LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11229, 25 November 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

LONDON FASHION NOTES. [WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD.] London, October 21. Another variety of headgear, moi'Q especially for toques, is made of a new material, which partakes of the nature of felt and yet looks much more like cloth, though it has more substance and a richer surface than has cloth. It is very soft and pliable, is made in all colours, and is easily transformed into many a dainty toque when placed in the hands of a clever milliner stitching frequently adorns it, and it is necessary that the shape should be well wired to prevent its flopping; little trimming is required for it, forms a trimming of itself, wings and a velvet bow being more suitable than anything else. I believe this stuff is known as drop de felte; it is decidedly far more effective when it matches in colour the costume it accompanies. Metallic gauze is a good deal seen on headgear. and it forms a very pretty, and not too perishaule, bordering to some toques. Large hats are to be furnished still with strings, for which purpose crepe de chine will be as much requisitioned as anything; for this purpose it possesses the charm of novelty, is easily formed into large soft-looking choux, and besides has much more substance in its composition than lias either mousselino de soie or tulle, both of which were so much in demand in the summer. ' Autumn foliage and herbage lias succeeded in touching a tender spot in the heart of some milliners; and moss, too, is being kept pretty well to the front. Gilded grain has been decidedly modish for some little while past, oats and corn and bronzed osiers being considerably in evidence. Lavender, too has had a fair show, but it is rather spikey, hard, and dingy for millinery purposes. Scarlet berries are enlivening to sec on a dark day. Enamelled butterflies adorn many Parisian hats, and there is quite a craze among the French ladies for this insect; not only dues it. appear in millinery, it also looms large on lace and velvet, and is to be seen applique on dresses. Fur toques arc again to meet with much demand, and generally they are trimmed with lace and coloured panne, to say nothing of the fringed scarf. Their newest shape appears to be very small and close fitting, with a low crown and brim turned off from the face. Stylish people find fur too becoming to cast aside, and therefore fur toques are always inoro or less in favour. I hear that much white cloth and serge is going to be worn in the park this winter and also at the fashionable skating rinks, and its trimming is to be sable or white fox, the headgear corresponding with the dress. It is an extravagant idea, but then some people have more money than they know what to do with. Certainly it ought to be most becoming to pretty young faces and figures. Wo always have plenty of fruit nowadays, the kinds chiefly used at present being purnle and white grapes and purple plums, with 11 sprinkling of red and black currants. Large black velvet bows appear indiscriminately everywhere, and it is considered very smart and up-to-date to dab une, or else a rosette, at one side of the back of a large hat; if the bow he chosen, then numberless loops and ends Hop about just behind the ear. Some of the new jam-pot hats are ugly in the extreme, especially when the entire crown is left quite exposed. Some are stitched round and round, others are covered with folded panne, and others again are formed of some material and colour quite different from the rest of the hat. There is often only one large feather going round 0110 side of such a hat. the other side and the back being quite without trimming, unless it is a fancy buckle; then the crown is exposed from all points of view and the hat looks dreadfully plain and ugly; this ugliness is often further enhanced by the back of the brim being cut right away in order that the hair may poke through. I notice that there is still a great partiality for one feather reposing 011 the top of the brim, and one or two underneath resting on the hair; viewed from the trimmed side such a hat is very picturesque, but seen from (lie opposite side it is hideous in its plainness. Brims of hats bound with puckered velvet are often seen; large standing-up bows of velvet are wired and gathered in the form of leaves. Lately I have seen a great deal of plae sage green panne formed into hats, and trimmed with varying shades of the same colour in panne ; many of the shaded velvets are charming, and while the newest seem to lie in subdued art tones there are plenty more in the warmest and brightest of colourings. For the insignificant sum of halr-a-guinea one may indulge in the luxury of the newest neck adornment, which is made of a coloured silk scarf. The collar band is high, generally tucked perpendicularly, and has a sharp point at each side of the neck. The bow is tied into a double-barrelled knot, and the ends are finished with a deep-knotted silk fringe. The charm, of course, consists in the fringe, and half-a-guinea seems rather stiff Although quite the latest skirts are characterised by having a single box pleat, about three inches wide, down the back, yet that does not take away much, it any, of the plainness which has been in for so many months, and to which most people are certainly becoming more accustomed. Neither does the addition of this box pleat mean that there is an opening at the back of the skirt or that the pocket is there either, for the proper place for the skirt to fasten is still in the front, under a band of braid or other trimming; while the pocketif not entirely conspicuous by its absence— 111 the middle of the front of the skirt, and necessarily must not be very roomy. The box pleat at the back is frequently stitched down 011 cither side to about the knees, when it loses itself in the surrounding fulness. In Paris, I have reason to believe, tight skirts are not so prominent as they are here. Although many have perfectly plain backs they seem to fall into full folds on the figure; also Parisian skirts are only moderately mil about the region of the feet. In England, we are at present admiring small hips, and if they naturally happen to be bulky people wear tremendously long corsets, some extending as many as twelve inches below the waistline, in their endeavour to look slight. On the other hand, however, Brussels and Paris are encouraging as much fulness in the figure as possible below the waistline; if it is not there naturally —which is really the exception—then much padding is resorted to. This effect is still further enhanced by long-waisted, but perfectly hipless corsets being worn, whereby the waist is pinched as much as possible, and any superabundance oi flesh is thereby directed to the lower waistline. Hence it is that in Brussels, where the swaying walk is a leading feature and is much admired, the hips are often so full that they bulge up above the waistline, and this is still further accentuated in many instances by resorting to padding in front as well as at the sides. But in England and America people agree for the present, in that they admire slight and willowy forms, and indulge in padding only to a very limited extent. For elderly ladies, one,of the leading French dressmakers lias designed a skirt whose back is arranged with a number of corded tucks, several inches in length, these giving the necessarv fulness, and being very becoming. The double box pleat is frequently used as a variation from the single one. lam given to understand that this style of skirt is acting only as a steppingstone to the revival of fulness, as there are rumours in abundance of paniers and " handkerchief" skirts. To be more explicit, these latter are draped at the back in band-kerchief-fashion, and have one corner of the drapery caught through a buckle behind the right hip. One leading costumier in London augurs that the handkerchief skirt will be one of the leading styles for our next summer season. There are still tunics and redingotes and princess robes of endless variety, but yet another skirt which evidences returning ful- ! ness is that set all round the top in a ' series of knife pleats, which reach to the knees, and then fall full all round the feet; in winter materials this pleated skirt is too heavy and cumbersome, even though the )iest cloths are light in texture. , The/ fashionable " satin - faced cloths are especially adapted for the tunic and princess robe. Most of the latter' shape, by-the-bye, have a simulated tunic with shaped flounces starting'from the waist, passing down the front i and then round the hem, - • . ■ ■■ : '"' .A':-',•. •,.