LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12266, 9 May 1903, Page 6 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

THE SHORT COAT.

LONDON' FASHION NOTES.

[written specially for the new zealand herald.]

London,, March 27. Judging from present appearances the floral toque is to occupy a very prominent place this spring, and there are several varieties of it. Some of the new models are covered entirely with small flowers, which now, however, are not closely massed together, but each bloom is shown to its full extent, Some of these toques, made of delicately-tinted hyacinths, are decidedly pleasing, and this variety usually is quite without foliage as a relief. There is another typ. of floral toque, however, which is nearly all greenery, frequently of geranium leaves, with just sprays of the flowers, in rich colours, at one side. Still another hind is composed of roue o. poppy petals, each petal, made of silk, being sewn separately on to a wire shape.

This spring the artificial flowers are very beautiful, and the most boomed type at present is the fuchsia, some of whose blossoms are of giant size, and are very handsome and real in appearance, notably the red and white kinds. They are made of silk and muslin, -.and are rather expensive just now, as anything new usually is. ' Clematis still is* much to the fore, made usually in rich velvet of mauve or white, but a new colour has just come out. It is a bright cerise, and shade? oft to light pink, so that sprays of these important looking flowers in varying tones are very effective and handsome, and make most, imposing garnitures for evening dress. I don't know whether forget-me-nots, shading from rich red to light pink, are familiar to New Zealanders. They are a novelty to me, and even now I have seen them only in the artificial florist department. But they are decidedly taking, each little flower being made in velvet, and all the varying degrees of colour being introduced in the one spray. Another dainty flower, in size between the forget-me-not and the clematis, is the periwinkle, albeit of the dwarf family. Lovely clusters of this flower are just being shown, in beautiful shades of its natural " blue," some being slightly deeper in tone than others, and it is also to be had in white, with the pretty green foliage as much reduced in size as the flowers it accompanies. All kinds of spring flowers are making way now, and one of the first is always lilac. Of this there are beautiful clusters in white and in all -shades of mauve, and these are always largely used by milliners on their early spring models. Violets and daisies and buttercups and cowslipsin every imaginable colour under the —are employed for floral toques, pressed closely together without any foliage, though at the left side a relief "is introduced by a sort of flat pompom anaifl of the leaves of the flower, or, if the leaves of the particular flower of which the toqueis made, are too massive, then ivy leaves are used instead, with good result. Mignonette is rather nice, too, as a relief where something green is required.

SHORT SKIRT MOVEMENT. London in the early autumn of last year saw the short skirt, approved of it for other places, but not in the main for the metropolis, and let the matter of the long skirt's banishment be one for time to solve. Brighton during the fashionable winter months gave it full approval. Paris is now very well disposed towards it, and in New York its vogue is great, so once more London is considering the subject, and the dressmakers and tailors are very hopeful that the short skirt will be patronised by their smart customers throughout the season ; indeed, some of them predict a great rage for it. The design with wide pleats, made after the American fashion, has so far been the favourite, though there are points of great excellence in the trim daintiness of the sketched model with its three formed flounces. Worn with a basqued bodice and a pelerine cape, here is a scheme that is delightful. The new skirt is cut a little shorter at the. back than it is in front, so that there need be no holding of it up and no chance of its becoming soiled by contact with the ground.

Tub short coat is quite the idol of the hour, if coat it can be called, for it is as much cape as coat almost. The one shown on the left of the sketch is in cream cloth, cut in three cape-like tiers, with a loosefronted uudervest, which fits in. closely to the waist at the back, ending in a basque. The sleeves are of mousseline.