PARIS IN THE MIRROR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1929, Page 14

PARIS IN THE MIRROR

(Written'for '' The Post.'.') (By'" Germaine.")

PA'BlS,..2Bth November

A writer in''tlie "Petit Parisien" calls attention to the prevalence of black,- which is the fashionable colour in Paris this season, but which gives th< impression, as he puts it, that all the women of . France... hjivc been stricken, 'by some-immense grief, for which they, are mourning. , -liverywhere one' seems to see ; nothing but black— black robes, black skirts, black tailormades, black, ball-dresses and evening dresses, and so few light coloured garments —that, it really makes one fpel quite gloomy!- All.these women and girls are uniformly and. desolately in implaceable black —blu(J( as the .night, black as crows, black, as coal, black as

a jazzband! <So,many of these French' women appear to'have been dipped into an inkpot! And iV is the s'.'anVe at the theatre and at Montmartre—nothing but black," so that the scene resembles a funeral, and one looks ' round instinctively for a coffin, and requests the orchestra leader-to p",lay the dead march of Chopin .-or Beethoven. It is all black and'appalling!'-Some thing 'ought -to be done ■to ;stop-this'black epidemic. Surely times are not so gay that we need to. put on funeral garb! What a pleasure and: a relief to' meet a- prctfy woman now and then who is not got up as a mourning card! ■

knows, there is nothing more . dill than simplicity, aud gracefulness!

Some of the latest autumn models arc particularly interesting, for, although women have definitely refused to wear hats • with ;very large- brims, they lire ready aiid willing to wear hats of medium size ivitli just a suggestionof width at each side, and which tit .closely on.:, shingled - heads. ,-' These . the modistes are ..making I: to,:^perfection, very often creating new.-lilies; and.new curves, which' are. -vary ..pretty. . With, regard to , trimmings-incrustations, feathers, and. bqws,-.c,uriii.ingly arranged, are among thei'varieties' seen. They are never'intrusive;..-never too conspicuous, and always . marked by- an excellent taste which is .appreciated by those in the know.,'•' •.:V-;-•■ :'J-•'■,'•'■•"'. DRESSING GIRL OF FIFTEEN ■ It is, one of. the .most difficult things in the world to'dress the' girlyof fifteen, for at .that age childhood is past, and .womanhood is still far away.. She has .hardly thrown away her dolls, ami she sees in .the,distance anewJife in which she may 'not "|.yet take' part^iHer gestures arc bfte'njawkward, and her mind :is filled ■ with thoughts of games, lessons, books, and the few parties she is allowed to attend. Cluthqn have not yet becom.c of. .paramount,, .importance to her—rfor that,' she' must .wait two or three years—but still,- she ' must lie ;dressed bec,omingly,:and charmingly. Simplicity, of course, is tilt first thing to be considered where the young girl's dress be concerned, .be it ' for morning, afternoon, sports, or evening wear. Her morning dresses.should.be. of some sjieli stuff as crepe de chine, marocain, mouslikasha, or any other materials of the kasha order. They an; made with little round.necks, long close•litting sleeves, and knee-length skirts. Sometimes there's a tunic, sometimes a little drapery replaces the tunic, and always, always, a little' ceinturc, either of the. fabric of the dress, or in leather, encircles the waistline, usually at the normal. For the afternoon a girl'.s dress may have many .flounces, spiral ones which wind and twist about the frock in a very attractive manner, or she may have a little frock with dipping panels, side draperies, inset-: godets. The materials for afternoon frocks are much the same as those for morning wear. For evening wear, a, young girl of fifteen may wear satin, crepe de chine mousseline-de-spie, tulle even. But she must eschew lame, brocade, or faille, these being'too old for her. PARIS LINGERIE. How thankful we should be that we live in au era when- wo are encouraged, not-only .to-look as decorative as posi'siblo, but to do so, in the most delightfully comfortable.'.manner, and not, as j was the case, fifty, sixty, ,or seventy years ago! For example, one seems faintly to have heard of the dark age, when our ancestresses garbed themselves in unbecoming chemises de unit, high as to sleeve, aiid garnished with large tucks and. innumerable frills of lace. How dr those old-fashioned '' nigh lies "would seem 'to-day, and! what a contrast to the lingeries, .French or otherwise,', of these.: times! ..In, our enlightened days of crepe de chine and I geurgettu lingerie, we can look back to those # far-away times, and wonder why it was that our grandmothers' accepted such tyranny. I)ut then, if they I accepted such- monstrosities as crinolines, poke bonnets,-..-nightcaps,, aud nil i the aunoyances these must have entailed, they would accept anything. Ideals have changed. Styles have drifted a long way in many directions. The pendulum as swung so far that some, who qualify as authorities in dress, pro- | phesy a swing back to a point at least midway between the extreme fashions of earlier times, and the opposite ex treme _of the last few. seasons. Fashion like time, moves in cycles.