LADIES' COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 11, 13 January 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

LONDON FASHION NOTES. (Written specially for the Evening Post.) LONDON, Ist December. To-day my notes deal exclusively with i somu details regarding evening dress. To munv English families this will bo a. sad Chris tmustide, and consequently far lower swell functions will take place than usual. But when one remembers tho enoimous population of this country, it is easily seen that numberless homes will not be touched in any way by tho war, and the members of such households will, as heretofore, freely I make merry in a variety of ways, particularly as regards evening parties and dances; for such gaieties evening dress is essential. And this year there is no lack of variety in that branch of the world of fashion. My only difficulty is that as there are so many little items to record I am sure to omit some in my endeavour to touch upon all. In the first place 1 suppose it will be proper to say a few words with reference to materials. In a large measure we are without doubt reverting to the use oi silk and satin in the construction of eveniTig dresses, for these are now among the foremost fabrics. By some it is expected that these two materials and heavy brocades and velvets will supersede the younger and prettier chiffons, tulle, gauze, net and silk muslin. It may be so far as. the older members of the com-, munity are concerneu, but I , think the majority of the younger section will still remain faithful to the various transparent draperies. "The plainer materials, be it noted, are lavishly embroidered and hand painted, many being elaborate ■ works of art which utterly defy description. Hand painted panne is a much boomed creation and is absurdly expensive. Undoubtedly one of the prettiest and leading materials, "the heroine of the hour," in fact, is crepe do chine which, though it possesses a fair amount of substance, is at the same time is a wonderfully soft and silky fabric. Roman satin is making an ettectivo bid for popularity, particularly in pastel shades, for these are equally sought for evening as for day wear. Crystal-dropped gauzo is not one of the newest things, but for all that it is delightfully charming, is most becoming, and eminently is a material for the debutante. Each csystal dewdrop is sewn on by hand, and at rather close-" intervals, thus rendering it sparkling and attractive. Of sequins, coloured and black, we do not tirej on the contrary, their use, if anything, is considerably more lavish than formerly. The orthodox mode ia to sew on each sequin separately, and so close together that one overlaps another after the fashion of fish's scales. Moonlight tints continue popular. It is needless to note that tho work involved in such robes is not light, and the charges for carrying out the same are very exhorbitant. Indeed, I have been told that this class of work will quite easily run a single gown into three figures. The correct mode is to sew the sequins on tho dress after it has been fitted, and more often than not they adorn robes of the Princess shape; perhaps the sequins most in request are the black, those of a creamy opalescent tone, all shades of green and bright bronze. To my taste these heavily weighted sequined robes are clumsy and cumbersome looking. One skirt whdlly covered with these black discs overlapping one another, each the size of a threepenny-piece, had in addition a floral tracery consisting of sprays of purple lilac carried out in shaded sequins. Pearl-spangled chiffon is a nov.elty, nnd is used chiefly for trimmings, though the entire bodice portion may be be made of it, while the satin skirt has trimmings of the same. Equally as prominent as all the abovenamed materials •is laoe. Whole dresses frequently are made of it, sometimes over colour. In other instances there are tunics of it, or olso lace may be flounced on the skirt of a material gown whilo festoons of it deck the bodice. Over white satin lace is generally becoming,; there aro so many varieties, and peopie who are "anybodies" taboo any but the real and genuine article. Very few of the capital and expensive imitations ari patronised by women who are judges of lace. Lace is not hand-painted, tut it is threaded frequently with puffing 3 of gathered tulle or chitton. A large quantity of lace is seen dotted with jewels, or threaded with strips of fur, but it is only the coarser kinds that are so dealt with, the "master minds" sensibly deeming that fine and valuable lace is 'more effective in its /natural state. Young matrons seem to prefer a lace ball-gown to one of any other fabric. Such dresses are naade over a foundation of white silk, which in its turn is veiled with mousseline de soie, and then the latter is quite covered with costly lace. Mousseline moire is something just brought out, and its name sufficiently describes its nature. It is difficult to say that any colour will outdo another, but undoubtedly for girls a beautiful shade of pale blue, verging almost on turquoise, is one of the nicest colours, while for matrons, petunia ia deemed most becoming. • There arc lovely tones in green, pink, yellow, and helitrope, but perhaps after all white and cream come out at the top. Having just touched upon some of the foremost materials, next come a few words about styles, which are really as endless as the stuffs themselves, and perhaps to a great extent each woman will adopt the mode most becoming to her. Regarding skirts, there is one hard and fast dictum, namely, that trains shall be worn, and these