FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3034, 8 May 1912, Page 65

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Oriß Own Correspondent.) March 23. —Are We Ungrateful?— In some respects, perhaps we are. But it is always the same; at the beginning of every season we ero shown such a wealth of new ideas and experiments that the result is jumble and confusion. Anything absolutely novel is bound to be diametrically opposed' to anything wc have lately had* This is the case now. If the dressmakers and fashion designers have their own way there will be an utter

abandonment of "line"; also if they suoceed in dressing us according to their own ideas wse shall hear no more woeful complaints from material manufacturers and their employees, for the dressmakers have planned to bunch us out in full panniers, looped up all in the region of the hips, the alternative being a hanging-over bunchiness j extending round the skirts midway in their length, the fulness gathered on to a piping cord, and the corners of this fulled overdress being finally turned back to form full envelope points, the underskirt being ' either plain or a little kilted. Dressmakers are getting extremely liberal with their flounces and their thick frayed ruches, their bouillonnes, and their flatly-kilted trimmings. Wrap coats of taffetas are occasionally nothing but flounces —a set of four overlapping one another to form' a fichu cape about the shoulders and the figure, : another set of four forming the lower half of the 6kirt portion put on in graduated manner suited to the outline of the cutaway fronts. Sleeves of these are often very voluminous, and are finished at the wrists by a couple of kilted flounces banded jin with velvet straps. Polonaise draperies 1 and pannier loopings demand a foundation; hence we shall presently find ourselves wearing skirts onee again that are lined. Looping-s and drapings must be attached to something firm underneath, and the foundation will immediately become indis-;-pensable—no doubt adding considerably to ! the already high price of the modern* | gown. j Width about the foot of skirts is noticej able, too—that is, the costume skirts made ! of silk and satin, not the tailor-made,—and many and many are the skirts finished round the hem with a finely kilted little j flounce, or a flounce which is simply j gathered on and has a band of ribbon vel-

vet set below the little heading. Generous gathering in round the waist is quite a usual feature, and now that taffetas is the most used material' for every kind of garment we seem all at onee to have returned to ancient times to obtain the most modern styles. It is regrettable to notice that a more ample allowance of material has not altogether brought about the disappearance of the Directoire influence, for there are quite a number of smart gowns which have tho foot of the skirt cut open to show one ankle, while at Auteuil last Sunday quite a mild sensation was created by -the appearance of the Tallien costume, whose name is a survival of a famous Directoire beauty. We are told that tho feature of this new costume was a skirt slit right up the side well above the knee. Thoro is some talk that the Directoire stocking, made of a silken network with largo meeh, is to accompany such a style; if so, the result will be more than startling. But the Tallien mode will no doubt be the exception and not the rule. In its early days the revived pannier is not meeting with approval. There appears to be a universal decision not to wear it; but it will be a brave public who defies the orders of the dressmaker. The pre-season pannier-arranged afternoon gowns and ball gowns are at present the subject of deris ; v. hilarity, and the critics are wearing <•'<•.» • in accordance with the requirement; "line"; therefore the contrast is disliix a remarkable one. One is all bunch, the other often hardly more than a cover. Perhaps in a year from now those same critics will wonder why they came out to criticise. At the moment, the threatened change is drastic, and wo are not prepared for it. The talkcd-of pannier drapery had not, up till this week, been anything more than a sort of tunic, cut awav in front, with the falling side pieces fulled into a band of trimming and falling to its full extent. On the whole, it is not surprising that not rushing wildly to order the bunchy walking dress. At present we have no gratitude to express at its reinstatement.

—Appreciation.— i One almost inclines to write ovcr-apure- I ciation. For the epidemic of shots gets every week more severe. The chameleon influence is affecting not only taffetas, but other varieties of silk, including merv; the softly flowing silk eolionne has fallen under the same influence; the shot ninons have not the charm of novelty, but they have the

