PARIS IN THE LOOKINGGLASS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 131, 6 June 1925, Page 15

PARIS IN THE LOOKINGGLASS

FASHIONS AND FANCIES (Written for "The Post" by "Germaine.") PARIS, Bth April. At Easter it is considered almost indecent not to come out in one of those new spring wraps which this year are rather newer than usual, and a!^o more springlike. Time was when the poor thing was always condemned to shaggy tweeds, or, at best, to covert-coating, when it'was always strictly tailored into a smug respectability. To be unusual in a coat was to be "unladylike," whereas, now it is a very different story. Perhaps^ the disappearance of the "perfect I lady" .is responsible-for the appearance of the amusing coat, or it may be that our tailors have somehow acquired imagination or caught a love of colour from the rest of us. Anyway, the .new spring wraps that I have met are attractive enough-to reconcile one to the wintry spring we are being favoured with. THE WAY THEY OUT OUR COATS. The way they cut our coats nowadays is very interesting, but do not ask me

now. it is done. How do they cut them now that there are no tiresome rules laid down and no thus far, and no farther, regulations? They are as intricate as our dresses, with their far-fetched panels their amusing pockets, their detachable capes, original sleeves, and curious collars. ■ '■'.'■ ■.•■-.

„, Fl*> I would have you notice, ia not. done nowadays. This'does not mean that you )O r.;I..would ■achieve a Paris creation with hardly any taking of pains. Ihere are right and wrong ways and there are mysteries of cut and hang' which, only, the .elect seem to produce You no longer know a very smart garment, because it fits its wearer like a glove.. , Iho grand air i s much raore subtle nowadays.. It is that "something" unexpected,, that something original, together with'a-certain "appearance which every :well-brirn person-no, I mean gar-ment-has, by the gr aco of beaven-I beg your pardon by the skill of the tailor! It is _the last brain-wave, as expressed in cloth or silk. And it is mostly kashadrp d and suede nowadays, when it is a. wrap. ._ The colours, too, are lovely Ihere is every shade of soft brown, grcv, fn^ri b Y°' °r a mixtu« °f them sophs coat aff alr needless to say, but into a mellow rainbow blend of perfect harmony. This ae ason, by the way, has seen the advent of a new colour-nut-green. It is predicted that this nut green colour will hold sway among well dressed women all through the summer.

THE LAST WORD. ..f 8,* 6 ni«^ grow shorter, the skirts are also getting .shorter—in fact unless IWI y A- a- h«rt-«J»Ped decolletage. Broad media collars are to be found in all the latest evening cloaks, which were never more gorgeous in colour than they are this year and the cloaks themselves are decorated with enormous flowers in bracelets especially those for the upper arm, are high in favour, and many novel ones accompany the new costumes. The general tendency, in fact. i s away from he accepted and traditional in the ma™ tor of jewels, as in every other matter of tho moment, including music and decoration, for only novelty wins favour iusfc at present. Evening fabrics are becoming moro and moro to have the effect of jewels, and the jewellers are turning to making bracelets and bandeaux which seem like dolicato fabrics woven of jewels whilo sandals are enriched with stones or strass, and grow daily more complicated. If things go on this way, with our jewelled shoes and jewel-embroidered hats we shall soon be walking on our heads!' JOY TO THE CHILDREN. The. revolution of clothes for the ciders started from a juvenile source. 17 juveniles change their fashions, will the elders follow suit? Who knows? There is a startling change arriving over the horizon for youngsters. It gives every promise of arresting attention It ia fostered by tie desire of certain dressmakers to reinstate, in children's clothes a. pictorial effect. They think severity haa gone far enough, sad tlx»t £her» i»

no more delight to be squeezed out of funny little linen frocks with a bit of coloured embroidery. These dressmakers have introduced a wide variety of colourful clothes that really signify something. They are imitations of old fashions, and the chUdren are delighted with them, as they have been the last to get up any affection for the kind of thing they have been compelled to wear. Possibly, the return to vivid colours for children, expressed through the more unusual taffetas and crepes de chine, will cause more joy to children than to their mothers, unless the terrors of the laundry bills have kept the latter from sleeping.,SILK IN FOR THE KIDDIES' DRESSES. Silk is a strong favourite for spring frocks for youngsters, and the man-dress-makers who began the exploitation of black taffetas slips for yellow-haired youngsters threw a pebble in a pond. The circles have rapidly widened. Japanese silk is much used for spring frocks. It is sometimes striped in directoire fashion. Green and gold are colours used in one model. There is another gown in a small figure-design of colours on a dark background with an iutroductionof voile pleatings, red ribbon and green bows. Surely imagination can go no further. The child who wears it will feel like a maypole. There are cordings and puffings and tuckings on thin gowns, to keep them from getting back to the standard of simplicity that has prevailed. Net and georgette are combined in some frocks.