EVENING DRESSES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 115, 8 February 1935, Page 5

EVENING DRESSES

Latest English Styles There is almost nothing that is not touched upon in the wide range of evening dresses just now, states a writer in the “Manchester Guardian.” An evening dress used to mean as a matter of course a low neck, sometimes a very low neck. It also implied short sleeves. To-day there are no implications of this kind. The evening dress may have a high neck and its sleeves may be as long as possible. Possibly it will be found that the whole of the back is bare, but not necessarily. Where this is the case there is often a cape or the tails of a long scarf to dissimulate the back. One feature which is possessed ■by nearly all evening dresses is the sheath cut. Sometimes this is only indicated—the full skirts, for instance, may have a little tightness round the hips, before the fullness begins. There are also full skirts which are full from the waist-line, but these savour of the picture nature. The majority of dresses follow the sheath line and from just below the hips may continue in this strain or develop into different kinds of fullness. Evening dresses vary, naurally according to the stuff that is used for them. Taffetas demands a different cut from paillettes. Velvet asks for other treatment than that of lame or organdie. All are used and there is much satin. Satin also appears for dresses which are entirely sheath and for the long tunics, which often contrast with the underdress. There are ‘ long satfn tunics, in Chinese blue, made with a low, draped bodice, and flaring below the knees. The underdress is of black velvet, and it has a small train. The underskirt is further linked up with the tunic by means of a long streamer from one shoulder which touches the ground in conjunction with the train. Laillettes. While satin retains all its popularity and demands a certain cut, generally on the slimmer lines, both paillettesi and lame are inclined to follow the same route, and so does lace. One of the latest models has a frock of silver lace with a round neck and with a sort of bib carried up narrowly to the throat. This is sheath-llke, but begins to be full from well above the knees. By reason of the way it hangs it loses nothing of the sheath effect by reason of its fullness. Paillettes merely need the human form upon which to glitter. Another model has a becoming sheath with a small train. The neck is low, the arms and back well cut out, but the dress is combined with a small cape to the elbows. And in yet another may be seen the pure sheath in fish-like form. The paillettes are mounted on tulle and the neck and bodice made in circular lines of .paillettes and tulle alternatively. Stray pieces of loose tul-le give the bodice a light effect. These paillette dresses are handsome. They demand a good figure and should not be worn indiscriminately. Taffetas, faille, poult de s-oie are following rather new fashions. Hitherto they have often been cut on picture lines and have had full skirts or perhaps panniers. There is a tendency to give them the sheath outline, but to vary this with extras. Taffetas often have berthas, made in quaint pleats, or frills which stand out like wings at the back of the shoulders. Instead of the plain surface over the hip, the taffetas often has a panel down the front, into the sides of which a few gathers may be let, which run horizontally. At the back the bustle element is suggested by large - bows, or there may be some gathering up of the material to produce the same effect. Some taffetas frocks have closely pleated fullness from above the knees. Generally the pleats are stitched down a little way and then let loose. Sometimes the back only has- a number of pleats, either gathering or knife pleats being used. These may be gathered in tightly at the back of the knees. Velvet Sheaths. Velvet sheaths are much liked, especially in black. There is little to be done to velvet but to be “cut.” And cut is exquisite just now and flattering to the figure. Plain sheaths are made, with perhaps a small slit on one side and a fairly long, slim tail generally rounded a little. Velvet Is also used for the high-necked dress with long sleeves, the chin being contained in a sort of cup-j-a becoming style. The back may be one vast bare V or it may have only a little V where the stuff slants as it comes over the shoulder. Velvet is greatly used for the teagown style of dress. It may have a fairly deep V in front with revers, full sleeves to the elbows, and a long skirt with a train. This has the advantage of being comfortable for the winter The more elaborate tea-gown has a sort of cloak-like back which looks as' though it has slipped to form the lowneck, There is merely a plain V in front and the dress has a sweeping train.

Decoration often slips in'with evening frocks. There are still a good many wings and neck decorations. A black taffetas may have huge frills of white organdie round the neck and armholds. Black organdie made sheathwise may have large flat organdie sunflowers patched upon it. An amusing faille frock seen at a recent display had a skirt like a bell, stiffened from above the knees by cording. Otherwise it was plain and had for decoration a bunch of arums at the waist,- the curves of which harmonised ac|mifably with thecircular cording. There was also cording over'the shoulders of-this distinctive dress.

World’s Richest Baby. The richest baby in the world will be entered this year for Eton. He is the infant son and Heir of the Crown Prince of Hyderabad, son of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the richest man in the world, and ruler of India’s premier State of 14,000,000 subjects (says the “Sunday Times”).- The boy was born a few months ago. His mother, a beautiful Turkish’princess, is the daughter of- the last of the Turkish sultans and caliphs rvhbm Mustapha Kemal banished. The baby will inherit a private fortune of £160,000,000, the gold mines of Golconda, and 50 marble palaces, castles, and forts. He is also heir to the title conferred during the Indian .Mutiny —“The Faithful Ally of the British Government.” Already the baby is dressed in heavily bejewelled cloth of gold. During the summer heat the infant chafed, but only when doctors ordered it wajs he put into more comfortable clothes.

Bathing in the moonlight has always been popular among Aucklanders, and more especially during the present prolonged hot spell, the’ beaches being thronged whenever the night tide has proved favourable. At Mission Bay on Saturday the water hear the shore was illuminated as brilliantly as any man-made swimming pool (states the “Auckland Star"). Motorists had parked their cars in line facing the beach, and, with headlights switched full on the water, the bathers enjoyed themselves immensely. So popular has night bathing become ■ recently, ’ that even a late tide does not deter hundreds from having a “dip” round about midnight.