LADIES COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 71, 23 March 1912, Page 13

LADIES COLUMN.

London Jfashton Notes, £PROM OV& OWN COBBESfONDENT.] ! FICUUS AND FLOUNCES AND OTHER DETAILS. LONDON. 9th February. At times it ie possible to pick up at the miles bargains not only in styles, that perhaps will presently be out of date, but trifle* that will be of the greate&t importance for the future. Just now the buyer of th© lace collar and tho lichu will be very particularly as all the lateat notions in the»o aie mucli below tlie normal price. We all know how better tho fashioiiable satin coat is if it v relieved by a collar of lace, and aa tho satin coat ia not goiiiff to be put on one bide yet. it will be as well to lay in a supply of the new lace collars to wear with it. These collars are not like anything wo have had before — many of thorn, at least. For, since the satin coat has put in an appearance, with a very deeply-Dointed collar which tapers oil" at tho waist in a, sharp point, it has been necessary for the laceruan to make his over-collar of a similar pattern. Hence tho becomingly shaped V of laco will be placed up<ju many a coat. As a change from the Vliue, some of the satin collars describe a round as the terminus to a strip of more than usual length, and others are cut long and narrow, finishing off straight across at the back of the waist. Lace collar-makers are to meat any of these exigencies, and the public is enabled to buy any of' the shapes at tho sales which are still occupying the attention >of everyone. But that is not all. There is 6eldom any deure to veil ,\wth lace the revers of the coat in front : these are left without trimming, unless it happens to be an applique of Eastern embroidery, which imparts a colour-splash to sombre black satin. Therefore the lace collar begins only at the shoulder 6eam, and from the front view its presence should not be visible. Doubtless the lace collar without the front continuation will remain a feature of the fashions for dresses as well as for wraps. Fichus and flounces of lace and not and point d'esprit all have their place in the dress world. Some are the merest unpretentious finishes about the bodice, hardly worthy of tho namo of fichu; Imfc development is continuous, and t>hape varies as well as the treatment, ea that by degrees tho lichu is beginning to be a very important .factor in smartening up the demurely simple house frocks of satin, whether it finishes midway on the figure looped up by a coloured rose, or whether there are tapering continuations that oross below the waistbelt, back and front, forming a species of small basque. There is a fancy for 6callops in quite a number of things, and the lac© fichu with its edge cut out in these deep rounds has much to recommend it, as nlso has tholace bolero made to be worn over a plain dresa or velvet or chifEoa— th© lac© bolero is coining back to ite own again, made witk Magyar half-eleeves. Tho fichu of fmokwu, tinted to th» shade of old ivory, is very attractive, with ite little frills of real Valenciennes lace aa a finish, or its Bcallops worked round in fin© buttonhole efcitchery ; there should b© cuffs to correspond introduced as a finish to th© half-length aleeves. The graceful shawl-like outline of tho Marie Antoinette fichu will often be eeen made of valuable lace, the flat Quaker fichu collar in net or embroidered lawn has not had ite day, and going on to things more pretentious attention ib demanded by the lace shawl of real Chantilly, which drapes itself in unusual lines about bodioe and skirt, euggeetive, perhaps, of p&nniera and forming panels. The Chantilly flounce ia once more considered a possession worth using, and in contrast to the fine texture of this make there is Keticella lace, coarse and effective for apron panels and for collars of mantles and coats. Lace of various kinds is wanted for the email "bib" attachments which finish the vest and many a bodice. The catalogue of names is a. long one, but it is Malines that will perhaps most frequently bo choaen for the dress trimming. Some of it is being fchown with a scalloped edge decorated with picot, and the width obtainable is suitable for email veets and collar*, for blouses and whole frocks, to say nothing of the lengths whioh are so # useful for the milliner. Shadow Chantilly is a very choice type, and Venetian point is so well known and appreciated that it needs no special booming. When the fichu extends below the waist it recalls the basque, and there is no doubt that in some form, not at all obtrusive or bunohy, the basquo will be a great deal seen. The Bilk opatee, so becoming and so simple, is carried just a few inches lower than tho waist, there to 'bo cut off with rounded fronts doing duty as a basque. There i& a an aproD basciue — just a square tab— whioh finishes tho front and the back of some bloueeß