LONDON FASHION NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14133, 7 August 1909, Page 6 (Supplement)

LONDON FASHION NOTES.

[from our own correspondent.] -> ■ London, June 25. MUSLIN OVER COLOUR. Manx seasons have come and ; gone sinco that summer when .white muslins were invariably mounted over coloured foundations—reminiscent, jerhaps, of bedroom appointments carried out in white muslin over coloured glazed lining. Just now, however, some of the most prominent dressmakers are favouring the revival of this fashion; a solitary instance here and there is undeniably "fetching." It is when worn by every other person in a crowd that the arrangement rather jars.

Some of the Ascot dresses of white

muslin have been mounted over a coloured silk foundation. The muslin is soft and it is adorned with exquisite embroideries worked by hand, usually in floral design intermingled with medallion ornaments formed of small applique motifs of real lace. On other muslin frocks, Valenciennes lace frills form the chief adornment, the long lines of laco being separated from one another by groups of small tucks, a triumph of fine stitenery. Some of the muslin skirts are spoiled by the craze for rows of gauging being introduced round the knees, giving a cramped and confined appearance; a corresponding group of gauged rows appears round tho waist. Other muslin skirts are of tne apron design—the upper portion fitting closely to the figure for a considerable distance below the waist, cut with a lino which curves upward as it nears the back. Sometimes these tops are plain, more usually they are arranged with groups of fine tucks running downward from the waist. Below the apron-top there is a deep flounce of muslin, finely pleated and trimmed with long lines of Valenciennes insertion taking tho same direction as the tucks, and occurring at intervals of seven inches all tho way round the skirt.

Quite a novelty is the muslin skirt mounted over coloured silk, whose accompanying bodice is of the silk alone. The result is a piquant and old-world effect. One of the Ascot models was of nattier blue glace silk, the skirt covered with a pure white muslin. • Poufs and gaugings and the most minute of pin tucks trimmed it; the front panel was edged with frills of gauffered lace, being treated with taffetas loops and buttons arranged in groups. The silk corsage was arranged in box-pleats, finished with a turnover Peter Pan collar of tucked muslin and lace frills, while a tie of bright eveque purple taffeta completed the scheme. VOGUE FOR FOULARD. Some of the new foulards have wide borders either figured or spitted, and with these the best French designers are introducing bands of ribbon velvet, which ore always repeated on the bodice to harmonise with sets of bands on the skirt. The velvet ribbon usually matches the spots on the silk, but in many instances black has the preference. A heavy white satin foulard spotted with red or blue looks well with the velvet bands of corresponding shade. Crepe foulard is a choice variety of this class of silk, covered with a typical design. This is far more handsome for gowns than the ordinary foulard ; it is quite a novelty. ODDS AND ENDS. The flow£r-trimmed poke bonnet with strings beneath the chin makes a young girl look as if she might have stepped from a portrait frame of her own greatgrandmother. Flower-laden hats, too, are tied under the chin with long ribbon streamers, which often have their ends decorated with little nosegays of buds and leaves.

The new washing crepon is a sensible material for the useful "tub frock." It needs no ironing, but requires only to be pulled into position after the simplest of washing processes. Some of the washing dresses of muslin are more simple than tho petticoat beneath—it is almost an impossibility now to buy a simple, plainly-tucked potticoat. The Princess shape under-garment—bodice and skirt together—is indispensable with the Princess dress, and it is in great demand.

White and cream serge finds favour for river dresses, whose skirts are sensibly short. A favourite trimming-consists of rows of ribbon or braid just above the hem, but two tucks often replace this, while again rows of neat machine stitching are hard to beat for effect. If the sunshade has an elaborate cover —painted chiffon, perhaps stick will often be of plain polished black ebony. On the other hand, an elaborate handle

accompanies a shade of plain taffetas. Ornamentation must be lavished on the cover or on the. handle, but evidently not on both. "

The "novelty of the week" is deemed to consist of the fan-sunshade which is being used at Ascot. It is a trifle which when folded, is no longer than a fan, but it is capable •of being outspread, and by a simple-arrangement of button-snaps it can actually bo converted into a lilliputian but effective sunshade. Some linen dresses are being embroidered in white, while 'others are worked in harmonising tones. Buttons are covered with self-material and embroidered in the

same designs that appear on panels and coats. It is not unusual to see panels of handsome embroidery finished with long silk fringe. Many new weaves of linen have appeared, a new .corded variety being closely woven with fine lines running through it. It claims for itself the desirable property of not crushing readily. Blouses of the finest striped batiste in white and the colour of the linen are liked now as an accompaniment to the tailor-made coat and skirt costumes of washing fabric. .Some of the white blouses are trimmed with the coloured border, for fancy borders are .1 part of self-coloured materials, either of silk or cotton foundation.

Flexible straw waist-belts, finely plaited, _ are novel and neat. New also are flexible metal belts. The latter are often mounted on dark velvet. Some are only two inches wide, others are much broader; some are shaped.

Our illustrations show two smart winter hate. The first is a large mushroom, of mole coloured felt, lined with black panne and trimmed with one enormous chrysanthemum. The second illustration is ono of the ever popular "cloche" hats. This is in a lovely shade of grey mirror velvet. Round the crown is a piece of skunk to match collarette and muff.