charm of much moro variety than they had at the outset .of their introduction. Look where we will, there is always something shot staring us in the face. It is true that many of the colour blends are most attractive, but one wishes there could be some modification in the use of shot stuffs, particularly the taffetas. Evening and day v dresses are made of it, coats and skirts are occupying the greatest deal of space, blouses are made of it, while for evening and day wraps there seems every prospsot that taffetas will replace the hitherto popular reversible satins, for the summer time at anyrate. The fabric, of course, lends itself better to modern ideas than does satin; millinery windows seem to contain nothing but shot silks, and dresses which, are of voile or any other stuff seem principally to be trimmed with stiff little k;lting« of tan etas. The taffetas coats and skirts be long to the picturesque category, for tin coats are fanciful things with many cordings, much fulness, and nearly always a basque; this is sometimes all round the waist, sometimes it is just a habit basquo behind, bordered all round with a little silk kilting. The skirt does not seem in harmony without a repetition of cording and kilting, so both are introduced. • Among the shots there is a predominance of a rich greenish-blue, there is a great real of reddish-rose, too, and much of the attractive effect about by the thread of gold colour. The taffetas which is called '•oameleon" always reflects tihiroe tones. A good deal of the shot merv is reversible, and the reverse side comes in with excellent effect to trim the other side. There is a charming line of blouses made of it. But the taffetas 6how the prettiest colour ■'■ schemes, one of the dainties so far being" of peach-colour shot with grey. Most of them, too, are woven with a fine hair lino or with a tiny square, whioh hardly merits the term cheek, for it is only visible upon the closest inspection. —Old Times Recalled.-'

Quite a thrill domes over one at Seeing a great pile of taffetas petticoats again; they appear to be old 'friends. But they really are not as old as they seem. For no selfrespecting taffetas petticoat will rustle or crackle, so there will be no sensation when it comes into a room. The toffetas of present day make is as soft to tho feel as a piece of Jap silk, and this quality is the feature of every yard that is made. The petticoats are made usually in shots, and th© choice will depend on the dress. A useful shot is dork brown with duck-egg-blue. Then, too, the taffetas underskirt is different because it has not at the moment a multitude of frills; it has not even a single kilted flounce. It is plain from top to bottom, widening out in accordance with the up-to-date tendency, and its" hem-trim-ming consists of an elaborate series of small fan-shaped ornaments made of finely-pleated silk, each finished with a. little flat rosette. Objectors to bunchy hips will like the latest in petticoats. The skirt is made of tho best quality Milanese silk in a range of colours that must includo every tint likely to be asked for. Bach such skirt is finished with a deep kilted flounce of satin an exact colour-match. It must be a delightful sensation to possess no underwear that is not of pure or spun silk; the Milanese silk petticoat is a recent addition to a. list already lengthy. Very useful will bo found underskirts made of shantung in its natural tone, finished with a kilted flounce which is embroidered with silk, either of colour or of natural tint. This silk washes well and is easily got up. lor the more everyday needs of everyday folk there is the moirette petticoat of light mnko; of course at is shot, and of course its flounce is a flat kilted one. The Season's Novel Fabric— There is no doubt about it. Quite tho moat original of the new materials is epongc, or sponge cloth or towelling cloth. It bears all those names. Sometimes it is of woollen texture; more often it is of cotton thread. Tailors are using miles of the woollen epongc of a bright tan shade patterned with a hairline of black. It is a horribly trying coJour; but that doesn't seem to matter. Coats and skirts are completed by a ninon blouse of tho same shade. There are many one-piece dresses of eponge in the same unibecorning shade of brownish-tan trimmed with black. One of tho strangest model dresses was a Princess of this btufF and in this colour, and over the bodice was a sleeveless tunic of black satin, beginning at either shoulder back and front in two sharp points. Finally, midway on the ski it, it is finished otf with four more sharp points. In white, in duck egg-green, in harebell blue, and in lots of pretty colours, the woollen eponge is rather nico if it is not too coarsely woven. While » entiro costumes are made of eponge. this same material is used to give the finishing touch to models of cloth or serge or cashmere. . % It is quite evident that the idea has ocme to stay all through the summer, for considerable variety is already shown among tho cotton goods where the eponge part is a striking feature. Possibly w« may grow to like it, and there are time* when ns a border, it is quite attractive, For instance, nothing newer can bo seen anywhere than a very coarse-woven cottoii crepe-voile pi plain co-lour or white finished with a border of 6ih depth of the raised eponge made to describe sharp vandyke points. This border may be of brilliant blue, bright crimon, sage grcco, light or dark mauve, t.in. orange, green, y en a piece of fabric tint otherwise is' white. There arc coloured crepa-voiles ivhich have the. vandyke pattern of white or colour contrast. There is still a liking • for .the deep corselet type of belt. For this 'the border is wonderfully effective and quite becoming, the sharp tapering points finishing off at the bustline. The same border forms a long line down one side of the skirt, and touches of colour corresponding with the border arc introduced elsewhere on to the d,reS3. Zealandera may take it a» a certainty that this, eponigebordered' crepe-voile wOl bo one' of leading fabrics all through the opminigwarm months. .- ,'-'-.■ Some of the fine varieties of cotton.voile having a printed *loral design are given a 2in bordor line of striped eponge in- colour and white. Wavy lines of the raised thread, too, in colour contrast, look like rows of scallops, and when they "run round the skirt they look just like, a act of wavy flounces. Arabesque patterns in eponge woven on to a ninon foundation etill form the vast majority of the semi-transparent wraps and jackets and semi-mntles, which deserve a chapter oil to thermic?, c-s, as ther© ' is immense v*ri»tj in style, and all these wraps will Iw worn with smart dresses all the year through. Apparently, if a fabrio is not distinguished by a fihot mixture, it must carry a border a« tho hall-mark of up ic dateness.

pays for the- extermination of poisonous mak»W» It is the one European Governmen which now does so.