and dresses; it originates in * sharp point in the vicinity of th© aharppointed guimpe, gradually widening until it is cut off in a square below the waistline, and finished with a fringe of silk or beads; there ia a hifrh-wuisted girdle tied baok and front in a cable knot Tho basque is froquontly formed of the veiling which covers up tho bodioe foundation, tabs of it being carried on to tho skirt below the waUt; ninan and ohiffon so often form the bodies to be worn with the skirt of latin, and tho former need not quite match tho latter, though it milt be a harmony. For instance, grey satin forms the skirt, rosecoloured ohiffon veiled with light grey is used for tho Magyar bodice ; the girdle is of silver cord, and the sleeves aro finished with a long tapering cuff of cream lace, which corresponds with that forming the pointed yoke. The basqued corsage in its present edition is nothing to be objected to. WHITE AGAI&. No one complains. It is long since white rovers and collars have been permitted to grace pur tailor-mades. And tho return of white is accordingly muoh welcomed. At the present moment, white rovers and collars and cuffs are always made of ratine — that slightly curled woollen material that reminds one of manufactured astrachan. The light relief appears on suits of black and navy and brown, and there is rather a fancy for the square-cut sailor collar. Trimmings of blanche ratine are perhaps not very serviceable, but what does that matter? They can easily be renewed. Some economically-minded, however, aro tempted to experiment^ with Turkish bath towelling upon tho winter suit, working it with crowel wool. Sometimes" tho ratine is embroidered in colour with chenille and silk. Very now i& tho effect produced by a tippet of tailless ermine, bordered round with a close-sot row of tails; thit tippet is much deeper behind than in front, reaching almost to tho waist; iv front it just protects tho chust. It has a high collar to clasp tho throat, and tho fastening is mado by two buttons on tho left side of tho front. This tippet surmounted a long-fitfcing coat of black Persian lamb, which has a wide band of the white inlet round about the knees, fastened with four close-sot white furcovered buttons; for tho rest the ooat fastened all the way down one side with black buttons, and eventually its fronts wero cut away in a round bhapo to permit a glimpse of tho sapphire-bluo velvet dress worn beneath. Tho muff was a large ono of ermine, with tho tails ar ranged to form a border line. As black coats depend for their distinction upon white trimmings, so will many of the spring tailor-madee> of cream-tinted cloth owe their btyle to the touch of black velvet about the collar, waist and sleeves. A useful wrap will be the mantle modelled after the style of an academic gown, made of velvet or taffetas, ample fulness falling from v rounded yoke cf fur Muffs carried in the South are a good doal smaller than they heve been, and there is a continuous demand for those mado of drawn silk or chiffon, finished on top with a sharp-pointed envelop* ilap, this tlap being covered with bmall flowers i>ot oloso together. Muffs nro not tho only details that are showing reduction in_ size, for much of the newest millinery is mado on lines bhosving considerable reduction of width as well as height, but millinery matters must aland uvei' for h week. Hvturubff tot' »

moment to white and black, mention must be made of a white suit which had its trimmings of black velvet outlined with a piping of vormiljon-hued silk*. Tho collar was a Bharp-pointed one at tlfc back, and points woro a foaturo of the cuii'a and front basque. SOME SPRING? FABRICS. Ratine — alias "reefer" — seems to have been the pioneer among rough materials, for these aro coming in again, and wo are expected to wax enthusiastic over shaggy stuff* and hairy zibelines; all fchebo are well euited'to the warm wrap ulster, but as a rule they are too heavy for any of tho tailormades, except thoso for country wear. They do not associate pleasingly beside tho bill art tailormades of taffetas and lino cloths -which smart people are beginning to order, but of course the purposos of their existence are entirely opposed to each other. It has come as a surprise to learn from a well-informed eource that bailcloth — genuine baileloth, coarse and heavy — is to bo v material worn during 1912; already, to tho story _ goct, it is being patronised on tho Riviora for some of tho quite smart frocks, and an advocato of its revival says: "Duck and canvas havo been largely worn in the past, but the cloth now in use is unrefined, being exactly the texture and colour of ship's i bails. It is most suitable for outdoor wear, does not &pot easily, and has exactly the right amount of clinging property to make it a graceful garment. An other advantage of sailcloth is that it is not spoilt by the