FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 140, 14 June 1911, Page 8

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON

. .(From Our Lady Correspondent.) LONDON, May 5. If you would be thoroughly up-to-date this season you must go garbed in stripes, be they up or down stripes, round about, or slanting. They should not -be dazzling as they were in what the arrogance of youth terms "the old days," but rather of the quiet, rich description. Nor are they generally broad, but inclined to be thin, and in some cases only faintly defined. AN ORIGINAL GOWN. Writing of stripes 'brings to my mind an uncommon suit I saw this week, made of a soft material, half silk, half i wool, and in a new style—really the reproduction of one over a hundred years old —eminently becoming to some figures.

The corslet skirt was of the striped material, with a seam down the middle of the front, so that each two stripes met in the shape of a V. A wide hem, piped at the top with plain dark silk, was of the same material as the skirt, with the stripes running down in straight lines. Only the jabot of a creamy lace blouse showed through the two large pointed revers of a silk coatee, edged with darker silk, high-waist-ed, and made as were the elaborate coats lof dandies of George Third's time, when more elaborate waistcoats were to be shown off.

At the back and over the hips the coatee again followed the masculine fashion in having swallow tails, but these somewhat spoiled the piquant effect of the costume, it seemed to mc, though a row of small buttons on the hips of the swallow tail, and one large and beautiful button fastening one rever over the other, just above the swathed silk belt that finished off the corslet skirt were very smart. The elbow sleeves had wide cuffs edged with darker silk, and with graceful ruffles of lace to match the 'blouse. THE HAREM VEIL is one of the latest accessories for the dress of the feminine motorists, but why ! its name no one seems to Know. It is made of transparent gauze in .different shades, and encases the head lin a kind of bag fashion, fitting right over the hat and' falling down at the i back of the head and over the face to ! the neck. In short, it is very like the swathing of butter muslin in which New Zealand housewives in the baxkblocks encase their meat safes in midsummer! The harem veil can be worn over a hat of any size, as on either side there are two elastic switches hidden by a. large rosette of silk, which can be drawn backwards or forwards over the side . scarves, so as to make the head-covering larger or smaller, and leaving the two long scarf ends to tie under the chin. ACCORDING TO PARIS, I per a friend of the writer's, noted for ' her taste in dress and knowledge of things sartorial, tunics —both transparent, or of very thin supple material — ' will still be popular, in spite of the forebodings of those who want to see something new at any price. But jackets for smart morning trotteurs will be shorter and shorter .until we return again to our old love—discarded for so many seasons—the bolero. The last, .of course, is no news, as boleros —of a kind—are here in London already. [ While on the subject of tunics, I may as well mention the little short Greek chemise, which is made of chiffon or silk voile. It is seen on many of the new spring frocks, and is most effective. |It is really an abbreviated tunic, and as such agrees with the fashion for short poats wbjicli has taken possession of femininity at present. Worn over a slip of soft satin, which has no trimming, it has small kimono sleeves, and fastens, as a rule, at the back. It is trimmed with a two-inch width fringe, either of silk or crystals,' | and has a loose girdle, which makes it rather high-waisted, fastened at the i I side or in the middle of the back. !

A VERY UGLY FASHION, and one which every lover of a beautiful white neck will devoutly trust has not come to stay, is a. high black velvet i collar band, studded with imitation I jewels, and boned co that .it cannot wrinkle. "- - .- .

SUNSHADES are being displayed in wide variety, from pretty and practical examples in tussore and strong insertion to filmy frills and furbelows of painted ninon and delicate tinted silks. Some of the latter show no ribs at all, but, instead, when the parasol is open, there appears an apparent lattice-work of chiffon. One new sunshade has made its appearance for motorists, and is to be known, I believe, as the " Picola," because when i closed, it so resembles a musical instru-1 ment. Folded up, it is only about half a yard long, with a tube of polished wood, banded with metal, and having a wide leather loop to hang the shade from the wrist when closed, and to give greater security when it ds in use. FRINGES. The popularity of fringe is very erratic. No soner does one think it is quite out than it comes in again wi£H renewed favour. It is now being usea extensively in all manner of widths and materials on outdoor and indoor clothes. EVENING SHOES, in all kinds of pretty styles are being displayed, and one of the daintiest pairs I saw this week was of dull black satin with a wide opened pink rosebud—in old i pink satin —apparently nestling in the | instep. TO ACQUIRE SNOWY ARMS. \ 1 Very often, if one but knew their story, dt would be found that red arms, just as horny hands, often are a sign of honour, in that their owner has been too busy with hard manual work to pay any attention to the development of their beauty. There comes a time, however, when she has more leisure, and wants to go out to parties and enjoy herself, when those same arms can completely spoil the effect of a gown. The method of beautifying them will be found a little tedious, but it is excellent. By the way, a celebrated beauty once declared that three things contribute most to the beauty of the arm, and the first is cleanliness, the second is cleanliness, an dthe third is cleanliness. Here is the remedy for redness and roughness. Sleep in kid gloves up to the elbow with the fingers and palms cut out, and before donning them, coat the arms thickly with the following, paste, which is both harmless and efficacious:— Melt two ounces of yellow wax in a basin placed in a pan of boiling water. Add one ounce of powdered myrrh, while hot, beat thoroughly together, then stir in four ounces of honey and six ounces of rose-water, and add sufficient glycerine to make a paste that will spread.