MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 October 1933, Page 7

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

ITEMS OF INTEREST

autumn fashions.

’9os STRAYING INTO 1933

With memories of the recent insouciance in women’s fashions snorts on the tennis courts, pyjamas on tnc streets, and spines on the beaches 1 entered with. some, tlic Fashions and Women's Wear Exhibition, which opened at Doi land Lower Regent-street (writes a London fashion-writer). But although braced to meet any possible shocks with fortitude, I received none from this year s autumn fashions, save when one charming young woman appeared in plus fours. This caused an almost unanimous wince. Somehow one scarcely imagines that women golfers will forsake the skirt as readily us their tennisplaying sisters. Few men, after all, look really well in plus fours, and I fear that most women thus arrayed, would delight the heart of Mr Harry Tate Otherwise the designers seem to have decided that they cannot do better than follow the French saw: “Plus ca change, plus e’est la meme chose.” It all looks a little familiar —but very charming. There is still that paradox of demure jauntiness and austere frivolity; still the effect of the ’nineties straying with a slight dimple into 1933. There was a dignified evening dress which yet contrived to give a poodlo effect —thick tufts of black at the top and bottom of a clinging grey dress. I And what of the women themselves? Are curves really to return? Only to a limited extent, I was assured by the fashion experts. “While women will no longer look like boys,” said one, “yet their figures w T ill not be such as called forth the exclamation, ‘Fine sir,’ from the Victorians.”

'LIGHTING THE BATHROOM

In recent years no room has undergone such fundamental changes as the bathroom, and this has been effected largely ■by the introduction of indirect and diffused lighting (says a London writer). Nowadays enclosed boxes laced witn semi-opaque or moulded glass take the place of the old pendant and opal shade. Make-up or shaving are made as easy by artificial as by daylight with the adoption of self-lighting mirrors. Strip-lights shielded by ground glass surround the mirror-panel and cast a ,strong and subdued light over the entire surface.

Foi' general lighting square or specially tinted spherical shades are practical, since they are made to lit close against the ceiling, and thus keep out steam and dust. If the bathroom is exceptionally low the insertion of a box let in flush with the ceiling is an excellent solution, and if the available space is very limited extra light may be obtained by lining the interior' with mirror or polished metal reflectors. To add colour a tinted glass base to the box is effective,- and the frame, either lull'd wood or metal, can be cellulosed or match the- ceiling. . . Another way. out of the- low ceiling double is offered by the many welldesigned wall-lights now to be had. Some are of plain white opalised gla.r.-, and accordingly economical: others, more elaborate, have designs incised with acid ’or etched by sand treatment. Fascinating effects come from the use of circular panels, toned to the predominant, colour of the bathroom anil “chased” in. The result, with its framing of chromium, resembles a port-hole, and, being on a level surface with the wall, minimises breakage. Moreover, the light is readily accessible for cleaning- or bulb replacement, since the unit is not more than head high.

Finally, in carrying out. alterations or in building anew, attention at (lie outset should be paid to iho exact placing of the light" points.” A little thought given to this matter will save disappointment, and render unnecessary the expense and annoyance of subsequent alterations. .

EVENING HEMLINES IMPORTANT.

(By a Paris Fashion Correspondent)

There is a decided difference in the cast of evening hemlines from those of last season. With few exceptions design is given to flounces and width.. One hemline in the latter group is cleverly achieved by Schiaparelli, who forms a pagoda fluting through gores which make an excellent impression at the base of an extremely simple silhouette, a silhouette neither girt nor ornamented by details that might mar the cut of unusual fabrics which cling to the figure, without gripping it, below a slightly broadened corsage line. This pagoda hem width is featured in a granite-grey gown, and the colour makes a perfect background for a betel-red belt and half-length cape of “armada”--the name- given to a new taffeta and velvet mounted on crinoline to show' a crinkly quilted lattice design.

