FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3015, 27 December 1911, Page 73

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Odb Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 10. —Liberty With Restrictions.— It is- true that restrictions of modern dress are many, and that some of them are tiresome —notably as to the quantity of material allowed. There is nothing froufrou about the finished! gown, yet we cannot reasonably complain of lack of variety. The "line" apparently :is severe* and the finished flimsy dress without lining and almost boneless seems to be a mere wisp of transparencies when in the hand, yet it is impossible to murmur anything about lack of variety in the result. Conformity to certain rules still leaves considerable license as to style. So much so that while one evening dress may be remarkable for its demure simplicity, its neighbour will be conspicuous by reason of the multiplicity of the colour-contract effects, its unusual drapings, and - the apparently lavish amount of fabric that has "been employed to attain certain ■ effet. This last feature is, however, only apparent and! not real, and the impression is due to the presence of picturesque driapings and swatheries, wrapped round the figure and looped up in original manner to permit sundry peeps at under-dresses and panels. Some sort of double dress is the feature of the majority of evening styles, and the tunio continues to be responsible for a vast amount of the variation that characterises the finished gown. But no tunic-maker can be accused of employing an inch more material-width than absolutely necessary. Despite liberal treatment in the matter of shape, "line" must always have first consideration. Trains? Certainly, "we may have a train if we like, and most people will like, who do not care much about the dance. But the train is not the ample affair it used to be. It is a sinuous wisp of material which _ occurs at one side and is probably split in two _ halves to display a liningcontrast ; it is not cut with any idea of flowing graefuly—rather dce-5 it seem to make it its mission to get entangled

round the feet and ankles, The alternative is the panel train, separate from the dress, deriving its source from a panel back which usually starts above the waistline; but tiiere are occasions when it is the outcome of a pair of small revers that first a_ppoar as bodice decoration in front, continuing over the shoulders and forming th« entire back of the gown, falling as a separate and broad panel from the waistline, ■wholly unconnected with the dress itself both as regards colour and fabric. The panel train, which is accommodating in that it can be picked up and carried over the arm, is very often made of a lovely silk velvet or of velvet embossed ninon or of metallic-woven gauze. Sleeves allow considerable license, yet they must be kept close to the arm, andj for the most part they should still be Out in one with the bodice or its draperies or its yoke. The seamed-in sleeve is still somewhat of a rarity. Fichus are a distinct leatuxe on the horizon, but their dimensions are limited'. If by chance any one fichu happens to contain more than the average quantity of stuff its piresenoe is resented, and opinion is expressed that it looks clumsy. The fichu must be made of a minimum . of stuff, yet it must strike a happy medium between skimpiness and excess. The fichu is draped on the perfectly plain Magyar blouse, and considerably relieves the exceeding stiffness of that style; and a colourcontrast