IN FASHION'S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3239, 12 April 1916, Page 69

IN FASHION'S REALM.

WEEKLY UP-TO-DATE DUESS NOTES

By Mabgokhitb. Peplums, princess, and one-piece frocks aro all in order. The peplum admits of no end of fancies—overlapping pleats, box pleats, and military tabs. The bodices of s.uch are close or open. The latter have deep, close "V's" over inset, and are laced across, single cords between buttons or criss-cross. Also waistcoat openings for a little dicky vest with collar. Sleeves to such are both to the arm and belled from the elbow down, the former being of full length, and the latter not quite. The princess lines are charming, and where they differ from the former adaptation of this stylo is in the fullness of the skirt and its shortness. No skirt for day wear ever does more than reach the ankle. The tailored ia just what the enthusiast chooses to make it: different designers different ideas. There is as much difference between a French coat and an English as between chalk and cheese. Ditto between an English coat and an American. Where the one material is used it is a choice between the deep hip coat and the Russian, and once you select the latter you can have it as long as you like. But where it is a case of two materials give me corded velveteen for the coat over a smooth skirt, and let the former be on reasonably mannish lines. :\otliing looks richer than a corded velveteen made with some degree of freedom for the body part. It must have a belt of self with the rib running the cross-way, and cuffs in keeping. It the revers _ are mannish and cross to belt, have a dicky with a standing collar turned sharply over, and high. A plain velvet coat may button from the neck with high collar, and the latter looking like a cuff so used, the cuffs tnernselves will be the same, and from a girdle line there will be two simulated pockets, cuffs, and these with buttons to ornament. Simple gowns are worn on informal social occasions—one piece in effect; and in some cases, where two materials are employed, the blouse section with a peplum which resolves itself into the yoke of the skirt in contrast. This is where voile and taffeta or serge and satin reveal their infinite possibilities. I have referred to horizontal treatments. The simple gown for informal functions may have a peplum upper section, long close V over vestce, with self collar faced on the turn. It is in the skirt that you can get the horizontals, simply bands of .satin laid like flounces, three or four to foot. The silhouette for evening frocks is the same as for day; but groat are the wonders revealed in cascading drapings with and without frills. As the fashions unroll themselves we see that we have been well catered for, familiarity not breeding contempt, but inspiring admiration.

ihese are often stay-at-home times. The French say of anything they wear in the family circle—"in the strictest intimite." This means that the outside world is excluded and formality dispensed with. The most useful of negligees is the simple wrapper or dressing-gown made of flowered silk, China silk, flannel, challie, albatross, wool batiste, or cashmere. Pale blue and pink are the most popular colours, and though they soil easily, any may be cleaned and most will wash. They can be trimmed with hand embroidery worked directly on the negligee or on collars and cuffs of batiste, net, handkerchief linen, organdie, or swiss. Lace-trimmcd collars and cuffs are also dainty. When a negligee is made in particularly delicate materials, it can be used as a luncheon or tea dress when one is en famille. Crepe de chine in pale pink, blue, green, lavender, and corn colour, lace, net, cashmere, or corduroy in lovely blues, rose pinks, and coral colour, all make charming negligees. They can bo trimmed elaborately with narrow bands of fur, marabout, or swansdown, with lace and ribbon in sashes, rosettes, and flowers. The Empire waistline is popular, and the open neck and short sleeve are used almost invariably because they are becoming. Dress-ing-sacs are made of much the same materials as negligees; also of eiderdown and flannelette. The house dress is made like a shirt-blouse dress, simple, neat, and plain. A princess panel effect, a dress that buttons from collar to hem, or one of the new dresses that wraps around the figure and fastens with a belt and a single button, is good. The skirt should be short. Gingham, chambtay, percale, galatc-a, Japanese crepe, cotton poplin, cotton garberdine, and linen are the best mater'lis

I am making something special of coats this contribution. But they are all of deep hip length, -with the last something more. To start with, hero is a section to illustrate the strap pleat. W,o have had brace effects in blouses galore. Why not then a reversal for the coat? This one buttons straight from the neck, with close collar, as indi-

cated by the cuffs. What I am emphasising is not that, but the pretty box-pleat runs from a strap over tho belf,. As you will see, it "buttons" on the "blouse" section, providing tho excuse for some gathering. It is a pretty idea which I think you will like.

Gowns that are used for very formal evening functions aro made with trains, while frocks that aro used for the theatre, etc., are worn as short as possible. By " possible" is meant as short »s is becoming. Six inches from the floor is considered a conservative length for a trainless dress, and many are worn shorter. The short skirt has proved a practical fashion for tho theatrOj for it keeps itself out of the way. There is a good deal of variety in both the

