LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1318, 3 June 1897, Page 15

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

(From Our London Correspondent ) Begknt Street, March 27. For the Jubilee record season the ccats and gowns of everyday wear are far too prosaic to hold our attention, which is claimed perfojee on every side by the most fascinaiing evening, frocks, opera wraps and hoods, bewitching theatre jackets and capes, and the dantiest possible blouses, shoes, gloves, and jewellery, for balls, opera, or any gay or frivilous occasion wo may be bidden to attend. All those things are really so exceptionally beautiful this year that it requires the most stordid temperament to pars the ordeal of the West End shops and modistes’ show-rooms without serious damage to the tenth commandment. The materials

j are exquisite in both texture and colour. One favourite one for dancing gowns is a narrow satin-striped gauze, which is exceedingly effective; then, of course, the broehd and patterned silks of English manufacture are well to the fore in white and all the most delicate tints, and so beautiful are most of these that the reproach seeme the greater that this home industry should have been so hopelessly neglected in favour of French productions.' Satin is also much en evidence, much combined with fur, lace and diamonds. The hood sketched in Fig. 1 is a pretty mixture of spstted red and white satin, red silk bows, and fur edging.

Mucq to the delight of those who can boast of a dainty waist, closely fitting coats bid fair to be held in as much esteem as the sacque backed and loose-fronted vests, that are, of course, particularly tempting if made of satin or velvet. Bub for plain materials, such as cloth and shrunk serge, commend us rather to the neat jacket, which suggests cosiness ana comfort, and hides not the graceful lines of a pretty figure. Here we have quite an ideal winter jacket, protective in make and cheerily warm in colouring. The little confection is cut out of hunting red beaver cloth, with a barque that fits as closely to the hips as possible, just the necessary

spring being allowed so that the garment may degenerate into no such thing as ungainly creases. Ou this seasonable coat we find the clever association of black officer’s braid and astrakan, in which the first rate tailors are indulging so lavishly this winter. In our model the fur is laid in very narrow strips over the mohair fingerings ; and this double ornamentation outlines a simulated yoke and extends down the front of the coat under handsome frogs of braid. The cuffs are entirely composed of the peltry, with just the exception of a little black string cording above the astrakan. As a lining the high rolled collar displays fome more of the woolly fur, which makes a charming frame for the throat. The beauty of this jacket is that it can accompany any plain skirt, and is, moreover, just the kind of design in request for visiting at country houses. Bed, in our opinion, is a perfect colour for the country, and more especially in hunting districts.

In spite of what many laay declare, both grey and russet-brown still remain very popular, notwithstanding the success of crimson and purple. These neutral, rather undecided tints are never amiss irK the wardrobe of those who cannot afford to indulge in an abundance of gowns; indeed, so called “ Quaker'‘{shades always look lady-like and retiring*—qualities that still hold good in spite of the admiration of some for glitter and flamboyance in

dress. The frock sketched is an adorable little toilette in pearl-grey habit cloth hung over corded silk to match, and a partial interlining of shot mauve and grey velvet above which the jupe fastens at intervals with smoked buttons. These quaint panellings are edged with mink,

which is carried round the hem* and reintroduced as border to the pinafdrb bodice and en ehdine on the sleeves. The picturesque corsage is sweetly embroidered with copper thread and helithorpe floss silk, after the manner of so many of the rich designs the Parisian modistes have impoi ted from Bussia. Cream lisse ruffles finish of the dress at throat and wrist; and in looking at these soft frills* so suggestive of womanliness and feminine neatness, one cannot help hoping that the time will never return when no girlish furbelows were in fashion, and even snowy glazed lingerie was voted common. It has been, by the way, suggested that with the ever-growing popularity of lace, that bizarre mode of swathing the neck in breadths of dentelle may probably return, much to the diacontent of the truly artistic.

Boselle.