LADIES' COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 112, 13 May 1911, Page 11

LADIES' COLUMN.

London fashion Notes. WHERE THE SUN SHlNESfyaoai our own correspondent.! I LONDON, 31st March. It is not ab all likely that sunshades, or even tho somewhat more useful en-tout-cas, will be of any practical benefit to anyone in this country -for a good many weeks to come, but these have been needed in the South of France, and various stray examples of the coming styles have found their way to London, looking anything but seasonable while the snowflakes continue to fall outside, while rain comes down in deluges, and while the easterly winds penetrate through fur coats. All the early specimens are stoutly built ou sticks that are thick and very tall, while the shades themselves seem to h<i rather smaller than usual — it may be that the exceeding thickness of the stick arid its unuaual length are deceptive in respect of cover-size. Perhaps, after all, if we have a repetition of last year's sunless summer, the parasol of velvet will bo more in keeping with the meteorological conditions than that of chiffon. The velvet variety, coloured as well as black, is reported to have had a considerable amount of success on the Riviera, where the idea was first launched, and in these days, when velvet is enquired for for numerous purposes, it is not an uncommon occurrence to come across a parasol of silk, which has its stick tightly bound round and round with velvet, this being wound round after tho manner of a puttee, until one begins to think that the velvet has replaced the foundation stick. Those. sticks and the flat handles of the velvet have a neat and sober appearance, and they are more comfortable to carry _ than the sticks which are smothered with a close network of beads. Silk _ sunshades and en-tout-cas are made in the brightest of colours — scarlet, cerise, vivid blue, and emerald green all being conspicuous, and while some are finished round with a dangling border of heavy bilk fringe, others are edged round with lace, in cream-colour, but it is not anywhere fulled on; it exactly fits the* shade, and is kept taut by attachment to each rib. Striped borders of contrasting 1 colours are a very useful finish, while the girl who knows how to puinfc can decorate her sunshade to please herself. Some of the painted parasols, in silk or satin or delicate tones, havo the pattern all round as a formal border, while the more original decorator prefers to paint just one panel, or at most two, running a trailing design from tho edge right home to the ferrule. Sweet-peas are flowers which lend themselves attractively to this style of arrangement, and as sweet-pea blendings and effects are to , characterise many summer dreeees and hate, it is quite in keeping for the parabol to follow suit. _ It seems rather a pity for hand-painting to be_ veiled,, .but it is sometimes covered up with a veiling of filmy lace, light enough to eoften tho pattern^ without hiding the flowers, fruit, and foliage forming the design. Raised flowers made of silk and others made of padded chiffon form ' a border round some of the silk parasols, but these L are apt to look a little clumsy when the sunshade is carried unopened. Curious is the parasol formed entirely of a series of silk petal-shaped pieces, the idea being that it shall represent a great big rose when it is open ; it is made in cream and in pale pink, anitl has an inner lining of chiffon. A pretty ideu, hailing from Paris, is the lace-covered parasol or the one which has its draping mode of hand-worked brorderie Anglaise. A crochet coyer, too, is found durable, and it is quite expected that the sunshade covered with a shaped veiling of hand-wrought crochet will prove one of the _most v pleasing styles of the season. Ladies clever with needle and with crochet hooks are making their own sunshade covers, which they will place over a foundation _of patterned or plain silk. Brocaded satins and China silks are materials now used frequently to cover the sunshade frame. SPRING WRAPS. iLong stoles of satin lined with jontraeting colour are still noticeable, but in the latest tfhapo it must be made to taper off into a hood at the back of the neck, finished with a bunchy silk or chenille or beaded taßscl. Some kind of a. cape figures as a finish to many of tho ulster coats, the draped folds of one variety tapering off into a point in front of the waist after coming low_ over the arms in fichu folds from a pointed hood effect behind. In marked contrast is the coat made with a high collar, which fits closely round thu throat, and is simply trimmed in front with a severe group of buttons, while a girdle encircles the very high waist: high double collars of satin or velvet look snug as_ a throat protection when winds are chill and when no furs are worn. Tho wagyar arrangement of cut characterises long enveloping coats just as it does tho loose cloaks and the exceedingly short and high-waisted Etons, and the collarless ■visites made of brocade to be worn with a dress of plain material toning with tha principal colour in the brocaded pattern. For these cloaks, too,_ we find much satin used in the construction, as well as silks of various makes ; wraps of Irish poplin are promised a turn, and there is a ben. galine which makes up with good effect, while facecloth in a pale beaver colour, generously inlet with broad panels of thick ffuipuro, is often made up over a foundatioul of bright silk — green or cerise — tho colour showing with happy effect through tho lace. It is quite expected that tho caped coat will be worn all through the bummer, and this is an addition alike sensible and usually becoming. The burnous shape has not had its day; it is obtainabla in all light colours in cloth and satin, and a new wrap that is sleeveless and fastens with olastio below the hips will bo very useful to the girl who goes out much at night and needs something easy to put on. The new fashion for jetted and transparent nets as a material tor ornamental coats is received with joy in drei*y ouarters Very pretty are some of the models, for they are given ample decoration in the way of collar and revei'B and stole finishes in front, finished with taasclled points of jot; a collar of eat in goes very well with the wrap of sparkling jetted net, and the plain surfaco of the satin has a subduing effect should too much sparkle bo objected to. Floss silk embroidery in colour can be embroidered on to plain net and turned into sailor collars and revers with very charminy btfect. For daywear, Paiis has introduced ths sleeveless coat, cut very much on the linos of the Greek tunic, and as a. rule it boasts a good deal of very exquisite embroidery. In its new aspect it is" called the "coat dross;" if of satin, there is sure to be a very deep ham of the same satin as a finish to the skirt; remote the coat, and it will probably be found that the entire bodice and most of the skirt as far as this "hem" is made of chiffon, the same material having formed the sleeves. Worn together, the dresa and coat look much like a coat and skirt with odd sleeves, but when the coat is removed quite a new style of dress is revealed, and this arrangement is ono of ■ the newest of thn season. The chiffon or ninon used must be a match with the satin._ The coat is square cut at the neck, and it is open at each side, the panels being held together by bands of satin or braid, and attractive buttons; its line is that of a straisfhfc panel back and front, and in all likelihood there will be an ornamental gold cord worn loosely round the very high waist line, with tasselled ends 1 knotted loosely together and falling down the front as a finish. On tho least pre- ■ tence, a waistcord of some kind is found to , bd absolutely indispensable. A NEW SKIRT. Chroniclers in Paris are rather excited about a new skirt, cut after a pattern that renders it suited to tailoring materit als ac well as to fabrics of thinner texturp. Quite narrow and tight at the top, this skirt is cut away at the bottom in the lnft side, co that room may bo obtained for 1 oaey walking. It is not cut up, but is ■ cut right across in a slanting direction • from tho front to the back, tho edge being i lucked under 6o us to give tho effect of ■ the skirt being caught up accidentally. ! unknown to its wearer. Of course the ' wearer is» thoroughly cognisant of its ocfc centricity, and ehe takes very good cam to wear underneath it an elaborate or at ' any rate a suitable petticoat Even th© petticoat may be an illusion, for the large

