FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 56, 15 September 1928, Page 14

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON

(Specially Written for "The Post.") LONDON, 27th July. The ltoyal garden party, which was held yesterday brought the season to a close in a final blaze of beauty. The King and Queen are usually lucky in having d'fine, day,-but'it is many seasons since the weather conditions were so ideally suited to this most popular of all the Boyal entertainments. Blazing sunshine and blue skies mado the- shad© of the beautiful trees and cool green lawns of the Palace grounds particularly enticing, aiid for oncb: women of all uges-felt secure in wearing their most summery garb. The Queen looked charming in pale aquarniarine blue embroidered with crystal, with a small hat and plain silk sunshade to match. Princess Mary in hydrangea shade and the Duchess of York in faint blush pink both had ■chosen large shady hats to match their toilettes. The vogue of the sunshade and the largo hat was very' pronounced, and one must admit that both these accessories make a picturesque addition to any toilette. . . ' While hats' have, growiv large—some almost as wide -as. the shoulders —they are in no danger of becoming the unbalanced moustfosities of pre-war days. Hats to-day, continue, severely* simple, and even wide hats content themselves with a simple twist of ribbon round the crown arid perhaps a single bloom

or diamond ornament. This simplicity combined with the fact that they are crushed well down on the wearer's hair and so become part of the body itself will prevent future generations poking fun at our appearanco when turning over the snapshot album. One thing is certain, tho straw hat has come into its own once more, for oven the straw and felt models, which the milliners introduced early as the "thin end of tho wedge" have been entirely ousted by the Leghorn, coarso rustic straws, crinolines, and of course Bankok straws in endless variety. So prepare to discard your beloved felt as soon as tho spring sunshino appears. The coloured shoe is also established, and many delicate frocks of blue, green, and red had coloured shoes to match, giving the finishing touch. One outlier fad that I have noticed many times recently is the wearing of several different kinds of necklace. The Queen often wears a string of pearls and a string of amethysts or, aquamarines. Recently I saw a pretty girl in a palo yellow frock who had a string of pearls, one of jade, and one of pale pink coral, and the colour scheme was most successful. Another social celebrity of more mature years was wearing a long row of :pearls and a string of amber on a black lace frock, with a buttonhole of orange feathers and mother of pearl to com-, plete the picture. In Paris at the moment the tri-col-our is predominant. We have had it in scarves and handkerchiefs, now it has spread to necklaces of red, white, and blue. Tri-colour braidings are on all the white dresses, with velvet carnations made to match. . • . Many of these tri-colour effects will be seen at Cowcs and at tho various

beach resorts, and that is where I think they ;irc most appropriate; for town wear they look a little outre. The tight little bodice to the waist witli a full skirt, flounced or plain, . which is so beloved by the- beauties who ilickcr on the screen,- has caught on with the--youthful clement in London. The present heat wave seems to have brought out hundreds of these little frocks, which are particularly attractive on the modern girl with her slim supple body. Usually they are sleeveless, and the skirts quito short and bouffant, and it is a style that is particularly suited to tho many patterned materials now so popular, for it needs no decoration whatever. Wo all know that the modern mother is more like a sister to her daughter than a parent. The fad of both dressing alike is almost disconcerting at times, especially as tho modern miss with her poise and sang froid is quite capable of being mistaken for the hostess. At a recent wedding the mother a.nd bridesmaids wore all dressed alike. Eleven bridesmaids in most unusual frocks of bright yellow—tight bodices to the waistline, long sleeves, and long full skirts that trailed at the back. Yellow* skull caps, cut up over one eyebrow, and bouquets of purple sweet peas. The bride's mother who is both youiig and slender woro au exact replica, of both dross and cape, but the wholo thing was in unrelieved black and intensely smart. At a diplomatic diinco given for Princess Marie Jose of Belgium, a mother and daughter appeared in oho Cfct' the most popular tulle models of tho season, exactly alike »xoept in colour^ tho mother being in lemon yellow and her daughter in white. I am sending you a sketch this week of tho newest expression of tho tulle frock which has the novelty of combining th© shininess of jet with the transparency of tulle. The bodice of the gown is of slim flounces, and the long skirt is a mass of cascades that are long at the back. The- entire underdress is embroidered in close-set jet and sequins. The veiled glitter is extremely effective ariel handsome. —RUTH SIBLEY.