is encouraged. For instance, a Magyar blouse of white satin of the utmost severity had a fichu, out square-fronted, of dark blue ninon, and the same dark tone turned itself back on the white sleeves in the form of cuffs. A blouse of crimson mousseline, beautifully tuoked, had the sleeves all in one with itself, but the front was cut out in <a deep V-shape and filled up wit& that extremely fine white net, whose pr«,«ence is always difficult to detect. This was outlined with a. graceful fichu of cream net edged with Malines lace, the whole ending-. about the middle of tihe corsage. About ruches and frillings and flounces we hear much, but all these forms of decoration are made of a minimum of stuff. The lace flounces that ornament a good many skirtg are practically devoid of fulness/ vet they are always called flounces. Ruchings of frayed taffetas are quite usual to border the edge of the walking skirt, and the fichu draperies of the bodice; but they must not ba clumsily constructed. We hear lots and lots about sashes, and we instantly conjure up a picture of the old-time wide sash silk of five yards in length tied in two generous bows at the back, and having two long ends floating away to the hem. But the_ modern sash i? nothing of the kind. It is practically a waistbelt, made .of satin ribbon in folds, • and is seldom deeper than three inches. It is finished behind with two flat ends, one falling on top of the other, one being only a trifle longer than the other. These ends may derive their source from a very small bow Sewn to the belt, or, more usually, from a loop that stands high above the waistline. The alternative is the sash with" one long end upon which is posed a single long bow-loop attached to the belt by a big satin-covered button or by a cluster of smaller buttons forming a kind of boss. Four inches will probably be the width of this "sash," whioh sometimes is attached to the middle of the belt behind, and is sometimes made to fall at one side or the back or at one side of the front, thß end or end 3 being finished with a row of satin-covered balls dangling from silk strands. Thj> colours are, of course, many and rich; the ribbon chiefly used is of the softest satin, and the belt with ends is an attractive detail which < does much to smarten up a demurely simple frock. But it seems a misnomer to describe it as 4' "easii,." These examples are just a few of the restrictions characteristic of the moment. On no account are we to look bunchy or thick. The slender line must have its own way. —Without Restriction. — • No one having an evening dre?s made can grumb'le because elhe has to decide oh a decolletage that is square or round. She can choose any shape she likes, for squares and points' and rounds are all available, and there is no rule as to the outline. But there is one as to the depth, and some people will doubtless be shecked at the extreme lowneas in the out of' the bodice. If the V-shape happens to be chosen, it will display the back all the- way to the waist behind, and very nearly as low in front. The gap requires a certain amount of filling in, of course, but as flesh-tint is preferred for this duty the finished' result looks uncommonly like the bare skin, for a film of flesh-tinted tulle on flesh-tinted thin silk stretched across the back is soarcely perceptible a few yards away; tfhe filled-in part, of, course, describes a square. The rounded decolletage, too, is capable of following a very deep curve back and front, and it ia always out as low as decency will allow,

