FASHION NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 26

FASHION NOTES.

IA MATTER OF CURVES. PARADOX OF THE STRAIGHT LINE. (BY AN EXPERT.) PARIS, October 4. "It is entirely a matter of curves, my dear," as Venue de Milo remarked, writes our Paris correspondent. There is the in-curre, and out-curve to bf> taken into consideration, while fashion is saying: "Adhere to the straight line, let the curves fall where they may." This is juet another one of the many paradoxes that exiet in the world of clothes. One hears of nothing else, but the fashionable straight line, the straighter and narrower the better, but the moment you go beyond the ABC of clothes, it becomes a problem of curves, as difficult and intricate as the incommensurable arc. One might say the base of all clothes is the curve, and the straight line is a paradox which it actually is. When a woman attempts to modify the naturally beautiful curves of her figure, in one of those tube dresses, the result is always the same; it is the tube which becomes modified, not the figure. This is probably the reason why Paris couturiers are themselves modifying the tube, and not leaving the modifications to Nature's haphazard, and often, unbecoming methods. Long, slim bodices, with or without sleeves; skirts with double draperies, Hat flounces, or no draperies at all, but just straight falling from the waist, are the main lines of the new modes. Most dresses have scarves to go with them, and they are worn in a special way. This season "fussy" clothes are "out." Line and colour are studied. "Soft" shades are much seen. And there is black and brown and tan. Black alone, and with colour, is well done, and is simple and smart. Figured black and grey and orange materials, combined with black, are seen in many models. Chinese embroideries play a bright part in the new fashions. Long sleeves, high necks in front and low at the back, are seen in evening dresses. Everything is amazingly trim and well done. Nothing is slip-shod. The Paris couturier this season, is true to the condition that a woman should be dressed so neatly, that she can be said to look more than neat, and be what is called vulgarly, "slick." Drapery Again Fashionable. Evening dresses for summer, of which I have seen a great many, show that drapery is once more fashionable- There is nothing lovelier for the mature woman, or the woman whose figure is no* beautiful, and if you are fortunate to have a beautiful figure, drapery certainly enhances it. One of the latest draped dresses, which goes by the name of '"Algue" (the French name for a little seaplant that grows under water), suggests water in its most beautiful phases- It is a delicate sea-blue-green, and combines a bodice of chiffon, with a skirt and drapery of satln-meteore, the shimmering qualities of which, as it drapes from right hip to left shoulder, resembles a fall of water. Another model has an interesting name, "Pugiliste." In this model, the sports element is concretely suggested, by delightful embroideries of the sides of the bodice. One side shows a tiny pugilist about to administer a knock-out to his opponent, and the other shows the pugilist's best girl looking on admiringly. These embroideries are very simply made in bright colours, with red, yellow and green predominating. The black fulgurante of which the dress is made, is an excellent background to display these fantastic figures. The waistline of this model wanders up and down the silhouette, as if undecided whether to be high or low, and compromising on being both. It is high in front, and quite low at the back. For evening wear, the rage is still for satin crepes, "Milbourg" being in the foreground and there are lames and lace, embroideries of many colours, beads and fringes, the latter being either of silk or feathers. Ostrich is in great favour as a trimming fqr summer dresses, ostrich, as a matter of fact, makes an ideal trimming, really exquisite and rare, for crepe mousseline and chiffon dresses. For day wear, one sees a lot of Scotcli plaids, stripped lainages, alpacas, and toile-do-soie, of the kind known as Radiant, on account of its brilliant appearance. A Dainty Summer Frock. The illustration shows a summer frock in a delicate flesh shade of