London Fashion Notes

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 17, 20 January 1934, Page 9

London Fashion Notes

SpMltlly WtlttM t«r "Tht Past"

LONDON, November 24. The success of London dress designers is having a unique effect on the big Paris . dressmakers. , ■Evidently fashionable English clients are.of:vast importance to them, for yet another world-renowned designer has opened an establishment ih Grosyenor Street—supposedly for the convenience of her London clients, and, of course, in the hopes of gathering a few new ones. AH of which shows how the English dressmakers have appreciated the importance of • the '' Buy British movement by turning out models that can Compete with' the best brains of Paris, •which has so long, been the fount of all r fashion inspiration. THE MOTTLED BODICE. ". The neckline of the. day, clothes shown l»y • leading modiste is' muffled, and •where collars are used theyjiave a kind -of'forward flare.. ■ ; . Quite a number of day dresses had •• closely -shirred scarves in brightlyptriped taffetas or coloured corded silks: they are worn high round the ■neck, forming either a round shoulder, ■■berthe effect,.made into a bib_ on the front of the dress, or fashioned into • -whole sleeves of pTain coloured materials. The great idea seems to •trim the, neck and tho front of all bodices and coats, giving the. top of the body an important appearance .111 (contrast to. a particularly slim and fcimple skirt silhouette. _ This is emphasised .for evening' by again bringing the front of the. bodice high into the neck, however low it is tut at the back. Added to this, short or long sleeves emphasise the bodice, and the long, slim skirt trails on the ground "at the back. The new material I mentioned earlier in the season is being used; in all the mid-season collections. This is /' Tree Bark," in silk lame and-velvtt, so called because its surface resembles the markings on the bark of a. tree, and it needs no trimming beyond an important buckle, clasp, or set of buttons. "Anthracite" is another very new material. It looks like strands of glittering black coal woven into heavilyribbed silk —this is another- material that needs no further adornment. Beautiful simplicity of cut and fit and line are all one needs when handsome materials are chosen, and this applies to day clothes as well as evening. One other very attractive feature of the latest models I have noticed is a preference for out-sized jabot effects. Sometimes this is achieved by a ■bodice effect attached to the dress itBelf, as in the case of a-lovely dress of black crepe, with white satin striped taffetas let into the sleeve-tops and forming a small collar and largo ruffled jabot that reached' in a point to tho waistline. . HUGE JABOT REVBRS IN SILK AND MUSLIN. Another smart ..model seen in a ipring collection showed a slim black short-jacket suit. ■ Under the jacket %vas a small-checked blouse made of red and > white check, with' enormous soft revers.. These were pulled outside the .little jacket almost covering the entire front of th« bodice. A smart touch was given by a narrow scarf of the same checked silk being tied "necklace" fashion round the throat with a small bow and ends in front.

This suggests to me a charming sumjaer suit in black, blue, or brown »nen, with blouse of checked organdie muslin, and a bluo linen hat tigd with the same muslin. ■•■ ■

A smart sleeveless waistcoat made of %dde club-striped cravat silk gave great <fehie to a simple navy suit. .The waist-

coat was cut lpw in front and fastened with three large buttons and finished with points just' below the waist. Small eqaulets over the arms made it attractive when worn'without the coat, and the same little "necklace scarf" in club-striped silk added the high neck "look" to an otherwise cool costume.

So yon see that it is easy to be up-to-the-minute with your summer frocks if you remember to concentrate on the bodice. Sleeves of some sort, even the smallest of puffs or frills, but some sleeve you must have to be 1D33. Add something in the way of a scarf, a frill, a jabot—to give the right muffled; effect —and keep your skirt plain and slim, and not too short for morning, and nearly or quite ankle-length for fluffy summer frocks. - '

! A large hat is right for the summer weather, particularly a large black hat

Smart dress of black ribbed romaine, trimmed with white taffetas. The large jabot and elaborate bodice top is significant of the new mode. ' . *

with a simple ribbon tied round the crown, to wear with more elaborate frocks. ' i

Summer stockings may be paler beige or grey, but do not be persuaded to wear nude pink stockings with a smart dress, because they are definitely poor style, although I must admit I prefer them to the hideous bare-legged fashion born of our long, hot summer. If women must expose their legs, then'they should remember they need even more careful attention and make-up than their faces. EUTH SIBLEY.