THE HAPPINESS OF LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20650, 23 August 1930, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE HAPPINESS OF LIFE.

FUSSY FASHIONS WRONG. | THE OLD-WORLD NOTE. [special to n.z. herald.—copyright.] LONDON. July 3. " The great happiness of life is to be neither better nor worse than the general run of those you meet," wrote a celebrated philosopher, and there is a great deal of truth underlying this remark which ono can even apply to fashion. On a fine day at Longchamp or Ascot women dress in fashion's latest models, and all the best and all the worst of these are seen around tho course. There aro days when one feels that women are trying to prove by their freakish modes just how not to dress. Again, thero are times when every woman seems to' be exquisitely dressed. More often still—as with any large gathering of women—there is a good sprinkling of both types of clothes. Anything fussy and uncomfortable is wrong. Yet there are women who delight in innumerable frills, dangling ornaments;, shiny materials bright in colour and loud in design, with shoes too small, and extraordinary hats. These are the ones whoso photographs are broadcast all over the world as typical of Paris fashions. They are the same women who invariably dress wrong, wearing fur in midsummer when everyone is in muslin, and chiffon in April when the wind is piercing and showers wintry Happily these women are becoming more and more a noticeable minority, since there are few exaggerations among the best fashions this year. The slightly longer and fuller skirt, the normal waistline and the higher neckline are all points about dress which make for beauty and grace, while definitely stamping a gown 1930. The little jacket dress with its pleated or godet skirt, bloused bodice, lingerie front, is a charming mode that is suitable for all types of materials and can be made to fit any occasion. The jacket may reach the hips, the waist or be no more than a bolero; it should be a question of suiting your figure—for all lengths are correct. It may even be a complete dress with a tiny jacket adHed, or it may be a dress with'a basque to give a jacket effect. Tho peplum, that basque to a jacket, bounce to a bolero, frill to a dress, is one of the fashions of the year which is most open to abuse and most likely to be chosen without thought. The peplum is put on evening dresses to give spring to the hips of a long skirted dress. It may be carried well by a tall woman and by some small .women who have a gallant carriage. But no small woman with a droopy' deportment can hope to carry a peplum successfully. On daytime dresses the peplum is usually attached to the coat in the form of a basque, shaped to the hips, but full on the edges. It may be added like a flounce on to the hips of the dress itself, but one point to remember is that the length of a skirt worn under a peplum must never be too short, and even for day wear should reach midway between the ankle and the knee. The old-world note that has been steadily creeping into the mode has brought many interesting jewel fashions. Organdie, on which fashion has set the seal of her approval for summer months, needs something . uncommon in jewellery to set off its delicate simplicity, and I was charmed with some necklaces designed specially for organdie gowns. They were composed of glass and represented garlands of wild flowers. One designed in forget-me-nots had a narrow bracelet to match, while another of harebells was interspersed with star flowers made from white crystal. A charming gown of soft shell-pink muslin with loose bodice and wide bishop sleeves had a rounded neckline defined by smocking, and the bodice was bandeinbroidered with little flower sprays in natural colours. A band of smocking created a waistline, another defined the base of the hips and the smocked cuffs gathered up all the fulness of the quaint bishop sleeves. With this was worn a shady hat of coarse black straw that had a band of pink net at the edge and a big bow of pink satin ribbon tucked under the brim at the back. Pink and black or black and pink are used for some of the loveliest frocks this summer, and during the te& hour in one of London's smartest hotels I saw several gowns expressing this idea. Pink coral is also very fashionable both as jewellery in the form-of necklaces and bracelets, and also for embroidery.