FASHIONS AT HOME.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17431, 17 April 1922, Page 2

FASHIONS AT HOME.

COLOUR RAMPANT. DAZZLING AND DELIGHTFUL EFFECTS. (fhok our own correspondent.) LONDON, February 28. Usually at this time of year London shops are miserably dull, being in the transition stage that follows the sales ("the great white" and the grand scrum varieties). But this year there has been no evidence of this boring interval. All the shops—not only those that provide drapery—are gay with colour and with novelties most entrancingly arranged. The modern metuods of window-arrangement do undoubtedly fire the window-dresser with enthusiasm and with new ideas, and he does his level best to entice money out of people's pockets. It is not his fault that they still have a little to spend. Great .hopes centred round the Royal wedding,"and to some extent this is bound to benefit trade generally, but apparently not to the degree that was hoped, if ono can rely on the experience of many dressmakers in a large way of business. They report that people are not ordering so m.my new clothes as was anticipated; renovations have been more frequent than the purchase of new frocks. However, whether you pass the drapery store, the shoe shops, the windows devoted to all that is newest in housedecorative ideas, or the smaller places that specialise in "undies;" you simply have to stand and gaze, for everything is at its zenith of attractivenes. The display of clothing, too, ga ; ns immensely from the charm, lifelike appearance, and graceful posei of the wax ladies and children, many of whom are oven more "fetching" than the living models.

Sumptuous Fabrics and Wonderful Colours. Splendid displays are made by the magnificent brocades which are dazzling in rich colouring combined with gold thread; by the silks that are almost Turneresque in their extraordinary colour schemes and indefinite designs—colour splashes being thrown at other colour-splashes; by silks equally daring in hue, but enhanced in effect because the pattern is something definite, even if generously proportioned and a little "sudden." The ninons and gauzes are all bright, arid many of them have been invaded by the tinsel thread; silk lace iB shown in every known gradation of delicacy and graceful Even the new tweeds are splashed with colour in meaningless dabs, or else they are set in multi-coloured stripes (some of which are decidedly pleasing when kilted), or in amazing plaids sprigged at intervals with floral sprays interwoven. Even cambrics and casement cloths are "jazzed" to look like stained-glass windows. The scintillations of the sequin and beaded and bugled overdresses have never before been approached. . A Back Seat for Joseph. Pass along to the ribbon department, and you are bewildered by the sumptuous'noss of the display and by its variety. There are the narrowest of widths that sparkle with gold, costing 'but so few pence per yard that one wonders how long their brilliance will withstand exposure to weather. The tinsel variety ranges right through many widths and many colourings, until it reaches to the widest of splendid brocaded effects that are used for sashes, dress panels, waistcoat fronts, and cushions; the price is etill in the vicinity of two guineas per yard, and there need be no anxiety that it will give satisfaction in wear. There are useful ribbons of taffetas in showy stripes, wide enough to be made up into blouses or. waistcoat-fronts for wearing under tailored costumes —indeed, with this class, Joseph's coat of many colours would probably not !ie "in "it" for' effectl Milliners will be dying to use the new satin ribbons pro--duced to three-colour stripes. They are wide and effective, and the colours are generally daringly partnered, but they are all delightful and they go to make up a most rffectivo display. At 5s per yard the price is quite moderate, and the demand is sure to be immense, for many otlier uses will be found for them than for hat-trimming. In this particular class, the ribbon for half its width is of one colour, the other half being divided into two sections. Once again after a long interval, we find the narrow corded ribbon with "picof edge, and we also can again buy ribbon that lias a fringed border, this fringe, needless to say, being a colour contrast. There are ribbons, too, of heavy satin that are reversed with :• different colour, and everyone knows how useful and effective these can be. Fashion has not yet di?pensed with the "cire" ribbon, but there is less of it than formerly; a good deal of the newest"species of it is patterned with some geometric design, and the colours are usually gay. Ribbon-millinery is stiil counter.aned in select circles, and with the beautiful ..new shots there-should bo many pleasing results.