Straight skirt lines appear, too, with one in. granite-grey peau de peche—a mat surface silk with a woollen back —showing a pleated drape of pansy blue passing under a. belt from the bodice to hemline at one side of the back.

Long evening coats tailored in the new velvet and taffeta have arresting hemlines ending in fish-tail trains, while one short train is shaped out from the henf of an otherwise straight skirtline of a gown in one of the new Schiaparelli blues which range in pale turquoise and sapphire tints. Hemlines with Maggy Rouff are entirely different in character and come under the influence of the Degas, Manet. and Renoir, period with flounces formed out over long slim fitting skirt lines which are skilfully gauged into easy widths for walking. These flounces are far from being the straight widths we have become accustomed to see. They are made to stand out, being superimposed one over the other at the sides of skirts by border lines of piping. ' A series of half-hooped frills expresses one idea on an emerald-green velvet gown with a flat looped bow at the back waistline.

PANELS FROM SHOULDER. Variations convey straight hemline flounces as well. Single ones are rAched on to a thick piping cord and set beneath the knee depth to correspond with a similarly constructed decollete on a velvet gown in a becoming shade of light burgundy red. Those effects look excellent in silk velvet, while faille and taffeta carry ruches of a contrasting colour _ at ground length hemlines and dainty frills, or wider ones spaced diagonally froni knee depth, level round the entire skirt. Then there are wideflowing hemlines in this collection, with open cuts either side .of the centre front, one gown in deacr white crepe having double panels floating from the shoulders in Grecian style halfway down the length of the silhouette. ■ ■ Hem ruchings that rustle in tafieta in sweeper fashion on black fish net evening gowns vary through toning or contrasting. When this occurs one shade is cast over the other, and ruffles commencing from lower . ankle level are sometimes carried a little way up the centre back. This is one of the Edwardian notes that change from ruchings to fish-tail trains, gripped in place by a bow at back knee depth in an ultramarine blue velvet gown, designed by Brnyere. The fashion of the straighter gored skirt line finishing to tip the toes follows on the flat skirted front line, which has every prospect of becoming a fashionable craze during the autumn and winter season. On the other hand, full-fronted skirt widths arc shown by Lucien belong, but gowns'are moulded to the figure as fur as the knees generally, width being distributed in kilting, godets oi gathers. . ; , Mainbocher varies skirt hems considerably, and trains trailing from beneath two superimposed shaped frills look stately for gowns with simple corsages, showing curled aigrettes —one matching the colour and one contrasting tucked in at the base Of a front V decollete. The shorter fron't hemline from this designer is also commencing- to sway, but backs of skirts convey a subtle slim width iv hicli maj be given additional fulness at the hemline tlirough a flounce about 12 inches deep, cut. ever so slightly on the semicircular basis.

NEW DYES FOR FURS. Those who seek sensations in the revelations of the great, fashion houses of Paris, now exhibiting their latest creations,' states a correspondent of “The Age,” Melbourne, have found more than they expected in the furs, which are startling enough in the diversity and the excellence of their dyes. Under various names the Australian rabbit is to the fore. Dyed a brilliant, scarlet, with a pile that resembles beaver, it forms the flaming lining of a c6sy travelling coat, and so soft aml fine is the pelt that it does not spoil the lines of the wearer’s figure. In rabbit also is a grey fur in various tones of this discreet hue used to make small, fitting coats, or perhaps capes, or short collarettes lying on the shoulders. There are rabbit skins that imitate white ermine, and others that are incredibly like summer ermine' in delicate beige, and the cultivated fox is also used with a. profusion never before seen. Four skins go to make a whimsical cape, the skins doubled, tail to head, in disrespectful confusion of line, making loops here and there, hanging about the wearer’s person. Fur tops for coloured gloves appear also, and fur on caps. More amusing still, are the large bits and pieces of fur set on the side seams of a coat, where pockets are introduced, and thrusting your hands into these pockets each is at once snugly concealed in a, muff — the pocket muff.