IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 65

IN FASHION’S REALM.

By Marguerite.

WEEKLY UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES.

Spring is to be a revelation with a dozen transformation scenes. The spring types of hats will be exquisite. One cannot dogmatise. When it is said that this or that type will rule, the range is overlooked. Small hats with brims turned down in bell shape will be no more favoured than others that lightly turn the other way. A much-liked style will bo the hat; that is worn down on the head, finishing in a peak one eide. Hats that are mentioned in particular include shapes with small round and flat brims, French sail or mitre toques, “Oavarni” toques turned up Spanish fashion, marquise, casques in Louis XVI stylo, quite flat and much turned up one side. An exceedingly fashionable hat will resemble a dinner plate set at an angle at top of an elevated bandeau. The straws will include pedal, copeau, manila, tagal, rice, etc., in bright colours. They will be trimmed with pleated 'tulle. Light flowers will bo fashioned into aigrettes; ribbons will be arranged in lo<M® and flower forms; feathers in plumes. P*’ ‘ trimmings will predominate; in fact, height will be a great feature. There will be nothing to cavil at in millinery. We shall have the widest range ever known with a single season. Some, of the French hats show wonderful ribbon treatments. Loops will be carried to an extraordinary height, while' a pretty fancy will be in gathered quills. Little “fans” of ribbon will spring from odd turns in most bewitching stylo. An indication of one phase of the trend is pictured. Hats of ’ this type would be a rage. The hat may be of straw or straw in combination with material. The crown ia soft, or, at least, appears so. Everything is in the brim. One side it rises like a shield, as high, in reason, as you like. It serves to throw up an elaborate ribbon treatment This comes round from practically nothing, and fairly splashes into the air like a wave.

I have not exaggerated the height. On the contrary, having- pencilled in the model, working by scale, I thought it better to reduce this. There will bo hats of this type with no brim one side at all; on the other, an upright shield with cockade. The idea is reminiscent of the army—time of Napoleon the Great. Again, some of these elevated brims will be all round, and bent in and out one side with charming result. We shall see a range of blouse wear outclassing anything experienced before. The drapy style will be costumed, but there will be a number of more or less trim fits.- A blouse that arrests my attention is of kimono style. The collar turns like the petal of a flower from an exceedingly deep “V.” Halfway two lines curve- over fronts like a dropped yoke, and as this leaves a panel, into ■which the “V” cuts, the space is filled with pleats. But I cannot describe it without the picture. Another charming thing is a blouse over a blouse. That is to say, from shoulder to bust line it is of silk with sleeve in one, and from the half level to bolt it is of lace. But note, that the fronts of the silk leave four inches between, and have two overlapping tabs which “button” on the lace. An exquisite Medici finishes. Another remarkably fine blouse has an upper shawl effect. It is very original. First there is the blouse in light shade silk, very drapy with deep arm, and drawn over the shoulders is a dark section that comes to nothing at the “V,” where there is a bow; the fronts' of this shawl arrangement draping to a point, whose tassel meets the girdle. The cuffs complexion A pretty blouse simulates, to my fancy, an opening shell, in regard both to body and sleeve. The frill may be as conspicuous as ever, and yet not exaggerated. The dainty frill is dressier, widening at the neck. I ’observe that in every instance the neck is thrown off the natural one, so that the latter just reveals the turn into the shoulder. The waistcoat will bo more br less relegated to the tailor-made. They will be neat with “bonne femme” vests with loose jackets cut on the slope and rounded off. These will fasten above waist with a press button. Or the costume will be nndc with f dly pleated casaque, and skirt held behind bv several rows of tucks. Taffetas of the kind named mysterc, hbellule. shot, moire, plain, or with small checks, will be favoured for these robes. A becoming model has a straight jacket, fairly wide, with or without bolt, round and lengthened out behind. The only trimming is a round collar, revera with handkerchief corners and cuffs to match. For such toilets chequered materials, or jardiniere fabrics containing all tones, will 'be used. But woollens with wide stripes or very fine lines will ho more in favour. For shades, everything dark is to be discarded. What we shall have are violet and Bordeaux reds, tango and all shades of coppery red mixed with the various tones of

blue and green. Skirts will form with circular frills, and gathered basques. Those that drape to the ankle will still be fashionable, but the premier type will be wide across the hips. Soft satin materials are to be used, and likewise other flexible materials. Among colours, grey and black will go, the Paris intimation being coq-dc-roohe, solferino yellow, wine red, Madonna blue, frog or antique green. An elegant detail will be the belt. It fastens on according to the outline in half bayadere fashion.

