FASHION NOTES.

Auckland Star, Issue 123, 24 May 1919, Page 20

FASHION NOTES.

(By AX EXPERT.)

PARIS, March 10. Paris is coming into her o-\vn again in regard to fashions. For the iiret time in five years the Parisian dressmakers are giving brilliant fashion shows to open the new season—the victory season they call it- —and already the morning and afternoon eesßions are crowded. With regard to the styles, there is no great change in the silhouette so far, but there is a marked change in the general aspect. All the dull, 6ombre colours of the war have been replaced t>y brilliant shades of every high colour. Big, pronounced checks have replaced the tiny checked materials of the last season, and broad stripes have replaced the pin stripes. The general tone of the collectione is the Directoire stylo, carried out in the smallest detail. The Directoire collars are particularly to bo noticed. Skirts are still to be short for the spring, and very narrow. On the whole, they are straight. The most pronounced feature of these new models is the quantity of novelty ribbon that is need. There is ecarce'!y ft model that has not a broad ribbon sash of the most beautiful rich colours, tied in a big bow at the side?. Even the simplest of the serge street dresses have these very Parisian sashes. Colour began with a gorgeously tinted flower, and gradually became a riot of sprawling embroidery, metal trimmings, gorgeous coloured linings—anything, in fact, that would serve as colour to a colour-mad world. This fever expressed itself in t lie street dresses, in borders, in pipings, in applique ornaments effectively placed. In the evening dresses tinsel draperies were employed. Flowers were set to scramble up the side of a gown, shawls with colours woven into the delicate fabrics were thrown across the shoulders and left to drape themselves as they would. And now, with the advanced spring season, this desire for colour lias not spent itself, but has developed until some of the loveliest effects of the season aro grained through the cunning placing of colour. Even the hats have their share of the colour orgy, and tiny French flowers in lovely shades or effective linings to drooping brims arc quite de rigeur. Many of the simpler dresses <if net ami ribbon trimming show deep corselets, made of sequins, and some of the very attractive little coats arc designed for home wear, and patronagod by the matron who is subject, to rheumatism or desires to wrap for charm and comfort. Again, the excessive decolletage is formed entirely of these sequins, cut either in the saequ shape, with sleeves, or just in a handkerchief form, with tassci at each point. Under the latter condition these little coats are receiving unstinted approval by la Parisienne. but they are not inexpensive, the material boiig costly; it would Ik> impossible to achieve them. lined with net or ninon, embellished at the corners with beads or bullion, on any quite moderate terms. Two dresses I have intimate connection with deserve a

few words of description. One in flame red chiffon charmeuse is drawn up at the side of the skirt, so that there is a kind of hood-like drapery exactly at the wearer's knees, with cascades at each side. The corsage is somewhat reminiscent of the modes of the First Empire, but there is a faint effort to indicate the position of a lower waistline by the addition of two long strings of pearls, crossed at the front and carried from waistline to shoulder. There are some imbryenic sleeves of flesh-coloured tulle, supported by shoulder straps formed of shorter strings of pearls. The second evening dress is in mauve tulle with silver lame ribbons, and a large orange rose. It has a very "grande dame" air about it. OUK SKETCH. The semi-evening frock illustrated has a rose-coloured Liberty satin skirt and a tunic in mousseline de soie in a lighter shade. Novel indeed are the loose little

sleeves. A fnint design of coral-coloured ' beads is embroidered just above the heavy-jewelled girdle, which is slightly shaped and embroidered and fastened ; loosely around the waist. The bottom \ of the tunic is fringed and embroidered. I