•while if the wearer wants it to be lower there has again to be an inset of lace or flesh-tinted tulle, bordered with a string of pearls or crystals or gold beads. The beauty specialists are promised a busy time iii getting into the pink of condition the back that is perhaps too scraggy or the shoulders that may be too red. Special treatment has been devised to ensure a satin-Hue texture to the neck, shoulders, and back. Some of the evening bodices are draped under arms straight across the figure, following a straight line all round the figure. This pattern leaves the arms and shoulders without a vestige of covering until a draping fichu of the most beautiful lace or the most filmy net or the finest metallic lace covers up the shoulders with its gracefully-arranged pleats. Asain, the bodice, which follows the one-sided line from one shoulder to the opposite side of the waist, provides ample scope for _an apparently very much decollete bodice, especially when that half relies upon some pale pink or cream tulle for its existence. Again, there is another variation of the one-sided drapery, for this, while starting on top of one shoulder is carried right underneath the opposite armpit and then across the back to the other side of the waist, leaving a great expanse to be filled in in front, and an even greater expanse to be filled in at the back. It is easy to grasp the fact that many of the most up-to-date evening dresses rely ■for their chief attraction upon a scheme that is very daring, but one which will have no terrors for the thoroughly up-to-date dresser. A vast deal of delicate pink charmeuse is used for the dress proper,_ and this is cut low in the neck, the outline being_ left to a single string of pearls or brilliants or chiffon flowers, the shoulders being covered with flesh-tinted ninon, which forms the tunic overdress, eventually weighted at the border with beads. Where's the Stage?— People having any bump of locality at all usually know where to look for the theatre stage or the concert platform; but it does not always follow that because they have discovered the proscenium that they can get a glimpse of anyone on the boards. The obstruction is always caused by some feature of the headdress of the lady sitting in front. If it is not the matinee hat it is the evening cap. This ■ latest addition to the evening outfit is a very " fetching " thing made of gold or silver lace, becomingly shaped over a foundation of wire, and, as -a rule, it fits well on to the head without any attempt to tower .upward. It is not the oap itself that causes viewobstruction, but it is the wonderful cluster of waving ospreys? or lyre tails or ostrich plumes attached to this cap at one side or at the back. The plumes are lovely, and the colourings are charming, -while the use is so lavish as to suggest that the cost is a mere nothing. But these thick hedges of plumes completely shut out all view of anyone who happens to be on the stage, and the wearer herself often appears -overweighted and dwarfed by her headdress. The cap of gold lace may be trimmed with a generous bunch of fluffy ospreys in white, black, or pale yellow. The cap of silver is best associated with ospreys of Soft grey, while the Juliet cap of pearls bears its feathery ornament of colour to match the dress, or of white. Less costly than the ospreys, though not less obstructive, are the towering heights of marabout which are the _ alternative to osprey and ostrich, and which spring not only from the fitting cap, but also from the ornamental and barbaric type of hairbandage which glitters and flashes with coloured gems. At the matinee the lady generally takes off her hat, even if she demurs at first on being requested to do so; but, of course, nothing will induce her to remove any obstructing hair-ornament that happens to form part of her evening toilette. Complaints from tfne un-' offending, however, threaten on account of. what may develop into a selfish nuisance. The cap of metallic lace, adjusted to cover the entire coiffure, ia meeting with considerable demand, finished at one side with an unoffening cluster of tiny flowers or berries made of satin. If the hair and head must be covered, then this cap is harm- ] less for the purpose, and certainlv is not i a worry to_ anyone. _ A new headdress is j made »of tailless ermine, and fits right flat on to the head: with two pieces coming well i down over the ear's. Suoh a oap would be outlined with a narrow band of skunk, finished at one side with a tall osprey of white marabout. I Trifling, but Attractive.— The corsage is a feature of day dress as well as of evening dress, the main difference being that the artificial flowers prepared for the evening are formed of satin ribbon, set .into wonderfully-made foliage of green satin ribbon. Sprays provide scope for large-sized flowers. The round bouquets are made of miniature-sized flowers, and those devoted to the rose in j its various stage? of opening and its vari- | ous sizes are far'rrore prominent than any other. Flowers made of velvet and silk include the splendid pointsettia, which does so much to cheer up a dark, evening dress in cheerless weather, the attractive damask rose, the pink and white camellia, and the pure white gardenia. More particularly ! reserved for the daytime are enormous boii- I quets of artificial violets, all. of course. ! scented, encircled with a thick border of green leaves. Some of these bunches are j about the size of a dinner plate, and, while there is _ still a fancy for a mixture of j purple with cerise, the opportunity is taken j to mingle sonw of the red-purple fuchsias with the purple ~ violet. Such a bunch is usually tucked into the fastening of the coat or dress at the left-hand side of the I waist, where the coat is pretty sure to fasten or where the bodice drapery is pretty sure to be directed from the opposite shout- I der. _ The slanting, line is one of the most ■ prominent features in every department of dress. The alternative of the big bouquet of '

