LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

LONDON FASHION NOTES. ; [WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD.] London, October 20. Perhaps most prominent among distinctive features of the dress of the hour are the newsleeves, the deep waistbelt which often replaces corsets, and the bolero in all its forms, whether it be made of fur, cloth, or silk. First, then, with regard to sleeves, which all agree in one particular, namely, fitting closely the upper part of the arm. But there all resemblance, so far as sleeves for day dress are concerned, practically ends. Most fashionable bodices are made with a double sleeve of some kind, with elaboratelytreated undersleeves. I thing I may safely say that the pagoda and Oriental styles are the most general at present; the latter begins to widen out above the elbow, and ultimately is cut out in Vandykes, which fall over the undersleeve, which may or may not be of transparent material. In the former case it is always elaborate in the way of tucks and puffings arranged in groups, the space between each two groups being banded by insertion or black velvet; the ornamentation is equally correct whether it stripes the arm up and down or round. Some of the undersleeves start half-way above the elbow, but those most patronised show the undersleeve springing from below the elbow. A sleeve that is considered " very French" is the mitten sleeve of lace, which, though not an absolute novelty, demands considerable attention. As a rule, there is a chemisette or vest en suite; some of the chemisettes which are now used elongate into sleeves. The mitten sleeve comes well over the hand, and has in it a hole through which to slip the thumb in order to keep the sleeve from getting away. All do not have a hole, however, for some of those trimmed round the edge with velvet have a loop left through which the thumb is slipped; or even a loop of elastic is sometimes used, any arrangement of the kind preventing the mitten sleeve from riding up. The wearing of this class of sleeve— is adopted for afternoon " At Home" gowns, and for theatre wear— is the excuse for dispensing with gloves, in addition to being the excuse of wearing any number of flashing rings. Boleros are made in a great variety of ways and of every kind of material. They really are useless for winter weather, but are quite warm enough for the delightful autumn we are experiencing now; therefore, fur boleros are having a large following. Some are cut half way up the back; some just touch the waist, others at the back are rounded off below the waist, while the swal-low-tail variety travels down at the back to the edge of the trained skirt. Really the newest shape has a Watteau pleat down the back. The majority are open-fronted, some just fasten across the chest, some fasten over at one side with a single large button, and others which are closed all the way down have a deep spade front. One new type, of the open-fronted variety, has a deep point on each hip, which is scalloped up nearly to the waistline and ultimately is rounded at the back. This kind is belted round the waist, the belt and revers corresponding in material and colour; the former disappears through the side seams of the coat only to put in an appearance again in front of the waist.

Another type of the short class is cut out all round the eclse in Vandykes, which are outlined with braid or velvet and then with rows of machine-stitching; broad black braid of ancient times is being again revived. Revere of these little coats are sometimes cut square, sometimes pointed, and sometimes rounded: often they form a deep collar round the shoulders, but frequently the favoured revers are quite small in size. Velvet boleros alternate with those of fur and others of black glace silk which are set in minute cordings or tucks which meet in V-shape in the middle of the back. Double and triple revers are a great feature just at the time, and the most fashionable stuff used in their construction is panne, either spotted or plain or checked or in a Paiseley design. The plain material is still consider- '- ably machine-stitched in close rows. Revers i of lattice chenille over colour are choice, ] while coarse lace over white satin is as much worn as ever, the lace frequently being outlined with gold thread or with strips of chenille. With boleros the deep corselet belts are indispensable, and these are usually pointed or rounded, sometimes being laid in folds and at other times merely gathered. They may be of panne or silk or ribbon. They are always well boned, and when of the deepest type and well stiffened corsets are deemed unnecessary and they are discarded. These extremely deep waistbelts, however, are for the most part unbecoming, to say the least. On all boleros there are buttons; on some of the plain varieties which fasten over to one side one large button stands out prominently as the only relief. The openfronted type usually has two or three buttons on each side—sometimes more when the size is very tiny. And buttons are Really all-important among the details of dress. Some are of tortoiseshell, a good many of the small species are gilt. The cameo buttons are most important, while it is perhaps in coloured enamel that we get most variety and the daintiest of colourings. So far, the glass buttons do not characterise any new model gowns: neither do those of steel to any extent. But many covered with velvet, black or coloured, are in large use. They are seen in front of many Eton coats; if the colour of the costume be dark brown, for instance, there will be revers and buttons of deep yellow velvet or panne; or, on the other hand, supposing the Eton coat costume to be of one of the bright raspberry or mauve tones, then buttons and pipings of black velvet are most appropriate, for the gaudy colours need a good deal, of toning down. In the ordinary smoked pearl there are many buttons, and they are of all sizes and shapes.

DRESSES AT THE MELBOURNE CUP. The dresses on Cup Day of this present year of grace will certainly not be remembered for any particularly beautiful effect, for any glory of colouring, or of filmy delicacy of material. A few ladies, there were, as always, who were more venturesome than the- majority, and whose attire offered a feast to the eyes. The great majority appeared in simple mat-ter-of-fact frocks that bore no hallmark of the race dress nor any suggestion of the brightly-tinted robes that are wont to sweep the lawn. The early forenoon proved so threatening that nearly everyone made up her mind to face a boisterous day; and doubtless the advice of male friends weighted the side of caution. It always does so. In attendance on the Lieutenant-Governor and Lady Madden were Lord Richard Nevill and Colonel Selwyn Campbell. Mr. Guy Madden was with them and also the Misses Ruby and Lesly Madden. Lady Madden wore a beautiful gown of white silk muslin with a floral design in heliotrope, made up over white silk, the sleeves slashed and showing puffs of heliotrope chiffon, white chiffon vest with rows of cream guipure, and toque of pink roses just held together with a twist of pink ribbon. Mies Ruby Madden's gown suggested the boating season, as it was of Cambridge blue voile, with a short Eton jacket over a white glace silk blouse, the whole piped with white silk and finished with triplets of small gold buttons. A large bow of salmon pink ribbon fastened the jacket. The hat was of white tulle and plumes, and the parasol of a warm shade of coral pink. Miss Lesly Madden wore a blue and white floral muslin in forget-me-not design, chiffon hat trimmed with three shades of mauve. Janet Lady Clarke was exquisitely gowned in fine black net lined with alternate bows of cut jet and hebe ribbon velvet, the bolero (of the same material) showing an under bodice of white tucked chiffon. The transparent net was mounted upon white glace silk, and with this was worn a toque of white tulle. With her came Miss Mary Clarke, in carnation silk, with insertions of valencennes lace, in a latticework design, and white hat with pink roses; and Miss Colton, in a Wedgwood blue silk poplin and pretty toque. Lady Harris wore an opalescent ■ figured brocade with cream lace frills and pale green ribbons, a large feather boa, and blue sequined toque. Mrs. Carty Salmon was attired in a shrimp-pink silk voile with revers of seal-brown velvet, overlaid with cream guipure; and also wore a feather boa and floral toque. Mrs. Robert Power wore cream voile with a remarkable collar of ivory satin with raised flowers in velvet and a panel of green satin under lace, and black hat with pink roses. Mrs. Herbert Power's costume was carried out in tones of heliotrope and violst, with a toque of violets and chiffon. Mrs. Frank Madden wore a black barred grenadine over white silk, and a black toque.—Sydney Mail., j