THE CULT OF GREY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21414, 11 February 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE CULT OF GREY

STRIPES. CHECKS. RIBBONS BROWN, AND THE SHOE QUESTION [special to n.z. herald —copyright] LONDON. Deo. 23, 1932 New fashions, like new films, seem to be constantly released, to meet the demand for change, and one of the latest notions in Paris and London is the cult of grey in several shades worn together. Just why Parisiennes have chosen the season of fogs to launch such a neutral colour is hard to understand, but it is considered expensivo and exclusive to appear in all grey from head to foot. A rough light-weight woollen skirt a dark shade of grey will have a snuglyfitting jacket of check in three greys, running to one that is almost black. Under this is worn a very light grey woollen crepe blouse, with high scarf neckline tied at the side, and a little hat of shirred grey velvet in the lightest tone, and a grey fur scarf in lamb or fox or squirrel. A grey top coat is added on veiy cold dafys in tweed or plain cloth.^ A new grey suit seen in London this week was made of a herringbone striped grey tweed in two different shades. The stripes went round the body, and the short coat, which buttoned from a high collar all down the front, was finished with mitred points to each stripe, and with the chromium silver buttons fastening each dark stripe. A small Cossack hat of dark grey Astrakhan cloth and grey pull-on suede gloves completed a very chic town ensemble. Several shades of grey chiffon were used to fashion an exquisite evening gown. The dress itself was quite simple, but the sleeves consisted of three frills from the shoulder nearly to the elbow, that shaded from the very pale grey of the dress to a much deeper beige grey, this idea being repeated in three deepshaped flounces at the hem. A suit of grey flannel, fastened with silver buttons, and worn over a grey crepe blouse smocked at the neck and finished with grey cords and tassels, was an attractive idea. Smocking is being used for many of the newest blouses awl on many dresses. Striped and checked materials are as popular as ever, and the idea of a striped skirt or dress with a short dark jacket is still being shown in the best collections. I liked one seen this week, which showed a dress of black, grey and yellow stripes—worked chevron fashion—and a short coat, with high scarf neckline tied at the side and a small black tricorne hat, with three small rosettes of black, grey and yellow fastening the brims close against the shallow crown. A dress in brown and white stripes •had a deep yoke that covered the shoulder tops, with the stripes going round. The rest of the dress had the stripes going down from shoulder to hem, with the exception of the belt—-here again the stripes went round. Clever use of striped materials will often evolve a very smart outfit at a small cost, but although it is fashionable for stripes to go all round the figure, only the slim should be tempted with this idea. The all-ribbon dress is a somewhat ex- . trav'agant notion, although undeniably smart. One seen this week was entirely of rows and rows of narrow black cire ribbon, with full puff sleeves to the elbow, fitting closely to the figure and then full to the ankles. The ribbon gradually got a little wider toward the hem and the only relief was a demure little collar of white georgette that had legallooking white tabs in front. A touch of brown velvet with a palecoloured evening gown is very chic just now. With a gold lame dress a bow of brown velvet was placed flat across the front of the bodice at the base of the v-neck line, with a twist of brown velvet and gold lame wound round the hair, finishing with two tiny rabbit-ear ends in the nape of the neck. From Paris I have news of luxurious ideas for new shoes to match a twocoloured ensemble. When a coat of black cloth is trimmed with mink, shoes of black patent leather, trimmed with brown kid in the shade of the mink, are exceedingly new. When the coat is trimmed with grey fur, then black' shoes have grey kid trimmings. As these shoes are still exclusive, it is safer to keep to one colour unless you are sure that the mixed colours are quite right. But there are a few rules which make for smartness in footwear. If your ensemble consists of some colour and brown, always wear brown shoes. Never make the mistake of introducing a third colour with black shoes, or the whole effect is spoiled. If you can not manage grey shoes with a. grey ensemble then stick' to • black, bufc never brown, unless it is a grey and brown ensemble.