Fashion Notes.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 964, 22 August 1890, Page 5

Fashion Notes.

A very peculiar aod striking tea gown is made of soft white crSpon made d la Grecque with full puffod sleeves of a curious ‘ art ’ material embroidered with daisies in Egyptian oolouriug.

An elegant gown for a garden party made of lemon coloured China-crepe, has a deep bordering round the skirt, high chemisette, or yoke, and sleeves of Irish point. A marroon frill or flounce at the edge of the skirt makes a pretty finish. Velvet sleeves on self-coloured bodices have not yot become common in Wellington. One pretty combination seen on Lombtoc quay lately was a dress of a dark shade of red, with black velvet sleeves, collar, and trimming. Another tasteful costume consisted of two shades of oinnamon plush with black plash sleeves The fashionable flowers for hats and bonnets this coming spring and summer will be the flowers that are actually in bloom at the time, thus, at presant croouses may be worn, aud early in September rosebuds will be the correct flower to wear. A month later fruit blossims will be all the rage. A very pretty br dal gowa is being made in Wellington after the following fashion. The dress is of rich corded silk made with a shoulder train bordered with orange blossoms and foliage. The front of underskirt is veiled in net ombroidered with orange blos--soms. _ The corsage is veiled in the same ; a Medici collar finishes the neck, and a handsomely embroidered tulle veil, with the usual wreath, will be worn. Some cloth dresses are made entirely plain, with collets to match, the capes cut sharply at the edges—neither pinked nor hemmed—the ouly bit of trimmiug being a braided plastron for tlio collet and braided collar and cuffs for the bodice. Others, equally plain, are tailor-made aud machinc-stitched ; these generally include a small cut away jacket, showing a waistcoat or a bodice which may be worn alone when needed. "Ready-made white waistcoats in white corded silk, strewn with tiny flowora will be sold this summer. They will suit cloth costumes of the dressy sort very well. For instance, a vieux rose cloth costume with tight-fitting jacket bodice, aud a white silk waistcoat studded with miniature rosebuds looks really charming. Plain white silk waistcoats and white cambric plastrons look nice with pale grey cloth or pale grey cash* mere costumes, white and grey being a favourite harmony. The lightest pearl grey gloves and a white sunshade complete a pleas, ing ensemble either with black or white hat. There are one or two certain facts about the new dross designs for the coming summer. For the first time for many years we shall see necks in the dayiime. Even walking dresses, which may have a high collar at the back, will be out quite open in the front to show all the throat. The long tulle strings worn on the hats are intended to be thrown lightly round the neck, and disguise this bareness a little in the street. For those fortunate persons who have beautiful necks thii season will bo a great ©ne —everybody ivill be surprised to find how handsome they are. For there is no doubt, speaking from an artistio point of view, that the throat is nearly as expressive os the face, and the face oan never be fairly judged without seeing the throat. Some woman will suddenly become twice as handsome, and some, alas ! twice as ugiy ; but these, if they are wise, will stick to the policeman’s collar, and the Tosca and Medici, all of which are used in some of the newest designs, donbtless for the comfort of the unlucky. A fashion of this kind cannot be universal, as the artists who invent well know. With the present style of dress, where so much scope is given from every point, ladies can be perfectly dressed if they will butexercise a little thought and care in the selection of the style of the dress or mantle as well as the colour. Straightness and long plain effects (says Weldon for June) are as noticeable as ever, and unless materials are of a soft, clinging nature, the drapery cannot be made too plain. The best dressed women entirely discard any tournure, although this flatness and straight effect is, to my way of thinking, anything but elegant; just a tiny pad is necessary. Such fabrics as tweed, serge and other substancial materials, are made up as plainly as possible, the drapery being either machined, braided, or trimmed graduated rows of velvet, while backs of dresses are still worn quite plain, some being gathered full, others pressed into pleats, or else arranged in two box-.pleats, with all the fulness thrown to the centre, and which fans out nicely as one walks. A Melbourne lady describing dresses in that city says:—‘One or two pretty teagowns, an article of dress all ladies are interested in, will bear description. The first that took my fancy was in a shade of petuna cashmere made with full slbeves, Watteau front, aDd trimmed with bands of gold and pituna braid ; a fancy flannel had also a Watteau front, set off with goblin blue velvet collar, revers, and cuffs ; another in pale bine French de laine, had bishop sleeves, yoke of embroidery, and embroidered cuffs. The prettiest opera cloaks that I saw at this house were of vieux rose plush, lined with cream satin ; one of sage green plush was lined with satin, and trimmed richly with passementerie; while a cream plush had gold trimming in unique design. A walking costume of black habitoloth was trimmed with black silk, and had a perfect bodice richly embroidered ; a black silk was made plainly, the only trimmlng being a panel of brocaded velvet ; an uncommon shade of green silk, with a darker green stripe, composed the front of a gown iof watercress green de laine while a dress of terracotta was embroidered with gold and green passementerie.’