IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3214, 20 October 1915, Page 68

IN FASHION’S REALM.

WEEKLY UP TO DATE DRESS NOTES. By Marguerite. Dress is important, because it can intensify and bring out all other fascinations. A dross can be a very beautiful dress, and still have nothing about it that makes a definite, fascinating impression. For instance, take a black silk three-piece suit. The fascinating factor of it is its collar and the hat with the little saucy feather. The high collar at once draws attention to the perfect profile and the charming hair. The little feather, pointing downward like an arrow, guides the eye the same way. Picture this dress in your mind with an ordinary low collar and a flat hat ! Aga in, fascination can be spread like butter all over the bread. Such is the case, say. in a white satin afternoon gown, in which a studied simplicity radiates from every line. Then in a scarlet chiffon evening gown the fascinating elements are, first, the collar, and, secondly, the mystic mysterious wideness of the skirt and the white neck and shoulders rising up through the filmy bodice. The dominant note of fascination in this rose-trimmed net evening gown may be a cuirass waist. There is at once a hint of defence. All the rest of the dress is soft and yielding. This note of the cuirass intensifies the yielding note, and at the same time by its suggestion of militancy stimulates the interest in the wearer. When Madame Wollinformed wishes her hostess good-bye. everyone not yet gone says ” wonderful woman,” and resolves to have her down next Thursday, or whatever' the “At home ” day is, to entertain others. If. as the scientist says, a certain undesirable thing is only matter out of place, what fascinates is simply matter so well in place that you cannot imagine how it could bo disposed to better advantage. For example, what of this boater-like sailor. The matter here is the trimming. Four little sprays of roses and loaves, just enough

ribbon to make an “X” connection between each horizontally-placed group, and there you are—fascination achieved with the least possible difficulty. Hats of this character are an emphatic season’s note—a good thing, but, above all, a new one. If that matter were so much out of place as not to be there at all —well, the hat would be nothing And, incidentally, Madame Wollinformcd would be pleased with the collar—just that one she mentioned as necessary to emphasise a perfect profile. Here is friend “A” clad in black and friend “B” clad in white. And the first looks melancholy and the second joyous. Of course, there might be a reason for wearing black —that is, as an arbitrary choice. In friend “ A’s ” case, however, that necessity doesn’t exist. And: so a little sermonette on white as opposed to black for comfort, appearance, and, allow me to say, health. No single factor contributes more to discomfort in hot weather than sun-inviting clothing. It is little less than a crime against one’s self to go forth on a warm day dad in black or some slightly loss sombre hue. Dark clothing invites sunstroke, and even if the wearer escapes that, she is sure to suffer. The summer garb should bo white, or, if not, a shade approximating—that is, for the dominant tone. Hear a scientist:—“A large cake of ice, evenly frozen and solid, was secured, and across this were placed parallel strips of cloth of the same width, texture, and weight. One strip was black, another red, another yellow, and another white. They were placed upon the ice with.the same degree of contact, and the ice cake was then exposed to the heat of the sun. After a sufficient period had elapsed, the ico cake was removed from its place in the sun and tho strips of doth were removed. The results indicated the superior advantages of white as a summer fabric. Tho ico under

the black strip of cloth had melted for a depth of almost lin. Under the red strip it had melted for half that depth. Under the yellow the melting had not been so severe, and the under the white the icesurface was practically intact.” Hear a sci ciitist;• — This experiment proves that dark cloth draws the sun’s rays and focuses them upon any underlying surface. The darker too cloth the more intense the heat. It is an experiment that may be tried successfully by anyone with the interest to arrange the strips of cloth on the ice.” A strong argument in favour of the white dress is its cleanly appearance. A black garment may be extremely dirty, and yet retain its appearance of pristine freshness. A wrong sense of economy often forbids the cleansing of a garment until the presence of dirt is established by ocular demonstration. thus diminishing the hygienic value of black clothing. White garments, on the other hand, proclaim dirt at once. It is impossible to avoid the appearance of dirt, and the hygienic value of light-coloured garments is readily demonstrable. I have spoken of black as an arbitrary choice. lon will understand whet I mean. How black for mourning originated I cannot say, hut it showed a great lack of judgment. It is a blunder to add discomfort to grid by making black the dress of mourning. Beset by the bitterness of melancholy, the physical depression of the bereft is made more intense by the oppressive heat that the dress of grief invites. The Japanese arc far ahead of us in this partielar, for in Japan the load of sorrow is lightened by the mourning dross of white Dress should bo hygienic. She who donned this was. determined to reconcile beauty with common sense. Those floral patterned materials are eminently captivating. and youth’s choice, I should think, nine times out.of 10. it is a wry pretty dross anyhow, the scheme for contrast being clever —more so than appears. We shall have, as it were, a vague proof from the negative—so pale a ground as to bo one remove from white, those little sprays a pastel pink with grey leafing. 'lake this

