LADIES' COLUMN

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 121, 23 May 1914, Page 11

LADIES' COLUMN

LONDON FASHION NOTES DAINTY BUT HARDLY PRACTICAL. TRANSPARENT UNDERWEAR. '(MOM OUR OWN CORREBPONDINT.) LONDON, 9th April. What the mannequin wears under her parade dresses today, all fashionablo people will bo wearing to-morrow. That is uofc much, and what there is of it ia either of tho finest silky material or else is a. union of net and real lace. Take tho camisole, for instance. The transparent bodieo and blouse demand as little as possible! underneath, and that little must bo as much as oossiblo lileo the outside. Hence the demand for net underwear is increasing; Of course it is better lasting than underclothing of silk gauze, but it is not so warm. When camisoles are not of net they are chiefly of real lace of fine and expensive quality, and all of them are very much decollete, and are kept on the shoulders by tho narrowest of straps. The camisole of flowered ninon is worn beneath transparent blouses, and there are some startling examples of fine silk, patterned with bold and brilliant futurist designs — lemons and plums, and orangos, and magnified tulips soom to bo among the favourite printings, and black associates strangely with colours that are daring and bright Some fine lawn, too, is seen, but cepo-de-chino and crystalline have prior choice French makers are turning out sets consisting of chemisettes, peignoirs, and liseusei made of the finest possible crepon, little trimmed, save for costly buttons and. a. hemstitched collar of net. Thero .is really only a small percentage of fashionable underclothing that can withstand the ravages of the washtub— most things havo to be given to the cleaner. Nightdresses are more often of delicatecolour in thin silk or crope-dechino than they are white. They are v-shaped in front and have modified Medici collars of wired laco. When the white nightdress ia preferred tho shopper is easily persuaded into choosing the one with a turndown collar of coloured silk or sprigged silk, and sometimes thoro is a. loosely knotted silk tie to- match. PYJAMAS FOR WOMEN. Big French drapery establishments making a specialty of the needs of fashionablo women aro stocking three styles in pyjamas, the Classical, the Pompadour, and tho Louis XVI. It will be best to quote tho words of a local correspondent: "The Classical has its wide stripes, brandebourgs, and turned down collars, liko those worn by men. It is . the Pompadour that is most sought after. The lightest of pale pink and sky blue silks, with small bouquets woven or printed upon them, are ruthlessly cut into straight trousers, and long jackets open at the aide seams. Yards and yards of pleated lace, about a finger deep, are sewn down the front of these jackets and around the side opening. Laco again appears at the wrists at tho end of tho long sleeves, and in some of the Pompadour jackets there is a wide square pleated lace collar reaching almost to the centre of the back. The Louis XVI. is in striped silks, with hero and there a line of flowers giving extra length, but this stylo is less popular than tho Pompadour and somo of tho women look well in them." The pyiama, it seems, is not altogether to take tho place of tho low-cut nightdresses with its laces and ribbons and neat little floral embroideries, but as a "saute do lit, as tho French women call it, in which they can intorview*tho cook, sco that the flat is in order, and recoiv.e their morning visitors. The pyjama for the woman has been inspired by tho pierrot costume, which has been worn by ono of tho sex at a fancydress ball. Tho deep collar of black moire silk is a frequent feature. THE BLACK VELVET MOUOHE. Face-veils show it, also a now fine white mousselino which is being used in Pane for specially dressy blouses. Largo patches of black velvet will be dotted all over tho surface of this moussoline, *nd if there ib a high Medici collar— nearly every blouse has * stand-up collar of borne sort— it will have a houistitched border and will be worked with a cross-stitch, introducing various colours and black. Keg&rding the veil, a writer in Pans tells üb:— The latest idea is the spider-web net, in which all tho threads converge toward ft single point, which is marked by a black velvet moucho. Great caro must be takon in adjusting these veils, but with a little caroful manipulation it may bo arranged so that the beauty-spot comes directly undor tho right eyo or at tho corner of tho mouth. An eccentric variation may bo found in tho spider s webnet, which ehowss a black velvet star in two places— these stare being made to appear in regular position on either cheek. An effort is being made in Paris to revive tho short veil, which barely covers the nose. Some people like them, and think them becoming ; certainly the length 1b a convenient one when afternoon toa-timo arrives. To a certain type of compact millinery— notably to tho pork-pie shape— a half-length "fall" of net is attached all round, and when tho hat is on, the vjeil covers half the face and half tho head. THE HEIGHT OF FOLLY. Everyone appreciates the beauty of the kingfisher, the hummingbird, the finch in all its varieties j but who wants to see any sort of bird painted on the human cheek? Yet it has been done, and it will be done again without a doubt. In their endeavour to make this craze moro popular, hairdressers' wax models have a bird balanced on a tiny twig, painted on one cheek ; despite the beauty of tho work, tho result is a positive disfigurement. Also, it 'is when painted near the chest to help fill up tho space resulting from the deoolleto gown. Only skilled artiets can do this exacting work, but when finished, howevor perfectly executed, it does not _ warrant tho expenditure of labour and time. At a big ball lately held in London, tho guests appeared with painted birds and insects and creeping things upon faces, cheats, and arms. IN THE SHOE DEPARTMENT. Frog-ekin is being used, so is shark-skin. Both are soft and pliable, and for both a demand is expected There are always plenty of poople who like things because they are now and costly and curious. Shoes and boots entirely of frog-skin aro available, and they are guaranteed to be exceptionally strong, while often the marking is considered very beautiful. Shark6kin is soft and pliable, and_ has a very glossy surface. Crocodile-skin has been used for somo time, so has snake-skin — sometimes for tippcre alono attached to ironts of patent leather. Much modern footwear for the street is mado of velvet, with tops of corded silk, strapped round tho legs with ribbons to match. Colours vary according to requirements. Somo ultra smart American girls havo been seen wearing ankle-bracelets, made of eilk elastic encrusted with paste motifs and fine cameos. Of course, tho size of tho ankle is tremendously magnified. Many of the walking shoes still have an extremely short toc-picce — so short is it that sometimes the wearer shows the doublo-spliping of the stocking toe, and the effeot is not pleasing. Suede shoes in daring colour — lizard green, for instance — are consideicd appropriate to accompany an all-black dress ; tho holes for threading aro rimmed with silver, and tho ribbons for lacing aro of black. GLOVES. "Gloves that form an integral part of the costume-^or no gloves at all " Thu* Madame Poiret. The ecarlet glove has arrived, and doubtless all other colours will be here soon. For tho averago woman the white glove will be found adequate for most occasions, varied by gloves of black or others of the soft beaver and silver-grey tones. Tho Prairie glove is a new pattern with loose gauntlet slightly stiffened ; it is sometimes made of soft white doeskin, and it was intended primarily to be worn with the long sleeves tight to the wrist, which will bo a feature of many drefeses presently. NOVELTY FOR CLUB WOMEN. Tho prevalence of the cigarette habit among women is i««ponaibl« fo< the in* ifcroduofcipn. of tt jow«lh?d oigarcttcrtjel, tfthStf SbiOfit » tS Pl«l«ttt the apjieaiiftse

