PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 4 (Supplement)

PARIS FASHIONS.

Our Parisienne correspondent writes: — Dancing is the fashion, and therefore dance dresses must be in the fashion, too. The big Paris dressmakers now insist upon an ultra-long V opening at the back of evening bodices V which often reaches qufto to the waist-line but the Parisiemnesthose -*bo really count, I mean introduce a few soft folds of flesh-pink tulle or chiffon, in the form of a decollete chemisette, and so do away with a wholly unnecessary exposure of back. Curiously enough these bodices, which are cut so low at the back, are comparatively high in the front—this is the latest idea. Many of the new dance frocks are cut in this way, and the general effect is, at times, alarming, for sleeves are nonexistent.

Big ostrich feather fans are again " the correct thing." This is going) to be a feather season, of that there can be no doubt. We shall see feathers, large and small, in fringe form and fashioned into boas; long plumes on picture hats; clusters of shorter plumes on cloche shapes and toques, and tips dusted over with silver or gold holding together folds of chiffon or gauze on evening frocks. Frills and Flounces. Prills and flounces are creeping in, very quietly but very surely; and, curiously enough, it is in the world of girls' frocks —especially party —that we most realise their influence. Gone is the straight line from shoulder to hem, and in its place we have a delicious broken line which indicates the presence of shaped flounces and quaint draperies of the pannier persuasion. Some of the prettiest party frocks for girls of 12 to 16 are made "of taffetas., with the skirt covered with skimpy scalloped flounces. Please do not overlook the two important S.S.: "skimpy scalloped." These two words form the leit-motif of a satorial melody. For the Schoolgirl. The young daughter of one of my friends recently became possessed of a particularly attractive dance frock. The material was chiffon taffetas and the skirt was covered with four scalloped flounces, each flounce piped with emerald-green satin. The short sleeves were lined with green, and there was a novel collar which turned over back and front, and which also showed a green lining. I could imagine this model looking delightful if copied in black taffetas, for a very fair girl, with 'a narrow double belt of coloured ribbon and two gold roses tucked away into the loops tied at one side. The Sack Bodice. A really uncommon party frock made of sapphire-blue taffetas took sack form, but it was inset with knife pleatings at regular intervals from waist to hem. The bodice was fulled over a twisted cincture of sapphire-blue and dull rose ribbon. The illustration which I send you with these words shows the sack bodice, which, so far, is more popular in Paris than in London. Bit at your Hotel Carlton a friend tells me she saw two the other night. One was worn by a small fair woman and was made entirely of jet, the sack bodice with short sleeves, so plain as to look almost like a chemise of jet, the skirt draped and slit at one side to give the necessary freedom. The other dress was composed of moonlight blue and silver brocade with a straight kilted akirt of moonlight blno chiffon-crepe, and both were good examples of the very latest fashion.