FASHIONS FROM PARIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 15

FASHIONS FROM PARIS.

(By a Parisian Expert.) PARIS, October, 1011. Already the great Parisian oracles of fashion, hitherto silent, hare begun to speak, and I have been able to gather one or two valuable hints as to the modes -which are likely to prevail during the coming season. In the first place, then, -we may well rejoice to find that the skirts are considerably fuller at tho hem; or, perhaps, it would be more strictly correct to say Ims tight than they were last year. By various ingenious devices in the way of pleated panels, stitched strappings, groups of buttons, and side slits, greater width is gradually being introduced into the skirts, and the gain in gracefulness when Wie wearer walks cannot be estimated in words. Then, again, as I have often remarked, the coats, which form part of the smartest tailor-made coat-and-skirt costumes, are a trifle longer—an admirable length —than they were last year, and there arc, of course, belted and girdled coats which are loosely held in; buj; the average coat keeps its loose, straight lines, and its shortened waistline in the back, and is decorated, as a ride, with quantities of buttons.

Long skirts arc being offered with frocks for every occasion; all the afternoon dresses have trains, and sashes are a great feature again. Long narrow trains made in some material altogether different from that which is chosen for the gown, form also a most interesting feature of the new fashions, so far as evening dresses are concerned. With pale-coloured satin gowns, for instance, velvet trains will be worn, while in th« case of those frocks which, are carried out in lace, mousseline, or any other diaphanous fabric, the train* will be corn* posed of satin, lined with some contrast* ing material, or of gold and silver tis« sue. Yes, trains have once more assumed an important place in the modirU* world, in some cases-extending their influence higher to compass the beautief of the fichu.

When even the male critics feer caßed upon to note the fact that the gowns are charming in a new play, one may ba quite sure that they are remarkable for their perfect taste, since a man is the first object to anything outre or extneragant. In the very nature of things, sines the heroine of the new play in "tie Petit Cafe" at the Palais Royal Theatre, is a recklessly extravagant young pessßn, the gowns which are worn by Mdue Arietta Dorgere are the dernier eri as chic. Space fails me to give a flttsilnt account of all the enthralling frocks tbfc dainty) actress wears, but the sketch in thia page, •which may well be termed a triumph of smart simplicity, was 'taken from a model worn by her fn the' stormy quarrel scene, and which' I most describe! at length, even though yea can't half appreciate it without seeing it, because its colouring is so daring as to make the average person gasp, but in spite of this the' tout ensemble it blended together in a most miraculous manner.-The satin skirt with beautiful. embroJderwa was of that funny blue colour everyone is mad about this year. The gtaeefnllydraped tunic, in petunia coloured satin, was arranged to form the now-eo-mueh-in-vogue fichu effect, and was most gacefully arranged, while the embroideries —here is the -raring part of it—wen in porcelain beads in every shade of red, blue and green. I wanted it dreadfully. The sash, which has returned to favour; together with other WurU-rfaalUer modes, is used to encircle the waist, and compose huge butterfly bows in the middle of thai back. Sashes of mousseli appear aa m bright note of colour on all white mousseline or lace gowns. A black mousseN ine sash on a chiffon gown, coloured or white, is very chic indeed. This touch of dusky black is very much admired when worn with a light-toned frock. * A ; fascinating novelty of the season is the use of one end of the mousaeline to loop up the hem of the skirt in front. I 6aw a pretty gown with a aash arranged after this manner only yesterday, in the atelier of one of our great faiseur des modes in the Rue dc la Paix. The gown in question was of snowy-white pekine gauze. Above the narrow hem, three deep flounces of Malines lace trimmed the skirt; a rose mousseline sash appeared to pass beneath the lower lac* flounce, and looped it well above the foot and ankle. The other end was short, and fell loosely. The fichu will have a fine chance of distinguishing itself this season—again the Winter halter influence! Poor, pretty Lantehne, who met with such a' tragia end and mysterious death last summer, on board her husband's yacht, the "Aimee," did much to bring this fascinating toilette accessory into fashion again. I was present at the last performance of "Le Vieil Homme,'' when she wore a very pretty fichu all a-froff witii triple frills. It crossed the bust, and crossed the back, where it tied into a great soft bow, leaving ends to bang aesxijr to ttf *ks» .of the skat,