LONDON FASHION NOTES. London, November 5.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 44

LONDON FASHION NOTES. London, November 5.

Dear Emmbline, — Corduroy velveteen is now widely used for the making of useful blouses, and so is the Terry velvet. In both classes the raDge of colour is very wide. For this style of blouse, meant for ordinary every-day wear, small buttons not infrequently form a trimming. They are perhaps mostly of pearl, but silver and gilt also are much in request. As a rule they adorn the box pleat or wide band down the front of a. simple blouse by being placed very closely together in groups of six, nine, and even as many as twelve sometimes ; or else they are arranged some little distance apart, in which case it is usual for them to be connected by silk cords looped from one side to the other. Whichever way they are placed the effect is always good, and fancy buttons, as well as the ordinary smoked pearl, go a long way in enlivening a dark coloured skirt blouse. The same style of trimming applies equally to blouses of flannel or of flannelette. Perhaps

it might be as well for me to mention that not exclusively to blouse bodices do buttons apply so f At as trimming is concerned, for with splendid effect they are sometimes seen on a complete dress, in which case the skirt", ' too, has its share of these little ornament*, . which are connected by thin silken cords over an insertion, or slashing, of silk. Another class of velveteen or velvet For blouses is that printed with small metallic: patterns. For many of the non-useful kind of velvet blouse trimmings of chinchilla or some other short-haired variety of fur are preferred. Among American blouses,' I hear that a blouse which falls in full pleats to tha hips, and not caught in at the waist, is greatly in vogue. But it is not expected that the same hideous style will " take " here. Detachable white linen collars and cuffs still hold their own, and continue to be soldi as an accompaniment to the ready-made skirt blouse. Bab a change has here been .•' introduced, for whereas hitherto these turndown linen collars were perfectly plain, thej are now cut in a series o£ little slits and then threaded with any coloured ribbon that may be preferred. When these collars require to .be.; washed the ribbon is easily taken, out, and^ "* after the washing process- has' been completed it can 'just as easily be replaced. Of course they look a gteat deal more dressy,, than the ordinary -turn-down linen collar. Curiously, however, as it has been .pointed* out to me, the inventor of this new idea' has not given a name to his invention, and when wanted ladies always ask for the new "loop collars," which are now to be obtained all over London, and the provinces also I believe. Probably ere long you will have them out 4n New Zealand, if they have not; yet already made their appearance there, for in many ways— especially in the matter of small details like this— New Zealand is nearly, if not quite, as up to date as London. Cuffs of course correspond.

It is' thought that the Russian blouse has already been too widely adopted, and beconio popular too Boon in its career to last? through another season, though it ia confidently expected that it will remain Hie favourite style of bodice during' the coming months. The newest form of trimming; adopted for these Russian blouses is to have the turndown collar and revers cat all ia one. Some brides are wearing wedding dresses of white chiffon, but white Irish poplin ia much more general, the former being too perishable and extravagant for the indulgence of any but the very rich. Long boas of fur have entirely run their course. Except by a few people who have exceptionally good ones in some valuable fur they are not worn at all, and I doubt if it would be possible, to buy one this season if one were to make inquiries for this form of, wrap, at any good shop. However, some' ladies who do own a nice long, full, valuable ' fur boa wear it despite the dictates of • fashion. ■ • - <, < Toques are in endless variety, bat the shape just now considered the "smartest" ' bears the name of "Sappho." It has three . points, one coining- in front and one at each' eide, and these three points are made as prominent as possible, that on the left eide beinggreatly accentuated by an ostrich feather standing out horizontally. They are to my thinking extremely hideous, ,bnt. opinions' differ widely on this as on all other-questions relating to the dress question' generally. Chenille and straw plaited together is still a' favourite mixture for the foundation oE a toque or bonnet, and sometimes two contrasting shades are used.

Round the crowns of some of the hats we have a full ruche of cog feathers and an aigrette of the same standing at one -side. All hats continue to be profusely trimmed under the brim. In Paris, I am told, it is the fashion just at present for hats to be tilted much off the face by means of a wreath of roses being placed underneath. But; flowers of no description are used on the newest millinery' in London to-day.

If I were to say that everyone is wearing some sort of tie just now, that would perhaps be rather an exaggeration. But I may say that numbers of ladies and girls are, and the kind most liked is in a plaid design. It is knotted rather loosely and carelessly ia a moderate-sizad bow at the throat, and forms a finish either to a blouse or else to a tailor-made, a morning, or a. cycling costume. (

By the way, mentioning the word " tailormade" reminds me, that'this. style of dreas' has become somewhat revolutionised, for whereas a dress of this description used formerly, to be made with a perfectly and tightly-fitting bodice, its bodice now partakes of the nature of the everlasting Russian blouse,* pouching alike at the front, sides, and back. The skirt fits the' hips closely, and so do the sleeves to the arm?, bat that is all, and it is this kind of costume that is now designated " tailor-made." On all sides it is freely stated that flounced skirts will be a regular establishment ere long and that no skirt whatever will be made minus a flounce of some sort. At present the majority of those used are very small and narrow, but one occasionally-does drop acr,oss a skirt having a deep flounce reaching from knees to hem. Another variety is that which partakes of the nature of a triple skirt?, 1 having its flounces cut straight round ot else in Vandyke fashion— this latter, by the way, is, I believe, rather popular in Paris at present. Some skirts are attached to their lining, others are detached, and lome have no lining at all. But these latter are in a great minority. Silk continues to be the favourite lining for skirts, though it wears wretchedly. I have omitted to mention that some flounces merely adorn tho front breadth of a skirt, others go all round in Vandyke style, and others graduate ia width ; in fact, there is endless variety in the -way in which these trimmings are used, and they will before long become much more general than they are to-day, worse luck I Tucks, too, are much in vogue, but generally cannot be too small. . They also are now arranged after' the Vandyke mode, and I greatly feel for the poor dressmaker who bM thus to manipulate her material. * : To sum up, then, I think I am safe in s*y» ing that to be quite at the tip-top of the fashion scale one must wear a costume having the Russian blouse bodice, with a cnedallionjewelled clasped belt, a long fine gold ' jewelled chain round the throat, from which depends a small heart, soft raffles of lace or chiffon at the throat and wrists. ThiA, of

coarse, appließ to an indoor costume, but little else is required to make it apply equally to one for wearing out of doors. — Yours truly, Zkalta.