IN FASHION'S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3291, 11 April 1917, Page 51

IN FASHION'S REALM.

WEEKLY UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES By Marguebits. This season we shall be known largely by our hat. Although the shapes are so many, nevertheless there is the ultrafashionablo', the fashionable, the medium, the compromise, and the ordinary. The leading shapes are high when hard, bulky where soft. The former include the various adaptations of the Obssack —hats with and without brims, the brim in many cases being small, sometimes an eave-lik© extension, sometimes a curl of bell-lip design, and sometimes a sharp over-turn. A notable feature is the way the trimming is often merged with the shape, a firm section going Into a soft one, and the velvet or ribbon developing in the form of a chou, nest, bow, and what not. All these trimmings aim for height, and form, as it were, a kind of negligent " crest," With respect to the soft drapes, the most taking one is a kind of exaggerated tarn —that is to say, the hat'is balloony, but flattens ard falls to one side. Between this there axe many adaptations that sometimes combine both ideas. Some time ago I referred to a kind of hat-cap worn by the women at work on the- King's estate—those who have come in to replace the men. They wear what is a cap when viewed from the front, but the. stiffness Emerges into a free part, and this finally into a tam extension, falling over to one side, is emphatically pretty. I see that the idea has been carried into some of the models now with us. These hats, no matter what the shape, feature velvet in nine cases out of 10, silk the tenth, and in the nine sometimes the one material for the dominant selection and the other to assist. But velvet is _ the striking note, and so I may speak of it as the leading autumn and winter selection. Speaking generally, simplicity is the dominant note with the best models. And smart, irregular sailors offer a wide diversity in size, contour, and the manipulation of the material. Very high crowns are the smartest in all that is ultra-fashion-able, and panne velvet is the bright particular star. High colours are considered quite the thing, but commend me to the soft shades—tango blue, tete-de-negre, purple, etc. A noteworthy feature in trimmings is the wonderful array of velvet flowers and fruit. These adornments . are really beautiful, and, of course, in addition to appearing on ready-mad es, may be bought for home manipulation. Now if the back part of the brim of this hat were removed you would have something not so unlike the uniform-hat worn by the King's workers. To make things clear, I have had to draw everything as open as possible. The model is one of the

finest —a French, —and the original, I may say, was of dark purple velvet with an exquisite silk band and : chenille tassel, the latter just being in evidence in the sketch. Such a shape is bound to be found to be becoming to nearly any wearer; but, of course, youth always has the best chance, and a hat of this kind will be prized by one in the heydey of that stage of life. I am bound to return to furs—this is because they have been launched in ill their fulness as early as possible, and again to suit the popular pocket. The rabbit is at last openly proclaimed, and it is possible to set a smartly cut and flared natural coat with new wide collar, lined throughout with sill-:, for a figure that does not reach the double. As for other things, we have rabbit throw-overs, rabbit muffs, pillow if to match rabbit boas, _ etc. When it comes to fur trimmings, I am more or less lost. The collection is extraordinary, and the demand should be in keeping. Fur trimmings will bo seen this winter figuring as never before, and one reason will be that the modes lend themselves to this embellishment. The modes, of corse, are just what you know. The silhouette is, on the whole, straighter. True, the skirts are very lull, but they do not flare as formerly, even though the flare is still fashionable. And the length has been improved in that the marked shortness of summer has become taboo. With respect to the upper effect of frocks, waists may be either high or low, as much depends on the style and the wearer. But the waist is full, and that means not only natural but sometimes a little more so. This is due to the Russian, and, I take it, the Cossack coat. Some of th/dresses have, a remarkable resemblance to " coats" —that is to say, they look as though a coat_ was the first idea in the designing. This is not only, very becoming, but is also a bit economical. With respect to coats and skirts, the former are, on the whole, lengthy. Anything that savours of the idea that the wearer has grown out of it is to bo considered. Though there are many frocks that feature draping, the best, perhaps, are quite plain aa regards lines. But much is made of gathers to givo natural folds, and In coats, I may cay, of new tricks In box-pleating, such going over "belts" and then losing themselves both above and below. If I were asked to name any particular feature that hall-marksi the new frocks. 6uit or coat, I should say the pocket. The collar

may be anything preferred, flat being in iust as great evidence as turned, with the nigh stock in pronounced favour. But the pocket on the skirt, whether of skirt or coat, arrests the eye at once; and hero we see everything that fancy has been able to evolve. Satchel effects are choice; but there are many pouch pockets, some of which look for all .the world as though ?i peggy-bag of some kind had been out n half, and one-half used one side and tho other the other. Then, there is the slipper pocket, which is likely to be much countenanced. In dresses of ordinary material, fur trimming is a great embellishment, but when it comes to velvet I always think that such is like gilding the rainbow. With velvet I prefer embroidery—motifs, if you will—applied to border skirts and otherwise pick out the design. iTor example, hero is a velvet dress on excellent lines—a true Russian design whioh is enhanced by- the Cossack hat. In this you see tho slipper pocket, and double belt, which i 3 so fashionable; and noto what can be done with gathers to make the material proclaim its own virtue. To relieve, an applique is used to border tho

skirt and to pick out the pockets; and, assuming that this is more or less metallic,, there is a cord with a pendant ornament to complete. Tho hat is a simple, fashionable shape, with bell brim, and two bands of fur in sympathy with the design of the belt. ••