not short. The spoon-shaped variety is the most recent innovation, stiffened all along the edge with thin wiro to hold it out well. Most of the dresses are tight-fitting, especially as the leading materials are better adapted for that purpose, and as Princess robes lead the way. The bodice and pointed tunic are cut in one and very often cover a petticoat wholly composed of billowy lace flounces). Draping is considerably used,'the more fancilully arranged the better. Some of the tunics are only simulated. All skirts must' be trimmed and draped; plain skirts are quite out of date, unless the material used be heavily patterned brocade, for it woud be analagous to "carry coals to Newcastle" Were brocades and brocaded velvets to be much trimmed. In some cases the single box-pleat is found useful for evening dresses; for instance, when the Princess robe fastens at the back, the box-pleat starts from the shoulder, and though it is stitched down flat to midway on the skirt, yet it allows of the bodice being fastened invisibly underneath it; in this way it serves a double purpose. It is difficult to get the thin materials to set well if tight and plaiu, so when chiffon and silk muslin bodices are required to be close fitting, they are arranged in a series of tiny tucks, running perpendicularly, all round the waist, forming in rcality> a kind, of deep belt. They are well boned and so follow the lines ef the figure. A plain-fronted, hand-painted skirt may have its back arranged in a of deep flounces, four usually being sufficient, the bottom one spreading out and forming the sweeping train, and then each flounce is edged with a trail of'button" roses as the small banksia flowers are now commonly termed. Floral trimmings are to be all the rage and quite the latest are applique on to the material in a wonderful manner.

Long trails of roses, or other flowers, are formed of putted chiffon, and then worked on satin gowns, the stalks and leaves being carried out in raised green chenille, the whole then dowdropped with diamonds or crystals. Such fanciful treatment entails a deal of tasteful and careful and skilled workmanship, and makes the dress costly, but it is worth while paying the extra money in order to .obtain anything so pretty and novel. It far surpasses hand painting which latter art, as already mentioned, is in enormous demand just now. In addition to the applique flowers, the ordinary variety of the artificial species from a very general mode of decorating evening dresses, especially in the small varieties. Trails ot • button roses make a pretty finish as the heading of a bunchy mass of Vandyked or zig-zaggy flounces at the edge ot" a dress made of crystal - dropped gauze. Some of the flowers are ol: silk, but most, the latest out, are made of chiffon or silk gauze or other material of a, like nature ; as I have previously mentioned, the best are scented. In addition to the diamond dewdropped petals, some of the best flowers have a. diamond heart, fo it is not a difficult matter to picture how gay they look. On a black dress such flowers are particularly effective. Here again, however, you need not expect to save pence by purchasing flowers such as these, instead, the outlay is very considerable. While there is a run on tiny flowers, there are others of huge dimensions ; roses are always at the top, but in ad- . dition there are numberless other flowers, including tremendous poppies, and exaggerated, clematis, and orchids. An arrangement suitable for a tall woman, is to have a very long spraji of roses or other flowers, with foliage, attached to the bodice near the left shoulder, and then allow it to fall unchecked!, for some distance below -the wai3t, nearly to the hem of the skirt if desired. Kevers of evening bodices are prettily covered with flowers, the small kinds, such as HJy-of-the valley, button roses, forget-me-nots, or sweet peas being the most (suitable for the purpose ; white flowers are, on the whole, perhags the daintiest for the purpose, though pale pink and light blue have .much to recommend them, and this is an uncommon mode of introducing a, colour on a white dress. Narrow flounces of lace or other material, edged with bebe ribbon are particularly in evidence, and boleros — for boleros are one of the features of evening dress now — of net or of the same material as the flounces, are very nigh covered with these narrow velvet bands. Net dresses are trimmed with satin rouleaux — another old fashion revived. Boleros of lace worn over colour seem popular among the fashionable dressmakers. With them deep corselet belts are worn, but otherwise waist-belts continue very narrow, and are principally made of coloured panne, of which there is more often than not a corresponding touch somewhere on the bodice. Jewelled butterflies are conspicuous dotted tastefully about some of the dresses; they are pretty ratner than otherwise. But miniature snakes carried out in coloured sequins are horribly revolting and creepy objects. These are used for the most part on some of the heavily sequined black gowns, and are intended to form a relief. One or two coil about the skirt, and one or two more nestle among the folds of the bodice. On several occasions I have held forth on the subject of fringe and its different varieties, principally regarding its use on day garments. But fringe ot all kinds is. equally conspicuous when our modes for evening attireinent are concerned. Crystal and silver fringes are employed to a vast extent. What is not I should like to know? Almost everything mentionable is now fashionable, and to attempt to enumerate