violets is something quite new—a buttonholt? made to represent berries. Clusters of the scarlet holly berry, made of satin, are grouped together into a tight little bunch surrounded by very natural-looking holly foliage made of satin in shades of deep green, bronze-green, and green and white. Clusters of berries in white satin or velvet are suggestive of the mistletoe; in dark mauve satin thoy are supposed to represent the sloo and the bilberry, and there are colours which do not suggest the title of any kind of berry; but thoy are very taking, nevertheless, and look very smart worn in the dross or on the coat revur.

Sparkle and Shimmer.—

Literally we can, if we like, glitter and sparkle from the tops of our heads to our feet —not quite the soles, perhaps, but very near them, for heels of evening shoes may be outlined with a row of sparkling gems, while the fronts- of them are, of course,' often very magnificent and elaborate in their display of beads and bugles and sequins. There is not a single item that goes to make up our evening attire that has escaped the attention of the worker in beads. Hair ornaments reflect colourings that sparkle. Scarves and scarf draperies owe much of {heir charm to beadwork applications; tunics, if not elaborately embroidered in beads and jewels, are weighted by fringes of them. It is true that much of the glittering embroidery is softened by veiling; but its presence is unmistakably noticeable. Many many yards of ninon and chiffon to be used for flounces which are draped round the figure in winding lines have one handsome border -flittering and shimmering with iridescent discs. Berthelike adornments of the finest net worked with crystals in bugles and beads and outlined with a fringe of similar beads, are quite new. The whole thing is slipped over the head. It rests on the shoulders and falls easily midway to the waist back and front, while over the arms it droops considerably in length, .forming a dainty top to a princess evening dress of satin charmeuse made with or without any tunic. New. too, in the beaded line are Tittle jackets of the meet filmy net tastefully worked with bead designs. These are shortwaisted " little nothings " finished with the semblance to a basque, belted with a girdle of beads, cut with necks that are round, and given sleeves that are made in one with the jacket, and ending above the elbow. The bugled bolero is a novelty, too. Net again, is its- foundation, and lines of bugles in thick milky-white or black are closely set to form stripes across the figure. Colour relief is imparted by an embroidery in filoselle or fine wool, forming a floral pattern below the rounded decolletage. Simplicity of effect is the usual characteristic of beaded things, although it may perhaps be difficult to grasp this fact. Care must, of course, be taken to carry out designs that are light, and to apply these designs to net eo fine or to ninon so cobwebby that the foundation is scarcely visible when the tunic is placed over its underdress of satin or velvet. Gorgeous in their way are the broad bands of insertion on net or metallic lace that are smothered with shimmering beads; but these are never allowed to be obtrusive, as a veiling is used as a softening influence. Dewdropped ohiffong are obtainable in all colours; dewdrops sparkle from amid the petals of flowerj that form the evening garnitures. One firm in Bond street is making a specialty of dog collars formed of beads in steel and jet kept in position with slides of brilliants. These are for the daytime, and they make an attractive finish above a coat or showing slightly when the fur stole is opened at the throat. Some of the collars are altogether of the tiniest beads in steel, row, upon row of them, with festoons looped up at intervals restjng below the throat. Others are of similar design carried out entirely in glittering jet, and some are made of alternate rows of black and steel. Bands of black velvet to finish a bare throat have as a centre ornament a buckle or slide made of very tiny steel beads, and other velvet bands with rabat ends are worked with steel beads and edged with a fringe of the same. —Quite the Latest. —■

The Princess petticoat of soft white silkis a dainty thing for the evening. It finishes across the bust and under the arms, shoulder straps of narrow ribbon keeping back and front together. A silk embroidery hand worked makes a pretty finish to the front, and an embroidered flounce firmly kilted finishes the hem. Its rival is the Princess petticoat of spotted net trimmed with lace and threaded with coloured ribbon. An all-over open lace, too, makes up very prettily, but both these transparencies require to be worn over a petticoat that is not so open. One of the most useful trifles of modern dress is the silk knitted muffler which is so useful as a protection from cold, and helps to keep clean the light dress collar which soon gets grimy when it is rubbed by a coat. The smartest of the mufflers are those fastening in front with a few pearl buttons, but perhaps the most sensible are those made on the chest-protec-tor principle, fastening at the back of the neck" White or cream have the preference, but mufflers of colours are in demand too, matching the costume. Woollen hoods and caps are in great request; some of them are of blanket wool, and are so roomy that the whole head is buried and the ears covered. Continuing lapels falling down the front can be used to muffle the throat; these hoods are much wanted by motorists, and the colours of some are quite pretty. Knitted caps are useful, and they are much worn; tut the girl who makes her own seems to be preferring the "Baddy" shape with its rather tall crown tapering off in a peak; the "trimming" is a band of knitted wool in a colour contrast to' the hat itself. Cushions" are no longer the plain old