on the finger of disfiguring nicotine stains, which aro always rather difficult to remove. The "rest" takes the form of a ring to be worn on tho top_ of tho first finger. From the hand springs a littlo wire clip large enough to hold an ordinary cigarette, which is poised above tho finger without touching the ekm. Apart from the utility of ihe "rest," it is considered an attractive finger ornament. Some are set with coloured stones, and those who possess several will mako a point of using the ono that best a-grees with the colour of the gown. SOME FASHIONABLE GEMS. Exquisite colouring > is a feature of most Jewellery. The opal is an assured favourite for the season. Other favoured stones aro the aquamarine, the chrysophaee, tho tourmaline, the emerald; cornelian, and pink quartz. Tho pale-pink beryl is suggestive of freshncfes and youth, and is chosen by many a debutante, suspended from a slender silver or platinum chain with no sotting at all. The jewellery worn depends on the gown — henoo the necessity for numerous set**. BARBARIC EFFECTS. There ie something barbaric about the appearance of many of the chains worn by women, the majority of which are very Enormous chu.iKs of turquoise matrix, quartz, coral, cornelian, and other solid stones a.re threaded_ at wide intervals on cords of slender silk, or else they are interspersed in meaningless array on necklaces of amber bends, somo laorgo as pigeon-eggs. The combination of colouring is often strange and crude, and tho unevon lumps of stone form a strange contrast to tlio smoothly polished and well-shaped amber beads. Necklaces entirely of amber are extremely popular — clear, cloudy, and opaque. W.hon immensely large beads form the centre space, those at the sides ar© graduated, and one often wishes that the- smaller 6izes were used throughout, for cumbersome chains of the amber are not particularly attractive. Flat diec-lik"e pieces of bright-coloured stone, such as coral or, quartz, are as large as a crown-piece, and those are threaded at intervals on a t fine silk cord ; the colour of the necklace and the colour of the blouse should harmonise, and, of course, any modern orna- . ment would be quite out of place with a necklace 6O_ frankly barbaric. Earrings, too, are being made in similar style, and they will without exception be found difficult to wear ; they aro all trying, ami nono are dainty.