INDISPENSABLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1234, 16 September 1911, Page 11

INDISPENSABLE.

' THE COAT AND SKIET. This distinguished costume is firming ovory day, says a ivritcr in tho "Australasian," and, those who may possibly think that caution is necessary to save monotony need have no fear, for tho reason that tho styles in both coat and skirj; arc so varied that choice is almcst unlimited. There is not a material at this moment that will not make up well into a coat and skirt, and there is hardly an ornamentation that is not suitable. Coats and skirts in corded silk, and satin that in the old days -would not have been thought of, are now general wear, and when satin is employed that with a stripe is the most up-to-date. Stripes, however, must b» handled with carc, and considerable study with regard to becomingness to tho

figure is also essential. Too broad, they take from, the grace of the lint, and if cut: to encircle the figure. ..they dwnrf it. . Stripes to beVsffcbtiv'e' must" suggest slimness, and to de this they must be handled by a. i master cutter. . As far as spring and summer are concerned, the coat and'skirt fit the picture exactly. Under the coat either a trim or very dressy blouse is worn, making it easy to remote the coat if it be too warm. Skirts are a little fuller, and especially at'the back, where they now have a broad box pleat that is stitched down to the required length, but not entirely. Narrow panels of pleats . arc also being introduced into skirts, but they nre not done with the idea of. giving width, for in all cases they must lie part of the width.of the skirt itself, that is now from two and a half to two and three-quarter yards. All manner of effects are simulated on skirts by means of the trimming, that is enhanced by a decoration ef small buttons ccvered with the material ussd, or some contrasting fabric such as braid, satin, velvet, beads, etc. The natural and kindly feeling for the coat that has floppy revDrs frequently edged with silk' fringe is not to be wondered at. It is extremely dressy. But quite as smart and picturesque are other ideas. All the directoire outlines and finishing touches cannot but find admirers, and the slightest trifle of individuality is necessary, to keep one's coats from being one of many. Later on little coats or sleeveless jackets will be useful to wear with lingerie frocks, or dresses of very li.yht texture. These certainly are not of tho ccat and skirt order, but nevertheless are included in the vast variety of coats now obtainable for all kinds of wear, and fo? all occasions. The main idea of the sleeveless style is that it serves tho placo of a wrap, and should Erovo most convenient, besides being a andsomo finishing touch, especially when made of rich brocade that illustrates the present idea of it, the entire coat, wide arm-holes, and cut-away neck being edged with either a bead fringe or closely sewn silk bobs.

The coat length in its present guise is short, just 'covering the bend of the hips, and those accorded tho most esteem are closer fitting than they were in the winter. Owing to the vast variety of decoration, it is-impqssible to find any two coat fronts of similar character—that is if ths maker knows his or her business. Extremely becoming is the coat that, after buttoning just below the figure line, slopes sharply away towards tho hips. Then; again, a novelty for very slight figures is the coat that reaches only to the waist, where distinctively novel is tho finish in the shape of a narrow pleating that gives-the impression that the coat is drawn in at the waist with a cord run through a casing. Yet another model or stylo has the fronts crossed over and accentuated by three fancy braid mock loops and buttons, tlio fastening really being dono with hooks and eyes. Plain and shot taffeta look well made into skirts that must become tho leading wear for this spring and summer, following on

ideas from Paris, where they have been practically a livery in dark blue, their modishness never being questioned on any occasion, when it goes without saying the skirt forming part of tho coat and skirt is always "a trottoir," and not with trains as wo have been led to believe.