FASHIONS STRAIGHT FROM PARIS

Evening Star, Issue 22619, 10 April 1937, Page 30

FASHIONS STRAIGHT FROM PARIS

BLOSSOM TIME Parisian dressmakers are extremely busy preparing new models of tailormades, dresses, coats, and evening gowns for spring, and, though they endeavour to keep their collections secret, the Parisienne has already managed to learn much about their new shapes and colours. The tailor-mades take the largest place in the spring fashion, and are seen everywhere. They are so convenient in every circumstance. For morning wear they are made in dark green, navy, or black woollen, ornamented with leather or deerskin; jackets are short and close to the body; the skirts are either straight, slightly flared, or pleated with a stitching at the top along the pleats, which open, giving a great fullness when moving; and for afternoon and evening wear they are made of numerous kinds of materials, such as cloth for men’s clothes, woollen, dull “ faille,” satin, white cloth, coloured lame, velvet. The skirts then may be long or short. The Parisienne will change her blouse according to the hour of the day; a blouse in red muslin with long sleeves will be suitable for afternoon; but a blouse without back will be required for evening. The coats for spring-time have the waist accentuated, and widen in big folds or flying panels trimmed with braid. Most of the time they do not cross, and a buckle or a bow at the neck and the waist join hem to hem; a zip fastening is often used, and a cord made of leather as belt gives them a note of originality. The plaid coats are very fashionable and gay for morning- . , .

Parisian dressmakers are not fond of simplicity this year. They adorn the dresses with considerable trimmings. Woollen dresses are still in great favour, and metal, leather, flower-like buttons are their main trimmings. A green dress, for instance, with a basque, ornamented all over the front with stitches, has a leather belt with silvered nails. Another, in violet, has a triangular panel over the breast, with big buttons on each side, and a velvet yoke underneath is entirely ■ stitched. A third, whose shape looks very simple, has a band of tiny stitched pleats set on the left of the dress, repeated at the waist and forming a collar. As a whole, dresses and coats widen at the hem. The squareness of the shoulders, though it is still on every dress and suit, is less striking. Sleeves are tighter. Evening gowns are either wide or close-fitting. They are made of thick “ crepe gauffro ” or of Chantilly lace over a slip of white “organza”; a row of small strass in the front. Quaint boleros and waistcoats, entirely embroidered or made of deerskin, are much in favour. Some fasten in the back, and their shape is reminiscent of armour.

_ As to hats, milliners are inspired by different epochs. Some like “ le chignon 1830,” a quaint small toque surmounted on the front by a triple bow, with a little bunch of flowers ensconced

in the centre. Others are inspired by the 1880 period and present a “ canotier ” with flat crown, around which is a petersham green ribbon, and a bunch of flowers is set on one side, towards the back, over and underneath the brim. Other hats are inspired by paintings of Fragonard and Watteau, the brim rising behind and lowering gently over the eyes, bearing a big bird as its ornament. Though straw has already appeared, hats made of feathers are nevertheless in great favour, and lately a number of very elegant ones were seen at the inauguration of the Blake and Turner exhibition in Paris. It is impossible to say at first glance what they are made of. The trimmings, and often the entire hats, are made'of leaves and flowers delicately fashioned in feathers.'

