London Fashion Notes

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 19

London Fashion Notes

LONDON, 10th January.

.After listening to _your Carillon in Hyde Park, T must offer my congratulations to Wellington iw achieving one of the loveliest and'most appealing war memorials in the world.' ' •

Judging by the crowds who gather to hear the, recitals,1 a.nd the, number who stop, their cars to listen, my enthusiasm is shared by1 a.very large-proportion of the people of' London. '; .. r have' seen :many 'lovely> shrines— which make a great; appeal to .all; lovers of the'; beautiful, but one has, to seek them out;to jook at them; whereas the Carillon] .pouring -forth-sweet ■arid delicate music,- 'attracts' everyone who is near enough, to-h'eaiy however.engrossed they may bo .by business problems or other mundane.;matters. . ;

The effect'of these recitals has been to rouse in.-the ininds of the general public : a. desire 'for a similar • peal of bells, so London .will-probably follow New. Zealand's' lead and establish a memorial carillon of-her own, possibly on the same .spot. ' ' This is.the.period when, the old year Having departed, the smi-seekers begin to- get busy. The "shops which have finished .with sales ;are .already showing Eiviera models which givo one a pretty goodiidea of .the way the wind is blowing with regard/to'spring fashions. _ - At. my favourite store—which disdains to have more'than one week's sale, so it truly, is a' bargain,affair—l have' been inspecting- some' lovely new frocks-'and suits"'designed for. warmer temperatures .than' we are enjoying at present.,,.... ..-■', V Several of the new coats—made of tweed' and woollen materials—are so

■light in wight ,that.they',cannot possibly waigh many' 'ounces, tps collars I and'all!'; One'lliked in beige, white, red, and black tweed ■ had a cape effect at the back that was joined down the back seam of' the sleeve: to ; the elbow. Th coat was cut with a little collar and revers of jt^eed! and was worn wrapped across.the' figure and held at the waist, or fallowed to hang loose, for it had no' fastening. 'The collar stood up round the neck and was fur trimmed on the outside only, with a bow. of beige fur that had a. tweed, tie over, in the centre^ of-,the back; .",'■:.. ' ' A '.-similar-coat in black woollen material'as light as georgette, crepe, with cape.effect at the.back, had a. huge upstanding-" collar' of beige lamb and an uneven piece of lamb on the edge of the cape. " ' Another coat in black and white check had a-small design of' broken spots in bright red, at regular intervals over the surface; and the effect was tremendously: smart.: ■.. . A coat'of grey tweed in two shades had ■the main part of'dark grey, with the sleeves going Vinto the shoulders on the sidepieces ; of- the coat of light'grey, the revers .faced - with. the . light grey, arid a large lamb collar in two shades of grey-also. '■ •' Capes -are: everywhere.- On morning,

afternoon, and evening dresses, and large enveloping capes are often added to tweed suits to complete a travelling ensemble.

I saw an excessively sm.-irt woman boarding the famous "Blue train" for the Continent, wearing a suit and capo to match that reached- the hem of her skirt. It was made of brown and cedar wood tweed with strappings and'facings of plain cedar wood cloth, and a swathed turban of the same matching material. A tweed bag, scarf, and square wrap for her knees added as much- to her trim and busi-ness-like appearance, as I am sure they did to her personal .comfort. Tho bag and sclarf to match will probably bo even more popular for the coming "season.. I have seen these ensembles in woollen materials —tweeds, plaids, checks, and stripes, in tapestries, washing' silks, and crepes.in bold stripes and designs, and in. lame for evening. . ". . Keturning to. the cape effect, winch flares its graceful way in many of the new modes, I have sketched a charming frock made of burgundy red crepe, which illustrates, one of the many ways of adding a cape •to an afternoon gown. This frock, 1 might add, is ideal for a very tall woman, for the tiered skirt added to the shoulder cape all help to soften the lines of a woman who.is too tall and slim. • i

The corsage flower is. made of the same crepo and a matching hat of felt shows one of tho new millinery modes. (This model—sleeveless —would make an excellent evening frock in plain or flowered chiffon,-the back to be cut as low as desired.) While the hats that are showing remain small and close-fit-ting, there. is a definite tendency on the part of most of the famous milliners to encourage the wearing of hats with brims during the coming season. This feeling is, of course, fostered by the ■- flowing: and longer lines of the uew skirts which are sweeping their way into favour. There is still a great deal of black amongst the-early millinery models, satin, fine straw, and, of course, the inevitable fine felt which seems to work overtime in all seasons of the year. Machine stitching ia also popular, and I saw five models in ono day composed of various, black materials decorated in red machine, stitching.. . One in satin was made of stitched sections to form the crown, and a plain brim turned off the face. : Another had a felt crown and satin brim stitched red that turned off the face and- wan pulled down > into points each side ; of the face, with a-black and .red ornament fastening tho brim to the crown. - - A third in very fine straw with a satin brim and medallions of stitched satin round the.crowd. "Machine stitched felts and tweeds have ,been popular all the season, and will continue into the spring for tailored frocks and suits. ■■•■'. RUTH SIBLEY.