FASHION NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 156, 4 July 1931, Page 4 (Supplement)

FASHION NOTES.

BRILLIANT SEASON EXPECTED. LIGHTER FOODS DEMANDED. ' (By AN EXPERT.) Though tne Paris season begins officially on theday ;pn which'the Vernissage of the Salon is held,, nobody can really foretell the date-of its actual start. Paris suddenly wakes-up unexpectedly to the fact one morning towards the end of April each year that the season has begun. That is what has "happened. The Rue de la Pax is crowded, the restaurants" are Crowded, the salons de the likewise, and everybody is animated. It is curious to see how every second man is wearing gloves. Gloves went but years ago, yet, just as- suddenly the 6eaBon has arrived, gloves have come back into fashion.

This is good for business. - Wearing gloves, however, is only a minor aspect of the general feeling of optimism that is sweeping across France. It has been an optimistic platitude to announce every year that the current season is going to be brilliant. This year I believe that it really will be so. In the restaurants everyone is asking for cool drinks and light foods—grape fruit, cocktails, salmon trout a la gelee, chicken in 'aspic, salads, ices and iced coffee. Steaks and chops and red wines are seldom asked for. Iced hocks and . ice lager, fruit salads and iced soup are being demanded eagerly. Ginger ale, cider-gin and iced water is a drink that is going strong.

A Visit to Your Milliner. Summer hats, according to the decree of fashion, are to be either extremely small or extremely large. ' The small ones are to fit the head tightly and worn pushed well back away from the forehead with trimmings, e|ther arranged to give width at the side or drooping over the ear at whichever side suits the wearer.

The large hats are mostly of the picture order —almost reminding one of the old-fashioned leghorn. They have drooping brims and shallow crowns, wreathed with delicately coloured flowers; A summer hat is at its best but a frail piece of apparel, and will soon look tawdry and "tired," unless it gets a good start off in life, being evolved in materials which, no . patter how flimsy their nature; yet bear the hall-mark of good quality. The hat will last twicc as long ai:d will look decent to the very last. To invest generously each season in hats is money well spent, as a hat can make or mar an entire toilet. A hat' must always be most carefully chosen, and must suit the wearer equally well at the back and the sides, as in front.

A good milliner should be an artist at hat work, she should study the type of her customer, and help sympathetically with suggestions' and hints. To design an original "confection" with graceful lines, .is in itself an achievement worthy of appreciation —-hut this alone does not spell success.. It is the designing of distinctive millinery to suit special types, backed by the knowledge of the suitability of the hat for each occasion. Ribbon. Kibi/on hats are a possibility, and may be ornamented with feathers; and flowers and flimsy stuffs will play the same role for the foundation of ribbon as does the dress" for the under-slip. One can, of course, see many other uses for ribbon; in far too many variations to enumerate bags and ribbons have an endless affinity; every new design suggests a charming bag for each frock, and as for ribbon parasols, they are going to he the top of the mode this summer. Of old, the daintiest and most becoming of additions to hoop skirts, was tb i thin black ribbon about the white throat and delicate wrists of the wearer. Endless

and always deliglit'ful are the ways of ribbons, those' charming friends of childhood, which remain equally charming, and if rightly Used, equally sm&rt in the mode of later years. Several ribbon foundations for frocks are suggested by the dressmakers. The under-bodice may be flowered, or striped, or both, and the skirt disposed in various ways. One model adopts a flowered bodice, and a skirt striped perpendicularly with ribbons, following the lines now in favour. One wonders what else the season will bring out, and as if in answer, there comes a silken rustling, a fluttering of gay floating, banner-like bands of colour, thin delicate strips, mere threads of blue or lavender, and what are they but ribbons ? Ribbons —those versatile silken ' weavings, with their thousand-and-one purposes to serve. - Necklaces. Many of the gowns with "V" shaped or square necks really demand a necklace to "dress" the- costume and to add a touch of colour or brilliance. The couturiers still offer necklaces specially designed for special gowns, but the woman who likes to exercise her individuality may prefer to choose from a wider field. There are, of course, ; the semi-precious stones, . such as corals, turquoises, and quartz; there are also the crystal necklaces, and a dazzling variety of square-cut crystal chains, rose-cut crystals, and spherical crystal beads, strung in a variety of ways.

Among the newest necklaces are those made of three colours of 1 small crystal beads, strung singly, and twisted together. Usually they are just long enough to fall below the collar-tone. It is worth noting that the real choker necklace, fastened tight about the base

of the throat, is a thing of the past. Bows and rows —about ten rows as a matter of fact —of beads go to form a new necklace for miladi's slender throat, and these heavy gorgeous bead necklaces, strangely enough, go very well with fragile, muslin frocks. Our Sketch. Jacket and Skirt Ensemble.—Tho bolero-coatee is in Bordeaux-red crepe de. chine topping corsage, of tho same fabric, finishing with a sash at the side, and the skirt and cuffs are in inky-black satin.