Fashion and Things feminine.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 109, 22 April 1911, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things feminine.

By

IDA MELLER.

(Copyright.

VELVET COATS

Velvet has come into its own again, and is well displayed in the form of princess dresses and mantles, tailored costumes and millinery. Velveteen is also much in ovid.ence for similar purposes, and really astonishing results for the price can be obtained from good velveteen. A clever dressmaker can iv.in out a striking-looking suit of bla'-Iv velveteen that anears to be worth at ieast double its cost. A costume of good, black velveteen, made with a short, plain skirt, find sonii-fitting throe-quarter coat, cut either high to the neck, Russian: fashion. or low. and finished, with a small collar of lace, is worth considering bv the woman whose dress-allowance is strictly moderate but whose position requires that she should observe a certain dressiness in the matter of clothes. Seal-plush, that has been out of favour for years, is enjoying quite a trivmph again, and is widely represented as winter <oats. appearing at a short distance, to be actually fur itself. It is also used as wide stoles and huge muffs, and when of the best quality is quite rich-looking. A prospective bride has iiieluded i.i her trousseau a Jong

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travelling-coat of seal-plush, together with a smart little hat of the new shape, with high crown and close, turn-ed-down brim, made of plush to match, and has further added to her goingaway outfit* the items of a “granny” muff and empire stole, also of sealplush. Her imitation fur outfit is quite a success, and may afford a hint to c fliers.

Another hint worth passing on is to the effect that • furniture” velvet is excellent for winter coats. It is very wide, of course, and is hardy, and can, moreover, l:o obtained in a variety of colours The coit illustrated is intended for seal-plush or “velours” such as curtains arc made of. though it could, of course be copied in ordinary dressvelvet or velveteen. It is made with rovers and cuffs and fastened with, oxidvsod buttons, and the corners, it will be observed, are nicely rounded. The modish little hat, trimmed with one or the now willow-plumes, is also intended for velvet, or seal-plush. The quantity of AO-inch velvet required for the coat is four yards. MORNING SHIRTS. For morning wear the skirt of homespun or serge and shirt of cream or lancy delaine,»or some such material, precede all other fashions, important accessories being the belt of patent leather and smart little bow-tie of silk, though occasionally the belt is dispensed with in favour of a corselet cut in one with the skirt, a plan that ensures neatness of the waist. The corselet skirt may fasten at the back or in fiont the front-fastening being the more convenient system.

A good model-skirt for morning wear is of navy suiting, made with a panel back and front ent with a low corselet, and fastening at the left front-seam. The corselet portion of a skirt should always be lined, otherwise the material is apt to stretch quickly and loose its shape.

For morning shirts a variety of’pretty fancy flannels are in evidence, flowers and. stripes asserting themselves in various colourings on cream and brighter grounds The shirt sketched is of pale blue flannel, with a turneddown collar of its own material, tied in front with a smart little bow of black silk, the belt being of black pat-

ent leather. Black buttons trim the centre with two inch-wide pleats on either side-front, and between them groups of small tucks, while the cuffs to the sleeves arc also tucked. Dainty little shirts, similar to the above, are arranged with simulated turned-down collars let into the tops of the shirts and actually forming yokes.

Three yards of flannel, 27 inches wide are required for the shirt illustrated.