used for a considerable number, while other evening dresses will be in lames and shot weaves. With all these, generally a white ermine cape will be worn. Black frocks do not figure at all in the Queen’s collection. A SPECIAL CROWN. The Queen’s crown has caused the powers-that-be some hard thinking. It is well known that she prefers silver, or rather platinum settings to the oldcr-fashioned gold. So a new crown is being designed to suit her taste and to incorporate certain Crown jewels. This will be the first time that platinum has been used for a Royal Crown. Only diamonds will be used, and among these is the famous Koh-i-Noor, set for Queen Mary’s Coronation in 1911. This wonderful stone is in the centre circlet that rests on the head. Above, and itself the centre of a Maltese cross design, is another priceless diamond, an Indian drop brilliant from the Treasury of Lahore, and presented to Queen Victoria by the East India Company in 1851. I have not yet heard of Princess Elizabeth’s crown, _ but no doubt she will have one, seeing that she is to bo so important in all the ceremonial. HUMBLER GLORY. We are still busy pondering on various ways of commemorating the coming Coronation. One bright idea was to plant all the principal roads in the country with apple trees. The usual avalanche from property owners, who in great harmony wanted to know how long apple trees would be worthy of the name? What would prevent the fruit becoming stolen fruit? The originator of the scheme was a good psychologist, and he replied with truth that as soon as you make apples so common that anyone can have them without the asking, few will bother to take them, on the same principle as blackberries by the wayside. As a matter of fact it seems that a similar experiment has actually been tried wjth complete success in Scotland. In a certain district raspberries are grown on a large scale for the market, and the owner of the fields, tired no doubt of being a watchdog, planted lines of “ rasps ” along the roadside, to hedge in his fields. It ended as he expected, for what was there for all was worth nothing to anybody. So, it is said, will be the apple result. The first season will certainly tempt all, especially youthful, appetites. The next year it will tempt only the really young, and the third year will pay for all. I do think the idea has a good deal in it, especially for the “ distressed areas,” the very poor will have a source of healthy food at no expense. And so the general achievement would bo the double success of beauty (think of the spring blossom) and usefulness, not to speak of helping what we are constantly hammering at, a sense of community property for in time I’m sure the inhabitants 7 -would try to keep the trees in good order of their own free will, PERSONAL ITEMS. Mr Paul Falla attended the first levee of George VI. at St. James’s Palace. I asked him for a description of the scene, closed! to women always, as this is a purely masculine affair. Dukes and special officials are grouped round the King, who sits waiting for the presentations. As your turn comes your name is called out, you walk forward, and l as you just about come abreast of the King you bow the head. About 500 were presented this time, many of them diplomatic people. Mr Falla, by the way, is a third secretary in H.M. Diplomatic Service, otherwise for short, the F.O. or Foreign Office. H© is in the department that deals with the Baltic States, the Soviet Union, and the Scandinavian countries, and he thinks it quite likely that he will be sent to Moscow in about two years. Mr Eric Bullough is full of plans for the future, the immediate future. Among these are ideas for lectures on things Maori and his experiences in New Zealand alpine climbing and guiding. He hopes to get in touch with the Alpine Club here. There is also a possibility of his going to take a special course of study in America, as if he does so the biggest chemical firm here, the 1.C.1., will give him a job on his return.

Mrs Pyoroft, of Auckland, is here with her husband until after the Coronation. I think that I mentioned) some weeks ago the beautiful watercolours of New Zealand plants and flowers that Mrs Pycroft had done, and that were on exhibition at New Zealand House. She is now studying miniature painting, and when she goes back no doubt she will do a good deal of this specialist work. Miss Mabel Maclndo.e is soon leaving for Naples to work at the Zoological Station there. She has recently become engaged to a zoological student at Cambridge, Mr lan Mason. Mrs Cox, formerly Miss Salmon, at one time a pupil at Columba College, has recently taken a post at the Renaissance Galleries, Regent street, London. Her husband has still two years’ medical studies to do at the University of London. Miss Sheddon is off to Paris for the Easter holidays with Miss Gwynneth Vidal.

The High Commissioner, Mr Jordan, andl Mrs Jordan gave a very pleasant reception at the Mayfair Hotel, and hundreds accepted this chance of making the acquaintance of New Zealand’s official London representative. Mrs Fletcher, who is for the moment living with Mr and Mrs Jordan at Wimbledon, told me that she has been lucky enough to be given a seat in Westminster Abbey for the Coronation. Dr Stallworthy, who came to London with the New Zealand obstetrical scholalship, has gained further honours. At the end of 1936 he was elected F.R.C.S., and now he has just been appointed to the staff of the Chelsea Hospital. Mr 0. S. Morris, of Tauranga, • but practising in London for some years, has been appointed! surgeon-dentist to the King.