NEW FASHIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 218, 8 June 1908, Page 5

NEW FASHIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MADAME ■ . , HANSOM. Madame Hansom,; who has just returned from a year's holiday trip, during which sho visited Paris, Vienna, and Berlin, has, a great deal to say that is of interest concerning to-day's fashions and-matters of dress generally. She was much, impressed with tho lavish outlay on dress, both on the Continent and in England. . "At the present day," she said, "the dressing is more extravagant than I can ever remember it,. arid, as my experience was gained ;in loading London and Paris houses, I was able to compare the expenditure .of respective, years. For instance, where at one time a hundred guineas was thought a big price for a presentation gown or 'reception toilette, nowadays three hundred guineas is thought nothing of." '' I,suppose that is largely due to the influenc cof the Americans? Yes, Madame thought so. The Americans are having a great time just now in European and, as they aro propared 'to spend largo sums on dress, the price of things does' Hot seem to trouble them. Hero Madame paused to express her admiration for many of tho fair Americans she had met, their beauty, charm, and intelligence. Then, speaking of extremes of fashion, she emphasised the fact that many a , design which is''eminently suited for some European devotee of fashion is quite unsuited for the dwellers beyond l!he seas. "You will notice a costume in tho Paris streets,'-' she said, "that does not strike you as being at all conspicuous or unusual, for though looked at by itself, it is distinctly striking and original, it seems thero to. harmonise with its surroundings. Such a frock would, of course, be impossible for Lambton Quay. We have here to adapt to our needs the fashions set in England and Europe,/.and because most of the women here require costumes that are suitable for more than one. occasion, we have to strike the happy: medium, with results that are, on tho whole, I, think, decidedly satisfactory." And which of the newest fashions will come here? Do you think the tight skirt will make its way to New Zealand? " Certainly. It is only a question of time, but it is sure to somo. And it is a pretty graceful skirt, not at" all like the badlydrawn pictures of it one sometimes sees. It fits tightly round the hips, and flares widely at tho foot. Of course, it is not fitted for street wear. By the way, thero is now an idea that it is smarter to have even tailormade. r skirts just a little long, so that they touch the ground and-have to bo raised

slightly." ' . .But .there is - quite, an art. in -that,-'said Dominica, mindful''of the way tho ordinary woman grabs and bunches her too-long skirt. ." Yes, of course there is," said Madame, "but when it is well done it looks very graceful, and. the Parisienne is very careful to wear the most beautiful underskirts. That is one thing of which the well-dressed woman makes a. point." >. "We shall have tho polonaise back again," she went on. " And you will liko it. Worn with a pretty lace vest, it is a., charming, graceful costume. Years ago, when it was in, it ran. to all sorts of exaggerations, and it was ; . bunched over the hips and at tho back in a'very.ugly fashion, but this time it will be moro restrained. It has developed from a slight draping: on the. front of tho new tight skirt, and the fullness is put in so cleverly -andJ. so gradually that one -hardly sees how it is done. Cashmere is about tho best material .to make the polonaiso of ; cashmere,- or one of those softly falling chiffon cloths which' are suro to be much worn all through ; the summer for afternoon frocks. Sometimes the polonaise is -worn over an underskirt of different material, sometimes it is mado with a trimmed hem, arid worn, with underskirt of the same stuff. ' The little short coat of contrasting material is very much worn at Homo, and is very smart and effective.. Sometimes they are mado not. quite short, but with a little 'fullness on tho hips, and sometimes with long coat-tails curved. A pretty one I saw was of black velvet, worn with a skirt of blue and blacked striped velvet. For evening wear there are little lace coats with a suggestion of kimono sleeve. By the way, the kimono is here, 1 think, to stay. . . It is so useful and lends itself to so many combinations, that in one' form or another we shall have it with us for a long time.' Sleeves are to be tight and long. Tho three-quarter sleeve is not at all popular, even for theatre wear, in fact, both in london and on the Continent, I found that a great many women were wearing to theatres, and for dinner at the hotels, transparent yokes and sleeves, high to tho throat and down Vo tho wrist. This made it very easy for people who were travelling, as a black velvet frock mado in princess or kimono style, with two or three transparent laco or net slips, would serve for. many occasions. The sleaves are often made of rucked net, tho rucking done'very slightly, as otlierwiso .it is apt to look coarse. Then, as a variation, the ladder sleeves made with many wido. folds right down the arm, are very becoming." One charming grock Madame Hansom admired very much was of black chiffon velvet with angel sleeves of black sequined net; : slightly, draped on the front of the arm, and falling at the back to the hem of the skirt.

It was interesting to find that Madame. Hansom thinks tho cost of dress is. less here than at the large English shops. It"' would be a very ordinary tailor-made coat and skirt that one could get at a good London shop for £8 Bs., she says,, and then, there would be no silk lining in either the coat or skirt. That brought her to another! point, that the newest tailor-made skirts are. not lined, but great care is shown in selecting well-fitting underskirts to wear with them. Another thing that Madame Hansom emphasised was the need of careful corsetting. _ To the well-dressed European woman this is 'a matter of the rery first import-; ance, and she would never dream of contenting herself with a haphazard selection of "something that will do." To bo •well corsetted is to he well-dressed, is her motto, and, acting on that, she studies the question seriously, and achieves the happiest results.