A SPRING QUESTIONNAIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 6 (Supplement)

A SPRING QUESTIONNAIRE

DOMINANT FASHION NOTES SMALL DETAILS COUNT [special to s.z. herald —copyright] LONDON, August 10 What to wear in the spring, is the vital question with every woman. She may economise during the dull days of winter, but with the first sign of clear skies and warm sunshine, she immediately feels the urge for something new, and begins to wonder just what is likely to continue in fashion. Have the broad, built-out shoulders vanished? Yes. All that is left of them is moderate padding on tailored suits and coats, small fichus and ruffles on evening gowns, and square yokes, which give a broad effect on both dresses and coats.

What length is the average skirt of a walking-dress for the street? About the same as last season —that is, anything from ]oin. to 12in. from the ground, depending on whether the garment is a country suit or a silk dress. Are coats for day and evening wear apt to be collarless, with fur around the sleeves rather than the neck ? A severe collarless, round or square neck, is extremely smart, particularly when a small scarf of a bright colour is tucked in. Do afternoon dresses touch the ground? Only for very formal entertainments. In London they are only worn at Ascot or the Royal garden party and similar functions, or for early parties that finish with a cinema. Hats, Gloves and Sleeves Are "Halo" hats worn? Very few are to be seen. All the newest models are worn almost flat on the head, to which they are attached by a ribbon or elastic . , Are fabric gloves being worn tor clay and evening? Yes, a number of smart ensembles consisting of gloves and nag of the same material—crinkled crepe or

wool for the softer dresses. Antelope gloves and hag for town tailor-mades are popular, also hogskin bags and gloves for country suits. Are sleeves changing? Quite the newest and smartest sleeves are threequarter length, and this applies to coats as well as dresses. Indeed, more so, as dresses have also very short sleeves or long ones, which show beneath the three-quarter coat sleeve. Some show a certain amount of fullness above the elbow, and many coats are cut with Raglan sleeves. "Evening gowns show the merest suspicion of sleeves that more often suggest a shoulder drapery. Points About Evening Frocks Are evening skirts tight to the knees? Well, some of them are straight and tight to the ankles, when they are slit up to show a pleated taffetas petticoat. Others are tight in the knees and then flow out into a train. But the majority, white fitting closely over the hips, have a good deal of fullness round the ankles. Are evening gowns cut high in front and low at back? There are still many gowns cut in this way with the shoulders covered with little frills, but the newest decolletnge either at the back or front is square. Is the trained gown fashionable for evening? Yes. I am afraid the younger generation has to learn to manipulate the train, although several designers make it so that it can be draped over the arm or shoulder for dancing. Hems are uneven, being slit at the sides or shaped up in front, but nearly all evening gowns trail the ground. Actually, the silhouette has changed very little this season and its different appearance during the day is chiefly due to hats and shoulders. Last year, hats were rather high, with widely-stiffened-out shoulders. Now, our hats are shallow-crowned and often broadbrimmed, and shoulders have returned to normal proportions.