the varieties in each separate thing would turn one's hair grey ! Sashes tied at one side and falling down the front of the skiit at one side, are frayed out to a great depth, or else provided with a finish of hanging pearls. Chiffon sashes, being of a noniraying fabric, are thus finished at the ends, and the beads give the necessary weight to such flimsy etceteras which are thus kept better in position. Sashes with lappet-shaped ends are another variety, and some of these are hr^id-painted at the ends, others being trimmed with frilled ribbon, lace or fringe. Fiohus of soft materials often form the chief attraction of charming simple gowns. They may be arranged in a number of ways, but the newest is to bring them well down round the shoulders aud finish them off with a knot or rosette in front. In length they vary, some having prq,ctioally no drooping ends; some fail as 'far as the waist ; others reach halfway down the skirt, and may just touch tho* hem. The last two kinds differ from the others in that they are provided with a fringe of some description. The longest fichus often are caught here and there on the skirt with a jewelled ornament, thus^ forming a kind of di apery. Demi-toilette bodices are made open at the neck, and are also furnished with some sort of dainty chemisette of transparent material, to be worn when quite full dress is not necessary. Such bodices are often mad© with a handsomely worked short bolero, reaching to the bust line and there met by a deep corselet belt, simple or elaborate. Long, tight-fitting sleeves, usually of lace, correspond with the chemisette. Ono of the. prettiest trimmings for evening frocks consists of cream silk embroidered with pearls. Tim is used for strappings, and/ panels among other things. Shoulder-straps of this pearlembroidered silk are simple, yet effective. Vandykes on evening skirts are edged with pearls, and a chiffon sasn (before referred, to), finished with a pearl fringe, completes such a toilette. What some people consider " smart " is a lace cuirass, which forms a low bodice, and also has coat tails to fall in points on to the skirt. Doubtless you have seen them illustrated. People who have them seem to recommend them on the score that they are available for wearing with different coloured dresses, and thus ring a welcome change. A ribnon waistbelt embroidered with pearls, having long ends falling on tho skirt, make a pretty finish to a girlish frock ; in the same manner black velvet is used. Occasionally, in addition to the pearl trimming just referred to, a pretty dress of transparent material will be trimmed moro or less elaborately with silver, the lace and muslin folds being headed with silver, while, should the sleeves be long, they are latticed with silver, and silver fringe finishes the hanging ends of the pearl-embroidered waistbelt. It would be incomplete were I to conclude to-day without saying something regarding sleeves, though for the most part, for full evening diess, such things continue unknown: The v two shoulders aro never alike. One perhaps will have straps of flowers keeping the back and front of the bodice together on one side, one strap going over the shoulder while two others drape themselves on the arm. The opposite side of the same bodice will be finished off.with a chiffon .rosette. To take another instance, a frill of lace falls over one shoulder, while a very large rose is the finish on the other. For the samo purpose, narrow straps of fur or embroidered trimming or lace, or jewels or sequins are all that we see on tha bodices of the hour, though it does not follow that it may not be a great while ero a stiffened frill of chiffon or lace, standing out wett from the arm on the ton, and being about five inches in depth, will be largely worn.' Another form of shoulder strap is foamed of many rows of black bebe ribbon velvet dotted with strass stones. The wearer of a snaketrimmed dress will have one of these loathcome reptiles snugly coiled round one arm, while lace or something else is

used as a finish on the other shoulder. Worn with bodices minus sleeves we see very long gloves, many having lace tops, while the wearer's initial may be embroidered on the back of one of the hands of tho glove. Mittens are sometimes seen, but only sometimes. Fortunately for people who cannot go without sleeves on account of scraggy or red arms, the long transparent variety of iace, reaching a long way over the hand and fitting closely, are as orthodox as ever ; rucked sleeves have quite had their day. Some sleeves come as far as the elbow, fitting the arm well, and then are finished off with several full frills or deep ruflles of lace. Another variety look like shoulder capes, for, they leach midway between the shoulder and the elbow. In order to make the quite long sleeve look more dressy, a V-shaped opening may be left betAveen the top of the sleeve and the shoulder strap, thus shewing the most shapely part of the arm ; out if this opening is in any way exaggerated the sleeve looks uncomfortable, and one expects every minute to see it drop altogether with a run. One clever and popular actress — Miss Sarah Brooke — has made rather a boCd experiment 'in "The Interrupted Honeymoon," in which she is now appearing. In that play one of her dresses is provided with one long fitting sleeve reaching well over the hand, while the other arm is left practically bare. To nry mind many a delicate evening gown, otherwise tastefuly caried out, is quite spoiled by having one large blob, or perhaps several blobs, of black chiffon dotted carelessly about the bodice and skirt.