PARIS IN THE LOOKING GLASS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 27 January 1923, Page 16

PARIS IN THE LOOKING GLASS

fWritfen- for "The Post"' by "Germaine L .") PARIS, 29th November. Tiwßortow is the ninety-fourth anni-' versary of the day on. which public omnibuses ran for the first time in Pans. They started from a large stable or a depot at the-corner of the rue de Lancry, and followed the lines of the boulevards, some running eastwards to the Bastille, and the others .westwards to the Made- | leine. The innovation was not -a success until Royalty, in the person of tiie- Duchesse- de Berry, came to the rescue./ She tra-velled in one of the omnibuses and paid her fare royalty with twenty-ftv© gold Louis, instead of the regulation twenty-five centimes. Prom that day it became fashionable to patronise the new service. In 1853, seats op the Tool, called the imperiale as a compliment to N&- j [ poleoD ILL, then in the first flush of his new sovereignty, were introduced, and • the fares were fixed at 30 centimes inside, and 15 centimes outside. The same, fares, and omnibuses of the same type survived until well into the present century. The outside seats were preserved, j in the earlier type of motor omnibuses, but these were-eT-entually condemned as top-heavy, and the best and cheapest ] means of seeing thc-city, and getting.comparatively fresh air, was thus abolished. . ABOUT THE SEW HATS. All'the new hats are trimmed on the right side. I saw some really 'exquisite models, mostly small; and termed ■ "tttrban" shaped. The word "turban" has rather an elastic meaning, for almost any small hat is thus described. Colour, is noticeable among3t these new hats; and gold and silver and shot metal tissues are the xage. These brilliant metallic) hats go so weil with dark winter furs ; they give a bright, note on dull, winter days, apart from being most ex- ' traordinanly becoming. The one shape i that predominates is the. Russian, and th« new modes have devised many alluring ways to enhance it. I have seen a Russian hat in brilliant silver tissue. This mitre-shaped hat has, fox centre ornament, a black jet cabuchon, .and is j .very smart. Another is of blacK satin, also mifcre shaped. It is absolutely untrimmed—most frightfully smart, is this shape. . I saw one worn by a well-known Knssian beauty, at .the Bitz tea the other > afternoon. It topped a simple black maTOcajn dress buttoned from chin to hem, while two wide pagoda sleeves in crimson satin, most wonderfully embroidered in gold and silver threads, gave one a vivid impression, of what a Bus- ■ sian dress should be.

Nearly all the new hats have a draping of lace or. tulle, and long, lanky, uncurled, ostrich feathers adorn qther shapes. The tricorne and quatie-come., and the picture hat 1, frequently appear/, PRESENT FASHIONS COVER A WIDE RANGE. . , Any woman to-day who complains that the prevailing styles do not become her, is not choosing wisely, for the fashions of the present, cover a wider rang© than «ver before, and no one vis bound by any sot rule, which must be followed ■if the wardrobe is to be a la mode. There are this season, two basic silhou-

This afternoon dress, which has beet carried out In bottle greon taffetas, anil trimmed with bouquets of so!f material en relief would do very well for a tianco frock for any scmUevening function; The 3lee?cs are original, slit up on tile ihculder, they are edged. with narrow biaak velvet ribbon attached to the cord^ga bouSsSJCt at tile waist; giving a dainty finish.

ettes,. the bouffant, and the straight,, tout the , variations of these are legion,' and adapted to every type of figure. All-black 'costumes, are smart, but the riot of colour, now considered chic, makes it. inr-possible- to introduce imusual effects, which will in themselves lend tbe toilette a,-certain air, displaying individuality.- , No unwearable novelties-have Been introduced . this season, yet fashion bints have been accepted from almost every country in the world, and we have the peasant effects, Russian notes, Oriental tendencies, Greek drapery, French chic,, and English dignity and grace. , TRIMMINGS. The fabric of which a frdck is mado j is now being handled in such a manner as to bring forth maily an interesting trick in the trimming line.. Whole panels, made by stitching petals of the fabrics, one over the other, are decidedly new. Self cable, braided, .is considered smart, and fabric flowers are scan on both afternoon snd evening models. Basket braid appears on both frocks in silk abd cloth, and in some cases forms a front panel, or a deep border on the skirt. Narrow. Hack silk braid, trims a circular skirt frock iD navy-blue twill or tricotine most effectively, while novelty braids, showing a [ thread of metal, or brilliant coloured silk, arc excellent decorations on semiformal models. TO GIVE AN AIR OP YOUTHFULNESS. An ail-black dress is given an air of .youtbfalnsfis by moans of a girdle erf era* fefoidsred.-flowerfl in vivid cdour^gfccji.,

.are appliqued on to a sash of self fab■nc, . and even buttons are grouped in motif fashion to elaborate a simple belt. I saw such an elaboration on. a chemise frock of black Canton crepe,, the self•fabric sash being trimmed with scarlet buttons grouped, as I have just de- j scribed, a further air of richness being given by the lining of the black crepe Pagoda sleeves in brilliant scarlet monsseline. This lining of wide sleeves in a brilliant colour is most awfully smart, and helps to renovate an old dress very i -charmingly. , j Stitching in metal thread is now used considerably, and helps to make many a simple frock of Canton crepe- or crepe -de ■chine interesting. If it be silver.; the silver note is repeated in the-girdle, by means of silver cord twisted into huge flat rosettes. A gold embroidered frock, with a gold girdle, gives a frock an six. of grace and distinction., THE OVER-B&OCSE. The over-blonse is once more being made mnch of, ps.rtAcnlarly when developed of tbe bifffiantly-coloured silks winch are proving so successful. The model which ties on each side is smart but many are allowed to hang straight oang bordered with a pattern of the srik. The is round, sqeare, or cut m a "V," and finished with % small square collar, which is effective when worn outside a plain tailored suit of some dark-coloured material. Brilliant in colour and graceful in Kne is a slightly Moused over-blouse of brocaded silk. The neckHne is round, and the sleeves extremely short. Bead embroidery in straight lines' from the neck to a point, almost-at the waistline, serves ■to form a narrow front panel effect, and to further enhance the beauty of ihe modeL A girdle beaded to match the panel, fastens at the front with a jewelled b tickle.