IN PARIS NOW

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 11 September 1937, Page 12

IN PARIS NOW

Hats and Hair Knitting and Netting (By Diana Dane) LONDON, 25th July. In spile of the strikes, Paris is more like its true self to-day than it has been for several years. It is regaining its individuality, and, as usual, this is apparent in its distinctive feminine fashions. Paris fashions have gone whimsically nautcial about the head, square in the shoulder, tight in the waist, and elegantly "pretty-pretty” with regard to blouses worn beneath smartly severe little black tailored suits. Skirts are a trifle longer than those seen in London, and belts, gloves, and bags are outstanding features which match each other. The fashionable hat is boat-shaped. The brim is rolled tightly up on either side of the crown until there is scarcely any to speak of, except the dip over the nose, hrom the back of the amusing "boat," which is usually black, flies a coloured veil reaching sometimes to the waist. Whether London will dare to adopt it is yet to be seen. Some have two streamers of ribbon, green and purple, red and yellow, which flutter gaily in the breeze. Colour Notes Black and pale blue dominate. Black suits with tightly belted monkey jackets, or tailored jackets with high, small lapels, are worn over elegant blouses of starched lace, organdi or embroidered silk, mostly pale blue, but sometimes pink. A length of organdi the same colour as the blouse is often tied round the tiny hat and left to its own riotous devices at the back. Very stiff coloured lace or embroidered muslin blouses with short sleeves, Eton collars, and finely pleated jabots, are worn in the evening, with stiff black silk skirts, and, strange as they sound, they look charming. There is something very alert about the trim, natural figure, belted, and the skirt which is smooth round the hips and spreading at the hem. “Rough Stuff” For less formal occasions, rough looking wool materials are used, the rougher the better, and linens and cottons are rough, too. Three-quarters length waisted tweed coats for cool days are a feature. They are worn with tweed linen dresses of the same colour, and the distinguished note comes with the belt, gloves and bag, which match. Lovely shades of old-fashioned puce, green, soft scarlet, clear yellows and so on are used for them; also navy blue and leather brown to go with the lighter suits, and they give the necessary trimming to the ultra-simple, tightly fitting ensembles. There is always an idea behind a fashion, and the French idea to-day is hope. Women trip more lightly, fly their pennants from their heads because that is their mood after much depression, and gird in their waists with purple and gold because it appears to give them courage and helps them to forget that they are "paying through the nose" for almost everything they buy. “Sculptured” Coiffures On arriving in Paris, the visitor is struck by the amusing things French women have done to their hair. Three-quarters of them have allowed it to grow sufficiently long to make a half-penny bun, or a horse-shoe, or a flat snail-shell of a curl, at the back of the head. All hair is flat and looks "sculptured." If it is short it is smoothed down at the back and the ends are waxed into a small tight roll. On the forehead it is waxed to stand up like stone curls, and the skull-cap of a hat fits neatly on the head. No fluff allowed anywhere; no ends, no tendrils; only sculptured curls or large polished waves. The horse-shoe fashion is very attractive. The two ends point upwards, the thick centre rests on the nape of the neck, and it looks as if the hair were wound round a flexible wire ribbon and twisted into shape. Hats worn with this style are small boats, perched on the nose, so to speak. The half-penny bun is worn anywhere on the neck, under the upturned brim of the hat, at the back of the head, or over one ear. Grey hair is often dyed pale blue or mauve. As soon as the first shock is over, the onlooker realises that it is far more becoming to the face than duck-yellow or red hair, and there is no pretence about it. With a black hat it is sometimes charming, but the courage of the first woman who had the audacity to adopt it must be admired. Openwork! Knitting appears to be next in importance to hair, but it is not the knitting to which we are accustomed. Nothing is fine. Knitted jumpers are more or less a collection of holes made in rough, natural coloured wool and then embroidered with bright colours. And everybody’s doing it! Fishing net jumpers of wool with symmetrical patterns darned in with bright colours are most attractive. They are high to the neck and most of them have short puff or elbow sleeves. When the jumper comes below the waist, a leather belt of the same colour as the darning is worn with it. Coarse white knitted jumpers with exquisite wool flowers dabbed on here and there, look delightful with rough skirts. Pale blue knitted jerseys and monkey jackets are the rage, and most of them look more like netting than knitting. Knitted and crocheted scarves, with long flying ends, are worn with sporting suits. They are full of holes, of every colour, and large in size. Worn with rough surfaced suits they are charming, and gloves are often knitted to match them. Almost all gloves are short, coming just over the wrists, and on the backs are all kinds of decorations, except the three classical lines which we have learnt to associate with gloves. Something new has really come to Paris!