Chat From Paris

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 128, 26 November 1938, Page 19

Chat From Paris

Many of' the fashions today are shared successfully by women of different gene rations. Here in Paris one is struck E^gain and again with the savoir faire*1 of the very young and the naivete of the somewhat older woman. It jfe all very charming and intriguing bitst personally I think the daughter, in .her pursuit of sophistication, discard;* her greatest and very real charm. For it is seldom indeed that she meets with any real success in completition with the experienced antagonist of her mother's generation. She cannot expect, and cer-

i tainly has not, the poise and grace . that comes of many and varied social ( contacts, and if she assumes them she ' is more likely to cut a pitiful and even ludicrous figure. NO POACHING. Straight lines are always becoming to the youthful figure and should therefore be stressed whenever possible —it is essentially the daughter's weapon. Draped bodices, on the other hand, are the right and prerogative of the somewhat older and should be gracefully left to her. Both have undeniable charm. It is simply a matter of "not poaching." The middleaged woman who attempts the candid silhouettes of youth is as foolish as the daughter who insists on the sophisticated etceteras of her mother. Bows, frills, drapes, ruchings are, for the most part, cleverly contrived to conceal, to distract, or to delude, but they accompany certain vogues so naturally that their appeal is as strong as that of youth. FOP DIFFERENT YEARS. Let me describe two street-wear models I viewed recently. Each was worn by a young and charming mannequin, but in this, I think, the designer made a faux pas. They were definitely for different years. One was a frock that was made in the likeness oi a suit and in the new two-colour vogue—in this case a cloudy warm grey and soft blue. It was cut in to fit a tailored waist line, the skirt attached at normal jacket-hem line and worn without a belt. The upper part of the grey "bodice" was cut away, wide (from sleeve to sleeve) and deep (below just) and with a circular line. This was filled in with soft folds of blue in the same material gathered on the shoulder line and folded in a cross-over style that resembled the wearing of a wide scarf. The "skirt" was plain, slightly flared, and matched the blue. Sleeves were tailored to fit closely except at the shoulder peaks where a fullness lifted for breadth. IN TWO TONES. Contrasting, was a gown, equally brief, in two tones of plum, Again it appeared waistless. This time the bodice was cut so that fullness from the right sV and sleeve (cut all in one) was gathered across and .secured by a contrasting bow set high, ( and the fullness from the bust and underarm of the left side was secured j1

in similar manner opposite, this time just above the breast. Two-inch wide widths of lighter tone were inserted from underarms sloping down and crossing in front at below waist mark. Into the point thus formed was gathered fully a flared panel to hang in central folds to the hem.

I have sketched for you two styles that are essentially right, the one for youth, the other for not-so-young. Gay little boleros are everywhere to be seen. The latest of them is, as you see, cut bust high, sleeved .to the wrist, and buttoned close to the neck. An overskirt to match is a simple addition, built on similar lines, flared and buttoned to the waist, it makes a charming variation over any frock. The older woman combines a sophis-| ticatedly slender skirt line with a brief and essentially young sleeve length. It is in matt-surfaced satin.

The front is cut as I described the first model, with low circular yoke of folded contrasting chiffon gathered to either shoulder and sorted crossed. Into the belt at the back is tucked a sash-like width of train of matching chiffon train that sweeps the floor in graceful lines that add both height and dignity.