavily braided, with no revers at all, with one wide rever; with or without pockets in the coat; with one button only; with a rolled or flat collar, and that made of silk or the same material as the costume; with turn back cliffs or none; with a corslet skirt or an ordinary waisted one; sac, semisac, or tight-fittingj piped' with some bright colour or made up with no; trimming whatever; literally smothered with small buttons, or with not a button to be seen. Numbers of costumes I saw in Paris had a flap at the back of the skirt that could be buttened , or not as the wearer wished—neither mode seemed to render walking or, indeed, any exercise a simple performance; and, unbuttoned, the style was very ugly, and had a distinct suggestion of indecency about it as worn by some women—if one may be pardoned for old-fashioned notions. EVENING GOWNS incline to classic lines, and are infinitely more graceful than those ordained for street wear. The favourite style' is almost severe, so simple is it,, and inclined to be waistlees. One original gown I saw pictured this week was of white satin with a tunic of heavy white crepe de chine embroidered in pale blue floss silk and dull silver. The corsage, sleeves, and bottom of the tunic were cut up and laced across with silver cords. ; DUSTER ORNAMENTS! Among the many peculiarities of trim- . ming may be mentioned the latest nov- ! elty in millinery and for the evening ; coiffure, which is a "brush" feather or i aigrette fashioned out of spun glass. Some of the "feathers" resemble shaving j brushes' in shape, and others are like i flat feather dusters. Fibre is. also used , for the same purpose. GAY HOSIERY ; will probably come once more into favi our this season, judging from shop-win-r dows, which are full of fascinating piles t of silk stockings in* all manner of vivid ; shades. , Stockings in all colours are now to - be seen laced with silk laces in boot i fashion, and finished with bows; and, 1 like men, women are to wear hosiery J clocked with crowns and flags this year, - we are told. , Patent shoes, with scarlet uppers, arc - being; sold in the West End, and patent i boots with white kid tops are among the ' newest conceits. £ : PANNIERS ' not too pronounced', but easily recognis- ! able, appear on some of the latest ' gowns. ■ PANEL PLEATS *' have very probably been thought out by tailors for those customers who re--4 fuse to appear in the glove-like skirts that are fashionable. The arrangement ' of' the extra fulness is so cunningly in- ! troduced that the slender lines "of the skirt are not marred. An inverted pleat either side gives the wearer more com- ' fort and freedom in walking, but the pleat is so well pressed down that at a I glance one scarcely notices it. An inverted box pleat at the back is also I seen. r ______ j VELVET HAT STRINGS^ it is prophesied, will return to favour , on the millinery of this summer. THE BIRD-CAGE VEIL is a Parisian cpneeit, 'and is placed round a broad-brimmed hat, and allowed to fall straight down all the way round, so that the head looks as if it were c netted or caged. Where the veil is a II succession of stripes from the top to - r the lower edge the effect .is still more i- marked. The lower edge usually showa » a border of satin ribbon al ' It =