ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 52

ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Dear Emmelme,— ■ Hera we are in the middle of February, and bright and pretty clothes are beginning to appear. In Paris there' is quite a rage for tulle hats and toques, decked \yitb. flowers or feather 3. But these confections do not lend themselves readily to home fingers, as the swathed turban-like folds must do arranged with experienced manipulation. If the home fingen^je clever, these airy toques .are not so veiye^ensive aa some think, -for they are arranged over a finely-wired form, which will accommodate any number of fresh coverings, and, of course, the expense of the tulle lies in its ephemeral qualities. Heci

you will see two Paris models drawn for you, on» is of white tulle, and two eagle's feathers of black tulle, pailletted with jet, are brought round it, crossing in front. The other is of black tulle, trimmed with camellias, pink and

" white, upstanding in their own foliage. TJn- . doubtedly these tulle toques prove wonder- ' fully becoming frames foi pretty faces, as the tulle is so soft. "And speaking of black " and white reminds me if only some people ' would affect these colourg (or non-colours) ~ more thaD they do, wo 1 should see fewer illclad folk. As it is, pale girls habitually make their faces still more ashy palo by wearing azure blue, 'florid girls deepen their red cheeks ' hy affecting pink or cerise. Short, dumpy people trim their gowns with horizontal lines, and then wonder why they resemble a hooped barrel, and girls with very largo nosea dreß3 their hair flat behind. Why dosp't common sense toll them all to do the othei thing? Moreover, if we are devoid of common sense, ■why don't we cultivate it? If only the generality of people wera a little vainer ! To me tho woman who dresses her hah without the use of tho hand-mirror is an enigma.

Surely it is every woman's bounden duty to make tho best of herself ! I think, perhaps, I had better talk about fashions, and toll you -for a certainty that bright colours will be •well worn this spring, but that hats wi'J generally tako ft neutral tint. Millinery, as proved by tho very best modistes, is admirable, but .second-rate millinery is a terrible thing, and unless you can afford to have the best flowers and trimming, 'twere wiser to wear a plain sailor hat. A great fashion writoi tells us that undoubtedly the most beautiful hat ever created ia the Gainsboro' or Sir Joshua Reynolde's stylo of headgear. This class of hat, with its lovely curves and linea and soft rich plume 3. can never fail to be at least lady-like as well as picturesque. Poised at the exact angle on soft, waving tresses,

carelessly, hut most artistically, arranged, and accompanied by a girlish or dignified beauty, tho effect is perfect : but crammed down on to the brain with no sign of curling locks, and wedded to an acrid-looking nose and mouth, the " Gainsborough " hat loses all its charm.

School girls have once more begun their daily walks to and fro, and the two dresses pictured her© strike me as being suitable to their wants. So often mothers think anything is good enough for their 12 or 14 year old daughters, with the result that the girls grow up with no care for theii dress, as they nevei havo anything nice to emulate it. My smaller girl wears a. gown of cloth in two shades. The skirt is trimmed by a strapping cut on the bias and laid on undulatirigly. The smartly-cut little coat is trimmed in the same way. The other dress is of grey cloth, the skirt trimmed with three little stitched flounces nearly flat. The prettily-shaped revers are of grey velvet, borderd by a kilting of white taffeta silk, and the little guimpe or vest is of white taffeta, pleated across. The hat is of grey felt, trimmed with choux of white taffeta, hemmed with black velvet.

I think my last picture showß you the tendency of fashion very well, for black tulle or black velvet finds a place on nearly all

the smartest evening gowns of the moment, and lace is universal. This dress is of white silver paillet'ted tulle (it is marvellous how long the sequin reigns), and is draped across a deep pleated flounce of the same material, caught by a garland of geraniums at, the side. The habit coat is of guipure over white 3atm, the decolletage bordered by black tulle, and this in choux forms sleeves centred by diamond brooches. If you compare this Isodt with the frocks we wore a couple of venrs J ago you will see the enormous difference. What should we have said then of a swal'ow- ! tailed coat of lace, or of a skirt draped '• across? Where, too, are the bouft'ante leg-of-mutton sleeves of yesteryear? Quito gone, ' and everything is close and neat ; our arms • once more show their outline, and as for our skirts, they are positively sheath-like. Bodices, especially those that are tailor-built, show a great inclination to cross over in front, either in a pointed tab or double-breasted at the bust, dwindling to less than nothing at the waiat. where an under-bodiee will often appear of lace, filling up the consequential inverted V. All bodices are also inclined to appear as part o£ the over-skirt or tunic, ending only a few inches from the feet in front, and raified'slightly higher at the back. Finally, ' during the next few weeks we shall be able to wntch Madame La Mode at sport and play, coquettishly essaying the variod styles of her imagination, and gradually making up her, I fear, fickle mind as to the future modes. — Yours truly, COQUETTE.