gap can quite easily bo filled in with a permanent flouncing of contracting material to look like part of the petticoat. To the modern up-to-date dresser, tho once-universally-worn petticoat gathered on to a bund and secured round Jjib waist by tape looks like a thing of ante-delu-vian days and no surprise would bo expressed wore a colitary specimen of it to bo seen preserved as an historio relic of ancient days under a gla&s case in a museum. The petticoat of tho last generation is an altogObhor unknown garment in these days of "line," when excess of fulness and anything approaching rustle have been entirely abandoned. For the moirotte underskirt there will probably always be a certain amount of enquiry, but even this has undergone all the width-reduction it can, and it must be very narrow and very plain, having a. severe kilted frill as a finish. Satin is the material which alternates i with moirette, and tho fit round the hips must bo | faultless. But the thoroughly up-to-date lady will wear no pettico.it other than that on Princess lines, nnd this is a garment which does duty for camisole as well ; in its ileevoless siate it has the preference, with the armholes piped or outlined with embroidery. Tho lawn Princess petticoat is cut with low neck, and this is scalloped out and buttonholed ; in the front there is sure to be a spray of hand-embroidered flowers, with slots all round the neck-opening, allowing for the insertion of ribbon so that it can be drawn up to fit comfortably. As for the edge ,of the skirt, it often falls perfectly plain — that is to cay thore is no frill or fussy fulness to finish it.