Por a*"New Purpose. An important novelty on the ribbon counter is a width, m iine washable satin, that is sufficient for the cachecoraet, and the manufacturers of this have provided it with a cunning tubular edging on either side, through which a bebo ribbon is run to form the top, and a length of e.astlo to grip the waist. Buy a yard for 7s lid, join it up, put in the two runners, and hey, presto! there is the corset-cover. Supports for the shoulders are easily added. This ribbon is shown chiefly in pale shades, but is obtainable, too, in useful schemes for coloured underwear is one of the newest fancies. White Dethroned. .So P» ss alon S t0 tlle '"undies", rooms, and there will be seen more colour. Lovely garments of crepe de chine that must have been made by fairy fingers, so dainty are they in endless choice. All around there is colour where once upon a .time white reigned in unchallenged possession. I'mk *is the beat tone for washing, but the delicate blue, lavender, or lemon tints are fascinating Filet lace and insertion generally enter into the decorative scheme of most of these little nothings. Still more vivid are the petticoats, made on simple line 3, and rather narrow, of the gayest of fabricsj including florally designed sateens, silks, and brocades; sliot taffetas, and plain satins with deep clinging flounces of the finest knifepleating, or scalloped odges bordered by miniature flounces. Lots of the Princess petticoats are of coloured silk or satin, where formerly they were invariably of white Jap. In light tints they are dainty, but in the very dark browns and greens and shades of rust they are not so appealing because the upper halves are absolutely unrelieved. For summer wear the striped underskirts of artificial sijk will be cool, though they may be rather clinging; this fabric, too, is now obtainable m a bewildering range of colour unions, in Gripes. Delightful "undies" also are made of Shetland wool; they are all built according to the latest models, whether for the daytime or for evening and the gossamer texture of the wool makes them very attractive. They, too are more often than not of colour, at any rate colour enters into the construction. The price is very high, but people who are clever can make their own Shetland underclothing by piecing together Shetland scarves, when the outlav will total shillings instead of guineas. Dressing-gowns are large items in the underwear salons, and boudoir *aps and slippers are tiny ones, yet each takes its place in th© colour dis-

play, and helps to contribute to the gaiety of the nation. Black underwear, too. is riot without its uses, and it can be W? if asked for, but it is not often put into the show-case. Lucky Milliners. Colour, too, reigns in the millinery section, where the floral wreaths and sprays and feather mounts usually are gorgeous, yet they are assuredly representative of the highest ait. Straws also are gaily coloured, and some of them are woven in floral designs so light in texture as to suggest gauze instead of straw. There are lovely crinoline straws of cobweb delicacy m colour, and a great deal in a pliable variety that looks like silken canvas. Each type is made in wide strips, and sold by the yard, so that the fingers of the milliner artists have no trouble in manipulating them into the most delightful shapes—large or small, according to requirement. La o 6 made of crinoline is delightful, and is sure to be used for transparent brims if not for entire shapes. Tho finest or chip straw shapes are dyed in rhododendron red, rust, jade, and deep gold, but for the moment nigger is the prevailing shade in the best class houses. There is an immense, amount, too, or gold and silver tissue,' used in conjunction with laoe to tone. Foliage is delicate in colour-scheme and design, ana wonderful in variety. Much of it is gilt-backed, but this brightness is not allowed to be obtrusive, one leaf occasionally being turned round as if by accident; unobtrusively its presence is perceptible all the time. A great deal of the newest foliage is of shot talretas, and some, of shot gauze, is arranged on a foundation of shot tinsel. Jsacr . e (mother-of-pearl) effects are very delicate, yet bright, and flat roses ot tins are made of cire silk. Other roses, ot silk gauze, have a few of the ""»* petall formed of real shell, of pawa and nacre scintillations, and strings: 01 small island shells, too, can be introduced with good effect, if not too lavishly used. Beautiful giant nansies | of velvet—frequently in schemes foreign to Nature's blends, but none the less delightful to behold—vie .£* " vet roses, used so generously that tney overlap one another in the formation or deop halo borders to toques, and tney arc mostly lightly veiled with tulle. But artificial flowers and io 11 " a-re are not made entirely ro r . Millinery purposes There we beautiful blooms and tall sprays and terns for house decorative schemes, and very gratefully are they welcomed, for real flowers have been too oxpensive for lavish use and the careful housewife has been glad to buy for her flat black table bowl lovely water-lilies and aneI mones mado of waxed linen that float and look as natural as real. To deviate for a moment the crystal table bowl is used, for a change, and through it, sparkling walls gold-fish can be seen amid tho floating flowers, while little frogs of celluloid sit in tho cheekiest way upon tho flat leaves, and gay littla birds perch on tho bowl-edge.

