HIGH LIGHTS IN FASHION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22099, 3 May 1935, Page 4

HIGH LIGHTS IN FASHION

WOOLLEN EVENING FROCKS ~IMPORTANCE OF BELTS BY BARBARA Ons of the most useful and charming inventions of recent years is tho woollen evening frock. For dining, playing bridge and going to tho cinema it is ideal —especially on these winter evenings, when, even in the most wellordered house, draughts are apt to creep in from every side. Made of the merest feather-weight wool, it is warm and comfortable and has a gracious and becoming air which particularly fits the modern woman by her own fireside.

For my sketch this week 1 have chosen two of the rather more informal and " hostess " typo of woollen evening gowns. The first, which is fashioned in sheerest and softest wool of parmaviolet shade, has buttons from the top almost to the toe —but not quite, for ten inches the ground the buttons stop and reveal a glimpse of satin sandal. Tho line is extremely simple, the voluminous sleeves and bodice being cut on the cross and all in one. The contrasting sash is of velvet in deeper shades of violet blue. pale grey woollen makes tho almost monklike medieval gown in the second sketch. The cowl collar and wife cuff revers are of geranium red. Another type of hostess gown is the house coat. A delightful model is made double-breasted, fastening at tho waist with two huge wooden buttons, and having wide turnback revers stiched in' a quilted pattern.

During this last week i went to an important private showing and mannequin parade of the original models of a new fashion designer, Doucetti, who is half French and half Australian. It was a one-man show, yet it had infinite variety and abundant inspiration. There were fiocks for every hour of the day from morning till night, and from each group there was a lesson to hie learned.

In the first group of morning and street suits the most noticeable point was tha width of the belts. All of them were wide —from five to six inches—and all were finished by huge ornamental buckles, sometimes round, sometimes square and often covered with the suede or leather of the belt. An oatmeal tweed frock in almond

green was made with a cunic which opened in the centre front. High, wide revers were of white pique and there were big pique cuffs, too, linked with black and white buttons shaped like cartridges. I'he belt was patent leather and very wide, while a halo hat of black uelours and black kid gloves were worn. Another morning suit was of oatmeal coloured wool, with a slim-out skirt with a six inch slit and elbow length cape which covered a neat biouse and Peter Pan collar made of the same material in henna colour. Again the belt ' was wide and black, but this time made of kid. Yet another street suit with a cape and wide belt was fashioned in thin black wool with blouse and cape lining of plaid lame in green, grey, gold and black. Gold cartridge buttons finished the front, of the blouse.

The afternoon frocks were distinctly old-world. One model in wine-coloured moss crepo had wide revers covered in narrow ruffles of the material and bellbottomed sieeves with ruffled cuffs. A tiny upstanding pleated frill of lace finished the high neckline andsa bonnetshaped hat with bow under the chin completed the ensemble. One of the most successful frocks in this group was made of black velvet cut on very simple linest with raglan sleeves wide at the wriot and a " pierrot " cojlar of the velvet drawn in with a thick gold cord which tied and hung in long ends down the front. The skirt had ono small pleated velvet pocket, while a launty " over-onc-eye " beret was finished by a big silk pom-pom. Then came a group of extremely smart semi-evening frocks. That is to say frocks which would not look out of place at a five-o'clock party and yet could <zoon todinner and theatre or dancing afterwards. Some of these were full evening dresses with chic little jackets to go over them. A black crepe run with a silver line was cut on the cross and had a basqued'jacket with short raglan sleeves and huge turn-back cuff revers. Two big brilliant buttons formed links at nock and waistline. The silver lines in this frock were used as sole decoration. Another frock of the same type was made in two shades of Chinese blue moSs crepe. The lighter blue which appeared in the stitched shoulder bands of the frock was also used for the wide revers and Cuffs of the charming little coat. For evening there was a predominance of taffetas and faille. A romantic moire picture frock in Marina blue had a wide skirt and a Crushed tissue Collar while :i huge white flower formed, a finish to the corsage. A streamline taffetas was shot in green and navy blue like a deep winter sea. Its collar swept j 'i a line from the front to wide stand-

out rovers at the back. A bustle and gathered fullness going into a train which swept the floor accentuated the backward movement. Another taffetas frock was made with a wide quilted bertha and then dut tight to tho knees where it flared in full godets to tho hemline, which was finished with a quilteci design to match that of the bertha. A belt of the taffetas had fanshaped ends in front. Just one more evening gown I must describe —a rose pink satin cut on the cross with skirt full from tho knees, cowl neckline and sun-ray tucks running to a point in tho centre front of the belt, which was made of velvet in rose-dust pink to match a satin-lined, swinging velvet coat.