FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 78

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

CFkom Ocra Own Correspondent.) November 2£>. It may be, perhaps, that the entire ab&Bnce of sleeves from an evening dress, or the mere apology for an arm covering has meant the enlargement and important development of the scarf, which need not now be a straight piece of material a few inches in width; even the plainest of them are about a yard in width, and they are made of all kinds of transparent and silky material. The majority are heavily fringed at the edges, and whether the fringe will be of silk or 'bugles depends upon the embroidery wbich decorates the scarf. Some have a foundation of the finest tulle, laden with dainty patterns in bugles and beads, or in silk embroidery, that one wonders how the foundation can possibly keep together with its massive pattern to support. Stronger are these* of Kussian net worked with coloured silk, by hand; stronger still are these cf crepe de chine or cashmere de soie, edged ail round with fringe of silk, embroidered at the ends, and made shapely about th© shoulders like a shawl. Crepe, de chine evening scarves of orea.m may be sprinkled with beads of gold or silver or crystal, and edged all round with a band of satin ribbon or tinsel cloth, in gold or silver. 01 firmer material still is the vary wide draping scarf which is wide enough to extend from the back of the neck to below the waistline, and to T>ass over the arms like a massive shawl, ending with stole fronts handsomely embroidered'; there may be an edging all round of some kind of fur or marabout. Its newest colourings includii peacock, heliotrope, old gold, apricot, light and dark reseda, old rose, grey—indeed, every known shade, the one chosen being in harmony with the dress. Such a wrap is as good as an evening coak. and the word "scarf" seems hardly capable of describing it. But if the term fails to p-ive much idea of the yard-wide and nearly three-yards-in-leniath wrap, it ccrtanly does not convoy the faintest notion when it is used to describe the form of the Latest burnou "scarf" wrap, which is really a transparent and lon<? evening cloak, cut low in the neck at the back. Its material is generally of crystal-bedewo 1 net. or tulle, outlined with a trimming of gold or silver or a colour: it js like an all-enveloping shawl, long, and pointed at the edsre behind, its V-shane nock at the neck has an outline of gold or silver or colour, and from the point falls a handsome jewelled tassel a,s far as the waist. The material comes in folds over the arms, and tbougrh the front is usualk- open, there is ample room for it to fasten across. The burnou scarf' is one of the latest and most charm iv.tr of theatre or dinner wraps. In .ndditian to the sprinkbner of beads and busks arid hand emb'*oderies on evening scarves, there is a lovelv embellishment consisting of motallicised thread interwoven upon a background of metal net to represent flower's in the colours of autumn folia fire, the warm shades cf rod and bronze being very appropriate Mid cheery of aspect for the dull atmospheric season,. Fur as an will bo seen more and .more, or it will take the form of out.linir.tr the rich arabesque embroidery which is introduced on to eo many cf the scarves as an ornament. —An Extravagant Detail.— From sparkle and transparency—the latter necessitating one dress being worn over another—one . >;;..: • '. •- • . Quito as expensive as til <' -.■■■• ; .;■ ~ i?h re the latent li.inio-shaped roH. r: the n st net. worker! lavishly wiih beiuis and bugles and jjet. In ahape. fc" •.■- i '-,*i Is -c-r.-, down

