LADIES' COLUMN. LONDON FASHION NOTES. [WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR THE EVENING.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1899, Page 10 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN. LONDON FASHION NOTES. [WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR THE EVENING.

London, 17th December, 1898. * To-day I hope to conclude my notes on evening attire, a subject to which two articles have already been devoted. To begin with I will say something about hairdressing, hints with regard to which have been supplied by a well-known London coiffeur. It is becoming more and more noticeable" that sensible women and women of taste wear their hair arranged to suit their own particular features and style of beauty. There is at present no specially favourite shade of hair ; it is not long since the vivid colour popularly known as "Venetian red" was all the rago, bub now it is no longer worn, unless, of course, it be Nature's natural colouring. But it is no longer fashionable when obtained with the aid of the dye-pot. Few women possess it in their own right, and when it is tho natural hue the complexion is in perfect harmony with it — a detail of the utmost importance, not infrequently overlooked when the Venetian red hair had been artificially produced. At the moment those who have wellshaped heads dress their hair low down, particularly in the evening, though some of the smartest women have begun to adopt it for the daytime, too. The wave is still in, but it is wider than ever. One of the latest modes of dressing the hair low is, after tying it slightly above the nape of the neck, to divide it in half, coiling the, one half upward in the form of the figure 8 ; tho second half is similar^ lised except that the first twist starts downward, thus resting on the neck ; on this bottom twist is generally worn a tor-toise-shell or some other fancy slide. Straight fringes, which were threatened some little time ago, and which were sparingly adopted at that time, are only very tardily making their way, and one begins to think that they will not " take " at all, for to the average type of English face they are not at all beooming. Heavy fringes are not worn now, _the prevailing mode being to brush the hair back high above the forehead, waved of course, whiJr on the temples there are only a few curly locks permitted to rest. There is nothing new here, but for all that I anticipate that it will 'be the established fashion all though the winter season. The tortoise-shell comb has evidently come to stay for some time, and the mostbeautiful specimens, so far as colouring is concerned, are named "reddish blonde." Sometimes these combs are edged with Drilliants or other sparkling stones ; sometimes they are pierced in different patterns, and sometimes the edges are just indented in a kind of broad arabesque design. At orffe time g^rey hair was tabooed, but now it is becoming reinstated, and always is most effective and becoming when it is natural. Ladies now seldom interfere when the hair is turning grey, but permit Nature to take her course. While the low style of hairdressing is practically thq prevailing mode in London, we have only just to peep across to the other side of the Channel to find the very o^rjositc. There womenkind, no matter when and where seen, have always their hair dressed right on top of the head, and hideous it generally looks. The hair is twisted into the smallest possible knot. It»is worn nigh in front, very much puffed at each side, and stands out well at "the back of the neck; the ondule remains, only it is larger and looser than heretofore. Combs are still the rage there ; side combs are worn, in addition to a large one on the top of the head and an Empire comb at the back. But to return to London : In the evening some ornament — or ornaments — usually adorns the hair. When the latter is arranged on ' to the neck, nothing is more, modish than for a lovely rose to be tucked into the hair on the left side. Other j flowers, too, are worn, but the rose is most favoured. Then, as hair ornaments, there are pretty little gauze butterflies in all delicate colourings, some of which glisten with crystal ornaments. The antenna are usually formed of little aigrette wisps. Beside the butterfly, the grasshopper and the dragonfly figure as hair ornaments. Also there are pretty little ostrich tips and soft fluffy marabout plumes, the latter often being spangled; they are so soft and light-looking. Then, again, the Louis Seize bow is an important little et cetera for the hair. It is made of coloured wired inch-wide velvet ribbon. Some of these bows are made to look brighter by the addition, of a little sparkling ornament, and others are made to look less stiff and prim by having mixed in with the ribbon a little osprey. Sprays for the hair are also being made in the form of leaves ; those depicting the maidenhair fern give promise of being popular, T>ut as yet they are quite new, and therefore rather expensive, as they are made of gold. And beside the things just mentioned there are jewels and fancy combs innumerable. While on the subject of ornaments, I may as well say a few words about some of the jewellery in vogue for evening wear at the present time. Of all stones, I really think that the diamond and the pearl lanV first in favour now. In the way of neck ornaments there is much variety. Some " dog-collar " necklets of pearls with diamond clasps are very much to the front ; but on the whole, perhaps, neck ornaments are not so much worn high or close arounc 1 the throat as they were — just around the base of the throat, from which point thej circle out broadly. Often long necklets are twisted round several times and then allowed to fall down the front of the bodice. It is now quite the exception to see the neck bare of ornaments. With •egard to anything t tight being permissible .round the throat, ''there is an exception made in favour of the black velvet band, which is drawn through one or more jewelled buckles or slides, and is fastened in a bow at the back. The revival of the locket has given the goldsmiths much scope to display their taste, and some of the little heart-shaped lockets, pendant on fine gold chains, are really beautiful. Of course they are not so showy or so elaborate as the gorgeous necklaces, but for all that they are effective and simple j —in much better taste and far more girlish. The lockets are often of plain gold ; some times they are set with one stone, and at other times the surface is