Paris in the Mirror

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 155, 28 December 1935, Page 7

Paris in the Mirror

PARIS, November 6. j You must keep pace with the limes.' For instance, most of us arc quite willing to change our views on politics, life, art, food, everything—but when it comes to figures it is not so easy. A figure is not as quickly disposed of as an opinion. It will bulge when it should do the other thing, and to be anatomically interesting beauty has no use for bones. How to achieve the indispensable, slithery slimness without looking like a bag of bones— this is the problem. All the best dressmaking people insist upon a perfectly hopeless up-and-down-ness, which leaves one no loophole at all. Where

are the feminine curves considered indispensable to beauty once upon a time? . I can't imagine! A belt a little below the normal waistline helps a bit. But this season belts are not to be seen on every dress, especially,, the evening ones. From the shoulder to the knees there is no break in the devastating monotony; very often nothing to help poor human nature in ■ its trouble to keep up to the mark of beauty—beauty, that is, as we see it today. THE NEW POINT OF VIEW. - Means magnificent materials —watered failles, metal failles, quilted eire fashions that look like leather. Fabrics stiff like grandmother's, but cunningly contrived to a youthful, pliant silhouette; colours like lava' in a volcano—molten copper, burnished -copper, blue-black with rainbow highlights, blacks shot with Mephistophelean red, pale blues and whites changing like a mother-of-pearl; all purple starred—parma, bishop's violet, pansy, plum, damson, dark dim slaty blues, sloe blues, grass and emerald greens, salmon pink and cerise; tweeds, like burnished leaves, velvets with - shot effects, crepes, with a black undertone and single-colour effects giving sombre effects; slit evening skirts,, whispering faille, frothy- petticoats, voluptuous curves, brilliant tropical colours, high hats like a musical comedy Hussar's (with Russian tiricornes for a change), astrakan, iridescent lames, • taffeta afternoon frocks, taffetas, taffetas, all the time, for day and night; low neckbands on simple dark dresses,, with a touch of briliant colour below —velvet twists in blue, green, salmon pink, or cardinal red, Chinese red and cerise on inky blue tweeds; good-bye to .fiat | hats, flat coiffures,' flat crepe. NEGLIGE TEA GOWNS. The fashion for neglige , tea gowns has returned. Whether it fs that

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women feel that they have more leisure in which to lounge or so little leisure that they are determined to steal at least an odd half-hour occasionally for their own thoughts and enjoyment of their own reflections, one cannot say, but the satin or pale chiffon, fitting, trailing, floating garment, has definitely found favour in the boudoir once again. In the very expensive mood, it is trimmed with a collar of coloured cock's feathers, or, more often, with the curling, caressing tendrils of the ostrich. Sleeves on such gowns are of the medieval type, very full, and gathered at the wrist. SMOCKING AND GAUGING. Paris emphasises the smocking and gauging that many of the designers stressed in their early autumn collections, but featuring which only a few models will be placed in their winter collections. In Paris, however, it seems pretty certain that this is the way to bring distinction to the perfect-ly-cut and very chic garments of which there are so many to be seen about. The smocking serves the purpose of fitting "a dress in at the waist and bringing full sleeves into a tight cuff, either just below the elbow or at the wrist. This method also softens the upper part of the body. To plait a piece of fabric the same as the dress and insert it along the shoulders and down the arm of a dress is another way in which attention is drawn to the cut of a garment without distracting the eye by colour. Some of the . most intricatelooking swathed dresses are made very simply. One Paris designer does it just by putting the selvedge at the front of the neck and arranging the folds of the fabric as they fall naturally, catching them in at the waist with some distinctive belt. This plain neckline is a very great contrast to the cluster of flowers, ruffly bunches of faille, and organdie jabots. An article of lingerie, which will be

esteemed by women,' is, the new nightgown which has lately' been launched in Paris that looks more like an evening gown than it. does like the shapeless slim slip hitherto employed to sleep in. These gowns are made like a tailored dinner, dress, or are shirred and flowing to suit every taste, but they have bodices and skirts, and, often, sleeves, too. Any girl who is clever with her needle can make a gown like this.

A favourite model is made of white crepe de chine or linen, with a little fitted bodice and short. sleeves. You can shirr your bodice if you like, and also the short sleeves. A ribbon girdle passes through the lowest row of shirrings and ties in front. The skirt is full and straight.

Another bit of lingerie which is all the fashion in Paris is the longish slip which Parisiennes wear with culottes —drawers—instead of the more ordinary chemise. This is a slip in a pale shade of crepe de chine and fits without any wrinkles or gathers, as a stylebred slip must, under the new fitted fashions of winter. A satin ribbon is shirred under the slip at the waistline, and ties in a flat bow in front. Lace makes the yoke and trims the band at the bottom.

A DANGEROUS DANCE

The Entertainments Committee of the London County Council informed Mr. George Black that it will not allow the performance of "The Mqth and the Flame" ballet in "Round About Regent Street' at the London Palladium. The committee states that the performance is dangerous, and liable to cause a panic, states the "Observer."

In this presentation Jeanne Devereaux, dressed as a moth, comes in through an open window, and flutters around a giant lighted candle; as she gets closer and closer to the flame her wings catch fire and are burned completely off.

She is clothed in an asbestos tunic and helmet, which protects her completely. There is a momentary blackout, during which she strips oft the asbestos clothing and emerges in skintight fleshings. The dance, is then brought to a finish with her posturings as a dying moth.