the middle of the skirt; its bodice is low, cut in sharp point; from the hips it slopes off as a sort of swallow-tail coat, whoso ends reaches to the tip of the trained satin dress beneath; it has sleeves long to the reach to the wrist, fitted plainly into the armhole and clinging- closely to the arm for its entire length. This gorgeous tunic will not icave much change out of sgs; but New Zealand people like to be up to date, and there are many, no doubt, who will treat themselves to one of these embroidered tunic overdresses. There are some which fall loose from the decolletage. but the pattern which takes the form of a swallow-tail fits the figure closely in front. These transparent tunics are of all colours, and the beads upon them tone ,of course, with the dress which is to ..be worn beneath ; cabochons of remarkable size sparkle forth from among- the masses of bead-embroidery and silk floral patterns, buch, naturally, nm into still higher figures. —Beads.— Beads are of all sizes, of numerous shapes, of a remarkably varied range of colouring, of opaque material—including wood, coloured,—or of sparkling crystal, gold, and steel. Handbags of beads have long been liked; some, are made of the most minute beads ever manufactured, others are of barbaric aspect made of massive beads of wood in all colours of the rainbow—just the sort of things that would appeal to the. eye of savage tribes. Many of these bags are important in size, and their dimensions are increased by lonsj hanging fringes of the same beads. Small and neat and compact are the handbags made of tho tiniest steel or gold beads, and attractive are those made of mother-of-pearl-toned beads, intended for evening use. Gold beads and bugles are effective on cream tulle evening dresses, used in moderation with hair-stripe effect, and there are lattice-patterned insertions made of bugles, having the lattice corners marked out by sparkling paste discs. These make very handsome trimmings for evening dresses, provided the use is judicious—one. good thing, the price of this special trimming is ccnidcrable, and this will keep it select. It is net made on to a foundation or net. but the .bugles are threaded in fine string, and the lattice effect is achieved by ihe threader who marks out each corner with a disc of paste. To the eye the result in a mass is very dazzling. ■ —Hat-pins.— Still another use has been found for beads—they are the feature of some of the hat-pins, whose variety seems to multiply week by week until in some shops there are banks and banks of hat-pins piled in wide borders one above the other. When beads enter into the construction, the head of the pin is a great flat disc of moire silk —any colour desired —set into a rim of metal; upon the silk the minutest beads are worked in miniature floral sprays or Watfceau patterns, from the midst of which sparkles a coloured gem or brilliant. Flatness is the mest marked characteristic of the usual hat-pin head, and as a rule the shape is round; its size is as big as a crown piece. Gorgeous affairs are those with a centre stone of colour, set into a lattice-work of small sparkling brilliants; these heads look good—as they ought, for the price is hiffh —and the colour of the central stone ought to be in harmony with the hat; very pretty is the pin with a topaz or an amethyst as its central feature, surrounded by a trellis fence of sparkling brilliants. If a 6incie-piece hat-pin-head rpreferred, then nothing more simple can be found than the flat head of coloured pearl, which is to be seen in every known shading. There are still plenty of hat-pins illustrative of the insect tribe, and there are plenty of people who seem to _1 floe a reptile attached to the sides of their hats, but hunters of the bizarre in hat-pins will easily find what they -require in the latest pattern of all —pins with massive heads made in the form of miniature aeroplanes and airships. A novelty among- trifles is the jewelled or embroidered or frilled buckle, which the P.ariesienne is using to keep her veil secure, that is to keep the ends from escaping- and falling in an untidj- manner. The veil is not tied; it is carefully arranged to be of the required length, and the ends are tucked into slide, bars and eewn into position on the hat, so that when the shape is on the head the veil has only to bo placed over the front, and clasped at the back. A gocd many of these slides are of tortoiseshell. Of course it means that, for a time at least, a certain veil is a permanent attachment to a certain hat; but with coloured veils that is often the way. as a colour can only be worn with a hat to match. —Colours in Handkerchiefs. — Some of the handkerchiefs are striped all over —white and blue, white and purple, white and everything else: others have the white ground covered with spots in colour, set together in clusters, which form squares or diamond shapes or round rinsrs. Then there are handkerchiefs with white centre set into a border of plain colour, narrow in width; among them are to be seen dulltoned greys, various autumn browns, curious soft yellows, and weird ranges of blue. —A French Novelty.— It is recorded that from Paris comes a a. novelty in "sweaters," which has taken the fancy of tho lace and silk-clad lady as well as her sport-loving sister. These jerseys are to be had in wools of the finest make, as well as the heaviest, and in all colours. As a finish there are lapels of a dii'fiVrent colour—the colour of chamois leather, of which, indeed, the facings consist. Cuffs, collar, and pipings of the same material are added, and the fact thai the chamois is a washing material adds to its attractiveness. Many of tho sweaters fasten at one side under the arm, and they are cosy for wearing beneath a light-weight jacket in cold weather. Long woollen coats, loose-fitting, are found useful as well as wiarm; tbe'v are, |however. intended primarily for the golfer or the hockeyplayer. There are small crochet cravats to be worn under a jacket; they come closely round the neck and fasten down the front with pearl buttons; they are really chest protectors in a small type, but they make a bright little touch about the throat, showing above the revers of a tailor-made ooat.