NEW SHADES FOR BALL GOWNS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 158, 28 March 1908, Page 11

NEW SHADES FOR BALL GOWNS.

'This winter, we are promised a decided deparfure from the - conventional, pale-coloured iball, gown ~ (sajs: a Melbourno,paper).'.Thoi popularity of-such licht. tints has been; on, tho "wane.for sonie time,;for:they sho.w .that' the little, individuality, of style in these days.of tinction in the matter of is the aim .of, every, smart ; woman:, The .newest .idea is a subtle ( combination'of.; metallictones... . Alreadyjwe .have seen, that the ribbon's arid silks, ;on , tho\'new,, autumn',hats )are. a Jnovel - tox-, ture,-. arid in, dyes of a decided metallic; hue. Somo. of;.tho season's blues . and: greys: are. best described as aluminium, and the browns aro distinctly coppery.. Mauve, green, , and yellow; aria colours which take';this lustrous complexion exceedingly . well, and all these shades 'are 'first . favourites for ovehing wear in London at the present ' moment'. In ball gowns the effect is "gained by- tho plentiful; use, of. sequins : and .'paillettes, hand work still, holding its own as a form of ornamentation'.' '. Floral;? designs have, howtiver, given place to conventional arrangements, of straight arid wavy lines,' and shadow, effects aro beautifully .produced by sequins, 'the' glitter , of. which. gives • the, idea: of a .ray of : light down the- centre" of each, width of chifFon or , tulle/: The- tiny- metal .discs are : ppwdored thickly in the centre, 'and more,sparsely towards the edge. ■ A series of wavy lines of sequins, graduating ; in' size with : each row, makes a beautiful foot border to a green or mauve gown, and rose pink or periwinkle'blue each look well when treated in the same way. Of course the sequins must;match the Hue' of the gown,; and!often a metal tissue foundation helps to carry out the sparkling effect. The craze for; these tissue foundations continues, and, the material is obtainable in all tints. .Layer after; layer of chiffon or . tulle is'also ,much; used, and it is not uncommon for a gown to have six under dresses of these ephemeral fabrics, which, aro i mounted-' on a final' one of'' tissuo.'

The beauty competitions, which, are- nowgomg on throughout l tho -uncivilised .world, recalls. the' reply. of a famous ' Dominican to the -fomalo 'penitent. . Sho ' confessed that while -using her mirror that morning she had .yielded - to the. temptation of •, thinking herself beautiful. ' "Is that all?" .said tho confessor.'She v admitted that it was. "Then," said' lie, "go in-peace;' itis no sin.to make a mistake.". • ' . '' The, Highways. Committee of the London County Council is considering a proposal to ran : tram cars reserved for womon workers." During the rush to business in the morning thcTo' are wild struggles to board the cars at all'tho-suburbantermini and',it is in order that women and girls may be able to avoid this scramble for - places that the proposal for reserved cars has been brought for-