I —America's very latest is an "At home'' ; at the bottom of tho Pacific, all the guests —BO have been invited —being in diving ■ dress.

j Delightful, indeed, are the ninons having: i a wide border of satin strip© of similar shade, patterned with a floral design. Bordered delaines seem to be the only possible things for useful blouses ; bordered cotton voiles will be wanted before long for many purposes. The newest type of oashmero of lino and silky surface has a wide border oi ojxjts worked in silk thread and set close together. Borders are sometimes Paisley, sometimes Persian, sometimes spot, and sometimes floral. —Here at Last.— London has heard a great deal of late about the blown-glass hair ornaments; at last the opportunity is offered for their inspection. They are tiruly dainty in effect, and the upstanding osprey of glass looks like gloss silk, so bright is its complexion; but it is not flabby, as gloss silk would be, for each little thread stands upright, just as a piece of flexible wire should do. The blown-glass ornament is made in a variety of colours, and it is not at all large; it springs from a cabechon ornament about the size of half a crown, made of tortoiseshell or semi-transpa.rent horn of a colour that contrasts with the erect feathery glass. Altogether the usual size of the new hairornament is about that of a cockude worn on a coachman's hat; it is placed at the side of the head as a finish to the band of ribbon or folded tullo or metallic lace that surrounds the head. Slightly larger in size is the species which springs from a jewelled holder, which tapers off to a point, and as the upstandinz glass is longer it needs a jewelled slide midway to keep it erect, for the natural tendency of the blown glass is to spread itself out like an open fan. —A Curious Fancy.— Heeh of black, short fronts of black, every inch else of white suede; or heels of black, toes of black, all else moie-grey suede. These are the latest styles of high walking boot, made to button from thic> side oi the sole to the calf. The suede comes low en the instep, and touches the! sole all round. It is a very ugly pattern of boot. The object of the designers is, ot course, to imitate the gaiter, for this when worn on top of the shoo, covers up au except the too piece and the heel, shaped ail in one without join or seam. The foot ooks hko a hoof. It is regrettable that so many mad experiments b y, bo ? t a «d shoe designers, and that there should be so many people in London who rush to wear any novelty of the sort just because it is something new. f«£ r n 1S ft. new shoe which ™?« K 3 f? R fte °uter side of the foot with k\JS£s2 and but( j° n hole; this fastening inthT«LL a 7 OSS . thß to P of thG instef inJS» !^%° f I Strap wh 'eh starts from the /n width n 3. Sh ° e ' and dually lessens ! £ HI ,/•'' P ass . es o v er the instep, until, ' on S.SSM* J V S e 8h&t » Point; exactly | on the instep are placed two flat pearl butManv 0 !'" 6 '^ 09 of Many shoes m this pattern are white 53f. , 53 are ° f *«*. ™d Plenty £ of eonfe %&*E°*J2& them wifh to^the f r at the edge, finished there with a row of buttons. But not PeXrm dO ott Se T h bUttonS haVe pei torn- other than ornamental; the/are not made to undo; the shoe is moiled wnicn expand sufficiently for the foot to U from- 1 th « Present juncture a tussel is going on between the shoo w.fr, o 1 ■,? I , •' Oo °"-en oomtnitted. The nlain j B.lk stock.ng is more suited to the weather • than the open-worked variety ; therefore tt ohoap, and Sgtt thftn Tather —thrt former, of course. f or the foot ind enkle, the latter for the upward SSLS! Small Things Noticed.— This is an age of contrasts Colours of unusual brilliance are boldly combined*, ami the result is visible a mile off The result makes the eye ache. But a colour contrast touch is sometimes brought about in a manner almost too modest to bo taken into consideration. A little hint of cer.se is much desired to cheer up navy S»s' a l A n l° f , th f r ?° 9t tailormades had the dark bone buttons of the coat sown on with cerise-hued silk. A little touch of the same shade tipped the edge of the reyers. It was a piece of satin covered with open-mesh silk braid. The effect was astonishingly good 1 , and so easily achieved. Millions of crystal buttons have been prepared. They are used in long lines and in clusters on costumes, dresses, wraps blouses. No matter what the colour of the material, the buttons are pure white, made in shapes that afford great variety. Generous fulnes* everywhere. There am numbers of slcews lightly rucked from' l shoulder to wrist. But these fuller sleeve* ' have not yet had a damping effect on the ] maker of the Magyar shape. Sleeves which 1 are seamed in make no attempt to hide tho ' }oin. Indeed, a thick, silk-covered' cording ] is put there to emphasise the union. The ' Magyar top, with long transparent sleeve is new, when over this is worn a sleeveless fichu coat of taffetas, with a low drapery .i

