WINTER FROCKS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 760, 8 March 1910, Page 3

WINTER FROCKS.

~' FASHIONS FOE TOIAINGTON.; At - this ' time ;of • year, n when:, the average woman 'is ' beginning to' think about her -winter fi-ocks,; the..; question. as to - the that-will rfalo; is. of ve/y general inter®.; aia Wo -of WSjington's leading dressmakers yesterday kin'dly. told a representative -of The Dominion- what styles they thought: would, be most popular. ~ :.-The' -'characteristic of. -the '■ frocks this ■ year,- I ,'said Miss Watson, the head dressmaker' it' ;Kirkcaldie tod.'Staiiis's,,' especially of the evening frocks—is that'they will bfe draped." -Last- year,peoples did-not,-have- waists, but this, .year , tlie, waist has come backi-and. though IWjire .gowM will. undoubtedly seen, w{hey<.-;wi Ui be'in the mino'rity. In answer to a question; whether she thought' satin"-' 'char< -ni'at?rial for evening .'frocks.last season:;i';would remain in favour this, winter, Miss -Watsoni said she thought it would, but .that- charmeus'e as well as-other ; firm.- stuffs . would- be veiled and;draped with thinner materials, niiion, chiffon, ..or. net,.,more': especially., cinon. Sequined robes, will .also be. worn, made with tunic effect over plain skirts. Brocaded silks, have, not;. yet.. . returned, though"'they . Are-verging on .it,, and,: generally . speaking; plain.' stuffs will; be wora.

The trimmings of . evening-gowns, will, be-glittering, gold, and silver; and .alumi; niumi crystal' and jet,' anything,, in fact; of. the/kind with- : bright:-effect,will be. in favour: The -sleeve of -the • evening .dress will' be . very/short, and the panels in favour last year, will be rotained'this, the stiff-effect lieing; in : most , cases broken by graceful.:draperies.: / The'fashion books are-showing some :of the "skirts for. dances made' barely touching the floor, but. this is a fashion that does ribKcommehd- itself to 'Miss. Watson, who considers that', u isnort. skirt/never, looks as graceful as one made quite' long. : Tho princess style will .be especially in favour for; walking costumes, of cloth-of similar; materials, and the sleeves. ,will come'- to; tho - wrist,- or/be a "little more than three-quarter -length.-, 'Quite the newest idea ,is to.have; yoke/and, cuffs iiiade of a Avide .meshed net of Aluminium; grey,' gold, or-'silver: metallic t'hread under chiffon.; This , looks,'prettier -than;,'it. sounds,- and. the somewhat' hard :effect ; of the net is-neutralised .by the chiffon, and the folds, of Chiffon of/the, same' as'tlie cloth "with'which it is 'edged. Dyed net, is also to..bs .much'lised foi/the yokes of day : dresses.' /Skirts' are''a; little "fuller I than they were,' but' on' : the ■ ■whale; fairly .tight; as compared, with the skirts of two/reasons ago.,' *: ; ■■-. -. i. .-'Miss' - Watson is inclined;.'t(j. : think that I while the Jinipiro frock -is gradually going cut,- the •inliiienc'e. of the -style- will - be seen ■ in , the. raising- of the waist-line' at the .back; as: in- the semi-Empire; styles.' 1 ! ' 'Mrs.; A. .R.'-Duß', oi Lanibton Quay,' who-Jios just returned from a visit of two years" to' England, said sho had- never .Known a season when,.styles were so various,: and.' a woman' had so much liberty to choose the fashion. that,suited her uest. She had • visited all the beßt irocked, "of the: recent' plays,. and found that there the skirts were'.very, thin and tight, clinging'round the feet,' and the uulined trains lay limply on the gi'ound. Dresses : both; lor flay ■ • and'- evening wear .were very < much - ; draped, and the,, very favourite idea, was to have every frock draped , with thin materials. One saw frocks, black, white,: and coloured, beautifully draped with black hinon, and the curious thing was that very often this ninon was put over the frock after', it was completely trimmed.' Thisj did not have-a: bizarre effect,'as one..-might • suppose, - but was exceedingly pretty, especially/ when the trimming was - bright. White , ninon would be used in the same:way. Bright trimmings, were to', be. very. ;much worn, sequined robes were, more in: favour than ev«r,;but the ■%'ewest popular trimmings were of oxidised silver and'dull gold. . ,'.

Walking dresses are made with princess polonaise, or tunics, over plain or pleated underskirts, nd variations of .the pmatore frock . • 'popular.' Skiits are still very limp, and many of the dresses are . much draped. The fishwife skirt, with draped . top over pleated underskirt; ;is fashionable, and generally both are of the same material, though occasionally' contrasting colours are-used, not with a very liappy effect.' Sleeves 'of day frocks are long, and quite plain or slightly puffed at' the elbow, a stylo that was in some years ago. Very many bodices are .made with sleeve and bodice cut in one, with a modified kimono effect, and Mrs. Duff noticed that the' blouses worn in "The Dollar Princess," a. : most . gorgeously-dressed play, were.in this 'style.. Frocks are still braided, a good deal in. self colours.. Tailor-made costumes with long tuba coats are still very much worn at Home, but one also sees coats of practically length; and a new fancy is the Russian coat, with basque. This is very pretty and. comfortable, and ft was having a, run-of popularity when Mrs. Duff left England. ' ■