FASHIONS FROM PARIS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 49, 26 February 1916, Page 17

FASHIONS FROM PARIS

LATEST PARISIAN STYLES. TENDENCIES AND PORTENTS, (BY A PARIS EXPERT.) PARIS, -December 20. The quaint, old-time fashions, borrowed from the days when the young Queen Victoria was beginning her reign, are now monopolising dres3. Military modes continue in favour for tailored costumes; and, because military style 3 were very much affected in Victorian times, the two styles, seemingly so divergent, travel admirably together. To the braidings, strappings and tassel and frog trimmings of Victorian days we have been adding the chic brass buttons of 1915 militarism in dress—-eves boots have a regimental aspect, and are high,, somewhat after the style of a cavalry officer's top-boots. Victorian ■fashions are, first of all, demure—.for those were excessively modest days, when a lady swooned, paled, flushed, or fluttered as easily as she now expresses an opinion. But the 'old-fashioned styled have a fascination, because of their excessive femininity and charm, and it ia good -to see them back. At present their most radical incarnations are worn by young-women only, who dare anything in the interests of the picturesque; but that is no reason why women of all ages should not adopt the quaint gathered skirts, the demure tuckers, the becoming poke 'bonnets, the little bows and rosettes, and the billows of ruffles and flounces that are undeniably charming.

SMART DRESSES FOR MRS. GALT AND PRINCESS, GHIKA. I have had the pleasure of inspecting some of the wonderful dresses which have been designed for President Wilson's pretty fiancee, and which are to be presented to her as a gift by the "\yndieat de Defense de la Couture Parisienne, and also some dresses ordered for Princess Marguerite Ghika, the sitter of Mme. Raphael de Zaldivar, wife of the Minister to Salvador. The dresses are particularly novel and attractive, having many touches taken from engravings of 1840. One of pink brocade, eriibroidered in silver with panniers of blue brocade, is a handsome evening dress. The very stiff frills trimming the skirt are a development of the new styles, and give the dress a quaint effect. Another evening dress, of yellow, with a very deep girdle and elaborately-trimmed skirt, at least eight yards in width, is new arid smart. Another one is a! dinner dress of black net, with broad bands of silk velvet. This one is ten yards in width,.the corsage being a combination of old blue velvet and black lace, with trimmings of small velvet flowers.OUR ILLUSTRATION. The model, sketched by our, artist from memory, is a lovely evening frocl?, and i 3 carried out in palest sea-green tulle, the extreme width of.the sOus-jupe scattered -Jifere;and- there with is a fichu of silver tulle to the: corsage" of this essentially early Victorian gown, which is also of the same delicate shade of tulle and designed /on very simple

tines. This frock could be'ferried??'out entirely in black, with pale .pink'roses, or black velvet poppies or violets would look well It would be easy, too, 4o fill in the neck with a transparency of black tulle, and to have'long black! chiffon sleeves left transparent. Brown, tulle would also' look charming made up in this style, or dark blue tulle; and a certain deep-purple shade, trimmed with, violets "ton sur ton;" would'be lovely— the combinations are endless.. --i' TRAINS. . . ' Trains are to be reincarnated,' it appears. As a rule, though"; T think a train tends to make a woman ' look older. There is one brief for the v,e<ry short ekirt —it is youthful. But, looking at the matter from another point of view, certain figures have not -adapted themselves kindly to the short, full skirt, and these would he glad to get hack again to a certain dignity and grace that length of line gives. FASHION HINTS. - Some of the most modern of the oldfashioned frocks show bona fide fitted bodices, with whalebones' run in the seams at the front and back. The waistline is high, and the little bodice curves smoothly over the bust and clings closely to shoulder and arm. Below the belt the skirts flare widely, and there is not always a belt either. A favoured Victorian style is the attaching of the gathered skirt to a highwaisted bodice with groups of corded gathers, or even with a mere piping. The waistline must inevitably grow smaller if these effects are to be graceful, and already the new corsets are nipping in a bit at the wai3t. 'x'ixe slightly stiller weaves of mohair and worsted mixtures take 1830 and 1840 styles, as a duck- takes to water, and their vogue is assured for the coming season. They replace the old-stylo poplins which used to be trimmed with bands of narrow velvet ribbon and tiny lnillinj-s of siik, npniicd to 'the wid» • l:ir f s in wave lat ffsV.Hinjl •■•'"rrts.