: covering almost the arm. Just at the elbow • and again at the wrist the transparent sleeve, which is slightly fulled all the way down, is finished with two velvet bracelets, one round the elbow, the other round the wrist, these bracelets in turn being finished with attractive little ornamental buckles. The result is very delightful. There is rather a fancy for grey rinon of the , palest shade, to be used tor tho transparent Corsage of this variety, the fichu coats being of siliot taffetas, with a touch of grey in the weave. No jewellery must be worn on tho wrist when the inch-wide velvet bracelet Ls there. A similar piece of the velvetis nlaced round' tha top of the collar band. The up-to-date home diressmnrner should try tho effect. There are Pierrot frills of exaggerated size which fall fix>m tho nfck half way round tho figure, covering the airns. They are not pretty. There is rather a neat Pierrot ot much more moderate dimen sioiis, made of iin.-ly-kilted net cut at intervals into sharp points and edged with butonhole stitch. Two frills, one over tho other, of this net make a dainty finish to the oollariese blouse, especially if a lino of black be bo velvet is threaded through tho top. Frills at the wrist are rapidly coming into favour. They are rather wide, and some of them are double? Plain net, spotted net, fine lace, and Indian lawn arc all used in the manufacture. The long transparent sleeve which forms part of a bridal gown is brought to a mitaino point right over the hand, and 1 does away with the need for gloves. The sleeves-aro generally finished 1 with a narrow edging oi tine laee, and this has a very j becoming effect Je the hand A fichu drapery will probably be made of the same I material as the transparent sleeves. j In contrast to the very fine laces of the J needle-run type, so much used for all puri poses, is tho return to favour of the j coarsest possible maorame—tho thicker the | better —in a deep ecru tint, with a backI ground of open-meshed filet net Immensely I wide bauds of it are used on evening and | opera wraps. There is some "very heavy I lace, too, used by dressmakers, looking much like that which a year ago was usea only for upholstery purposes. There is hardly any section in dress just now where extremes do not meet. Despite the tremendous choice in mill nery, there is a fancy just now on the Riviera for wearing a little headdress made wholly of ribbon. It is not a toque, and .♦irtainly is not a hat. It is more like a fitting cap trimmed high at one side or at the back with erect loops of ribbon well wired; and a curious addition to the back of this oap is a fringe of pearls which falls on to the neck, beginning at the back of the ears. Ecru ribbon with a lavender edge is a dainty variety for the purpose. Two-colour effect in ribbons lead to plenty of variety, and stripes are quite usual. So broad are some of the swatheries of tullo bound round the head of an evening that the hair might just as well not be there. It is nearly all covered up with the tulle. This bandage finishes at one side with an osprey springing from a jewelled holder. Odd effects in dress are more likely to increase * than to decrease in favour. The colour blends are sometimes rather startling, as in tho case of a dress of royal blue cashmere, with bodice draping from side to side one-half of the bluo, the other half and sleeve of very bright green; this green continued d'own the skirt as a side panel, widening as it lengthened. The blue portion of the dress was trimmed with sets of wee buttons covered with green taffetas. Noticeable, too, is the white cloth skirt with side panel of black satin, completed by a coat of black satin having one very enormous draped rever of white cloth. Tunics have not had their day, although they will have to go if the present programme sketched, out by dress-desigriars is at all successful. The apron-front with biib attachment is still seen notably in lace over a dress of satin. Pompadour ninon has much to recommend it. The flowery pattern is set close together, flower running into flower. Some of tho colour mixtures are very useful, combining browns with mauves, greens with eld rose. Tho fabric will be useful for dresses a.nd for blouses, and it really looks quite well under a line voilage. Ninons and satins of at all a bright shade aro subdued by a veiling oi very fine black tulle. On the other hand, there are some charming ninons of black printed 1 with floral patterns of considtrabb grace as to design and arrangement; but the effect i 3 quite lost unless the fabric be thrown up by a coloured foundation. Tailors are rather fond just now of cutting 1 their useful coat fronts very low and open in an elongated V-6hape They aro no protection at all from cold wind.