LONDON FASHION NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 3 (Supplement)

LONDON FASHION NOTES.

What the Tailors are Showing. Yeby new is the long, tight-fitting coat of cloth. The lining is something dainty in colour, and big buttons add an attractive finish. Waistcoats are offering plenty of opportunity for the clever tailor with artistic ideas; there are many striking materials available, the patterns and colourblends of which are just the thing for small details, whereas they would be rather alarming if used in large quantities. Of course the tailor has to devote some attention to the cape, that garment which continues to be worn by duchesses, although it has descended into the realm of the poor little girl belonging to the multitude. As cooler weather comes the cape will be made in cloth and serge, with waistcoat fronts of striped gabardine or with broad cross-over bands; the cape is very full, but it is not always so long as it was when first introduced. In chilly weather capes are net much protection ; they are too draughty. Probably, though, a line of them will be introduced with sleeves, and these, while out of sight will add greatly to the comfort. "To say that one is tired of the cape is to express feebly what one feels about it," is the comment of a French critic. The "Line" of To-morrow.

If we adopt it as a nation, we shall look like a nation of mummies. The very latest " ligne" for to-morrow defines clearly the curves of the figure. It consists of swatheries round and round the waist continued round and round the hips, and well below that part of the figure ; the skirt below stands out in generous fulness, but round the ankles there is still that restricting tight underdresß. The mummified windings will most probably be a continuation of the V-fronted corsage, wheh has ends that first cross over to pass round to the back, and there they cross again and return to the front, getting lower and lower every time the sash ends meet; taffetas is a fabric well suited to this style, worn on top of a skirt of tulle with its scanty underskirt of satin, and, of course, the top will be quite a different colour from the skirt.

Sashes and waistbelts and hip swatheries are seen on every hand, sometimes to an exaggerated extent, but mostly with quite pleasing effect. A pretty method is to pass the sash ends through a handsome buckle, which is happy wherever placed; some of the buckles are of polished shell, many are of silver, amber is likely to be in demand, while jet, too, makes for further variety. It makes a scheme complete to introduce a corresponding buckle on to a hat. Sashes, indeed, are in tremendous demand, and off-hand one would be inclined to say that every fashionable dress must have one. But a little thought brings to mind the dress which is completed by a sleeveless coatee of flesh-pink taffetas; its ends cross in front and thus form a sort of narrow waistbelt, and tie behind in a small bow. The coat removed, the dress is completely without any sort of sash or belt. It has a corsage of cream net, with half-length, transparent sleeves, a three-quarter length taffetas overdress of the faint pink taffetas—so thin as to be almost transparent, and a point worth noticing is that this overdress is arranged with three cordings about and below the hips, so that from these cordings the fulness flows generously and freely as far as the knees; then comes the underskirt, of cream satin supporting two flounces of fine cream lace; the flounces are full, but the foundation to which they are attached is very narrow. A n;rflV of the same lace stood easily about the back of the neck. The ideal hat would be considered the new black velvet sailor shape, low and soft of crown, adorned with low-lying aigrettes or with uncurled ostrich feathers or with a band of ermine. The accompanying wrap would be a cape of black Chantifly, edged all round with white fur.

Capes are still high in favour, and this model is made of faced cloth, lined with plaid silk, the same material appearing on the high collar.

The swathing of the wide sash gives a note of distinction to the above frock. It would make up beautifully in strawcoloured voile, with a sash of vieux rose crepe de chine and collar of the same material.