LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 6 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

LONDON FASHION NOTES,

[FROM OCR OWN" f.'OKBESPOXDEXT,]

London*, duly 8. Eon dressy dresses a. great deal of tulle is used now, not only in white, but in all pretty, light colours, and, as a rule, it- is patterned in an all-overish floral desigu. This material is more often •■ailed, silk net in London, but in. Paris it is tailed tulle. The designs are very dainty as a rule, even though some of thorn are perhaps large. Silk gauzes in. stripes are seen a- good, deal, and this material is looked upon as being the forerunner of striped velvet.? and satins later oil, The rage for ha.nd-painted things grows apace, so that now we have the- handpainted detachable petticoat, frill which is carried out- in all manner of different designs on coloured silk, and some of these detachable frills are extremely elaborate. and cosily. One of them in pale blue taffetas was cut in Vandykes over an accor-dion-pleated under-frill of the .same; the Vandykes were edged with small ruches, ami the design wa.s carried out partly in handpainting and partly in ribbon embroidery in a design of mauve and white violets; this was another instance of the use which is made of ligul blue and mauve in combination. Detachable frills for petticoats are very largely sold 'now, but those of good quality silk, nicely made, are often much more expensive tha.i a very decentpetticoat lit its entirety. A new material is anno meed from Paris; it is called drap ecailie, and has a scaly or flaky surface, which is indicated ivy the word ecailie. it is said to be very effective and to be particularly suitable to the Princess stylo of dress, robbing that cut of an excessive degree of severity which is'sometimes presented by a fabric which has a plain surface. The Princess robe is continually seen in Paris at- functions where latest styles are. to be met with; indeed, during the last few weeks, the Princess robe is stated to have reigned supreme, whether carried out in the neve material or in taffetas or in fine cloth. Quit.' a new scheme is announced from Paris, and thai is a long mantle made with a skirt to match; the mantle is without sleeves, and bears a close resemblance to the shawl of a century ago, falling from the shoulders in graceful* folds, and arranged at the back in such a way that the drapery naturally taken by a shawl is faithfully reproduced. It is correct to wear such mantles and skirts with a. white lingerie shirt, which ought to be of a mass of broderie Anglaise and Valenciennes lace mingled.

The present has been a lace season in every sense: after all there is no more becoming background for most women than the billowy effects of lace frills, and nowadays the modern lace manufacturer is wonderfully clever in the way of copying rare old lace, so that even those who. do'.hot possess much of the real thing are well catered for at comparatively moderate cost by the manufacturer of machine-made laces, wheh are generally all that- one, can desire. A novelty is tho introduction of a. chine or pompadour silk underslip veiled with a, lace overdress, but the combination is not pleasing as a rule, for the pattern of the underdress interferes with the design of the lace and the dainty effect of each separate .slip is lost. Just now ■ some short Louis cutaway coats of brocade are worn with plain skirts, while coatees of embroidered taffetas, with hats and parasols to correspond, are worn over " lingerie" dresses. In thin fabrics' cherry colour is a very much seen shade just now, especially in silky muslin, gauze, crepe de chine, and thin soft makes of satin. Smart lacy blouses are. worn for demi-toilette, but the skirts must bo of the same coloui as the lace. Quite suddenly the long, floating shoulder-scarf seems to have won its way Into the affections of fashionably dressed people, and even now it is holding its ywnin a most determined way against a whole host of pleated chiffon boas and tulle Pierrot ruffles, which latter are finished with long book-marker ends of black ribbon velvet. Long scarves of white tulle or net, bordered with real lace, are worn with airy dresses of checked and striped taffetas mousseline. A pretty tray to prevent these scarves from slipping off the shoulders is to have them gathered on two or three, threads down the middle of the back and caught with a little brooch, jewelled slide, or ribbon bow.

THE NEW HAT. The completely round tartan that is now so fashionable—sometimes called the- pillbox, and sometimes the pork-pie shapeis shown above.

A WHITE CREPE DE CHINE GOWN. Our sketch is a lovely white crepe do chine gown. The skirt is elaborately inserted with white Chantilly lace ami bands' of open-work. A soft berthe effect forma the top of the bodice, finished with band of open-work and frill of lace. Belt and rosette in front of the bodice of tangerine velvet-.