LATEST LONDON FASHIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2263, 15 July 1897, Page 52

LATEST LONDON FASHIONS.

London, May 23. I Dear Ejimelhe, — Even so recently as a I week ago' there csma reports of snowstorms * in various parts of the connSry, az:d ia ' London we experienced most; biting easi; winds for days together. Sj it; did fcaan ! seem a little previous to -writs aboab muslina , and such like flimsy material? Sor bloasus and drasses for outdoor w sar. Bab a sudden, change has now set in, with tin rssaM; fcfoat all theso dainty light material* are beiag eagerly sought, ami ova feel* much mow incllllation to linger and adtau-9 all tb.«se ' novelties — though doubtless & great many I are extremely hideous —than one did & week J ago. In woollen materials, p»\e gxeya and ; dolioate fawns are the more prominent anil ! so far the most popular tones, ami many oi I them ava extremely pretty and becoming, especially in oashniera aud small oheok silk ; canvas**, the latter being worn over white j i or oolouved silk, with trimmings to owreS Dpond. The bolero in some form or another | ia oorUlnly in the ascendancy, bat a good many of Us different styles kv* tar fvom being becoming or at all pretty. In pale grey oaehmera a uew ooitnrao had its skirt iriramud round the hem with numerous rows of narrow grey satin ribbon, whila tha bolero was edged with two rows of the same, A full pouohed front of white silk was tuckod at the neck, and confined at ths waist, with a denp folded bolt of the same, which wan fastened by throe silver buttons. As a finish at the throat a jabot of fine cream laoo was worn. The silk collar, instead of being plain, waß gauged, and falling ovor it at the baok were fan-like pleats of oream lace. The sleeves were made with a butter fly puff, and were onciroled nil the way up the arm with rows and rows of tho narrow grey satin ribbon. This last feature quite spoilt an otherwise becoming oostume, but this is one of the newest modes of eleovo trimming, and one, too, to whioh a good many people seem already to have taken, unbecoming as it is. In the Park yesterday I saw a dress of pale grey checked Bilk canvas over white silk. The bodice was full fronted, and had two bands of silver insertion coming from the shoulder seam, both back and front, and tapering to a Y-shape at the waißt. The waist belt was of grey and white twisted ailk, and fastened at one side with one white and one grey silk rosette. The sleeves were shirred all the way up the arm, and finished in a series of small grey silk frillß, each of which showed a lining of white. The collar corresponded with the waist 1 belt, and was finished in front with a jabot of white embroidered chiffon, and at the back of the neck with a pleating of white silk. The accompanying hat, of the picture order, somewhat raised at one side, was of black satin straw, trimmed with black plumes and pink roses. Patent leather Court shoes, white gloves with black points, and a dainty sunshade of black, prettily lined inside with pink chiffon, completed a very .becoming summer costume. It is the latest fashion now to have a fanlike pleating of lace falling over the back of the collar, and this graduates in width until it disappears altogether at each side, just under the ears. The ribbon collar bands

fastened in a bow at the back, which have been so much en evidence for two summers, are not anywhere to 'be seen this season, at least among the most stylishly - dressed people. Lace similarly arranged in graduated pleatings adorns the sleeves — its greatest depth baing under the hand, its least on the top. All the most fashionable skirts oontinue to be lined with shot or with plain glace silk. This also applies to tbe tailor-made style as well as to the more dressy and ceremonious costumes. Of course it adds materially to the cost of the dress, but thea London people don't mind that detail. Care is always taken to Bhovr the lining; and the email pinked-out silk flounce at the hem when it is necessary to lift up the skirt for the purpose of crossing a ctreet — and not infrequently when thig necessity does nob arise. A few of this season's tweed costume skirts are made without lining of any description, but this is not so with the skirts of most fashionable people. While all unlined skirts are finished off with great neatness, yet it is perfectly obvious that in the nature of things they cannot be so tidy inside as those which are lined throughout. Others, on the pretence of being lined, have a small silk frill at the hem. Of course for these unlined skirts none but the heaviest class of tweed or box cloth can be used. This in a degree lessens the chance of one's skirt suddenly flying over one's head, but it undoubtedly is not the style which many people will adopt. ~ Capes are but little seen except when worn by people driving in the Park, when they are invariably elaborately made of and trimmed with the richest of materials. Quite suddenly capos seem to have vanished almost entirely for walking woar. Wnen anything of the kind is required jackets of a thin tweed or cloth are worn which match the skirt. The new bolero?, too, with angel eleeves, seem to have been favourably received by moßt people ; but I think the majority of them are very ugly, especially when oE the more simple variety and made in plain cloth. They look somewhat nicer when intended for dressy occasions and when donned by rather matronly people who seldom venture out •• in their figure," for in such instances they are made of handsome materials and so much trimmed that they are void of the severity so much marked in the plainer variety of the bolero with angel sleeves, and in them the style itself does not seem so pronounced. Naturally there are some people on whom this now form of jacket looks very well — there always are some people who look well in anything — but these are in a decided minority. When made of box-doth, the material most employed In their construction, they are generally piped with cream, and if the colour be fawn, then gold buttons and gold braidicg is largely used, while if the colour be grey, then like ornamentations of silver ar« most seen. Others are not infrequently beavtty braided in thick military braid of cream or Trfcite, and occasionally in black. The use of ffo&ced tolie is o&s of toe latest; developments in the mSHcecy Ts-orid, and all colours are largely sasd oEtnabeaof tbe new spring ha£g. " The srasE spc&E are invariably whife, but is is sou searlj so pretty a material nor ia it io Ugkb. is agpeszasee as chiixcwi or toe plain variety o£ taclß?, t&aogfa perhaps it may be more aervicea&lg. fciaaia ths former favourisa bat peris&s&ia maSeriaL Ifrosted trulle carries wich ft aa un3aSfe£i.efccry air, and I think bha sgam are; eks»s irritating. I* somehovr doeu aoc giro, oraa ftfea ioipEStjswn o£ Iqckiog crank asaei clsas.. J*S fcritnmicg iGX bvanacs and teejmss Is ssiH much rusd» "DaS all j«fi for suiaßser wisar i» v/oefcid. oa biack iwrsahiir, assi is muck ECi« expec3«e th&E ih.« OKJicsry/ ja& oruaEad&tik B^it it ha* fcb* gteaft sdraassga of beiog excesditsgly li^^* fo w*ighv, aa& ife is th«ire£c«e oio&i ap^aogiriate fet this season of th« ysar. Coloated poiutis axe * KOY«i feature on essay wbite kM gjwrek Soaas of ta&ie have points o? pal* yiuk* Wia«, heliotrope, grew, xed, lftattus, $w& — iv fasst, all sisada* ara sesn, soiu» oS, wbi&t are rathex nioa ; but., all tha same, oauuot bs pl»c«d en a tarel vrlth the white, eanaxY-j«Hcm, aa& lavender kid gloves which tasv« blaok point*. — Youri truly, 2RA.UA.