London Fashion Notes,

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 119, 15 November 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

London Fashion Notes,

(fEOH OTJIt OWN CORBESPONDEXT.) LONDON, 4th October. Many of the newest picture hats aro made of silk hairy beaver, nothing like a man's silk hat, and yet nothing like the fluffy stuff which frequently forms Uie brims of children's hats. The beaver of cunent fashions has a surface more like long-haired plush, though not so closely woven, and all the model hata ■which I have seen have been very "fetching." All colours are to be had, and the requisite trimming is a very long feather — more than one, if you can afford it — and p. big rosette of satin ribbon. The beaver must be turned and twisted- about so thai the shape will be becoming to the wearer, and thus no two beaver hats look alike. Nor indeed, do any two hats of felt or straw or velvet resemble one another after they have passed through the hands of a skilled milliner. The Toreador hat is rather a popular shape, large and round and flat, with its upturned brim sometimes covered with a lattice work of coloured chenille strands, or else hung with a silk-tasselled scarf, secured by big-headed pins. As a rule, just now, the hatpins should match the millinery, and so a different set is required for each hat possessed ; for the little green toques, 'which , are rather liked now, there are emerald-headed pins, for the dark blue ones pins have sap-phire-coloured heads, and so on. Some of the hatpins are very costly and beautiful, a. good many of them, being carved or made of gold and" silver, set with jewels, and the heads are so / enormous that the pins form ar> important part p£ -the trimming, and. often protrude far out at the side of the hat or toque, in-, stead of being coveied by draped triin-j mings, as \isecl to be the case. The rage for the caehe-peigne effect, in millinery still remains, and now the dependent ends vary considerably in length, from just a few inches to several feet,_ for a- number of the new autumn ■ hats" have scarves of lace — usually black now — or ribbon or velvet, reaching some distance below the waist, and the appearance of such is extremely idiotic. Feathers arc worn with the ends drooping as foi over the hair behind 'as their length will allow, and in front they are secured by large cabochons of jet or strass. Some of the stuff used in the construction of hats and toques is very rough, and hairy — "guile blaiikety in fact,' and other varieties .of the same idea have big clumps .of white or black hairy stuff dotfced about', looking like big blotches of miow. Most of the colourings are unplcasing, and others which combine several "bright shades are more, so. ' Some black felt shapes are ornamented with lozenges of coloured ,velvet plastered here "and there, and generally the tip-! tuned brim is bound 'with velvet 'to match. A few of the felt and beaver shapes mnke a- feature of the triple brim which came in a long time ago., Milli J ners use panne very largely for construction, as well as for- trimming purpose*, and <here are tome wonderfully .curious ribbons uvaihble if they can make use of lliom, while lacu of various descriptions is still foinid useful, and plumes, ostrich flowers, birds,' wings, velvet flowcra and foliage and fruit and beiries aie all in immense variety. Some of the velvet foli^qe, -propetiy shaded and veined, is a marvellously realistic reproduction, chielly peiyqps the Virginia creepers in all ihe richness of autumn tints, and the sprays of dark grc&n velvet holly le:.V2S, with itondcrfulh r realistic prickly eclecj. White- and light ( gieen velvet foliage is noi out of date, and thoic are prelfy leave;* in colour.-) which one never conra acio s ,3'in nature, maiuly ; ( perhaps those she ding fiom a desep marine to a blue-white, oud ihe effect of these is decide-. 1 ly taking on a 'bine hat., ' v , One lios become alrecdy fearfully tired i of the everlasting preens act" blues seen oi, lato in the ' millinery establishments. Silk and feather and marabout pompoms in numeious attractive 'colourings a.ie rather useful for comparatively) simple ihals. Artificial dahlia? aie a good deal to the front now,, mainly in -the buttonhole and cactus type?;, and in rich reds and yellows., and golden browns they aro decidedly effective for trimming pur* posea, though' one has to remember that many velvet flowers and leaves on one hat make the shape very heavy to weai. In Paris, flowers arc used to a lai'ge extent, and - there seems to be a preference for large blooms, which are used m combination with lace and _fr.r, r. triple combination which is somewhat novel. When fur is UEed by milliners, beavej and chinchilla are usually selected, though, too, sable and ermine arc not forgotten by i them. ' - Chamois leather is 'being 'employed -in the construction of some of the simple shapes, and so is kid ; a painted quill is the most seen addition to these modfels, of winch there are not yet many ; quilli are ihrervded through the crowns at the top of the flat hats, the curly kind having .drooping ends' to fall over the brim. Cache peignes of knotted silk fringe aio quite the latest, and some of them, when nob exaggerated in length, fall .rather .more to on,e side of , the shape than 'at the back ; but there are plenty of thc«o additions made of silk and lace and vel vet. The Paradise plumes now the rage in, France ore- generally shaded, "and none are more piominent than those of light amber toning, to white, while roses of the same shades are used . as well, on shapes of pine white felt of very fine texture. Some of Iho new millinery lace is made of net, and has upon it cmbioideicd de-ngnc of satin straw. The crowns of some of the Dew shnnes are vory curious. They are fairly high at tho bcick, ar.d slope downwind rapidly lovard the spreading front brim, ,-• into v/hich the crown subsequently emerges, •arid leaves liltle scope for anything in ihe .ivav of trimming. .',.>.., It is slated on good authority that 1 black and white is one of the" .most/ favoured j mixtures < for i petticoats, "An under-ii ounce of white - washing silk, which is made to button on and off, ib placed under 'the shaped to\T flounce i of blr.ck embroidery,,, openworhed and inserted'with lace medallions. Newest pett.iconls are cut . shorter in length than they have-, been lately, ia view of- the shorter dress &kir,ts, and -they are cut wider than of recent time, the top • portion of the petticoat being formed of loiindod pieces of silk or other material, och one cut wider than .the last and joined together with iuserlion, .while roui d the feet an ?ccordeon-pleated flounce gives the requisite- fullness and makes the petticoat sland out well. Petticoats of nun's veiling, accordeonpleated,, are being rather generally worn, edged with Valenciennes lace, and tbesS underskirts aro rather nice. \ • Brocaded gauze is guile new and -very pielty, and is used for teagowns and for' trimming oyening dresses ; the background is of' silk gaiue and ban on its surface ,a raised deiign in stamped velvet in r'ch and natural colour?. There is a. great demand jor all kinds of handsome and gay triinn mrs just ut present, fluid jowellcd passementerie and Persian em-i broideries aro used a& lavishly as good taste /will allo'iv, while ccar&o kind.- 1 of guipuie and woollen, lace are considerably employed to trim cloth or frieze dresse.". Brocades ol all kind*», whether in chine) gauzes, silks or satins or rich velvets, are to be the feaures in evening materials, while lace and fur will be combined for both eveniffg and day attire. A new variation of the tcago.vr is known as the '" blouse longue," and its lumo in dsrivsd from .the fact that the bodice part is shaped like a high transparent blouse, fastening up the back; Uhe slcevQS ;.re very short, and are

finished off with deep hanging ruffles above the elbow ; the garment is set into a narrow band at the waist, into which the ekirfc part is gathered and finished with a full flounce of diaphanous material round the foot. These gowns should be made of white silk and narrow lace and. embroidered insertions. In view of the trans-parent nature of them, a thin silk slip is needed underneath, preferably a white one.