London Fashion Notes

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 19

London Fashion Notes

Specially Written for "The Post."

LONDON, March 26. Easter is upon us earlier than -usual,

and with no sign« of spring warmth. The weather prophets offer us no. encouragement to wear new clothes, but their warnings of snow and east winds will fail to damp the enthusiasm of those who feel that Easter calls for new clothes whatever the climate may say. We shall probably have to wear a fur coat over the thin spring suit,_ and certainly, no one dare "cast a single clout" underneath.

The tailored suit is enjoying a tremendous popularity this year, and by this I mean the suit cut o:i classic lines and man-tailored as apart from the

"dressmaker" suits of. more casual cut and material. The. tailored suit may be cut in a dozen different styles, the link buttons, single-breasted two-but-ton, double-breasted with long rolling lapel, and for sports, the Norfolk back and patch pockets. Skirls may have a panel back and, front, which release "kick" pleats near the hem, or a seam down the centre front and back, with the same concealed pleats. Three pleats on one side of the front, well stitched to the knee, is another style, as well as the wrap-over skirt that fastens with four buttons from the knee to about five inches from the hem. Two points that all suits have in common are that the slim skirt is cut a shorter length and the jackets reach about four inches below the hip bone. A PETTICOAT YEAR. Having seen the delightful results of fringed taffeta petticoats beneath the shorter suit skirts of this season,- I know this will be a petticoat year. Every store is showing petticoatsfull length for dresses in the finest Jap. silk, to make no bulk; in'crepe /de chine scolloped and hem-stitched; in rich satin scolloped again in every shade to harmonise with dresses. Waistlength petticoats for suits are in satin beaute scolloped and hemstitched, or in Milanese, which is featherweight and clings to the figure, or in crisp taffeta peeping: beneath the skirt when seated. Shot taffetas are very popular with, one colour matching the suit. SMART FLANNELS. One of the world's most famous dress designers has adopted .viyella for new sports and house frocks^ This is Schiaparelli, who has used this comfortable i material in many new ways, and as a result the manufacturers have produced heavier-weight viyella for tailored dresses and suits. Plain and patterned in many attractive designs, with stripes in many colours on a neutral ground, looking as though they have been darned through, which she uses for both blouses and dresses. Nobbly checks in pastel colours or square spots at wide intervals are other designs. A check jumper with, a plain skirt, or a sleeveless jumper over a plain dark blouse are favourites, while the simple dress in flannel is the ideal for the house or under a warm top coat. The dress I have sketched is a charming example of a smart flannel dress. This was in almond green, with brown belt and buttons, and worn under a brown blanket cloth top coat that had Raglan sleeves, a good collar to be worn up or down, and large useful patch pockets. Sports coats favour these wool and camel-hair fabrics as just a little newer than tweeds, and these are cut on medium swagger lines, with wellsquared Raglan sleeve* as well as the more conventional belted and easy-fit-ting .style. SHORT SKIRTS AND HIGH HATS. Recently I was asked why the designers had suddenly decided to shorten the skirt and would it go above the knees? To the first I replied that the excessive height of last season's hats demanded a shorter skirt to restore the balance of the average woman's figure.

But hats are reaching a more restrained level and I do not think we need fear the return of the very ugly knee-length skirts which shocked our elders after the war, and made many otherwise well-balanced women lose their sense of proportion,

In every hat shop at the moment there is a vast assortment of the most varied millinery, and the only safe and satisfactory way to choose a hat is to try on,_e_yery type until you find the one that is made for your individual style. But there are one or two rules to remember if one would be correctly hatted. Shallow-crowned hats are designed to show the hair which must

be well groomed or the style is ruined; wide-brimmed hats only look well with formal clothes. And a country suit demands the simplest cap or un.rimmed felt. Veils, flowers, and feathers belong to the town hat, and even then should be chosen with restraint.

In relation to the clothes you wear, hats are all important. For instance, on a very wet day recently, I saw an attractive girl wearing a becoming hat with an ostrich feather curled round the crown and a veil—and a tweed overcoat and Newmarket boots!

The coat and boots fitted the1 day, but the hat was a terrible mistake in such company. Nearly as bad as pinning last night's orchids on to a camelhair sports coat, and I have seen that E. RUTH SIBLEY.