rain, and while it does not require frequent visit* to the laundry, it will endure any amount of rough wear. As a matter of course, Bailor patterns will be very much in vogue for the bailcloth yachting costume, and nautical caps of the same will be worn to match." A eailmaker in the East End announces that he has had orders for dross longths of sail-cloth; when the material was made it was destined for purposes very different. LESS RESTRICTION. For quite a long time the fashionable among the community have had no option; they have had to wear Magyar 6leeves for their wrap cloaks, thfiir day dresses, evening dresses, and blouses. It it, true that during the past year this rather trying style, and a style which does not supply an excessive amount of comfort, has undergone considerable improvement; even bo, it has some drawbacks. Now there is no compulsion — the seamedin sleeve ;will bo quito a correct choice, and the pattern ot this is going to bo quite varied; at the same time the Magyar will be available where it is still preferred. But no matter whether the sleeve is seamed in or not, whether it is half-length, three-quarter length, or extends from shoulder to wrist, there is some little fulness bo that at the shoulders at all events it need not cling so drastically to tho arm. The £eamed-in sleeve i 6 being shaped after the familiar leg-of-mutton pattern, even in~ the case of the dreEsy net blouse, following: closely the lino of the arm after it has permitted quite ample fulness about the shoulder. The half-fcleevo is half shyly Biiggestive of a emalt puff dropping over the band, which fits the arm ; tho half-length sleeve which widenß out toward the elbow, and is held oufc by its small hop of wire, ia called tho crinoline sleeve, ana since I mentioned the' introduction ot thi6 pattern several months ago the original model has been duplicated many times ovor. The small evening sleeve arranged round tho arm in three tolds, utands away from the arm because it is made to do feo by the wire hooping. Now that tuckinge are placed across the fronts of Magyar blouses and continued right to the shoulder-tip, the Magyar sleeve loses its very severe appearance, and tho return of the eeamed-m leg-of-mutton sleeve has given inspiration to try and bring about the came shape by cutting the leaves all in one with the bodice or its drapery; its successful attainment is not o, simple matter, but once achieved it looks vory well. SMALL— BUT OF MOMENT. Muoh can be done to smarten, up a useful-toned walking suit by tucking in to the corsage a bouquet of flowers and by putting on a smartly-gauffered and spotlessly tresh «no-sided lawn frill. The floral posy of mixed flowers is one of the most prominent of a attractive trifles at this intermediate .season. The flowers are bright and cheerful-looking. Very much liked is tho tight-made bunch of blue forget-me-nots, cerise rosebuds, and yellow cowslips, ringed round with a specios of foliage of small size; the pink mossrose bud associates itself with the red and white striped garden daisy, and white cherry blossom; the cheerful ranunculus is associated with the dark violet — red and mauve aro still liked in association— ligfitened by a few graoeful snowdrops, the whole set in a frame of dark bronze rose-leavog. Bouquets of spring flcwera are very attractive, nothing being more dainty than the loosefy-fcied bunch of artificial snowdrops with foliage ; mixed with the double Parma violet, the snowdrop is^ effective also; numbered among the spring flowers the crocus is a prominent variety, and in its rich yellow, delicate mauve, amd pure whito it looks very natural mingling •with the light grass-like greenery. No colour association teems too garish, and flowers in 6eason and out of beasou aro employed with the happiest result. If possible, a sprinkling of scent is added, but whether it is used depends on < the kind of flowers. Some of tho artificial bouquet flowers are formed of satin, but for the moßt part, when the specie* iB Bmall, they are made of cambric. The M.tin rose sprays are beautiful, but they are more suited to the needs of evening drese, arranged with clusters of pendant buds and satin leaves; a spray such as this is a delightful finish to the fichu, which is itself one of the most important of the drees etceteras of the present. The girl who goes in for the artificial nosegay corsage addition requires a good many bunches, for the one worn should bear "some relation to the colour of the costume ; it is nothing unusual to find the emartly-dressed girl iv possession of a box filled with a selection representing quite a. large sum of money, for the smallest bunch costs at least half-a-crown, and it is not by any means always the smallest that has the preference. Clusters of tightly bunched satin-covered berries help to make tho corsage bouquet equipment etill more complete.