Classic Note In Fashion Wing Draperies—Quaint Trimmings

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 65, 18 March 1936, Page 14

Classic Note In Fashion Wing Draperies—Quaint Trimmings

7 A few days ago I went to a very exclusive little dress show arranged by a woman who is iv striking out on her own lines. '"She declares that the secret of good dressing is complete confidence between dressmaker and client. She further expresses the I’opinion that a well-cut gown ~should be enough to adorn any "woman, without the aid of artificial flowers and imitation jewellery. And her great slogan is “Dress to express personality.” And so she shows, among the evening models, an exquisite gown in heavy white crepe, swathed from'the sides into lines of shirring which run from corsage top to hem at back and ‘ front. The front of the skirt is slit to well above the ankles, the back has a slight train, there are wing-like draperies winch serve as sleeves or as a floating scarf—and not a scrap of additional adornment. Which is perfectly satisfactory. Another model, in black finely ribbed crepe, has clever wing sleeves, one green chiffon, the other grey, which can be undipped to form a scarf, left to float clown as a short train, or wound about head and shoulders as a sari. The skirt of this gown is somewhat tightly moulded and there is no train. A blue tulle frock for the ingenue is allowed just a little trimming—but not much, because it

is daintily frilled. At the waist in front is-a flat floral motif made of clipped white ostrich feathers. A practical feature of the model - is the fact that the frilled sleeves " are detachable. Press studs are '* unclipped, the sleeves are re- * moved and, instead of a dainty - little frock which could appear at any small, informal party, there is a more sophisticated dance dress, sleeveless but cut fairly ‘high to the throat. Green and gold Nottingham la,ce posed over gold tissue looks ... well. So does a frock in gold tissue, beautifully swathed, with cross-over straps holding up the front of tile corsage and brought down over the shoulders to cross again at the centre back before being attached to the sides of the waistline. A little elaboration is f, permitted, here, dm.the. form of a * black osprey set on the right *• shoulder.,

2 One of' the amusing models is carried out in brown silk velvet - with a very deep yoke and rather . wide sleeves of chenille spotted ; net —actually it is hat veiling,

(From Our London Correspondent.)

but it serves its purpose admirably. A little draped cap of the veiling goes v T itk it, making an excellent outfit for restaurant, cinema or cocktail parties. Individual Styles. For day wear this designer shows a smart frock- in black Ottoman silk, cut quite plainly and with a short, skirt. The novelty consists in the woollen pompoms, in green and orange, which perch gaily on the shoulder line and halfway down the long sleeves. An excellent idea, this, for cheering up an existing dress which has become rather depressed with much wear. Green cloque silk —-rather dark green—materialises another day dress. It is perfectly plain, buttoned down the back, and the skirt is cut in two loose panels, the front one overlapping the back one at the sides. Thus, though it looks fashionably tight when the mannequin is standing still, it gives plenty of freedom for comfortable walking. Two more daytime ensembles may be noted. A green suit with which is worn a Homan striped taffetas blouse with a high neck. The taffetas combines many gay

colours, including blues and reds, but they look amazingly well against the dark green background. A black taffetas skirt is darned all over —horizontally— with bright red wool and its complementary bodice is also made of red wool knitted in a very open stitch on Magyar lines and finished with a polo collar. This is a specially smart outfit completed by a knitted red wool beret. Charm of Purple.

The. classic influence is shown again in another collection, which includes a model in white and purple chiffon, the two colours appearing in wing draperies which form the entire bodice and then float down the back of the skirt like a train. A regal looking gown in purple silk velvet is exquisitely moulded to the figure and finished with a large spray of shaded - red and purple silk poppies which almost covers the front of the corsage.

Ivory and reseda are allied in another classic gown, while a waist-length cape made of green ostrich feathers worked to look like flat velvet leaves is as attractive as it sounds.

Talking of capes, there seems no end to the ideas which designers have on the subject this season. Feather capes, quilted silk capes, some composed of glittering, paillettes sewn on to foundations of net or chiffon, and, most charming of all, others made of violets, white and purple, sewn in tiny bunches all over white chiffon backgrounds.

Novelties. All kinds of plaited materials are used to make belts, scarves and caps. Cord, too, is twisted and treated until it becomes docile enough to be used for monklike "girdles and even for choker necklets —the last idea is novel, but a little startling, I think.

Another delicious use to which artificial violets are put is seen in a vest which is worn with a suit of purple cloth. Parma violets are sewn closely together on a silk foundation which has a high collar, and to accentuate this high collar a band of velvet in the same colour as the suit is buckled round the neck.

New jersey materials show other bright ideas smartly carried out. One looks like heavy tweed into which are woven broken diagonal lines in pale blue, looking like streaks caused by a heavy shower of rain. A well-known firm, famous for all kinds of sports clothes, has another novel suit in wine colour with cut ends of wool, in orange, white and red, standing out from the ground fabric.

These are individual touches that will not be encountered “just round the corner” and are, therefore, worthy of consideration by the woman who prefers her clothes to be exclusive to herself.