LADIES COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7782, 30 October 1886, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES COLUMN.

FASHIONS IN SYDNEY, MILLINERY, - The airy combinations of neb over wirei which began to find favour last year ac Bummer bonnets, ate now greatly worn While the weather is fine an d the dust not troublesome, these are serviceable, and thev are certainly very becoming to young faces In Sydney they are worn without any flowers or feathers simply the wire foundation, often of gold, and the tulle, either white or coloured, placed lightly over it, with very t full pufi-ngs in front. Messrs. Parmer and Co. are now ling large numbers at a guinea each, and for the garden party season they are charmingly adapted. Next to these are the dainty-looking bonnets of the invisible lace, or lace on the gauze foundation. These are pink and blue, the shape being first covered with a thin silk matching the gauze and" are made with a full front of lice a modified "granny," with clusters of bows supporting and showing through the lace. They are more substantial than the net bonnets and, having strings, are a little mote matronly in appearance. They are from 2—4 6d to 30s the bonnet, and are well worth the money. One very pretty model was of brown dontelle invisible, with bows of apricot satin, and apricot strings. Another of dark ereen crape had a guipure border in white, which gave a light and graceful appearance. Another bonnet in green had the front entirely of large yellow daisies. A bounot of navy blue straw, very broad «nd open, was trimmed with blue gauze ribbon, with a row of straw being sewn to one edge of each bow; this, besides being very novel, keeps the gauze bows from getting the flimsy look which the material alone often gives. One very elegant model was of a network of pearls over a gold foundation, with a tuft of brown and gold feathers. Though milliners must necessarily have All colours from which their customers can select, thero are indications more or less decided as to the tints which will be most worn. These, according to the head of the department at Victoria House, show that sholl pink, white, and pale blue in the order named are the favourites with young ladies ; yellows and browns chiefly asked for by married ladies, with pink aud white nextgrey when combined with pink. Greens have very much receded in favour; and heliotrope, whioh promised to be extensively worn, is found trying to the complexion, and very extravagant owing to the power of the sun. No colour fades so quickly. The round crown has almost disappeared. All the bonnets have horseshoe crowns, or modifications of the horseshoe; in many cases the top is pointed and bent over toward the front. The fronts of the bonnets, unless in the Princess shapes, are raised high ; and in the Princess and those modifications where the bonnet rests on the head the trimming is made high, sprays of flowers or feathers standing seven or eight inches above the head. For useful wear, Messrs. Farmer and Company's straw bonnets are to be recommended. They range in price from 14* fid to 30a, in all colours ; are trimmed tastefully and with good material. They are most suitable for morning wear, and for all ocoaBious apart from fetes. White straw bonnets are infinitely nicer for young gentlewomen for ordinary wear than tulle or net; they are also more becoming and preferable to hats. The sailor hats have particularly been made so common lately that ladies will have to choose another style.

For becoming headgear to young faces, nothing can surpass the lace hats, either in black, cream, or tinted. These are very appropriate for fetes and garden parties, ana will certainly be more in favour as the season advances.

DUST CLOAKS. These garments are now considered indispensable by many, and are put on as regu> larly as the bonnet or hat, irrespective of dusty days. To ladies residing in the suburbs, and compelled to use trams as the medium for getting to town, they are certainly very useful. A pretty dust cloak is scarcely possible, but there are many improvements in shape and material sinoe their introduction. Ihe sling-sleeve, which is now general, is a great convenience ; there is the protection to the sleeves of the gown, without the trouble or crushing involved in putting on an extra sleeve. Some of this season s cloaks have the dolman sleeve lightly drawn in at the wrist. The colours are varied ; those in reversible shot silk are the best—first, because the material is very smooth on the surface, the dust easily shaken off from the right aide, and the lighter shade being inside prevents any colouring rubbing off on the gown, which, with many woollen : materials, can scarcely be avoided. The j smooth surface inside is also a recommendation, as there is not the danger of trimmings catching, which is given by the boucle or other rough surfaced materials. These silk mantles are well cut and finished, and extremely light to wear. There are also flowered, checked, and striped silks, some trimmed with lace, which, though ornamental, is not a desirable addition. Lace soon loses its frenhness in the dust, and when soiled is highly objectionable. The silk used in these is a mixture of the Chinese

ilk, bat of English manufacture ; some have open stripes with figured designs. Cheaper cloaks |ia alpaca and biege are serviceable for rainy weather. NHW GLOVES. One of the objections to chevrette gloves is the thickness of the kid, which, in the fingers particularly, gives a rather bulky appearance to the band. This has now been remedied by making the forks or aide pieces of taffeta. There is all the strength for wear in the kid upper and lower parts, and the silk sides are comfortable and pleasant to the wearer. These gloves, will, it is believed,

be far more popular with this improvementThey are at present made in tan shades only. Another novelty in gloves is, for evening wear, black kid of four-button length with jetted lace tops; the lace is of a leaf pattern in taffets, with very open lace-work between ; all the leaves are out lined with jet. The same kind of lace is used for pink and cream gloves, but without the beads, and for pink and cream the lace is creamtinted. Both these novelties will be acceptable to ladies. The chevrette, with taffeta forks, are 6s 6d, the evening gloves 5s 6d per pair. MANTLES.

The mantles for the summer are generally smaller than last season ; the dress is less covered, and as a rule very little mantle extends below the waist. The favourite materials are jetted grenadine, or gauze jetted lace, with occassionally some of canvas. The materials are all very thin, and the mantles, excepting those of lace, are are lined with Persian or sarsenet. The vitite-shape simulated sleeve seems to be most general ; one pretty model had the back and fronts formed of folds or stripes of velvet alternately, with others of piece lace in folds ; jet ornaments placed at intervals, the back terminating almost in a point; dolman sleeves of black lace, and loops of velvet and lace, back and front.

A second of jetted gauze had the dolman sleeve of stripes of satin ribbon, and a trimming of gold and jet beads, with pendant gold sequins ; the stripes about two inohes broad, and terminating in loops, which rest on a deep frill of French lace underneath.

A pretty fichu, pointed back and front, had panels of velvet let in on a lace foundation and ornamented with jot. Another mantle fitting the figure was made of gauze, the pattern leaves outlined with rainbow beads, the dolman sleeves of lace, with rows of the rainbow beads arranged as a trimming across the shoulder. Another—a scarf mantle—was of black gauze, studded with figures of copper and steel beads alternately. One in » very open pattern oanvas was trimmed with jet leaves and frilled with lace.

A full dolman cape of jetted gauze had bands of bead trimming with threads of beads ending in a jet sequin; numberless satin loops in amongst the lace border and at the points.

The frise gauze velours is used for mantles, and also trimmed freely with jet. One in canvas, bordered with lace, had a fringe in which jet and gold and silver are combined ; little cup*, inverted, of the metals alternate with jet, and give a bright finish to the trimming.

In lace and gauze, with leas ornament and cheaper laces, there is a great variety of mantles, fiobus, capes, and scarfs, from a guinea eabh; jetted oanvas, and indeed all the materials of the more expensive mantles are used, the difference in price being according to the quality of the lace used.