Our Paris Letter

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3288, 6 March 1926, Page 5

Our Paris Letter

Green Is very popular at the moment. It is worn in sober shades like bottle green and hunter’s green for coats and three-piece suits. in the evening one sees some lovely shades of pea green and apple green in geogette, lace, chiffon or tulle. The slim line is never lost sight of, although skirts are full enough to allow for walking with natural steps instead of little tottering hops, or for dancing. Fashions in Sleeves. Sleeves on afternoon frocks are always long, whether substantial or flimsy. The skin-tight sleeve is the most usual, but some frocks are better served with a trumpet,shaped one ,or even the extensive mandarin sleeve. A tight sleeve to the wrist may have a very long trumpet-shaped cuff, or a tight sleeve to the elbow may have an ornamental bishop un-der-sleeve, not unlike those elaborately stitched and belaccd ones worn by our grandmothers in mid-Victori-an times. Gauntlet cuffs are fashionable on both dresses and coats. They may be fur ones, or strapped cloth or silk and satin strapped with kasha or velours, or whatever material composes the garment. Return of the Princess Gown. Most of the great houses are paying special attention to afternoon frocks. Although they are slim and simple in line they are anything but simple to make. The day of the cheap little afternoon dress which any cheap dressmaker could make is past. The princess gown needs very careful wont. Side panels, long fitting sleeves, the semi-fitting bodice, all need the hand of the expert. So here we are, once more faced with a con-

Tiiis is the graceful “Princess gown described in Our Paris Letter. lllllllllllllll siderable outlay: but on the other siderable outlay: but on the other hand, we can walk abroad with the pleasant consciousness of being better dressed than perhaps ever before. A princess gown shown at a recent "at home’’ of one of the big dressmakers was of sapphire blue crepe with a narrow cross-over shawl collar of smoke grey ninon, fastened rather high up with a silver rose. A straight frock with a shaped godet skirt was of lettuce green crep-j olla with a Venetian lace collar .the Byron shape, and two rows of black velvet ribbon put on horizontally with a rather wide space between. The long sleeves were close-fitting to the elbow and then widened into a Venetian lace under sleeve. Another coloured frock was In a lovely pastel blue with a long narrow vest and turned-back collar of hemstitched white georgette. Blacfk and White Models. Most of the other models were in black or black and white, and those for the liieviera in white. One of the few short-sleeved afternoon frocks had a plain black skirt and a bodice of white printed with a black conventional design. With this was worn a long black satin coat with a printed black and white crepe de chine lining. For sunnier climes than ours is at the moment, there was a very simple straight white crepe frock with a narrow cream lace collar and black tie. Circular Trimmings. Circular trimmings are appearing again after an absence from the earlier models of the season. They are in the shape of broad tucks, or ribbon of different widths, or in woven stripes or plain hems on figured materials and vice versa. The waistline that dips at the back is liked, and if it occurs on a frock with panels, these are set in with a corresponding slope. It is quite re-

freshing to note the reappearance of coats without godots. One well-re-nowned house is showing straight ones both in brocade and cloth. New Jewellery Styles. Pearls that are the veritable treasure of the deep seas, as distinct from the now countless excellent imitations, are fastened with a Louis bow worked in diamonds instead of with a flat snap. In the world of pinchbeck jewellery, the baroque pears arc again pre-

dominant. But invariably two strings of these are worn by smart Parisiennes; and in different colours. Pink and grey form a favourite alliance. Occasionally the coloured beads are threaded alternately on each string. Quite original are the new wide flat collars of closely-set jewels—real or sham —worn curving below the collarbones with low-cut evening dresses without shoulder straps. Hatpins and Shingle Combs The last word in hatpin notions is the pin with a feather head intended to be thrust through a turn-back brlm. Tortoiseshell fashions the correct shingle-comb. It is gold rimmed and monogramemed in diamonds or paste brilliants, according to the capacity of the wearer’s purse. Grey chiffon lingerie is being worn under complimentary mourning frocks. In smoky or pearl shades, bound with mauve, it is exquisitely elusive. Brilliant Evening Gowns. Evening gowns grow more and more brilliant Golden, sparkling paillettes and gold-woven fabrics gutter in the dance hall. Green and gold

is one of the foremost alliances, and a. notably attractive model was of shaded green crepe de chine, pale at the top and darkening gradually as it flared to the hem, being lightly embroidered In two or three different tones of gold. The Decorative Screen There is no more decorative adjunct to a room than a screen, and yet comparatively little use is made of this particular form of furnishing. A bold bid for favour, however is

now being made by screen both large and small, and some of them arc so attractive as to augur well for their future popularity. Screens of imitation Spanish leather (really a very thick and durable wall paper) are most ornamental, especially when the upper portion of each panel is adorned with a flower painting in the mellow colourings of the 18th century. Reproductions of tooled leathers of Japanese design are similarly effective, especially in rooms in which the furnishings are Oriental in character. Panels n reproduction of 18th century tapestries arc made in screen size and at very moderate cost just now, and these are excellent wherever a single-fold screen can be utilised. Hunting scenes and garden fTTemes are among the most effective of the tapestry subjects. Screens that are decorated with insets of coloured intarsla are likewise an ornamental additions , For instance. a screen of dark wood with studies of parpkeets in gaily tinted

woods set into the folds may become the object of chief interest in a room, if cleverly placed so that there is a play of light upon the coloured inlay. Very feminine in style are the screens that are covered with coloured silks, veiled in golden tissues. The whole gives a shimmering soft effect that is very subtle and goes well with gilt furniture of the French school. This is essentially the screen for the woman’s boudoir. A “SOME DAY” SONG. O that some day it might be granted me to tend your hearth, as now my slender reeds make you a song! . . . O proud felicity to minister to all your daily needs! When most my music surges in my heart; w r hen most the rose of love in beauty gleams—'tis then I vision one small w’orld apart, that I may habit only in my dreams . . . Thus do my reeds in tone a plaintive air, when fain they’d give you merry melody! For Love’s brave laughter hushes to a prayer that some day you may hear the heart of me . . . Great overtones of joy divinely blent -with little hearthstone songs of pure content. —(Helen Sevrez).

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