Coming back to millinery, if you are trimming your own hat and using r'bbon, aim for the best. The faille, moire, satin, merv, and glace are exquisite. Wide widths in faille, heavy and satin edged in many colours, is not dear; and those with cord effects in sky, lime, cerise, nigger, mole, purple, and Bordeaux are more than commendable. Very heavy moire ribbons lcoextremely rich in _ cream, black, navy, purple, etc., and again in grey, wine, flame, and gold. Merv ribbons are heading again in brown, grey, mole, saxe, lime, wine, orange, royal, and purple; and satin ribbons need no mention, though we find them in fine quality in many choice shades. Ribbons just now are extremely cheap, for what reason I am unable to say. Incidentally you may be using tulle. The rainproof kind is to be commended. Smart, upstanding, crisp effects are a feature of _ the present modes, and the right selection makes the employment of wire unnecessary. Ribbons come underj the heading of what I may call the minor necessities, and they lead one to features that proclaim smartness in many things. Everything should be _ chosen for its "air" as well as service. ' Even gloves can reveal something that picks the wearer out as knowing something. Tie wear, where it is used,- must be smart, and, goodness knows, the stores are full of some of the daintiest things ever evolved. The stranger looks at the approaching figure, head first, feet second, and then the dress. Be shod in keeping with the_ times. Boots are no longer something distinct, but part and parcel of the toilet —works of art of arresting beauty, both as regards shape and material. Here is a remarkably quaint creation by one of those mastcrhands. It is of olack satin with a brocaded top-.that, with the fur band, looks for all the world like a

hat set on to another. I expect that no milliner amongst ourselves would have dared such an extraordinary design, and yet there is the hall-mark, and tParis, we know, can do anything. Everywhere they are knitting. Though there are many silk sweaters, the wool'en ones predominate —probably because they are so fascinating to make. Some women have a different colour for every day in the week, and wonderful colours they are. They range from delicate pastel to rich, vivid barbario shades which almost startle, except that they all seem to blend into one charming whole, and the background of green of out-of-doors seems to make them all possible. With winter at the full they

will doubtless be seen in all their trig jatmtiness. The very latest sweater is a seeveless ono—a middy or slip-over-the-head sweater minus the sleeves, made exactly on tho lines of a man's bathing suit, with deep arm holes. This sweater looks well on many types of figures, but best on one who , is slight. It is made to fit rather closely. Tho slcevelces sweater takes six skeins of Shetland wool. No. 5 amber knitting needles aro used. A row means once across th> work. This is for size 36; but wool stretches, and this will probably fit 34- and 33. Russian blouses, which stop about sin below the hips, are made like an ample middy blouse, and aro heavily hand-em-broidered or braided. They go beautifully with satin or velvet skirts of the samecolour, generally dark blue, garnet, or black. The eash belt is often a ribbon, but it encircles the waist a couple of time*, sometimes under and sometimes over, passing through convenient slashes. A blouse of this type seen was of dork blue Georgette crepe, sashed with crushed wide blue satin ribbon, which passed under the blouse in front, emerging at tho sides, crossing the blouse at the back, and being tied again a little lower down in front. Tho whole blouse was embroidered with gold spiral-filled circles in gold thread,- the circles growing smaller as they were placed higher; tiny ones of half an inch. In diameter stopped at about bust height. Tho "V" neck was finished by a sailor collar outlined and with touches of .the embroidery. The idea seems in the more dressy Russian blouses to • embroider aa much of the surface as possible. Renaissance motifs are often seen, as well as the new motif ,offities, which lend themselves charmingly. This is what wo might call a blouse for an art exhibition. Tho design comes from a masterhand. The bodice Dart is simpiy

a matter of elegant out and fit. but note the relief and picture the effect, front view. The sleeve is exquieite, and, for a novelty, what of the collar with inset? A charming ideal The overblouse which slips on over the head is, above all, charming on the giri in her teens. Those made of velveteen or satin and worn with a serge tailored skirt have very little decoration—a braid in which a few metal threads aro interwoven or worsted embroidery motifs, set at spaced intervals, or a simple hand-embroidery dono in cross stitch in floss, metal thread, or yarn. These follow the low, round neok, the- drop shoulder seam and the hem, which is about "'Sin below the hip.