LADIES' COLUMN. LONDON FASHION NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 108, 3 November 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN. LONDON FASHION NOTES.

(Written specially for the Evening Post.) LONDON, 22nd September. Since the arrival of this month we have had all sorts of early autumn fashions brought conspicuously to our notice. All branches of dress are well represented, but none more so than that devoted to millinery, though, too, there is much to be seen in th* way of dress materials and styles, to say nothing of cloth and fur jackets and capes, the latter being displayed enticingly as usual in order that the Ameri^n visitors may take home some bargains with them. This year there has been quite the "record" so 'far as concerns the number of American visitors to London, and our shopkeepers always look forward to their custom at this period, for it fills up the gap before tue return of Londoners from abroad and' ■elsewhere. Now, however, London is looking more like itself again ; every day brings back hundreds of its citizens, while every day also sees the .departure of whole armies of tourists and country visitors. These always make many purchases, and without doubt they have been well catered for this year. Judging i>y present modes, our heads will be flat as pancakes when we put oh some of the toques and. hats, especiauy the former, which grow flatter and yet more spreading — some having unmistakable brims— every day. Trimmings take the form of drapingfl, and the material most largely used is panne. Two colours are often worked in together, a light and a dark shade, but always are they swathed round the shape, and many have drapings' of lace veiling about the brim. Often the flat crowns are one mass of shaded roses, without foliage, these being fixed quite firmiy and evenly and separately on the crown. Quills are in large demand, and these are put through rosettes or bows or panne with apparent, indifference, only they must hot stand erect; the curly kinds lend themselves very well for resting low on the brim in " and out of the draped 'trimming, and it is the latest dodge to make as much as possible of the boney stick, which always occupies a very prominent position. To some quills of the flat and straight persuasion, stiff ospreys are attached, and ' these are placed erect, but even the tallest are arranged as low as possible. Plumage is tremendously employed, many of the r toques and small hats beuig entirely of the shaded colourings of some favou,nte bird, and these perhaps uave only a gourra plume or stiff osyrjy aa trimming. The ostrich plumes this year are truly magnificent ; they are broad and spreading, and are inclined to be niae curly than of late ; white or black are in best taste, but undoubtedly some of the shaded kinds look well when used on a j hat of velvet or panne which is shot with j the same colours as are in the feather; this is one of the features of the season. Although feathers are so much employed, they are made to lie flat on the brim, or else under it ; the great aim is to allow practically nothing to stand erect. As <a rule, though, one side of a shape is higher than the other, and the bandeau on the latter side is always plentifully trimmed without being overdone, the most fashionable ornament there being either a long sweeping ostrich feather, or else a handsome buckle drawn through velvet. Cock's plumage is often seen, the long tail feathers being placed so as to fall down the back of the wearer's head. Although so little trimming is visible, still a good deal is used, for a plainly covered shape is the exception ; being to a great extent almost bare of trimming, the shape must be beautifully covered, and ,the panne used for the same is minutely tucked, or puckered on wire to ■represent cordings, or laid in pleats or else draped in folds, an,d these decorations run 'either round the shape or lengthwise from the middle of the crown as desired. If a toque is not slightly tilted at one side, it is raised at the back, a bandeau of flowers resting on the hair; the brim is draped with lace, and standing across the top of the crown in front, is a very long narrow steel buckle, drawn through the material. These new buckles, such a feature of the present time, are rather costly, but even so are, I think, being too extensively used to. remain in. for a very great length of time ; as a rule they are of the best cut steel, but some are of good paste, while there are others' of steel and paste combined. In length these buckles measure anything from two inches to nine inches, while in width they are seldom more than an inch or two inches. The largest sizes nearly embrace some of the crowns, and the hat, being otherwise practically devoid of trimming, the buckle ■lias plenty of opportunity of displaying | its best points. They can be bent about, | in moderation,' and frequently qatch up the brim ,of a large hat, thus extending .from the crown right under the oandeau, and with black, feather-trimmed hats they .are decidedly effective. All kinds of birds and wings are tremendously used, and at present the plumage of the birds in season is having a fair amount of patronage. As the tendency is to in- \ crease v the breadth of toques, the same idea i is showing itself with most of the newest bonnets. I think I may say that, apart from the I picture style of headgear, hats designed j 'for the autumn are ■ for the most port neat, compact, and close-fitting, some being trimmed on both sides alike. So far we do not see many shapes of felt, though ultimately there are sure to be plenty of these, and then I think that j a good many will be in pastel tones, aa well as in white ; little else for adorn- J ment will be required than choux of ribbon or velvet and plumage ; some of the shapes are to be narrow at the sides and wider in front. The few models' that there are of felt are made of the glossiest and best sqrts, and these are swathed