Regal Cushions and Wonderful Lampshades. Courage is needed to use some of the marvellously huod fabrics, and allied t„ courage must bo taste, when even the most bizarre of effects may be united with splendid results. As with dress so with furnishing effects. For cushions and curtains there are lovely shot silks and velvets, but the eye.for colour union must be faultless. Cushions are beautiful nowadays, and the shape, perhaps loss seen than any other, is the ordinary square. _ Cushions round and oblong, and like gigantic bol sters, are usual, and as often as not they are carelessly thrown on to the floor. Long bolster shaped cushions are made of shot taffetas, with gathered ends finished with handsome tassels, weighted, possibly, with attractive* beads. "When you see all these regal novelties and beautiful colour schemes you feel like giving away all your antiquated possessions, so as to begin furnishing all over again. Padded, fruit and flowers and applique flowers decorate many cushions. •/ The riot '.of colour runs rampant among the lamp and candle shades, most of which are undoubted works of art depicting colour schemes and figure studios until one might bo m China, Japan, or Russia; or one might be walking through orange groves in Spain in an aquarium, surrounded by cases of swimming fish; or in an apple orchard pink with blossom. Electric bulbs in the middle light up all theso wonderful scenes and many more, and the rjgantic shades are gracefully proportioned, whether of dome shape or flat. The same care and dainty schemes characterise shades that are small, as well as shades of the largest dimensions, and most of them are of silk or gauze—painted or printed. Naturally, alongside the varieties' that immediately please, there are some that attract, "because they are bizarre and startling. For instance, who would care to live with the electric lamp, intended to be set on the floor, representing a coiler snake which emits its light through a scarlet tongue set in a wide open fanged mouth? Set the bulb inside a red torch that radiates flame, and the effect is very fine. Electric lights shine through the bodies of lovely bin's—made of silk gauze suitably coloured —1 0 represent parrots sitting en porches or swallows in flight. Weird is the monkey climbing a pole to reach a cocoanut. Inside the body of this yellow-trousered, scarlet-waist-roated, blue-coated, crimson hatted, brown- faced creature is set the light, and his claws clutch the pole as he is almost within reach of his prey. Practically all the shades for electric lamps are designed to soften the light, and if the bulb suspends from the coiling it is surrounded by a sumptuous inverted circle of silk, or one of alabaster. Some of the silk shades, too, are printed to look like alabaster. Upon divans amid all these triumphs of lighting effects are thrown cushions in amazing profusion, making the lamp-shade department one of the most entrancing of halting places. °

To Sattety. Then through to the handbags of beads, brocade, feather, and leather, costing many guineas apiece; the nrloves whose gauntlets display bright colour or black set in sharp points or embroidery introduced round the wrist to look like bracelets, jumper silks, trimmings, brocaded and buckled shoes of many hues and shapes, dress garnitures, hair ornaments, feather fans, and a thousand other dotails—well, if you try to take in too many impressions in one afternoon along the woman's mile of Regent street and Oxford street you become satiated and weary, and your brain is simply churned up with a kaleidoscopic jumble of colour. You hope to obtain a little relief by taking refuge in a tea shop, but you don't find what you seek, for up-to-date tea-shops m these times are a study with their decorative schemes of gigantic baskets and urns filled with padded fruits and flowers, dressed with ribbons, and some of them are illumineJ from within; also there are huge boxes tied with masses of rich libbons. Some Fashionable Colours. All the hues of tango and • orange (commonly libelled "rust") are prominent, so are those of fuchsia a term which covers all variations from petunia to reddish purple; there is violet and there is cerise. Pillar box scarlet has not entirely gone, but in seiect quarters it has been replaced by rhododendron red and an intense damask; orchid mauve is attracting attention; bronze and beige are restful in companion, and so are the moles and cove greye. Jade, in silk velvet, makes some effective wraps, and bo does emerald. "Moonlight" green is one of the latest millinery tones—sort and becoming to fair people.