completely dotted with precious gems, notably tiny pearls. For girls, > one of these little heart-lockets, or a simple necklet of two or three rows of pearls or else a cirole of moonstones, is most general. ! Perhaps the most striking and of the neck adornments is the double row of " lucky " beans, made of opal, which are strung on silver wire, with discs of crystals between the beans. Many o^her sorts of stones are cut in this same shape, nnd some of the little lockets are made in the same pattern. You will doubtless re collect that I told you a few weeks ago the lucky bean was one of the most re cent innovations in the form of " charms." Why the wofd " lucky " is so much to the front this season with the many 1 ttle loiick-knaeks is not explained. Expensive and elaborate ornaments can be made to serve for different purposes, and one of the latest functions of the tiara is— after a few detachments — to take the form of a necklet, to say nothing of the becoming girdle ornaments they make when used with silk or velvet. Many months ago I spoke of the anticipated revival of earrings. These emblems of barbarity — what else are they ?— are gaining affection all round, though perhaps somewhat slowly. As yet the heavy earrings of our great-grandmothers are not countenanced, for it is considered sufficient for the present to wear a small, close star-shaped ornament on the lobe, with a small vtndant attached. Here, too, dia-

monds and pearls are in the ascendant. So exquisite and effective are the stones produced by the Parisian diamond companies that I believe many people, in view of the constant changes of fashion, patronise these establishments. Prices are much less, and it is a great responsibility taking charge of real diamonds. Even people who have the real thing often wear imitation stones for fear of something happening to the more costly possession. Particularly does the use of the imitation stones apply in the case of earrings, for who knows how long the craze for them will remain ? The old-fashioned crystal earrings are being " resurrected," and they a.re made to form rather large loops, having a single drop beneath, and this kind oan be affixed to the ears without the necessity of the piercing operation. Then, too, many of the deep pearl " dogcollars " which people wear are created by the Parisian Diamond Company, and they look to the uninitiated quite as nice as the genuine article, ' though no doubt connoisseurs could easily detect their artificiality. As the ruby is becoming more and more scarce, it is much too costly for ordinary people, so I hear that the emerald j is likely to be one of the most prominent I of jewels for the winter season, as it can be worn by people who are dark and people who are fair, while it has the addi tional charm of lighting up well. A favourite piece of jewellery is the tortoise, especially when it is made with hanging and movable joints, which wobbk as the wearer moves. Its full designation is the " lucky tortoise," but why the word lucky is again used I know not. It is usually made of plain gold, more or lesr elaborately set with jewels. In most case? it depends from a slender gold chain, and is attached to the dress by a little pin. Pink coral is a good deal favoured for al 1 ornamental purposes, and until imitations of it appear in the 6|d editions — which will ere long be the case, I faney — it will bo popular in society. Before concluding this topic of jewellery, I cannot resist bringing to your notice one more craze in the way of charms. It is made of gold, in the shape of a miniature egg; on touching a spring the top flies open, and up pop two tiny twin chickens. It is most amusing *to see it, work. Fans are very varied, and as beautiful as they are varied. Perhaps the tiny Empire fan is considered the most modish, but fashions in fans change as they do in everything else, though the big handsome ostrich-feather fan is as prominent as any, and, while it is not the newest, it always seems able to keep abreast of all it.^sncomers. Some of the large fans are made of shaded feathers, and most are extremely effective, especially when the base is dark mauve and the tips have shaded off to light mauve. The sticks can be as gorgeous and rich as desired, or they may be very plain. Those fans of real ostrich feathers are quite a luxury, for anything really handsome costs at least 5£ guineas, and many are far more expensive .-till. On the tiny gauze fans hand-painting is very general, and some are spangled as well ; others are adorned with lace applications M "What are the coverings for our gorgeous evening gowns ?" I seem to hear you say. Well, there are cloaks of many materials, of varied shapes, and of sevara l lengths. All agree in that they c'ing closely to the shoulders like the old-time shawls ; it is after that point that the variety begins. If the cape is to reach the waist only, then it becomes suddenly very full just below the shoulders ; if it is to reach the knees, then the fulness begins just below the waist ; if it is to cover the dress entirely, then the fulness starts lower down still. Many have rounded fronts, and many have the front? cut in a deep point, in which case the back of the cape is shorter than the front, being exactly the opposite in this respect of the cape whose fronts are rounded. Trimming as a rule is put on all round, the favourite for a pretty opera cloak being a full ruche of feather trimming or else a thick quilling of chiffon. Some of the capes are much more elaborately trimmed than others, and are made Avith huge embroidered revers, and a fearfully high and very much over-trimmed collar. When very long, fine cloth is frequently used in their construction, and then the trimming is formed by two graduated frills, cut on the cross, which go right round the garment and get narrow at the neck in front ; these frills should be lined with a contrasting colour. Materials, however, range from handsome and costly brocades and silks and satins to cloth, cashmere, and veiling. One of the best and newest of the evening cloaks is made of perfectly plain cloth or double cashmere, and i popular shade is pale biscuit, or mushroom. In fine white cloth, too, they look extremely well. A great and important feature of wraps, particularly of the more useful variety, is their lining, which should be of a pretty and contrasting shade of silk, either quilted or plain. Ir delicate pinks and blues and yellows and creams and heliotropes and greens, the opera and evening wraps generally are yery tempting.