IN FASHION'S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 51

IN FASHION'S REALM.

WEEKLY UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES

By Marguerite

This i 3 the age of tho ready-made. Conditionally that one has anything liko a normal figure, it is always easy to get suited. Tile greatest dressmaking establishment nowadays is the factory. Owing to the enormous output they can afford the best talent and command it. Commend me to a walking costume in striped cotton Assam trimmed on side, belt, and poeketcs; or a white pique, sports coat effect, new roll collar and revers, finished with belt and crochet buttons; or a cambric serni-fitting back, high roll collar, military front, belt finished to side, pearl buttons; or a white poplin, basque effect, fancy cross-over front, double pan collar, trimmed with pipings, glass buttons; or a white muslin —a frock trimmed with emboidery, and one of the best possible. What beautiful blouses. Looking at the array, I wonder why anyone ever troubles to made her own. There is the day blouse and the evening, the morning and tho afternoon. Some of the plainest are among tho finest. Much is made of embroidery, and with evening selections of ribbon. There arc flounced blouses —ever a fashionable choice ; and among some very smart models one with a couple of miniature capes. At the same time it is only right to say that favour goes to the coat, or to anything with a coat effect. Some of tho natty little ones are worn in conjunction—open. Then study the skirts. I see a serge in navy with military pockets either side and shaped tabs. Then a gaberdine in clerical grey with patch pockets. Then a shepherd's plaid, black and white, double box pleats, stitched for 12in from waist from front eased on hip at back, the shaped hip flare giving a very effective finish. Then a now circular model in white, lap seam centre front, and military pockets. Then another in cotton cord, military pockets, and crochet buttons. Then a fine one in mercerised poplin, cream, with shaped hip yoke, flare, tabs and pearl buttons. Then a_ corded serge, a fashionable selection, with inverted stitched welt," centre front, back slightly eased, round patch pockets, . and crochet buttons. And, to finish the group, a sponge cloth, lap seam centre front, back slightly full shaped, patch pockets, and crochet buttons. A skirt to please must have shape, hang and fit. You can have it too long or too short. But all skirts are reasonably short, and to be well dressed you must obey tho decree. You will notice the repetition of crochet buttons—they are among the orders of the day.

I rover remember when there was so much needed from the dress writer, and so little to make the story—that is to say, one has to keep on harping on some of the old strings. Take millinery. While beautiful enough, there is not that originality of some of our past summers. I selected this simply because it gave the pencil a chance. Tt is one of those pretty bent shapes that are at once reminiscent of the boat and Varden together. Such a choice may be of

cither fmo or coarse weave. Everything is in the shape and tho simple trimming-. A few flowers around tho crown afe assisted by a generous mount at back. But it is the ribbon that arrests. Drawn over the crown and apparently making- the bend, it finishes in a couple of loops and streamers. I am exceedingly partial to these bunging- ribbons. They seem to identify _ themselves with tho season, and always with youth. Among an array of pleasing and inexpensive hats I notice a fine tagcl straw, the under brim of constrasting colour smartly trimmed with band and bow of corded ribbon. Then ttyvery taking Breton in fine tagcl, also smartly trimmed with ribbon and an ornament. Tho Leghorn makes an admirable summer hat, and one before mo is very nicely shaped and semi-trimmed. Wo can say a good deal in favour of the semi-trimmed hat—a little ribbon, posy, etc. Hero is a charming hat in black-and-white of very novel shape and trimmed down to the minimum. Tho Panama hat should be very slightly trimmed. Tho new shapes leavo nothing to be desired. Among tho cheap hais and looking worth twice tho money is a fine Italian chip of light shade just relieved; and again a tagcl with Oriental band and posy. One can always have one's ready-to-wear hat to suit. This ar>plies to tho whim as well as the necessity. There is the shape, and if you want it trimmed some particular way. presto I it is done in a moment. Thus something has to bo said of tho oxcpiisito flowers—sprays, including bebo roses, lilac, and forget-me-nots. "You may run an eye over the berries, apples with foliage, etc., and pause on wheat ears, silk apples, etc., and especially tho single blooms —moss roses and the like. The flower trails call for a line —roses, daisies, etc.: also tho bunches-of lilies of the valley, fern sprays, and other pretty fancies. Hone Rro the days when only a master hand could fashion a hat. With everything so nva ; lable it is simplv a matter of nimblo fingers and the artistic sen-o to have something par excellence.

