LADIES' COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1910, Page 11

LADIES' COLUMN.

London Jbashio?i Notes. THE SQUARE EFFECT. fFEOM OUR OWN COItEESPONDENT.I LONDON, 21st October. One does not altogether like the possibility of womenkind Having to look square about the shoulders, yet definite assertions are made on authority that such will be the next phase, and already there is a good deal of visible proof that the experiment is to be tried practically at once. Blouses and bodices are made with square, yokes or square trimmings, dressmakers very frequently carrying yokes and embroideries straight across the front, and continuing them without a break for some distance down the sleeve. The Magyar shape is everything Inis winter, and its squareness and breadth are ennanced when a straight trimming is placed across the yoke and carried down the outside of the sleeves. But the tailors seem to be most determined in their decision to make us look square. They seem to be wearying somewhat of the long narrow line of the figure, and as a contrast they are building their coats with bold sailor collars cut very deep and square at the back, and having a width across the front that varies in degree. Even should there be no collar at the bacK, there are in six cases out of seven, very square revers in front, and the makers of the most stylish evening wraps seem unable to think of anything that does not add immensely to the width of the wearer. Huge are the revers of the upside-down shape which fall in excessive width about the waist of the all-enveloping evening cloak, but as this is more or less of a loose garment its breadth somehow does not seem quite to matter in the same way. The tailors nowadays are thoroughly up to date and daring people, and they do not adopt halt measures — they go .the "whole hog," and, not content with forcing square collars, they go and outline these with fur or with wide Braid, thereby immediately adding inches to the width of the figure, and this is often more trying across the back than it is across the front, and the extreme squareness is added to in that coats are not nearly so long as they have been ; the new suits have coats well above the knees, and altogether a plumpish lady can very soon be turned out with a square-look-ing and dumpy figure. Fortunately it is feasible to choose some collar and rever that is not square, provided the wearer is not too particular about being quite in the newest fashion. Nearly every coat of double-breasted shape has revers of some kind, while the singlebreasted pattern is often given just one rever. ODD SIDES. At this period one does not have to go far to note that the two sides of our dress bodices, wraps, tailor-made coats, etc., agree to diner, Revers are to be odd this winter, sometimes, indeed, there svill be only one— and that in Venetian or Irish lace on a velvet tailormade; it would require someone with, more' than ordinary courage, however, to wear a velvet suit with one coat rever of real lace and the other of a strip of opossum. But the idea has taken practical shape. There is one pattern of tailor-made coat which fits tho figure without a crease; it fastens with a long line of small buttons and buttonholes all the way down the left side from the shoulder to the edge, but if a dozen of the upper buttons are left unfastened and the flap is turned back it immediately forms a faingle rever, and its colour will be a contrast to the colour of the costume. Linings nowadays are given a deal of attention, and rich goldthreaded brocades are used in such an instance as the one mentioned, so that when the rever is" turned back it immediately adds vastly to the appearance of the suit. Lengths of Persian and Indian materials are similarly employed, and they are also introduced here and there as mosaics on various parts of the costume, forming corners of collars and tips to the cufls and an outlining to the round-cut top of the Russian blouse coat, which still is going to have a number of patrons. The majority of the new coats nave the buttons arranged slantingly across the figure. The more odd and one-sided the model the better everyone concerned seems to be pleased, and the scheme is one which allc/ws plenty of license to the individual designer, aifording opportunity to eclipse the model produced by his rivals. Dressmakers even are giving a one-sided or slanting appearance to their Magyar dress tunics, by slashing down the lett side from top to hem to show a contrasting material beneath, and securing the slashings by means of lacings ; at the back the arrangement corresponds, the opening starting from the middle of the back and, crossing down to the right side of the tunic hem. This idea is an ambitious one, and it needs a master hand to carry it out with perfection. Sumptuous evening wraps of satin and velvet have one-sided drapings bunched up well below the waist on the left hand and finished there with a great big sparkling buckle; in such a case there is usually one big rever in material of contrasting colour or of lace or of fur. One-siued drapings characterise evening bodices, and very frequently the two sides of the bodice are of different material — usually one half of lace or net, the other half consisting of slantwise folds of ninon or satin, beginning at almost nothing on the right shoulder and finishing off in a point at the right hand side of the waist, back and front corresponding. SOME FEATURES OF THE TAILORMADE. In general appearance the tailor-made costume of to-day is certainly a more elaborate affair than it was a year ago, and all dark shades are relieved by touches of vivid colour, which, for the occasion, are called Persian embroideries. The most artistic tailors abroad are giving much thought to the blending of colours. Soft and delicate tints will be combined in one costume, while its neighbour will owe its charm to the subtle introduction of some shade that is so definite and strong as to be almost glaring — brilliant splashes of colour, in moderation, are introduced by the milliner, too, and also by the dress and mantle-maker. Black, usually velvet or satin, provides an excellent foil to colour, whether soft or vivid, and the tailor who is usually an artist in these days, does wonders by bringing in here and there just a little suspicion of a contrasting hue. It is difficult to say whether velvet or satin is most liked as a material by the tailors : they use both to a great extent, either singly or together. Velvets are made in tiny checks, or striped with hair lines, and some are ribbed, while there is a corded variety, which is something new. It must not be confused with corduroy. The cording is extremely fine, and the colour is often a two-scheme one, for the alternating hair-breadth stripe is of a different shade from the other and more important stripe. In colouring, the velvets are wonderful in their richness, and they have never been more beautiful than they are now. The range includes all tones of the lovely kingfisher blue, also all the blues of the " sphinx," " rook," " sloe-berry," and " indigo " gradations, while among the lighter blues there is " quarry " hue, which is a little inclined to be of slate tint. Very effective and in good style is "velvet of dense purple — the colour of a prune with all its bloom

— while in the deep tarragon reds velvet will be wanted^ by the youngsome of the reds are like the interior of the pomegranate, while for London a good chestnut brown is always useful, and so is mole grey.