| square shapes that they were, plainly covered. They are round in shape or oblong, and they are made of flat gathcr- | ings of pieoe-silk with piping cords of silk j a couple of inches apart from one another. j They are filled with the softest down, and are altogether sumptuous additions to the J lounge and drawing room. Very new are those which have a picture panel inlet. The Intaglio printed panel which is so suitable for the purpose is carried out in colours exactly copying a famous picture, and the printing is so wonderful that the panel looks to be hand-pointed'.' A painted panel of velvet, too, makes a handsome centrepiece for a cushion, and there is quito a run on grey effects. A winter scene in white and dark grey painted on to grey velvet is inset into the cushion of gathered Sfrey silk; a view in white and black, o£ the "Backs" at Cambridge is extremely effective painted on to a piece of grey velvet, mounted subsequently into its frame of g r ey eilk. Soft colour effects of this description are being preferred' to brighten cushions. Beads are everywhere, so, of course, thoy have to be found a place on the ornamental cushion. On© design of fuchsias and leaves on a back of crimson velvet had the flower petals worked in coloured beads and the rest of the design carried out in silks of the required shade's. The effect "was good, but the beads would be rather uncomfortable at'times. Worn as a chest-protector, the wide fur stole is a sensible wrap. The middle of the ©tele is found; then the wrap is carried across the chest, passing .under the arms. At the back of the shoulder it is thrown over the top of the arms, and the ends finally fall in front as two stoles. Considerably more good is derived from thia method of arrangement than by wearing the long fur stole simply falling from the neck in the ordinary way, and the appearance is infinitely smarter. Evening shoes of metallic tissue are very usual, and the fabric seems to be slightly stouter than previously. This effect'may be due partly to the small diaper patterning that characterises a good deal of it, and in such design colour is woven with gold. *rom the toepieoe of many an evening shoe beads sparkle forth, and so do sequins following the course of a suitable pattern. From the slim toe to the top of the shoe lines of embroidery are carried out in sequins, beads, brilliants, and silk. It is noted that in shape dancing shoes are long and pointed, reminiscent of the Elizabethan period, there are slashings at the side, and wide 'ribbon just under the instep provide the fastening. Black shoes have heels of scarlet; scarlet shoes are worked with jet and have black heels. Ih«re seems a tendency to raise considerably the height of heels of danoing shoes and to outline them with a slender line of glitter. There are shoes of blue satin, and others of soft rose pink, studded with crystals, the scheme being designed to go "with « special dress. Many of the shoes' of white satin and white moire are sown with beads and sequins of silver or gold or colour. Evening shoes are cut with a a long toepiece. Useful walking shoes seem to be shorter in the vamp than previously, and as much space as possible is given to the suede or velvet of colourcontrast that provides -the upper part. Usually "ardoise" grey makes one think of slate-grey. But the "ardoise" of thi3 season certainly has a dash of amethyst. It is a pretty shade, and as it is made in every kind of material it is obtainable for. evening and day wear. "Gorge de pigeon" or dove-neck grey in shot effects is soft and attractive, and it makes a more useful coat lining than white.

Now that waists are • getting to their normal position, there are whispers of the "hourglass" and the "wasp," but there is no need--for any more squeezing of the figure than when the waist is depicted as under the armpits. . By many of the newest coats the figure is more clearly defined than it has previously been, and the waist is given its right position. One of the smartest coats fitting the figure easily, yet truly, is given a high military collar round the neck, and one falling rever to finish the front. The one-sided net frill has developed, for its centre band has widened out to such an extent in the middle that it has become quite an important rever. The association is not particularly pleasing, but it is new.

There are some smart "chokers" to be worn round the throat, consisting of a ruchmg of silk or net or velvet banded in the middle with coloured ribbon; it can be worn becomingly by the army of longnecked girls and women, numbering many thousands in London alone. Sleeve ruffles somewhat similar finish the sleoves, whether of coat or dress.

Fable jewellery is a novelty. So far I have seen the idea applied only to brooches. Upon a bar of gold is a diamond hare full of flight; from the bar depends an inch-length of chain, and dangling at the end of this is a diamond tortoise. .The centre piece of another narrow bar is a splendidly-jewelled spider, at the bottom of the chain is a gemmed fly. These are only two examples of many. Outside the pale of the fable idea is the design of a diamond monkey on the bar, with another monkey at the end of the chain, slung by one hand. Two parrots in diamonds, carried out similarly, add to the list.