London Fashions.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 995, 27 March 1891, Page 5

London Fashions.

(FROM OtJE SPECIAL CORRESPOND EXT.) London, January 30. What a terribly severe winter wo are having ! I mad presently send yon some pretty sketches of fur trimmed garments — we are all wranped in furs jnst now. I expect there will be a scarcity of fnr-bear-ing animals next year. Did yon hear that one of the royal European ladies is wearing a lovely seal cloak which only cost £IOOO ? Up to the beginning of the cold _ weather, toques were much worn, made in pretty autumnal hues and materials. \ou, I suppose, will no longer be making yours of flowers ; more substantial materials will have now to be employed to form the greater part though antnmn blossoms, fruit or leaves, may still be added. Another tasteful way of composing a toque isi to combine the same materials as those of which the costume is composed, provided, of course, they happen to be suitable for the purpose.

The gown with which this is worn is made of soft grey vicuna cloth, and velvet a shade darker, the toque being comprised of twists of the same, alternating the cloth and velvet, and all the ends being brought up together at the back, points forward. This style of head dresa thus worn, low in front and far back, should never be worn indiscriminately. I sometimes see it most injudiciously so, as it is a most exacting fashion, and really, to look well, requires a thoroughly pretty oval face, small, aud well furnished round with plenty of pretty fluffy

hair. It is the greatest mistake, just because it is the fashion, for some women, such as I have soeD, with either large broad faces, or, equally bad, very thin faced and large nosed, Wearing these small, pitched back hat?, as it throws these, and indeed any defects, into a prominence which a more judicious chapeau would considerably soften, if not entirely obliterate from all casual criticism.

My second eketoh is a stylish in-door gown of electric grey cloth, with vest and the part of the skirt crossing from the right hip over tho front, terminating at the foot of the left side gore, of broch4, sleeves composed of the cloth and broohd, raised a little on the shoulders, and loose to tho elbow, as in the illustration. Many people say that all materials for this autumn and early winter are to be spotted, and the variety of the spots will be great, from large, larger, largest, to the tiniest ; silk, velvet, plush, and embroidered spots, spots raised, and spots flat—oar fashionable costumes will certainly not be spotless in pattern if they are in style and make. For my part I dislike spots as patterns for dresses, and thiuk them inartistic at aDy size, and the very large ones hideous ; but it is wonderful when a thing becomes thoroughly au fait to wear, how we gradually become reconciled to it in time, and say it is stylish, and invest in it ourselves, though rampant against it to begin with ; even some of the most individual and strongest. minded members, the instinct of imitation is so strong, like revenge, * especially so to women.’ Bat for real winter wear, braiding in all sorts of designs is more stylish. Those ladies who are industrious enough to braid their own dresses, should set to work at once.

It has become such a practice for ladios to drive now, that all the ladies’ tailors are making quite a speciality of driving coats. In the country, of course, ladies have always driven more or less ; the quiet roads and sleepy chubby pony in village cart'or pony carriage not being calculated to raise many nervous fears. But far more than this mild form of driving i 3 indulged in now. High dog-cart, smart mail-phaetons, tandems, are «tooled ’ along with any amount of confidence and dash by fair drivers, not only in the country but in London quite as much. In the Park this last season it was quite the order of the day, and I must confess I thought it a most incongruous one; place aux dameß is a chivalrous santiment but when illustrated by a lady in the elevated position of the driver, dashing a pair of spirited fiery untameds along, and a gentleman seated by ber side with meekly folded hands and a general appearance of being dressed in his beat to be taken for a drive, it looks ridioulons and out of place in my opinion : As many of my New Zealand lady readers doubtless follow the pleasant pursuit, in their case it often being verv a necessary one, a sketoh of one suitable and stylish driving coat I sawone of our leading tailors’ may be useful, especially to the economical. It is quite possible with care to make it at home. It is made of fawn-coloured cloth (a good colour for dust), is tight fitting, fastened with large flat pebble buttons, and has a triple cape which comes to the elbowß, so covering the part of the arms most sensative to cold without being long enough to incommode the hands. A very suitable hat to wear with this is one of the many new autumn shapes in felt (fawn in

this instanoe); they are rather boat shape fi3 form, and tiimmed vrith ribbon or ribbon velvet the same colour. For autumn millinery there are excellent imitations this year of cherries, currants, plums, (with the lovely bloom on them wonderfully represented), grapes all accompanied by theif natural leaves , and autumn leaves in their many hues, from pale yellow to deep red and brown, those iudiseribable tints of great though rather melancholy beauty, which tells us of the wauing of the year. All these make charming trimming for teques, bonnets, and hats ; some of the girls now with their halos of curly, frizzy hair looking quite pictures, with fruit and leaves as their head oovering. especially when arranged rather wreath fashion round the front suggesting some of Alma Tadema’s charming heads, wheat ears and red berries may also be very advantageously pressed into service—lace, crepe cle clune, canvas, or velvet working in well with them ; but it is better to keep off velvet for millinery as much as possible for a few more weeks, so that it may come fresher later oa when other materials are not suitable. Roselle.