DRESS NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 302, 18 December 1912, Page 8

DRESS NOTES FROM LONDON.

•WHAT " VICTIMS OF FASHION" MEAN. A NEW SKIKT. (From Onr London Lady Correspondent.) LONDON, November 8. A writer of a few days' back drew attention skilfully to a gre*tt change that has crept over the world of dress unnoticed by nrany of us, yet quite unmistakable. What has become of the winter dress for winter and the summer dress for. summer? Assuredly both have vanished | mysteriously, and now the only change; is in the trimmings which, in the cold season, are, for those who can afford them, furs. But the warm thick cloth dress is no more often seen now than the graceful silk and dignified velvet. The advent of the long smart coat may account for this, since reasons of health which one would like to urge are not often considered when fashion is mistress, unfortunately. As usual, with the coming of winter, come also blouses and outdoor gowns with collarless necks! VELVETS AND VELVETEENS are so far not showing signs of the uni-, versal popularity they've enjoyed for the last few winters. Very few black velvet: coats and skirts, for instance, arc being exhibited. A VIVID CERISE is sharing honours now with violet, but there are no other shades that can be| designated "the craze." A NEW RUFFLE. The feather, chiffon, or net ruffle has not altogether disappeared, but a new one appears this week. It is very high, touching the ears at one side, rather stiff and generally fashioned of caracul or some similar fur, with lace or ribbon frills at the top and bottom and a large , rose at one side. CLOTH TRIMMINGS appear on soft silk gowns in a contrasting shade. A COSY COSTUME of this week was of very dark tartan, green blue and black, both the coat and the skirt trimmed with strappings of Wack patent leather. A NEW SKIRT for a. cloth one-piece costume 'has three horizontal tucks just below the normal waist-line, which make opportunity for a panier-like draping over the hips. Another novelty in skirts is in tweed and destined for sports, with a cupeaaped panel of tweed, five inches wide', starting, yoke fashion, back and front from the hips to a depth of about fifteen inches in the centre front and back from the waist. VERY LARGE BUTTONS, some of exceedingly elaborate design, now ornament outdoor coats. VIOLET SETS. Large muffs, stoles and toqnes, made entirely of artificial violets, are among the latest - conceits. A FANCY VEST of fine tapestry silk, with a loose sailor collar, adorns some of the most up-to-date coats and skirts. SHETLAND WOOL GOLF COATS, in dyed wools, but of the same thickness only as spencers—though of fabulous price—appear in place of the bulky wool or silk knitted ones of old. EVENING SLIPPERS of pale tinted satin latticed with gold threads are dainty trifles. A DELICATE EVENING GOWN seen this week for a young girl was of I pure white satin with a very fine tight- ! fitting apron tunic of creamy lace open over the hips and outlined with the very tiniest of roaebude made of pale pink bebe ribbon. COLOURED STOCKINGS, except for evening and indoor wear, axe not often seen now. SACRIFICED FOR FASHION. Those who are under the complacent idea that the slaughter of aninmb and rare birds, for the sole reason that fashionable dressmakers, furriers and milliners demand their fur or feathers for their clients' wear, is decreasing may be sorry to hear that in one year alone, and in Siberia alone, the total retarae of the fur trade amount to over £ 100,000 in advance of the previous one. The animals sacrificed included grey wolves, skunk (of which no lees than 180,000 were slain), Arctic fox, ermine, brown bears, and squirrels. USEFUL HINTS. Always wex the thread when sewing buttons on shoes, coats or anything where there is the least strain. To do this, draw the thread over a piece of w*x from the needle toward the knot end. AN INVIGORATING BATH. The stimulating effect of breathing in the vigorous atmosphere of pine trees is well known, but a delightful bath perfume that can be brewed may not be. Boil for half an hour a pound of fresh resinous pine needles and pine cones broken into bits. Strain the infusion and add it to a hot bath. TO CLEAN SATIN take equal proportions of spirits of wine and warm water and sponge the satin on the right side -with this, working down the material and not across it. While stiJl damp, iron on the> wrong side. Oil or grease stains on silk <*n be removed by using French chalk. Cover the epot with the chalk and let it stay all night; in the morning iron it Tinder (brown jmper. ironing in the came way or acraping very carefully with a heated knife >wi]l remove candle and other wax stains. A feather boa that has become uncurled may be made to "look as good as new" if a handful of ealt is robbed well in, while it is etill damp, and it is then shaken before a hot fire until quite dry.