A., preliminary model is given beneath. It illustrates one of the coming standards. You will observe the tunic simulation and the pretty drapings therefrom. Also the silhouette —wide hips, though in this case not too wide. The bodice section is pretty

and the bolt is worth a line. The large bow m front has pendent two streamer ends resolving into tassels, the quaint severity of the line being half the charm. But I don’t want you to accept this design as my best spring selection. I’ll give that next week in the real first spring article, and I think I am certain to please you. Taffetas will be tremendously popular. This is for afternoon toilets and evening dresses. It is as soft as muslin, and can be used for all kinds of drapery and gatherings. Small robes of Parsifal crepe, la Phaleme silk, wool satin, charmeuse. etc., are recommended; and tunics of lace, basques, and gathered frills of metallic voile -will ornament very dressy toilets. The low cut may be trimmed in new style by a large lace berthe simulating at back a transparent capo. When you want to emphasise spring ,a small bunch of flowers, forget-me-nots and > rosebuds, attached to the belt or bodice will serve that purpose. I must once again speak of drapings to the back. Different authorities, different opinions, and the clash of rivalry among designers causes one to Insist on one thing, and another on another. But nothing is more certain than this trend, unless it bo a rage for the ovcrfold effects, an idea of which is given in the full figure just illustrated. Necessarily one is a bit vague at the start of a season. One’s pen obeys one e thoughts, and the latter require a little time to set. Before the carrier pigeon strikes its line of flight it has to circle a hit to make it out. The new season will bring now forms of tailored suits, more charming blouses than ever, gowns whose lines are loose and graceful, and continue, or rather emphasise pegtop skirts. The peg-top effect has a dozen graceful expressions, allied to the new “standaway” droop of the little bolero coatee. Materials to dwell on in this relation will include satin, taffeta, velour de lame, and face cloth, as supple as can be. Shuts are anything from the plain circular to the highly draped. The extreme expression of the draped will, front view, present a silhouette not materially different from the old-fashioned kite. A novel yoke effect on costumes and sports coats will be a fashionable decree. The tendency towards this has been pronounced for some time. The success of the new season’s frock will often depend on the placing of the belt-line. Basques are to be seen with a slight flare, and thp. sac coat will continue to be cut away. Much will be made of kimono effects, and the Raglan sleeve will lead most others. For those who have passed their first youth extreme simplicity of line is the order. With it goes another —a lack of unnecessary trimming. I extract something from a Paris correspondent’s letter-‘‘The smartest new tailor-mades , show belts that confine the coats just below the ordinary waistline, but not down on the hips. These belts arc very w : do. mid for morning suits are made of supple leather, fastened with handsome silver buckles. Now that small waists are out of

fashion, wide, boyish bolts are admirable in many ways. They lend a juvenile outline, and confine the loose folds of cloth which would otherwise have hung about the bust and hips in sack fashion.” The accompanying blouse is one of the smart styles of the now season. The lines are clear- enough to enable one to dispense ■with unnecessary wording. Those pleats at side are the prettier for the yoke. This reverses a note we have long had in the same relation. Instead of the shoulder scam

being low down on the sleeve it is carried as far back the other way as possible. As a result it gives a yoke of original pattern, and is eminently suited to what it surmounts. The charm of the blouse lies in this one feature. At the same time I think you will like the collar and also the sleeve. The former is outlined with a thin lino of braid., and the cuffs repeat.

"The Matinee Girl” discusses dress. features as revealed from the stage, season now in the dawn. Part of what she says is embraced in what follows. —“Our necks receive a great deal of attention. Coat collars are getting very high, and they look full because the roll-collar s coming in. Whenever possible, white is used on the collar, either in the form of fur or velvet, to give softness to the face. A novelty is the stock made of ribbon, and stitched to the outside of the collar, so that it can be worn twisted round the throat, or left hanging loosely at the back or front of the coat, at will. Pockets are to come back again—dear, cosy pockets, for which search must bo made in the roomiest of roomy coats. The new coats remind one of the Guards’

coats of some seasons back, only these coats are to bo immensely full. A great feature will be made of the loose waist-belt, which will bo probably broken in design, as it girdles the waist. The low neck is to bo with us still, intensified as to depth, but made very narrow, and filled in with tulle frills. We sec eccentric developments of the gay little coatee! Such a riot of colour, such wealth of material, such quaint devices in the way of cut! The coatee is the splash of colour on a costume. There is certain to be much black tulle, for tulle is destined to achieve even greater popularity than heretofore.” I return to blouses. I have already spoken of the yoke as an immense feature in coming modes. This is a favourite style, many different expressions. There is, too, an air of trimness about it, rare *in these free and easy times. The blouse combines two materials or two shades of one. But the ehadee must not present too great a contrast. Underpart and sleeves will be of one complexion, overpart and- cuffs of the other. That bold band marking the yoke

line is good, and such is in shade keeping .with the belt. It is a pretty idea to bring those tabs over, as though they were necessary to attach the two sections. Somehow or other they look like the pendants of a collar, especially as the sides make the “V” so favoured in nearly all designs. Both this blouse and the one preceding it are from Paris studios, hall-marked for the start of spring.