PARIS IN LOOKING GLASS.

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1927, Page 14

PARIS IN LOOKING GLASS.

FASHIONS AND FANCIES

(Written for "The Post" by '' Germaine.'') ! PABIS, 2.4 th November,

THE LUXURY OF WOMEN".

In the cosmopolitan world of welldressed women in Paris, the luxury is beyond description. They are clothedin silver and gold from head to foot, that is to say, in tho evening. Not only do they wear dresses and coats of gold lame, and silver lame, and lame of both these colours shot, or shot with other

colours, but they are wearing lame underclothing. Little petticoats of gold or silver lame, trimmed, with gold or silver lace. And there are light gowns and pyjamas, "sontien gorges," -and negligees. .'. . In. the matter of the "tuxede" or " smoking," these are also seen, iv metallic fabric. It ,is a single breasted affair, and made with the exaggerated form-fitting waistline Frenchmen affect. With this is worn a slim., skirt and frilled shirt, and the collar is of the stiff variety. The buttons are in-strass. ;

• It is the'spirit of youth that reigns in the Paris of to-day, and it affects fashion 1-inevitably. The short-haired: girl is usual in both French and cosmopolitatt circles. This means that the cloth hat still remains the favourite, and the little easily-slipped-on. frock, the thing that every girl-wants. All dressmakers aim at having one model which will catch the eye, as a popular ! song may catch the ear. . . , THE SUBJECT OF COLOUR. '

The: subject of colour is still being given, serious' attention. Black, black and white, and •/all-white, 4 grew more pronounced, as the season's tendencies unfold. v Women of all ages declare for the black gown. Some, because of its perennial ■. convenience and suitability, and others, because nothing throws into such radiant contrast, bright eyes, and' a rose-petal skin. Some enchanting frocks of black tulle, are shown among the early winter collections. They have a certain, crispness and style that are very, refreshing. Black and white is always dramatic and some of this season's models are conspicuously stylish. Black taffetas with white crepe or chiffon, and. black satin or crepe de chine; with white, are successful combinations shown in, late models. Ingenue; blue and pink, have come back into their o\yn, and canary-yellow and the purple shades, are prominent. Everywhere, hats, three-piece suits, fluffy afternoon and evening gowns, are reappearing in the pastel shades of blue or shell pink, often combining the two. A promising novelty too, is the pale pink or blue kid shoe, worn with light beige'stockings. These; are often seen at the afternoon, thes-dansants. .;■ PHILOSOPHY OF FASHIONS. :

Fashions have never been more severe, restrained, and neat, than they are' to-day. That' is to say, for daytime wear. In the evening, you may fie as gorgeous as you please) as long as you don't look ''picturesque.'' To look picturesque, is almost as bad as to look exotic. It strikes a false note in fashion, which is unheard of aujourd'hui, though; the discordant note is fashionable in music. It is. smart at present to look modern. It is always dangerous when a woman tries to combine fashion and art. Should she be beguiled, into the bargain to consider herself an "artistic" personality, she is doomed to dowdiness, and will never be hatted. How to remain individual without becoming eccentric, is a problem which is only solved by the ex-' perienced dresser. You will see that-1 am giving a little good, advice., which may be practically useless, although I hope it won't.

The word "don't" easily gets monotonous when it has to bo repeated unceasingly. Yet, unless a woman has her fingers tightly pressed to the. pulse of fashion/ sti'o might go wrong, the first time a "don't" is admitted. With regard to hats, it may bo said that it is more difficult to bo well-hatted, than well-dressed. For a hat must be becoming, and there may be compromises with the figure which" are hardly possible with the face. A carefully-made hat should fit the wearer's head as well as a shoe made to order fits the feet. .No chances must be taken of loosing one's hat, nor more so, than of loosing one's slipper. The modern hat is only really chic when its fits the head very snugly,.and shows its shape. It is designed, primarily for women with short hair. Anyone with a chignon, requires the.new hats to be adapted. A compromise is rarely successful. In this case the word ''compromise" is synonymous with an unsightly bulge. The crown is what gives—or does not give —a good shape to tho head.

A CALL TOR THE ULTRA-MODERN.

There is still a call for the ultra-, modern, the futuristic "Batik," and other unconventional materials. But these are rather individuaiy-cleverly treated by some of the prominent artists, arid becomingly worn by some women. But, while thcso really successful creations are accepted, the vogue of tho indiscriminate "showy" material, is over. At least for the present.

The untrimmed gowu that is so essentially of our own "period," is seen in chiffon with triangles, posed one-over M?e Plk?Jj to give a Cubist effect. An-

other gown works out a problem, in oblongs of two shades of beige crepe. This govrn is a master of the art of joining geometrical pieces to form a flowing garment.

_ ABSENT-BAY KTDDIEC AND

THEIR CLOTHES,

Never, never, have I found any grown-ups one half as particular as some babies I know, who choose their own things with a quite terrifying aplomb, at their own particular shop-ping-place. Yes, it appears that for any boy-thing over five to wear a knitted/coat, or one made by a dressmaker, is too infra dig, for words. A tailor must make the manly boy's coat for him. And the little boy of five must have tailormade coats in serge and cov-er-coating, and mainly trousers and knickers. As for their shirts, and their ties, this would require a whole paragraph to itself which my space forbids. The modern child also shoes itself as carefully as it clothes itself, and all the admiring parent has to do —is to pay the bill!