dominant selection, and rule it off horizontally with the dark contrast. Down we start with the hat, dark crown, light brim, roses to complexion the pattern on the material. Then the face having been intervened, a dark collar with light turn, and, the blouse having been intervened, a dark girdle and cuff in keeping. Finally, the skirt having been intervened, a dark border, and to finish shoes with an immaculate stocking intervened to make the break. Such is the essence of good dressing—the harmonious s-’ 1 ' mo harmoniously carried out iiie warm-weather walking dress is ideal in coatee and skirt style, the former suggesting the bolero; equally so in long coat style, "but—not too long. Charming creations in the former are seen in biscuit tussore and net, and in the later in, say, a very light serge. Such a model reminds me of a typical and smart blue choice that has a short sacque coat bound with brajd and an array of braided buttons fastening its loose, straight waisteqat fronts of black satin. The skirt hangs in very full pleats, which are also bound with braid, the same finish being given to the side-pockets, which are a feature of quite a number of the new skirts. The accessories consist of boots made in the same serge suiting with just a vamp of patent leather, and a sailor hat with a soft crown of black straw, joined together in the bonds of modish matrimony by means of an encircling array of flatlylaid black wings, the overhanging points of which break, and therefore soften the severe line of the brim. Again, beige covert coating is another much-favoured fabric for the making of simple and skirt costumes, black-and-white headgear and footwear bcink frequent and smart accompaniments, though sometimes you will sec — anc l then certainly admire —boots all of bronze glace, or others of brown kid with beioe cloth uppers, and then, to crown all, a long, narrow, and much tip-tilted toque, perhaps of brown satin bordered with a wreath of flatly-laid and softly-shaded leaves and draped with a brown lace veil. The obviously most suitable and smart headgear for such a costume is the new swordhandle hat, which wins its name by its trimming of soft plumage, two long quill feathers introduced at the left side into the soft bandings and loops, helping to secure the desired and very decorative effect. The sailor shape on which this sword of peace — and piquancy—is laid is carried out in navy bine silk. This is one of the_ “long coats” you might select. A quaint idea, it suggests, quite a lot of things—an ideal design for a tub suit, ns ornamentation is there and not together. Very original coats arc soon just now—coats that savour of the military;

coats that suggest the Russian; coats tho charm of wh.cn lies in the fact that the designer has known how to make much out of little. The skirt for a coat of this character should ho absolutely plain, the

one concession some button treatment n~ar foot to identify with what is shown. There are any number of coat-drosses of navy serge which Vvill, perhaps, introduce, a device of fine braiding at the s.dcs to mark the change from the straight, loose lines of tho corsage to the outward flaring fullness of tho skirt, while others, again, will bo arranged with a very wide and quite loose belt effect, or, perhaps, a broad sash of the same serge bound with braid and crossed low down and loosely about tho hips. Sometimes, 100, a tolling touch of contrasting colour will bo introduced—as, for instance, when the military colour is of cerise linen embroidered in white and gold, and when the buttons which figure in front and at the hips are of a brighter blue set in tho centre of a squire of gold, a somewhat elaborate design of black braid and soutache being then carried down either side. So that really there should be a coatdress to suit everyone, \vhich is fortunate, seeing that all need one of these particular and well-nigh perfect garments, which are probably going to do more than anything else to decide the battle of tho skirts and to v.'in tho victory for the new full models. For this style is infinitely more becoming and easy to wear when thus allied to a long straight corsage than when made separately and more closely fitting about tho wast. 1 spoke about smocking. One of my friends said, “ Show me an example. Well, here is one in a blouse of simple character, which, of course, is just what is required for the treatment. The smocking is a diamond —that is to say, the gathering ensures a miniature trellis which is overcaught in the manner that will suggest itself. After all, it is easiest smocking that

you want, and this requires only patience. Where the frame is- in “V _” form from the shoulder, and not square, it is permissible to repeat on the skirt either side just below the bolt. Smocking gives quite an air, making an otherwise plain garment a really dressy creation. Dresses worn, and to bo worn, in connection with functions come well under the diaphanous order —taffetas, voiles, ninons, and muslins, white and floral, self-colours, stripes, and spots. All such lend themselves admirably to shirring, and many are so treated, the shirring in many cases being corded round the hips in rows several inches apart, which keep the fullness well under control where most needed, and allows it the freedom required about the skirt. The triple-flounced skirt is seen, the flounces finished with wide hems and drawn on n piping. Where the deep, flat hem is not employed the rolled hem is a feature. This is obviously a Japanese idea. The hems are rolled over on the right side, and no stitches are visible. The result is effective, and flouncing need not be so full, such hems assisting to “stand out.” Smart little silk coatees of a much shortened “sports” character accompany many of these light and airy costumes. Also, hats with transparent brims, such being of stiffened tulle or wired net—black and various delicate hues; crowns of black satin plain or full, lace, or wholly of foliage and flowers. Touching on flowers! Those made of ribbon are the acme of perfection—roses of largo size of deepest and richest colourings, including purply-black and a deep green-and-blue blend. Velvet blooms, too, are to be noted —largo dog-roses, pansies, white, purple, and orange. All are distinctly effective on black hats and toques. Wings and quills are in evidence; but fruit is but little used in trimming.