LONDON FASHION NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13325, 3 November 1906, Page 6 (Supplement)

LONDON FASHION NOTES.

[from otr own correspondent.] London, September 22. For some little while pant a good deal of taffetas, black and coloured, has been employed for trimming useful hats of the sailor shape. Much of the garniture has been introduced at the back", the' shapes beivg well tilted over the forehead, although the bandeaux do not mot to have been quite so exaggerated as was formerly the case. Little stiff-kilted frills are a feature of tiie new hats, while "organ pleats'' in modified form constitute' an ■ important addition to many of the new felt shapes. Often when plumes- are used with the silk they will be laid flat on to the crown, and spread out in the form of a fan. In the millinery world there still undoubtedly, is a tendency toward piquancy in fashion,, and there is a droop in many of the hats which is particularly.-attractive when raised first well off the hair by a deep cachepeigne, for there is apparently no wish on the part of the majority of those who affect this style to hide either the face' or the coiffure. Striped flannels are among the most .useful suits for seaside wear; the coats are often smartened up. by collar and short revers of brightly velvet or cloth, and j the short revers. are of ten introduced' in a way that renders these simple tailor-made "costumes surprisingly chic and becoming. With these useful suits the sleeves are always carried down to the wrist; with more dressy costumes, the coat sleeves , end at i the elbow. Green and white striped flannels are nice, so fire the grey and white, . the light blue and. white, <■ and the white striped with narrow lines of dark blue; they arc invariably worn with simple tailored skirts and neat ties to match the stripe in the material. A few of the flannels are invisibly checked, and they are very dainty, too*.. Nearly, all the tailormade costumes for the Continent t show panne or velvet collars; the becomingness and softness of velvet near the face is again recognised, and many of the smartest white costumes to be met with abroad show the collar of black velvet or of a. rich dark colour. American travellers this year have been patronising white to a great extent, the only relief being the inevitable touch \\ of black velvet. The corselet style remains.' with us—rear or, simulatedand'apparently people are not tired of, it yet. . Numbers, however, seem to have the high corselet belt of : the;material made:separately from the skirt, so that it can .be worn or not as desired. "When well made these separate belts have almost the appearance of forming part of , the skirt itself: the bolero worn with them is always very short, so that the deep belt is a necessity when the coat is worn; without the coat the belt may be of ribbon or patent-leather, or anything else fancied. '• \ • It is generally recognised that many of tile" hats now worn owe much of their cachet to the fancy veil which is in such great demand. These veils are fastened on to the straw and : securely tacked into the position they are.to occupy,.and they are never regarded in the light of a veil for wearing over the fa.ce. In France the veiling which drapes the hat is frequently used as a means of introducing the necessary note of colour into a. costume of white serge or linen; "the hat will probably be white straw, trimmed, with white mercury wings ami chiffon, and draped with a long veil of pale blue r crepe do chine of fine quality, arranged; daintily round the brim and allowed to fall in long ends down the back,, at any rate, falling over the shoulders; the same . note of colour should of course be introduced round the.'waist, and perhaps about the throat, and in some instances, ' too, it is repeated in the stockings and shoes. Coloured shoes seem to be in great vogue, particularly in a buff or champagne tone, in dark violet and light heliotrope, in dark red and hi. dark blue. These shoes are made with a small pointed flap coming on to the instep, and finished across the front with a square "buckle" formed of the leather itself. In dark colours they really are rather 'taking, but of course must exactly match the dress; in prune and dark violet and dark blue they are not at all bad. But to revert to veils: Some are made of point d'esprit net. the border "'being of fine pleated net'and hemstitched chiffon, and when carried out in. white or pale colourings they are frequently edged with -white or cream lace. Scarves of dyed lace for favourite hat drapings are worn, in dark and light colourings. Very gorgeous and costly- are the latest veils, of hand-painted chiffon or mousseline, the pattern being a. floral one, introduced as a border. Point d'esprit net is used for blouses, and for trimming pin-poses, . introduced as yokes or. vests, tucked or-gathered, or patterned with tiny gold beads applied to the net with gold "thread, which is carried from one microscopic bead to the next, with highly., pleasing, result.".... :^r^ f 'X