FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 73

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

(Fnoii Ona Own Correspondent.) September 11. This week the word "Paris" will probably appear frequently, for in London the fashion world U almost at a standstill, while from the French metropolis the correspondents who have ben privileged to a peep behind the ecenes, write long letters giving some idea of what is in store for us during the winter months. — "'Jumpers." — , The period approaches when New Zea-. landers will welcome cotton "junipers" — m London we want them no more, though there is every likelihood that in thick woollens they will remain favourites. The name is that lately applied to the all-in-one piece dress, belted in at the waist, the whole thing slips over the head, is buttoned up the back of the bodice, and the wearer is dressed. All the thin unlined dresses have been made on the same prin- ; ciple all through the summer; all have been i without lining; many have had the waist line of Empire height, but now the waistline has descended to its proper position, for which change everyone is full of gratitude. There are very dainty "jumpers" made of pretty light voiles, Wvith skirt set into stitched kilts, with bodico prettily draped or crossed, 'and with attached waistbelt. A great many are without yoke or sleeves, the idea being that various sets of guimpes may be worn alternately and give variety. For house frocks these are sure to be in request ali through the winter, while 1 for useful wear 'there is no reason why the style should not be ojurie-d put in serge and cloth. New Zeaianders. however, will want cottons and muslins and linens — at least, one hopes they will n<*ed them; here we could quite well have done without anything light and airy save for about three weeks, spi-ead over as many months at wide intervals. There has loeen no real summer weather this year. , —From the French Capital. — Now for some advance notes from Paris, as supplied by writers on the spot: Everyi -thing is going- to .be Ha elaborate as posI sible, but with a prevalent note of simpliI city, for the elaboration of rich decoratne ' effect is to express "itself in one bold cm- ' phasis or in a well-managed surprise. The i contrast of velvet with every fabric is*a . good one, and it is used in the f,orm of a ; "very deep "hem on 6. dress of heavy orjen jiet, rather of the type knowai as Russian, J net some years ago: In conjunction withsuch a velvet-hemmed skirt will be worn a } Russian blouse of velvet, faultlessly cut and ' fastened with a richly-jewelled clasp at the 1 waist, or slightly below the waist. >The re- .' moval of the blouse coat reveals the fact 1 that a perfectly-cut Princess robe of net is ' worn" beneath it, merely applied with velvet at the hem ; the bodice is massed wtih soutache embroidery or with the rolled work j known as macaroni. j A favourite rmteiial with some of the | ! best French designers seems to be coaree , I saokinc, of which ni-ns' dresses are made, j and this accentuates what -is described as ! ths mediseval tendency, which is the chief , influence under vhich designers are now at f work. This sacking material is called burc, and ii used for outdoor dresses and for tailor ■ suits; in finer w>is>hts and weaves, it is , combined with \elvet in the construction of j 1-atlTU 1 attractive house dresses. Zibohne . effects aie also favoured, nn.d some tasteful 1 morlels are recorded ac having l<een made ; ' of these. In comparison wiiW !!•» robes col- j i lantes we shall ta.ke some little rin:c- to grow accustomed to the almost extra\<t?ant ful1 ness to which dressmakers arc beginning to treat us. — Draped Skirts. — Slowly perhaps, but with certainty, are draped "skirts coming into fashion, and preI eently we shall be involved in swirling dra- I [ peries and entangled in intricate, folds before we have had time to realise that the close fittt'nc Empire and Dir#rto»re skirts are jio more; there is a likelihod that the I straight, narrow gowns- will be altogether I superseded by skirts of quite ample <proporj tions. Skirts oi afternoon dresses show a decided tendency to effects', but the arrangement nf zhn material is so manipulated as to give the long line of an attractive figure. After a pericd of high waistlines we are to returfi to the other extreme, which makes the waist appear lower than its proper position. Materials *vill be costly, and rich damask effects' on silk, and a return to brocade-s in souplo silk and satins aye an established foci. Worths have boen showing 1 a wonderful fabric that resembled a canvas in ils heaviness; it was patterned witn a desipn 60 exquisitely arranged that :t: t -'iiied to be a marvellously worked hand-omtroidereH tapestry, like the needlework of the days of Madame de Pomplldour. Th's beautiful embroidery woven with tiny gold and coloured beads, was machine-made, and it gave v wonderful effect when veiling a bricrbt-coloured satin damask indoor robe. Moire lame, ottoman yelour, and all kinds of silks. lameoe, with erold and silver, intended alike for gowns, hat trimminors. and coat severs, indicate a return to richness of material and decorative effects which have not been known for several years. — Embroideries and Trimminff*. — One correspondent observes: '* Tt is impossible to say too much about the splendours of the embroideries ee^n here (Paris). Designers are literally revelling in wonderful colourin<r. in rare combinations. Many modern pmbroidery workers are copying wonderful antique models, and have their silks or linon threads dyed to the tone of old designs. Although modistes declare lhat it is to be a quiet year there is some tiling underlying this e:\piession, for the quiet tone of the season is embellished, and serves merely to throw into- relief the superb j contrasts to be seen in some of the excluI =;i ve Paris houses, whose models are not • exhibited at aIL Some sombre contrasts as | brown and cense, wrought the one into, the 1 other with a taste and skill beyond all praise aie- to be observed '•The manner in which they are handling drapery suggests rather the JEEeunan, tntra^