bodices and skirts of the new evening dresses. The most marked innovations are the draped skirts, overskirts, and princess effects. The new draperies are different from the draperies of a few seasons ago. They are full, and give the new silhouette, and are much simpler in effect and construction. There are wing draperies, cascade draperies, panior draperies, and bustle effects. The new overskirts are also very full, so that they have the fashionable outline. The evening princess dresses arc soft, and shirred at waistline. There are innumerable variations of the flounced skirt, the flounces usually cut with straight lower edges, so that they can be made of lace, tulle, and chiffon. The circular liounces are used in taffeta, satin, charmouse, gros de Londres, faille, flowered silk, and grosgrain. Evening bodices are very simple, for when you have removed the neck and most, or all, of the sleeve, there is not much left, The V dccolletage is the most popular; but the round neck is pretty. F*tted effects are seen in many evening dresses, and the bolero is omnipresent. Deep girdles that form most of the bodice, baby Empire waists with puff sleeves, the 1830 shoulder and fichu, etc., give one ample choice. For the draped evening dresses with trains one should choose an elegant material. Brocade with satin, velvet or metallic figures, velvet, satin, charmeuse. faille, and grosgran are used. For the short dress, lace, tulle, and chiffon come first, followed closely by faille, gros de Londres, taffeta, satin, charmeuse, flowered silk and crepe de chine, and crepe meteore. Crepe do chine stands out nicely if trimmed at foot with bands of satin, vel/et, or taffeta. The most popular evening colours are white, black, geranium, fleshpink, shell-pink, and Beauty rose, nattier royal blue and turquoise blue, lavender, jade-green and yellow. From which to my coats again. This time it is the full costume —a charmingly-cut coat ard skirt. The former buttons well over, as though it was the rever that had been turned, and the collar is a

pretty fancy, repeating the angle with a smart overlap, faced to match the cuffs. The skirt is laid in pleats one side, these being indicated, and a shaped beit affords some opportunity for embroidery. These are the suits I like and recommend. They are stylish and becoming to all, and, incidentally, though I cannot say why, they have that semi-subdued look which is one of the rules of the season.

Writing on "The Way of the Cloth Gown," a fair observer of London sa3'e: "The talk of the moment is about cloth gowns, and with reason, for they show a simpler grace combned with the happiest trimmings to be found just now. Their lino is straight and dignified; pleats and folds —these are for the gown of the clay. The utmost frivolity it permits itself is a fan-shaped draping which throws the fullness over the hips. Gaberdine is returning ; but if there's betting to bo done, face-cloth is the material. To the lightcloth bodice is allied a lace vest to give that softened effect that achieves the right chic. Sloping shoulders, too. see thenopportunity here, and, leagued with the mod'fied log-o'-mutton sleeves, have gained a really eurpris : iTg victory, so recently did we swear allegiance to the square. Tight cuffs these leg-o'-muttons have, and often a frill where their fullness joins the lengthened shoulder. The cuff? protend to button down their length, even though they cannot. Buttons! That is, again. the watchword in trimmings—buttons and soutache. And is it not charming the way they are comVned. The soutache stripes a skirt and end with loops doubled twice. It assumes a military air. and straps across the front of a bodice. It circles round the skirt yoke as if it would conceal the fact of its being a. yoke. Sometimes it just pretends the skirt is longer than it is by stitching itself in inch-long loops closely side by side under the hem, after the manner of a lengthening fringe." Black silk braid of varying widths ornaments a number of the zone-cut sku-ts—-skirts, that is. cut in widening t : crs. Sometimes it is of such a fine texture that it is treated as might be a ribbon, and tied into hows to decorate the front of a gown. On the -whole, it is used rather on frocks than on coats and skirts. Velvet bands are the only dangerous rivals to braid; but they are corta ; n!y to be reckoned with. Pipings, too, of velvet or silk are used, in either combination or separately. These velvet trimmings should be used only with discretion, as belts. It is true that one need not take much notice at all of belts, since the tightened bodices come as often as not below the waist-line. There is. however, one form of belt not to bo missed —the would-be

wa : stcoat. This is narrow at the sides, and broadens so much in front that two rows of buttons accommodate themselves upon it. I now come to the third coat, and* only hope that, being ■'solid," it will print well. This is a coat and skirt of velvet —a very elegant creation hall-marked from New York. After the silhouette the most important feature is the side belt, which suffices to draw the bodice section into two folds, and to let the skirt out again in one, so that the lower fronts hang like panels. The buttoning is pretty—a scrolled edge with the buttons connected with a running cord. You will see that the half-

belt effect is repeated on the cuffs, and finally that four tassels are used, two to these and two to belt, which furtlrer identifies them. The skirt to this garment is absolutely plain, and of the regulation length to the ankle. Why say that the hat and boots must be in keeping and of the best? The law is as inflexible as that of the Medes.

Lady Duff-Gordon has something to eay (domicile) when she wrote (Paris), the occasion being such as the note will apply to: — " The simpler black taffeta gowns and also the more elaborate ones, the corsage of which, as far as the silk is concerned, ends its career beneath the arms, the rest being merely a transparency of tulle, are both alike, being provided with the completion of a silk cape, the coats being generally reserved for the purpose of bringing a more or less—usually more—brilliant colour into contrast with a delicately-tinted or pure white gown. One such wrap, the knee-deep basque of which takes a distinct flare at the sides, is of emerald-green silk, with just a touch of gold embroidery for its outward

adornment, and a lining of white satin to soften it down somewhat. A eash effect of loosely-knotted silk holds it in well down across the front, and the collar is so arranged that it can when desired be fastened closely up to the throat by means of little loops finished off with acorn-like ornaments of green silk broidcred in gold. These are passed through buttonhole openings after the manner of sleevelinks." My fourth coat is one of the smartest. I have purposely left the length a matter of discretion, deep hip, longer or much longer. What is the attraction? Simply the satchel pocket, which looks for all the world as though- it had been taken down for some utility purpose and buttoned on

before leaving the house. The satchel pocket is very much favoured, both "when of self and used as the excuse for a repetition of the facing of the collar and cuffs. The model I saw was the former; but, believing that it could be improved, I repeated the pattern. There is a semi-military air about the coat, partly the result of the high buttoning. As a matter of fact, a military effect is unavoidable.