WHENCE FASHIONS SPRING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 190, 6 May 1908, Page 3

WHENCE FASHIONS SPRING.

i' To. the modistes and milliners of to-day (says-the ." Daily, Graphic ") an ever-present source of inspiration is offered by the picture galleries. and museums,' where hare': a hint and there a hint garnered by-the intelligent for 'their, guidance 4p tho evolution of fresh fashions. . ■ ' v . ' In Paris lit is to the Bibliotheque National© that not only . the modistes are repairing at present, but their,clients, who make' the subject of. dress a form of earnest study,, and I there it'is .that , pictures of Tariagra statues i are so closely examined at present. Fold'for ' fold, and lino for line, the exquisite draperies • of thoso ancient models ar'o. copied';' to be : represented .later ~by . tlia'beautifully ameiii ablo fabrics, of • the, day,/(that.materialise so i well tho graceful, classical vogue of the prel sent season: '...., - : : Greatly sought after by lovers of dress are i the, ladies' magazines and miscellanies of a i hundred years ago,-, , in.' which .'it |is so easily > possible to .trace points of. resemblance ,be- ' tween the toilettes of the past and those ' introduced .is tho ncvelties of ] BOS. Read, i for example, this description' .of, an evening : dress, : worn iii London, about a century ago ■ and described'by a chronicler of .the period. 1 It really might;, with mollifications,-servo as, ' the portrait:of a;gownof to-day. > • It was " a short round",dress of rich whito satin, bordered round the bottom with silver .. lace; over the dress' a; short' vesi crape, ,' richly spotted with silver," and- terminating ■' in. deep pointsj to each of which is suspended i a; small silver tassel. Head-dress a Spanish ' .hat of Royal purple velvet, ornamented in [ front with ,a..gold or silver flower'.. Whito i satiii shoes and 'white!, kid' gloves." ', ■. . i". It, was tlie fashion in.'those' days to wear ' elaborate head-dresses, a vogue the' French' ; have "continii'sd to pitronise for the res- • -taiirant and. the. theatre, I hough • i'ir the', play- ' houses lately ; .there has been so great an.outdry; against obstructionist; millinery 'that the English niodo' of discarding tlie hait'and weiring ornaments less obvious is widely gaining ■ ground. ■.' '' ' ' '' ?' : Tho, pictures that' are 'most, fruitful 'in iri- ' spiration" are portraits by 'Sir Thomas Lnw- ' rence,'"Gainsborough, .[Sir, Joshua Reynolds, ' and other'artists of their . school, just the [ very ones that' have been ' delighting ; the ' people of. ..Berlin of-late. . ''