for I can. describe th« draping of gowns only by saying that the skirt is cut somewhat lonjj in front, it is slightly raised in order to give amplitude to the folds, and then it is swung round the figure and suddenly caught in a manner that ie botha surprise and- a delight. There is, for instance, . a full round cloak * which re« sembles the mantle worn, by officers in. -Italy, and fh© fine drap souple which " composes it is lather like the material used for that mantle. Once more the form of draping takes its hint from the Roman toga, for the immensely wide loose folds of the cloak are merely swung round the figure from right to left, and caught just " below the collar . These cloaoks in white, brown, cream,' gold, or ;n; n any of the pale pastel tones, 'are really beautiful and they have the cachet of rare simplicity,' besides pleasing the- public in thatr the-y, differ entirely from the tight and ' closely wrapped models that have been' worn of late" " ... - - • ' On light cloth dresses there is apparently - Ito be much decorative work. There * are - Indian shawl designs in soft . drap cachemire, and as an edging to such eha-wl-dresses there will be iong silk and -cord fringes. It . seems that black '.satin, is as smart as evar as trimming, for almost any, material. -Applied to coats it farms long-," tapering- revere, which end four inches or. so below the normal waist. g — Sparkle — . In Paris the autumn will be an age of gold, and dressmakers and milliners -are doing their best to make the appearance a reality. They are- putting gold on all their models, but care is being used in its application. The fashionable tint now is gojc| of iridescent colours, from the dark oxydised metal to the faintly tinted greenyellow burnished metal. • The bright and dazzling tones of yellow-gold are not 'Seen. . Paeeemsnfisries; wings, and tissues will be turned to this latest note in the scale of fashion. There are shot effects in these metallic combinations, and black tints reflect from the- brightness of it all. : The Tiew souple thin tissue is light'enough tc make full crowns to the fashionable hats, it also composes the new long draped' muffs that ' correspond with ' tho hats, and they are lined vith fur — the fur-lined motallie-uovered mujl' is a distinct novelty. The outside of it is draped and forms a pocket caught up by gold bufctdns and is made to open and to hold a number oftrifles, without which come " women lost. ■ ' La.oe trimmings are always in Favour, and Brussels lace "never eeems to los^ its position froai the head of the list, whether as tun-c or as flouncing on the ekirt, or as sleeves and drapery for the bodice. Honiton is next liked, and when it is fine in make it drapes beautifully. Numbers of blouses 'in white liet and lace, and ' also in" fine . lawn und muslin, elaborately tiimmed artd finely nmbroide.red by hand will still be worn, and so will those made of. filet net whose pattern is worked with. silk. Silk lilet riots, -make very, affective trimmings, whether ofcreair-. white, black, or multi-coloured patterning. Larj;e rosettes ■<{- corded taffetas are used' on pannier and draped skirts' to hoid together the drapings. ' —Odds and Ends. — B-6°eade is a favourite material' for the dinner gown, but soft satin still holds its \ own, and- in delicate colours it looks well against the- deep rich walls and old furniture of English" houses. All dinner gowns are made with long, sweeping trains, and there is little skirt trimming compared with i the bodices, which are generously decorated with 'lace, embroideries, or glittering: dewI ?prinkled net. i There is much demand for bugled trimmings, and fringes of these beads, in colours, are placed all down the back o£ the arm of long-sleeved at-nbme dresses. Veiled effects are still frequently to~ be seen, a loose overdress of transparent silky I fabric- covering- completely an underdress ! i of satin, which is worked with embroidered ' punols, tho handwork showing mysteriously ! and softly through the net, or gauze, or I chiffon ov'erdiass. The Feter Pan collar* is appealing to youthful wearers, bufc as the weather is so chilly there ia generally a stand-up collar worn with it, and the- combination is a happy one on an otherwise simple . bjouse of silk or satin. Among the prettiest of the turn down variety are those cut in leaf-Hire sections, each edged with a very narrow frill of Nottingham lace, i Jet beads of all sizes are still strung ioi gother by milliners and used for hai and toque lrimming, v but newer than bjafck jet ' beads aj-e those of iridescent .cgtourinjg, -they are dacicledly effective, and run ,ch*efly • on tones of reddish-bronze. The : came > colouring tints are to be found on jetted net for dress trimmings. - > New hatpin heads resemble twisted bahs of gold and string. Enamelled medallions, set in strass aid coloured stones are also effective, while coloured Hies; with bronze 1 metallic vings outspread have quite lately been shown among late novelties, rhere are plenty of hat-pins with heads of tortoise1 shell veined and dotted with gold All the hat-brims now seem to be characterissd by the brim which cturls up oufcward and so relieves the face of tha wearer, as well as the back of the head. Curled up brims are noticeable in the broad flop hats of soft straw which appear to have no stiffness in them. 1 There are many hats of shaprgy whi«,e felt and beaver that, are simply b&nded with black wM. Rough ? . lk-fel te are goinn- .o be fashionable, whie there are also many examples in long-haired plnsn and velvet. There are plenty of shapes^ covered with black silk, as there are others covered with black satin. Shoes are shown in all shades of brown or cream ; they have not very hjcrh heels and they aiv made of the finest and lightest; kid «oft as that ased for gloves. Brown kid' and black patent-leather combine to make a smart boot.