FASHION NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 285, 2 December 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

FASHION NOTES.

SLIM LINES MODISH. THE SMARTEST COLOURS. (By A PARIS EXPERT.) The spring fashion openings are finished. They have been, the great event of the season, and fashion is already showing symptoms of a change of line—slim lines that are straight, slim lines that are curved, slim lines, slim lines! The great idea this spring is to look slim and to look tall and graceful. To do this you must keep your coiffure small, for the smaller your head is the taller you will appear. The whole height of a well-proportioned person should be eight times the length of her head. Contrariwise, a too tall woman may make herself look shorter by adopting a more bouffant style of hairdressing.

It is not a surprise to an Eve to be told tliat Paris is enamoured of tightfitting skirts—no woman expected anything else, or would wear anything else. Slender silhouettes were equally expected, so that when the first wideeyed daisies in the Bois open their petals, they will see a Parisienne silhouette, entirely modified, straight as a dart, and swaying in box-pleated skirted symmetry.

Parisiennes have grown callous concerning the burning of their last month's adored fashion ideal. Anyhow, the new godets seem to apologise for their origin, they sometimes divide into diamante edged panels, and sometimes blossom into a multitude of petals, which give to a dance frock the dainty appearance of a flower.

Beltless Coat Popular. The slim coat without a belt is having all the success predicted for it, and a coat of this type is a runner for afternoon wear. Women quit their loose, practical coats on the stroke of noon, and take to the wrap that is at least semi-fitting. The suit that the ultra-smart have chosen for this spring is a silk one that has a hip-length or longer jacket. The very short peajacket suit is seen no more for town wear. It is still worn, however, for sports. Pleated skirts are being worn by some fashionable women, as suit-sl-'rts. The straight wrap-around skirt is smart, and so is the gored skirt. Every woman ought to give thanks that this bias cut skirt has disappeared. Dresses, too, are cut on the straight. Suit colours are the same as coat colours, and the suit blouse gives a new kind of colour contrast. There are many less white blouses seen, by the way. With a black suit the Parisienne will wear a blouse of coppery brown or pale grey, for instance. Coral red blouses are smart with black or other dark, dark suits. In short, coloured blouses, rather than white, are fashionable. Satin and lace blouses are chosen for dressy wear and silk crepe or crepe ,de Chine for practical wear. Your hat may match your blouse, if you want a lively chapeau.

Colour Question. The colour question is indeed very important this season. Two-colour effects and sometimes three-colour effects are the rule rather than the exception. Mushroom grey, orange and cinnamon brown, is one favourite combination. Violet and mauve have broken down J " J tradition that they should be worn by the older woman only, and can frequently be seen gracing creations designed for- all ages. The other colour used is usually seagull grey. Dark amber is another wonderful colourb \ used with a suggestion of orange. Bilberry juice is a new colour sponsored by Paris dressmakers. Pale coffee colour and blue, pearl pink and silver —for evening wear—and black and white, are all seen.

While flamboyant colour and laxity of style was wont to be the word in the sports domain, a great wave of conservatism has washed in, simplifying the fashions to a masculine severity, but no shackles have been placed on colour, and so we have modes that bloom like a garden of brilliant and many coloured-tulips.

The Butterfly Sleeve. Prominent among what has been hinted and said to receive the approbation of women is the butterfly sleeve, which does so much to alter the silhouette. Sketcliily speaking, this sleeve is wide at. the armhole and narrow at the waist, but this does not dispose of it. It is not exactly of the leg o' mutton spccies, but undoubtedly kin to it, and will be featured on tlie smartest coats and dresses. This will mean a fullness, a looseness to the upper portion of the figure, the lijps, however, snugly covered, and the skirt —with this sleeve at least—straight and narro.w. In some of the advanced models the width of the sleeve at the armhole varies, 011 more conservative models it is quite moderate, but in its most exaggerated form the armhole may reach the hips.

Jackets and Capes. Jackets and, capes show variety in every collection. Many of them have flat bias bands attached to the neckline, which cross over in the front and button in the back, others fit snugly down the ribline, finish abruptly at the waist', featuring short but gigantically puffed sleeves. Practically every length of coatee may be seer. Evening coats are either shaped into a three-quarter length or f jllow the real medieval mode along the lines of the figure down to the hips, and flowing out into a wide skirt with a suggestion of a train. Little capes to cover whatever decolletage there is on evening dresses are furnished by most of the big Paris dressmakers. The high-necked capes and capelets made on the fichu styles, with ends which are pulled round and buttoned behind at the back, are new fashion features. There are a number of short wraps, often marked by unusual details, such as inserted belts and cuffLands, with an upstanding half-inch band. Light yokes in street coats, three-quarter or full length, of the same shade as the dress they accompany, are a decided novelty.