LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9022, 7 April 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

LATEST FASHIONS. Easter is in Australia the beginning of the fay season, and frequently a time for wedings. If rumour speaks truly, there are several festivities in which Hymen is present approaching, and the latest novelties in bridal gowns may not be uninteresting. Messrs. David Jones and Co. have just received some beautiful specimens of bead and jet embroidery. The foundation is white satin, with a firm muslin underneath. The desigtts are flowers and leaves, roses and ferns chiefly, and they are executed with such care that the trimming seems as strong as the material, every bead being sewn by hand most faithfully through satin and muslin, and the threads securely fastened. Ladies who have worn jetted lace, or panels of jet embroidery, will realise the advantage which firm sewing gives to this work. The width of satin is embroidered for the front of the skirt, and, in addition, bands for the collar, sleeves, and revere are worked in smaller patterns to correspond. For bridal gowns there are two very handsome patterns in moire, with portions of striped and figured satin; and also barathea, striped with satin, the design on which is outlined with silver thread. This is an exceedingly rich material, and is provided not only in white, but in all light colours. In combination with velvet, faille, or satin, the effect is equally good ; and for reception, wedding, and evening dresses this tinsel barathea will, we think, be in great demand. One of pale heliotrope has already been selected in combination with violet plush for one of the April weddings. The selection includes ciel, pink, pearlgrey, heliotrope, and white with silver threads, white with gold threads, and gold with gold threads. The Mogale crepe, a novelty manufactured by the firm of Grout, famous for their mourning crapes, is also likely to be much favoured by ladies for the trimming or drapery of evening dresses. It is fairylike in texture and delicacy, and can be had in black, white, cream, corail, sky turquoise vieux, rose, and poppy. In appearance it is graceful, and has a shimmer that will g-eatly add to its qualities for draping, eside this shining mogale, there are the genuine Japanese crapes in several shades, a perfect red, a beautiful grey, and a deep violet that would gladden the eyes of a Bonapartist. Striped velvets in many colours, and velvets with stripes of faille in contrasting tints, the stripes again figured in Pompadour designs, are very fashionable, combined with plain materials ; one set of faille gowns has a striped portion for trimming ; the satin stripe matches the faille in colour, and alternates with one of moire in a far lighter shade of the same colour. In this collection a white moire, striped with velvet, the velvet having a satin edge and figure, the moire rather resembling the forked rays of lightning playing upon the glossy surface, and one of the old-fashioned watered silk, with a striped portion in white and gold, were particularly deserving of notice. The Pougu and Liberty silks will be selected by many for evening wear. The shades include all the newest effects in colour, and so unwilling are ladies to lay aside their favourite material that a woollen lining is being added to make it suitable for wear in cold weather In mentioning materials for evening wear, surah must be counted as occupying a prominent place. NEW MANTLES. Just at this season, when the mornings and evenings are cool enough to assure us that summer is going fast, jackets and mantles assume a new interest, There are some pretty models of jackets in checked tweeds, tight-fitting at the back with loose fronts; some just fastening on the left shoulder, the right front piece being cut so as to stretch acrose the chest; others again fasten with buttons from the shoulder downwards, but do not fit close to the figure. Cosy yet jaunty-looking garments are the tight-fitting jackets of Melton cloth, with a broad collar and band of beaver fur to match. Another of woven astrachan has a similar collar and bands of black otter. There is a dashing air in one model of fine ostrachan, tight-fitting at the back, the edge and cuffs of the coat sleeves bound with half-inch braid, the loose fronts kept in place by brandebourgs and cords in thorough hussar fashion, looped from shoulder to shoulder. Another style fits closely to the figure, and has the outer edge ornamented with two rows of military braid. Another model has broad tabs of cloth, thickly covered with braid, which fasten in the centre, making a series of Vs. The tabs are secured by cords and blocks of passementerie, which, for some unknown reason, are called oliphante. However, they are good ornaments, and the jackets so trimmed are stylish and serviceable. Al the covert coats or jackets have pockets on either side of the basque ; the small breast pockets are not put on this season's models. The mantles in velvet, striped velvet, plush, and the new sealette offer some decided novelties. The Kathleen is of black velvet and striped silk ; the short back is of velvet edged with fur across the basque; the fronts, of striped silk, are long, and cut into two deep Vandykes. The dolman sleeve is of velvet, and the lower edge is also cut into and falls over the silk Vandykes ; the upper points are finished with jet ornaments. These deep Vandykes are very effective, and particularly so from the contrasting materials used, whilst the bands of fur down the front give an imposing finish. A second model in plush has the back terminating at the waist with a full basque. The fronts reach nearly to the knees, sloping up to the back ; a deep bell sleeve with the dolman shoulder, and the mantle bordered by a fringe of pompons and tassels of chenille. A handsome passementerie ornament is fastened on one shoulder, and with a set of hussar cords clasps to another ornament over the bust. A third of striped plush and silk has the back connected with the wide dolman sleeve, but cut in a semicircle, the waist being the centre; long fronts cat square, ana at the lower end about six inches broad, The braid ruches which were well worn last year appear this season in quite a new style ; not the broad crimped braid, but .a make almost like Russia braid ie used, every thread or end tightly curled. At a little distance the appearance of this trimming is like that of the finest astrachan ; the back from the waist is cut into a deep basque, having two rows of this braid trimming laid on each side of the centre; the sleeves, deep bell shape, have horseshoes of passementerie marking the outline, and the fronts are similarly ornamented. A new paletot mantle is a modification of the old paletot with the back of a well-cut ulster; one in a figured mantle cloth, finished like satin, completely envelops the figure, and renders a gown almost superfluous; a second, in Ottoman silk, trimmed with black opossum, with Mikado sleeves, is handsomely ornamented with passementerie of velvet and jet. In the winter ulsters, the shape is improved ; the pointed hoods give a freshness in style, and the skirts are well gathered into the basque shaped back. Checked tweeds are the favourite patterns, in various colours ; one pretty model has blouse front, formed by braces of velvet which are also carried over the shoulders and finish at the waist in the back with steel ornaments. The Newmarkets this year have capes lined with satin, or pointed hoods; they are made both single and double-breasted. The furlined mantles, sealettes, and imitation sealskin are too oppressive to be welcome just J'et; the linings of shot silk have an excelent effect on the black and brown velvets and plushes, though the quilted eatins in sober brown are more orthodox.

NEW STYLES.

For day wear and for demi-toilefcte, the pointed bodices share with the round waists in favour. The latter are often associated with full bodices and long sashes, the latter being draped round the waist. For evening wear bodices pointed back and front are exclusively worn. There is in children's dresses, tea gowns, etc., an increasing use of featherstitch, honey-combing in various sizes, and fancy stitching instead of trimmings of lace. Full collars of deep lace gathered, turned down all round and fastened at the back, are much better taste according to present fashion than the stiff linen collars. Children's frocke of liberty silk are lined in the skirts with fine nun r s veiling. The bodices have yokes formed of honeycombing, and the bishop-sleeves are cut long enough to be joined with front and back to make a round yoke. Too much hand embroidery cannot be used according to the present style. Coloured liberty silk lined with flannelette makes the most charming autumn frocks for little folke.—Sydney Mail.