FASHION NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 187, 9 August 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

FASHION NOTES.

CONSIDER YOUR CLOTHES.

THE USE OF BOWS.

(By A PARISIAN EXPERT.)

Women of our mothers* generation were not, as a rule, expert at golf -or, tennis. They possessed all sorts ot domestic virtues, however, and knew how to entertain very charmingly inside their own homes. We, on the other, hand, are efficient as far as outdoor sport is concerned, but alas, .often totally lacking in domestic virtues. We treat our home or. flat simply as a place where we can sleep, eat our meals, and change our clothes in. The time and care that women in the past spent on their houses we. of the present generation spend on our personal appearance. We are used to being someone else s guest in these days, and feel out of the picture in the part of hostess, therefore we must take every care of our personal appearance, and see to it that it is as attractive as possible, and that we ourselves are entertaining as guests, otherwise we stand the grave danger of being left out in this world of pleasure. Clothes that Look Well against a Background. We need clothes that look well against a background of theatres, restaurants and dance clubs. It is a mistake to spend money on several inexpensive suits. The same amount of money spent on one really satisfactory ensemble is more practical in the long run. Good clothes can always be adapted and worn again next season, whereas badly-made garments of inferior material never look well, even when they are new, and they get out of condition in a few weeks. Day clothes of thin materials that have to be worn over a slip are not nearly so smart as a frock in a material that is not transparent. For instance, a dress with three-quarter coat of crepe satin, foulard, printed or plain crepe do chine is smarter than the same type of suit made in printed chiffon. The thicker materials are suitable for so many occasions. Many of the new afternoon dresses and coats are being made with frills of very fine flat knife-pleating, and pintucks in the place of hems, edgings or collars and cuffs. Kuffles, too, are much in the picture just now. Paris dotes on them. Also the new shoulder strap entirely in flowers in a garland, and the little bouquets tucked into bosom of day and evening dresses. Flowers this season are not, in general, monotonous, one-colour blooms, but in Nature's own colours, and variegated at that, which adds a big percentage of allure to the fashions. Bows Very Smart. Bows are becoming very smart. They. are : used on evening dresses, evening; coats, and afternoon coats made of thin' materials. Many satin and patterned chiffon evening dresses have a fabric bow tied at the back of the shoulder. Taffeta evening dresses often have a large bow on one side of the skirt with long ends forming a side panel, while afternoon coats, instead of collars, have bows tied at the back of the neck. All these different kinds of bows have one thing in common, they are invariably cut in one with the garment they adorn. The butterfly-wing tie is another fashion point to remember. The fashionable scarf is thus introduced in a new guise, for the collar ties closely in front, and is stitched from thence on either side of the blouse in a pattern of outspread butterfly wings. Line is still of the greatest importance, and it is never obscured, but rather stressed by the frills and flounces, pleats and tiers, capes and boleros, which are seen in the modes this season. The new modes are for the slender women still, and beauty doctors and gymnasiums are likely to add to their clientele. The clinging line, however, needs pretty curves, although hips are very slim—the silhouette which is delightfully balanced and completed by shoulder capes and bolero effects. Darker Stockings. In preparation for the deep, deep tan that every athletic woman will presumably acquire this summer, the hosiery houses are already showing dark stockings. Some are ruddy dark brown, and some are just golden brown. Some are made to match the olive skin, and some are fairly bronze-coloured. They are convincingly fleshlike in the very sheer weights, and some women who tan arms and neck cosmetically are letting the dark stockings alone do the work in their field.

Our Sketch. The illustration shows a becoming afternoon dress in transparent chiffon— ivorj white with a delicate pattern in brown and green. Close-fitting sleeves, an inset floating panel to the skirt, and a pretty one-sided scarf.