NEW DRESSMAKING DETAILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16205, 15 April 1916, Page 6 (Supplement)

NEW DRESSMAKING DETAILS.

Dressmaking details of the new modes "are interesting and important. They are as indispensable to the styles of a garment as is the .contour of the silhouette. Without them the dress loses the look which it mus>, have to stamp it as up-to-date. For those who have a dressmaker come, to the house such knowledge is necessary. Take, for instance, the ski.'t edges. In tho shortened skirt the deep hem soldom lookit well, even though done by hand. An overbading fold takes its place. This fold, sometimes an inch, sometimes an inch and a half in width, is cut bias from the same or a contrasting material. In the case of a taffeta dress or suit— and the*j are to be in style for spring we are promised—the overbading fold can be of the taffeta cut on the bias and sewn over tho edge by hand, so the stitches will not show.

If the dress is of dark blue serge, as one seen recently, this overbading shows but a quarter of an inch on the outside, but turns under to form a seven-inch facing on the wrong side. This looks very pretty when the short skirts swing as ono walks or the wearer is seated and the skirt falls in folds so the deep red facing shows.

Another way to finish the edge of a taffeta skirt urto sew a narrow doubled fold of taffeta underneath the edge. This fold is finely pleated or box-pleated and placed so it peeps out below the hem. Sometimes the hem is covered with a fiveinch velvet ribbon, so this pleating can be stitched to the skirt, with another placed in the new Spanish fashion encircling it half-way between knees and waist.On ono imported dre3s'of serge and satin the lower part of tho skirt is of serge. The lower edge of the serge is edged by a narrow doubled satin fold, the lower edge of which is cut in scallops and blind-stitched. The upper edge, which attaches to the dress hem, is covered by a narrow soutache braid design, looped to form a picot finishing edg». In the newest three-piece- dresses the corsage part is made of a bright-coloured chiffon; the coat is lined with satin of the same bright shade. One would suppose, with the new fitted effects, that the lining of these chiffon corsages would be of a firm silk or satin. Not so. The linings are of chiffon as thin as tho outside layer. They are white or flesh colour. Tho sleeves aro also chiffon, but more fitted- This is so the outside sleeve, now I made at least of bishop fulness, will have I something to attach itself to when it is fathered into tho straight or fancy cuff.. Another detail about theso dresses is tho girdle belt. This really takes the place most satisfactorily of the oldfashioned tight linings. This girdle-belt is made of fine white silk in the dresses with semi-transparent waists, is fitted at abovo and below the waist-line, and boned very much as the fitted bodices used to be. The top and bottom of this seven to nine-inc!. girdle are finished with a straight band of scalloped edged Valenciennes lace. In more ordinary day dresses this is replaced by a wide rep "waist-belting, in which one takes the necessary pinches to fit it to the figure and sews on the sustaining featherbone. A typical dress of this kind which includes all of these features is a new model three-piece afternoon costume. It is made of midnight blue satin, rather heavy in quality and of the new glycerine-soft lustre finish that tho new satins have. The skirt falls in loops at the sides to make a soft pannier drapery effect. The skirt has a narrow pleated fold of the doubled satin peeping below the edge. The waist is of burnt orange chiffon. While full, it clings to the figure and is posed over a foundation of white chiffon, cut in like fulness. Tho girdle-belt is of silk, boned and lace edged, and to this the waist and skirt are attached. The orange chiffon blouse is beautifully braided with a bretelle effect, in narrow blue soutache, as is the belt, thus bringing the skirt colour up on tho blouse. A new stiffening fabric, which resembles a bit the fibre chamois of the nineties, is used by a good many dressmakers to distend the sltirt hems or inako the skirts stay in the correct godet folds. It is said that a rainy day will not remove its stiffness, and that it is of a desirable lightness.