LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1286, 22 October 1896, Page 16

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Regent street, August 8. We certainly have carte blanche in choosing our headgear at the present moment, for we may don almost any shape, material, or trimming for component parts without rendering ourselves at all remarkable ; and this freedom has flooded the millinery market with such a really extraordinary variety of milliner's requirements, that if we cannot build

ourselves something entirely to our individual taste in hats or bonnets now, we must be suffering from an aggravated attack of contrariness, indeed. Shapes, small or large ; straws, fancy or plain ; colours, kaleidoscopic, both as to the shapes and their decorations. Ribbons of every hue and patfeern, every flower that grows represented in its natural size and colour (and very much otherwise), feathers of every description, gauzes, nets, tulles, and chiffons galore, fruit and foliage, tinsel, jet, spangles and sequina, it would be difficult to answer the oldworld packman's cry of " what d'y' lack, ladies ? "

Some of the prettiest hats are those trimmed with pompadour ribbon. A stylish example is embodied in Fig 1. This comprises a broad-brimmed shape of chalk-white chip, with a butterfly bow of black lace fastened by a paste brooch in the centre, catching at the same time an upright spray of lilies of the valley. On either side a big chou of white grounded ribbon with coloured flowerpattern ; then further, fan and butterfly bows of black lace to complete the back, with sprays of the lilies repeated ; while underneath the brim tv. o further choux

of the ribbon are placed on each side of the knot of hair. This chapean has not only style to recommend it, as to anyone with an average good complexion it would prove very becoming. A smart little sac coat is the subject of Fig. 2. It is built of fawn cover-ting, with a broad collar and cuffs of white kersemere or cloth ; three white mother-o'-pearl buttons of what the Yorkshire folks term * soizable' pattern fastening the immediate top. This would be a natty coat for seaside wear, and the white collar and cuffs when soiled are easily re-» placed by fresh ones. The Eton and other varieties of the short jacket is once more being received with enthusiasm for home wear, and it proves a boon and a blessing to the necessarily economical, as by a series of freah

shirts, blouses and waistcoats (the latter looking the best), we can delude a confiding public into the belief that we arc notal ways arrayed in the same cloth, serge or tweed costume, and spare that useful gown the contempt which familiarity is said to breed. Waistcoats certainly looked neater for thi3 wear on a nice figure ; the blouse is sadly apt to degenerate) into slovenliness of appearance, which is specially undesirable with a loose fronted jacket. In Fig. 3, we have a modish gown for afternoon calls, promenade, or smart outdoor wear. The übiquitous alpaca is the material composing it, of a dove-grey shade. The full rever - epaulettes or shoulder capes are of white moire, and open over a chemisette and ruffle of white chiffon or grass-lawn ; the same finishing the waists of the wrinkled close fitting sleeves ; and a white moire ribbon encircles the wai3t.

Our very old friend, the foulard, is again to the fore, and is being greatly affected in Paris. Other materials most used in the gay capital are cambric, canvas, lawn, taffetas, mousselinc cle sole, and most of all, satin ; the style most assumed being that of the Louis XV. and XVI. periods. Two exquisite gowns recently worn at the Embassy Ball there were one of white satin with a belt and knots of Parma violets and drapings of old lace, and a pale buttercup satin with drapings of chiffon a similar shade caught by trails and clusters of honeysuckle. The Duchess of Portland, who is President of the Society for the Protection of Birds, has recently sent round a letter calling attention to the special cruelty of depriving the poor little creatures of their feathers at nesting time for the purpose of decorating the fashionable millinery. Robelle. On the 14th a wedding took place at Fairfield, Wadestown, the charming residence of Mr E. W. Lowe, New Zealand representative of the A.M.P. Society. The contracting parties were Mr J. McPherson and Miss Florence Winter, both for years employees of Mr and Mrs Lowe, who marked their appreciation of their faithful services by acting the gracious part of host and hostess on the auspicious occasion. The presents included a very handsome marble clock from Mre Lowe, and a large number of articles both useful and ornamental from various friends. The ceremony was attended by a select party of friends of the bride and • bridegroom, and was performed by the "Rev Mr (happell. A cold collation was afterwards served, at which the toasts of " Mr and Mrs McPerson " and their entertainers, "Mr and Mrs Lowe," were enthusiastically drunk. A ramble through the beautiful demesne and afternoon tea concluded this enioyable function, after which the guests returned to Wellington by special conveyance, i -,, ! .

The opinion that the rivers of the Fortymile Bush are not very fully stocked with fish (says the Pahiatua Herald) is not borne out by fact. Only last week Mr Tosswill, fishing with fly, landed in three hours 12 fish, weighing over 141 b. We arc in receipt of No 5 of " Australian Cricket," a well-compiled journal, devoted to interests cricketorial. Mr " Charley " Turner, the world-famed bowler, and Mr J. A. Dobbie, 8.A., edit the publication, which has a most successful future before it. The now settlers at Day's Bay are giving practical proof of their energy in a proposal to raise ,£SOO to thoroughly form and repair the road from the Hutt to Day's Bay. Practically all the residents of the district have agreed to a special rate to meet the loan. Day's Bay is now one of the chief resorts for Wellington holiday-makers. "• The Invercarpfill relic of journalistic fogeydom." Heartless reference by Wyndham Farmer to the Southland Times. Mr Ayson, curator of the Masterton fish ponds, forwarded on Monday a consignment of 1100 brown trout to the Hawera Acclimatisation Society. A man named Thomas Webb, employed at the sugar works at Chelsea, Auckland, fell from a height of 30 feet, and received serious internal injuries. A few days after the Gothic had left Teneriffe, a steerajre passenger named Eamshaw, bound for Johnannesburg, dropped dead, the cause of death being heart disease. There was another death on the voyage—that of Mr W. A. Tiddy—of which particulars have already been published in the New Zealand Mail. Dr Kayser, Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs, has resigned from the Gorman Government, owing to the opposition of the German Colonial Party.