ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 52

ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Dear Emmeline, — I shall never understand why the average Englishwoman is stupidity and clumsiness itself, compared with the deftness and grace of her Frenoh sister, in the matter of holding up her skirts from the mud. Last Sunday I sat watching the crowds of emart folk, and the reverse, walking under the trees in the Park after church, and noticed that not one in 50 held up her skirts daintily or with any utility. The manner most in evidence was merely to hold the centre of the back of the skirt to one side, showing the petticoat, and thence letting this part, and necessarily the longest part of the skirt, trail on the ground. Watch any Frenohwo<man, from a grisette to a countess, trip across the Rue de Rivoli or the Rue de la Paix, and you will see a very different mode. Either sh« will hold her dres3 tightly round her with one hand plaoed low on the skirt, so as to enable her to raise it well out of the mud, as does the lady of my third sketch; or she will take both, hands, raising the skirt either side, showing a. flutter of frills and a certain amount of ankle and neatly-shod feet, but in any case 'keeping the gown quite free from mud or dust. Several women in the' Park made no attempt to raise their skirts whatever, and let them trail after them on 'the dusty ground, and is it not a horrible idea to think of one's dainty garments sweeping through London, dust, when one thinks of what that dust is composed? A gaping placket hole was another feature several times seen. The style of hat I have drawn in my first sketch is one ol the most fashionable just now, and several I saw worn in the Park suited their wearers well. Usually, these hats are of fine sunburnt straw, either with or without quillings of chiffon inside tho brim, roses or hydrangeas forming the floral decoration, and a tulle scarf tied from the back in a broad bow under the chin. This scarf

must, be the full width of the tulle, or it does not look well, and, alas ! fresh tulle is needed after every few times of wearing. Hydrangeas and roses are quite the favourite flowers worn, and yesterday, in "Earl's Court Exhibition, whioh is more than usually interesting this season, I saw one of the same ehoped hats as that of my sketch, trimmed only with tiny red and pink roses under and above the brim, and white tulle strings on the sunburnt straw. It was so pretty. The dresses I liked in the Park, and chiefly noted, down in my mind to tell you of, were a black voile over black silk, with a -very broad insertion of creamy guipure lace laid on straight down the front from neck to hem, a broad piece laid across the top as a yoke Through either edge this insertion was run with narrow black velvet ribbon, tied in small bows at interval". Another very pretty gown was the one sketched here, of my favourite foulard silk. But this frock, instead of being in blub and white, was of bright scarlet with a white pattern, the little ruches red chiffon, ! and the vest of tucked white chiffon. You ', will see the tunic takes rather new lines, but of course the little upper one is only simulated, , and the lower one can be by the little ruching being sewn on to a band of the silk laid on. There was a touch of red mirror velvet at tho waist and also on the white hat, which ■was trimmed with la\ge white and pearl grey ehaded wings and chiffon. I caught sight of silken fringe' trimming many frocks, and cutout work others. One, of palest mastic cloth had a deep border of this embroidery, Bhcwing tho very faintest tint of mauve silk beneath, and this dre?s, though seemingly cut en princesse, really bore a very narrow stitched band of the cloth round the waist. The sunshade fashionable is beginning to assert its presence, but this year it is a priceless thing, for though lined oftenest with puffed chiffon, the edge is either left plain or the silk is

striped or patterned, appliqued with lace, or painted with flower garlands. An all-lace , paarsol is moßt modish, but beyond the puria '

of most-w omen, especially if she needs several parasols. There ia quite a. little furore in favour of capes, those of pale grey or biscuit colour obtaining the greatest amount of favour. And very pretty these are, cut just below the waist . at the back and sloping slightly up in frons. " I have seen several, each of which I should have liked to make my own. The one I ha,v« '<- sketched was espeoially charming, of very pale biecuit-coloured, smooth, shiny cloth. Thia" bore two or three, I am not certain whioh, in>~~ sertions of cut-out work, the edge sewn with.", narrowest cord, and showing through the in?" terstices white satin beneath. The hem, cjF" the cape was frilled with white silk muafiifif, „ doubly beaded, and frilled on itself again With -a narrower frill of chiffon, with a soft, fussy

effect, over an under frill of pinked-out white glace! with which the cape was lined. The high collar was a mass of foamy frills inside, and outside a scarf of chiffon was passed, tying and hanging with long frilled ends io front. — Yours truly, COQUETTE.