FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 146, 17 December 1927, Page 16

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON

(Specially Written for "The Post.")

LONDON, Slst October.

The sudden death of the Queen's brother, the Marquis of Cambridge, and the resultant court mourning have cast a faint shadow over the social world. Their Majesties, with their usual thought for others, have requested that festivities organised for charitable concerns shall proceed as usual.

Even so, the first weeks of the "little season" are bound to be shorn of some of their brilliance, and the already fashionable black becomes more important than ever. The smartest black tailor-mades are to be seen in the morniug in Bond street, the majority having the revived velvet collar, which is vastly becoming to most women. These, with a close-fitting black felt hat, soft white satin blouse, dark silver fox tie round the shoulders, are enormously attractive on most English, women. The finishing touch of a huge cluster of gardeniers or parma violets fastened on the coat or in the soft fur completes

Dainty frock of "var-di-gris" satin (a new green-grey'shade).. The long line of the bodice continues over the sash drapery, while the flounces take the popular upward lines.

an altogether desirable get-up. Grey has steadily refused to become popular, although I hear many dressmakers are urging it aa a smart relief from the over-popular beige, and, of course, court mourning will give it an added fillip.

I saw a charming model made in grey moire, very originally cut so as to suggest a coat and skirt and dress altogether. There was a single rovers that finished on ono hip with a couple of small silk-covered buttons. The coat hem was stitched to the skirt at the waist and had a piece cut out of it in front, and the skirt was gathered at the sides. The narrow scarf tied at the back of the neck, and long, slim sleeves reaching well over the hands, completed a lovely frock for afternoon or smart luncheons. For morning wear I was shown a grey and gold jersey i'rock, the skirt of pleated grey jersey, the juniper of grey angora, with strips of gold tinsel running round the body, and a grey coat of the cardigan type that had gold buttons. A rather wide vagabond hat of soft grey felt was worn with the ensemble, and it looked just right for a morning walk or informal luncheon.

Certainly angora is one of the loveliest of the "useful" materials that this season has produced, and seems to adapt itself to either morning jumpers or pretty house frocks with equal success.

A lovely little angora frock in a deep China-blue shade, was originally decorated with applique flowers made of kid in three shades of blue to purple, that toned with the angora.

These kid trimmings are very new and extensively used on some of the nicest velour coats. One seen recently, worn by a pretty fair woman, was of golden brown velour, the deep kid hem reached up to the knees all round, and then continued up the back in two broad panels, while bands of kid appeared at the wrists/with a frill of velour that partly concealed the wrists. Also over the surface of this kid were stencilled patterns of gold, and tho general effect was as charming as it was original.

The delightful little hat to match was of felt stitched and folded into shape, its trimming being large, flat ivy loaves of felt, with gold thread veinings.

The up-at-the-sidc movement persists. Most of the fur trimmings on our coats take this direction, and the skirts of many flounces generally emphasised the diagonal line.

I am sending you a sketch of a charming little frock which illustrates the idea in a practical fashion. It was made in the new grey-green colour called "verdigris," and the material was crepe satin. The edges of tho flounces showed a minute hem of the crepe side, which was used also for the graceful collar and swathing round the waist.

They tell me the stumpy umbrella is doomed—although I see no evidence of it at present. Perhaps tho heavy rain of this summer is responsible for the rumour that wo shall see a return to

the pre-war sized umbrella, with a crook handle. As it seems dangerous to venture forth without an umbrella, and these days one carries so many packages, the crook handle, which hangs so comfortably on the arm, is the most practical type for general use.

Once again, pure white chamois gloves with gauntlets are worn with black or navy tailor-mades, and exceedingly smart they look. A specially nice pair had heavy black stitchings down the back, and black liuiugs to the gauntlets.

Slowly but surely small muffs are creeping into fashion. I have seen them in many of tho short-haired pelts like musquash, Persian lamb, and dyed ermine, and they are cosy on a real cold day. If only they would put big pockets inside to hold our necessary daily "luggage," how we should all welcome them. . BOTH SIBLEY.