LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 15

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

From Our Special Correspondent. Regent street, Alarch 21. 'The ladies who toss up millinery with a true touch of genius and boldness of colour-blends arc exhibiting black velvet shapes with handsome cream guipure crowns; and one of their specialities for this season is deep orange velvet:, which shall be converted into rosettes, trim knots, and fly-away bows. The reign of the snowwhile wing and quill is far from being over, and you will see that during the whole of the winter this light kind of plumage is worn to brighten up tins rich sombreness of a dark bat. A creamcoloured pinion is perched on the dainty model heading this column. At one of (he

distinguishes tho best women from the minor fry, a swee t-looking girl under firstrate chaperonage, wore this charming little hat of “Vanilla” felt, shaped rather in a modified “boat” form. Twisted round the low crown is a draping of “ mulberry velvet, which develops into a chic ample bow, and finds repetition in tho shape of a handsome knot resting on the head at the side. Another cream wing, rather smaller, contrasts very delightfully with the warm colouring of the velours. By tho way, “ Vanilla ” may be described as a shade hovering between beige and cream, and as rather paler than the well-known “ Gate an Bait.”

Dances, At Homes, and general “ swarrys ” will, 1. presume, he in full swing with you as tho winter season commences. Ours began unusually early, or else it was that the summer and autumn have been prolonged so gloriously that wo dropped into winter all in a moment, and it came upon us as a surprise. Having been caught napping in tho matter of being ready with an evening gown for tho

first festive occasion, and driven to the mortification of a last year’s decidedly passe ono, I warn my readers of a similar disastrous fate, and advise them to lose no time in schemes and purchases to the best advantage ; for getting such things in a hurry nearly always entails needless extravagance, besides, as a rule, proving far from the dazzling confection we would have attained, or tho realisation of our dream.

The ono purpose the now tabooed blouse still seems admissable for, is for evening wear; and this is a boon and a blessing to the slendcr-pursed, indeed; for one skirt (probably a black satin, as things go), helped out by two or three dillerent bodices, will furnish a toilette for several evenings, without compelling us to commit that enormity in eyes feminine —wearing tho same gown I —unless for anything specially festive, when one must be equal to the occasion.

In Fig. 2 a pretty new bodice is shown of cream silk- with sleeves brocaded with mauve violets; a borlho of cream cliiiloii

bow of mauvo velvet and sprays of violets the same shade finishing berthe and waist. The newest fashion in skirts for evening wear is !o pleat them over each hip in one, two, or three pleats from the waist, about half a yard downwards, where they are fastened by artistic buttons, frequently paste or medallions, from whence the pleat is allowed to fly, and so add to tho fullness of the lower part of tho skirt. in Fig. 3 I have sketched a stylish walking costume of military cloth of chinchilla grey. Tho chic French jacket is made with large square collar-rovers, and worn over a velvet vest tho same colour: the muff and hat being also of the velvet; tho whole costume being trimmed with narrow chinchilla. There is a tremendous rush after chinchilla this winter, which was not foreshadowed in the autumn. All the choice models seem incomplete without it; so now is the time to bring forward furs of this delicate and, unfortunately, fragile skin which have been secluded in remote boxes and wardrobes for so long as oldfashioned. Roselle.