I cannot make too rrmch of neckwear just now. Thcro is tho larjre and tho small. F'n-.fc call comes from tho collar with cowlot. or. revfirsin.tr this, tho oapelot with collar. Tliey are exquisite. Organdie- cape colours are still in pink, sky, and white, and from thorn tho t'lanoe wanders to tho beautiful creations in VaJ. laces and fancy cotton laces. Tho white organdie neckwear

with roll and Quaker collars represent some of the newest ideas in neckwear. It is often as others sco us in this department. What one has round one's neck is sometimes half tho battle of being nieoly dressed. Commend ono to real lace every timo and all the time. I hold that everyono should possess a little. I have an idea that .hand-made laces are going to become cheap. Half-Europe is drying its tears at the work in the off hours. This is a charming figure. The design h French. Everything is in the perfect:on of cut. Observe the blouse, which with justthat little trick from the reverse is given, front view, tho suggestion of a coat. It

looks as if the garment had been turned back, and then buttoned on the skirt. This is again improved by the same addition. The design is especially suitable to washing materials. There is so lit Lie to get out of order. Though small in scale the hat is worth more than a passing glance. A word on short skirts and the tub. You want to be careful lest the skirt, short enough as it is, comes from the laundry two inches too much so. By adding a littlo ammonia to the water shrinkage is avoided, or at any rate lessened. I do not know what to suggest to reduce the risk to the minimum. Say, however, that you take care that there is plenty to let out in the first instance. A friend gave some guineas for a coat and skirt, which, charming enough before it -went to the tub, was a source of much heartburning afterwards. In the first place the skirt was a shade too short to start with. Having been let out a littlo naturally there was less in reserve; and then when it came back from its first acquaintance with soap and water it was ridiculous. To make it right it had to be let out to the limit. With so little to spare you want to see that there is enough to provide for the original length. The safest course is to have enough in the hem. Of course not every fabric, shrinks, but same do, and hence the value of the warning. These short skirts call for very fine underskirts. They are frequently moro elaborate than what goes over them. Frills are ever safe selection. Needless to say, too. they call for very perfect hosiery, and also for immaculate footwear. Truly it is the shoemaker's innings. The stylish l>oot to-day is indeed a thing of beauty. It is wonderful, too, what can bo spent on such. The high, fashionable boot is seldom cheap. If you want something special you can spend on a pair as much as would buy a costume. Yet how beautiful some of the samples arc—a pair in white kid, for example, very high heels, black patent wedge toccaps, black stripe at back, heel to top, laced up inside with a bkek eilk laco and the tops set off with black tassels. which just reveal their presence as the skirt sways in walking Then a pretty selection is si white drill boot, either button or lace white ivory soles—a new and choice model. What has to be said of fashionable footwear is that it will not stand rough usage. One has to be careful of one's steps Oversea advices tell us that autumn will be anticipated. It was so in Europe and America, and so why not hero. _ Ihus autumn milLinerv was being shown in London and New York in mid-summer. A leadNew York buyer says:—"l am surprised to sec so many felt and velvet hats being worn in Paris in summer. Usually felt hat:; aro not introduced until August, but it seems that we are moving things about. I found many 'tarns' in fee various collections, and also the old mushroom shape." It is a hint to got ail the service out of what you have at the earhest. As for instance, hats of this class. This is a very pretty model, but more suited to the matron than the maid. As a maticT of fact I took it from a "homo hint" how to

bring a shape, up to fashion. As I did not like the brim in tho other I redrew it, adding one of my own. Tho next change in millinery will featuremany "u-ufls." It will be carrying tho dress

into the hat. And incidentally there will bo a strong tendency to "puffs" in tho coiffure As an indication ta-ke this oversea note, culled for tho timo and for tho foreword:— "it is to bo strongly suspected that pull's re-entered fashion as a first aid to bobbed hair victims, who repented in haste. Now they have been added to all stylish and up-to-date coiffures. The coiffure still mounts .steadily lut surely higher and higher, as ifc ascends toward tho back of tho head, giving a peculiar silhouette. Tito puffs are often used to fit in back of tn is, preserving a sort of modernised Louis XV outline. These puffa are not so largo as tho old-fashioned kind. They really seem to be mero curls that have been rolled up into small pufTs." Slipper pockets, so-called from their shape —tho hand can bo thrust into them very deep,—decorate very artistically some- of the new long coats. Tho Russian angel-shaped three-quarter sleeve, with its tight, long undersleeve, is Been in some of tho new one-piece dresses. ... If dress sleeves are of chiffon, and many of the new models keep to this popular fashion, they are cut bishop fulness and gathered into a four or five inch ouff. If they are of tho same material as the dress they are plain and set in: but the slight fulness is almost invanably tightly braceieted with a band ol ribbon. . . . The rolling fence-like collai is a first favourite. It now takes all sorts of fanciful variations from tho first simple models seen. ... It _ will take an enormous amount of material to make some of tho coming one-piece frocks. _ Even chiffon velvet, is to be finely box-pleated. It is pressed, but not stitched, to disposo of tho material ill tho five to six yard hems. This is something out of the way for the corsage of a dress with some form of tunic. The capo is all the rase but I have not

yet soon it worked inio a front;i] panel, which is gathered to the side in the becoming stylo of tho model. I thiwk you will liko this, and if not for just now, then for a little later.