with panne of the same tone exactly, sq that often until minute inspection it is not easy to distinguish between a shape of velvet and one of felt. Straw foundations are getting more rare ; straw plaited with chenille is more seasonable ; while shapes wholly of panne or those .of the best velvet will soon have everything their own way. Narrow gold braid is extremely fashionable on the best class pf millinery, and very little of it is used tf, a time;, it is seldom more than an inch wide. - Sometimes rows of the narrowest possible gold braid alternate with small tucks in the foundation of a shape, but more usually the galon, somewhat wider, is seen tied round the crown of » beef-eater shape at its junction with the brim, and then a tied bow forms the simple finish underneath the brim. • Large feather-trimmed hats of black velvet with linings of white satin veiled With ecru lace, are very select and becoming ; the only touch of colour peimitted is introduced under the brim at one sidfy and perhaps turquoise blue is the mosi v charming, though orange looks well when the complexion can stapd it. Already a suspicion of fur characterises some of the hats and toques, and one model hat which I saw this week, of plack velvet, had a .lining of ermine, with any number of little tails. Toques with trims of plaited velvet or ribbon are in again and these are exceedingly pretty ; if the plaiting be bright in colour it is nice toned down with folds of tulle. Toques draped with gold lace are a luxury indeed ; the laca is woven into very handsqme patterns ; so far is is almost exclusive and is used only for tpques of the perishable type which are made principally ut white tulle— a mate*

rial that will again be considerably seen during the coming seasons. Rosettes are very varied in shape as well as in size, and some- are peculiar hard-looking objects, the material being doubled and wound round and 1 round. In the middle of some of these a hole is made, and this is then frilled in with small flowers, and 1 constitutes a novelty which is considered to possess a decided touch oi genius. Very nice are the frill rosettes made of glace silk, either black or white as a rule. One of each is used together, which have their edges oversewn with black chenille ; this mode of trimming is employed on much of the semi-dressy millinery, and 1 has with, it a distinctly stylish air. Another kind of rosette, and perhaps more in keeping with its name, > is a dainty little finisn made of narrow wired cheiiillo of the bebe velvet type. These light little rosettes look exceedingly pretty, and are made in all colours ; a good many are, of course, required together. Feather rosettes are making good headway, particularly those of the nature of the marabout, which are so soft and fluffy. Feather flowers are not so' attractive, though certainly some which I saw reprpsenting shaded hydrangea bloom in their pink and blue tones were particularly striking and realistic ; each little bloom was separate and the whole was arranged more in full wreath form than in the heavy bunches which are natural to hydrangeas 'in real life. Flowers are in abundance, and most magnificent are they too, more especially the roses which are now seen in the warm cerise, currant, and peony shades, as well as in orange and any other colour desired. Large blooms standing singly are the ru,te, and these are built of brightly surfaced silk and velvet ; some of the foliage is a natural green but a good deal of it is tinted, or else of light pastel shades. For winter wear rose foliage is made of velvet, and on account of its weight a little will go a long way ; the rich green leaves are beautifully veined, and the thorns are there large as life, while the thick stems are made of rubber ; these sprays of foliage are exceedingly handsome and some of them are tipped with rosebuds. Far lighter in stylo are the sprays of shaded 1 convolvuli, each of the sprays being streaked with silver ; they are generally mode up with artificial maiden-hail' fern, and though originally intended for trimming the bodice of evening dresses, they may be used for hats. Tight little bunches of rosebuds are still much used and peep out here and 1 there from among the folds of material on a hat or toque; cre\im or white lace makes a- good background for them. Strings never became very popular, but fashion makers have not given u,p trying to get people to wear them. So tulle and ribbon strings are seen, on somehats which are of the semi-bonnet type ; the cloud 1 of chiffon or tujle is attached to one side only, and passes under the chin to tho other side, and after it has been attached 1 the end falls where it pleases. Instead, however, of attaching the string to the second side, it may 'ba lightly fastened to the dress bodice by means of a brooch, and thiis daintily looped up. The part that is intended to go under the. chin is confined to a roll by means of bebe velvet which is twisted round it. Parisian milliners are reported to be bringing out a large new ha.t, a cross between a hat and a bonnet, which, with its bent brim, nodding plumes and lace or silk embroidered draperies drooping down in the direction of the face, resembles somewhat the poke bonnet worn by our grandmothers. The resemblance is more pronounced when the shape is provided with strings. As for sailor hats, we ape to see some covered with tweed to match the costume or coat. The latter is to have revers and collar and cuffs of soft kid, soft enough, to allow of rows of machinestitching. And to carry out the details thoroughly, it ia considered, necessary to band the sailor hat with leather or kid, and buckle complete. Such a costume as this is to be kept rigorously for cyclists, golfers, shootists and other forms of 'sports wear, and is declared that in the autumn the idea will win great popularity. Up to the present the attempt to introduce leather bands to straw hats has met with a decidedly frigid reception.