IN FASHION'S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 51

IN FASHION'S REALM.

WEEKLY UP-TO-DATE DRESS "NOTES

By Maeguerite.

This is emphatically a eilk season. UNTo one can 'say " dressed in the silks and satins," meaning extravagantly. Finest of all is a Paisley striped crepon. It comes from that land of elegance, France, and is superb; but it is not cheap. Then a Jersey, closely knitted, in various shades, is a very elegant silk, and ideal for sports coats. And a Milanese silk,' light weight, in as many, is delicacy itself. A silk "worth mentioning has to confess to an admixture of wool It is called crepe Albion, and, like the others, it is an elegant selection for a coat, or even for a coat and skirt. It is the Eastern silks 'that claim the attention of the majority. We all know enough about ordinary Jap silk to dispense with an elaborate mention. But these Fugi silks! It is a pleasure to study one in natural shade, heavy weight, with a brilliant finish, and a double pleasure to go over the rango of the coloured —exquisite shades that are especially choice in coat frocks and costumes. There is a spotted Fugi which has an extra use, and that is for collars, cuffs, etc. Sakusan silk is a novelty in coinspots in various colours, and makes a very acceptable sports coat. Then a striped Japanese satin, white, with the stripe "in helio, is a most commendable choice for any purpose. Finally, holding its head up in this gay procession, is a Chinese silk, white pongee; and this much it may proclaim —that it has Samson's own strength, being hand : made. All the summer materials are beautiful. Passing from silks there are voiles. A good voile is ever a desirable selection. One of the smartest is white with a fine self-stripe—it launders beautifully. Then there is tho voilo with tho largo broken, check and floral overprint. "What could be_ better for one of those new pleated skirts? Again, a woven chiffon voile is a lovely thing, whether in a check or stripe. As for a plain voile, suffice it to say that they compass all tho finest shades. White linen is much in favour this summer. It is one of those materials that do<<not need a testimonial to catch on. Linen is always beautiful, and more so, I think, with wear. It is unnecessary to speak of the many other selections. They range down to muslin, and sometimes, perhaps, it is up. What can be more delightful than a muslin frock when worn by one of youthful years! The stripe being so much in evidence, I have selected sketches for the present week to express different effects in this relation. Only stripes, of course, can bo indicated, or, rather, suggested, in pen and ink. A stripe may be employed in a- hat actually in part and by simulation for the rest. This is a favourite type of sailor, in which the crown has a ribbon in tjvo stripes,

but indefinite, and the silk covering otherwise is laid in precise pleats. A wreath of •flowers is elevated as y»u see, and that is all that there is to it.

Let us briefly mention some blouses. First, a white voile blouse with a square neck, deep l sailor collar, scalloped and buttonholed round edge, and worked with small flowers, fronts gathered into yoke and trimmed with hemstitching, inset sleeves finished with turn-back cuffs, and also worked—truly, a pretty creation. Then ono in fine white organdi muslin, with dainty collar embroidered with snrays, the fronts tucked into yoke and beautifully worked with flowers and hemstitching—again, a charming selection. Then a heavyquality crepe de chine with deep sailor collar and rovers., inset sleeves with smart turn-back cuffs, fronts, collar, and cuffs hand-embroidered with dainty sprays in colours to tone. Then a fine-quality Fugi silk in shirt style, with roll collar and smart pocket, gathered fronts trimmed with pearl buttons. Then a white voile with square neck, the fronts prettily embroidered and gathered into shoulder yoke, sleeves ; inset and finished with, deep hanging cuffs. Then a cream Japanese silk with square neck and roll collar, the fronts cablestitched and fastened at side, inset sleeves and pretty cuff. The tendency is 'to make the square neck supreme. Handkerchiefs are a seasonable item. Of course, nothing is better .than fine linen with a hemstitched border. But we have tiny handkerchiefs edged with lace, and they are very pretty. Then striped dimity handkerchiefs are seen ; but it is simply to stick in the pocket and make a show. There are many colourings. A good stylo is a handkerchief of colour with' a white border. All these little 'things come under the_ heading of smart etceteras. Another writer says something about the newest powder-puff. It is carried in . a bracelet, and has an apt name—the vanity wristlet. It looks like an ornament, but this is the " book's cover." Inside that case is a tiny powder-puff, and, what is more, a mirror.

Here are a group of coats: A stylish sports coat in navy and white striped voile set-in sleeves, trimmed cuffs, and finished with a handsome girdle—the kind any girl would choose and display with pride. Then an Assam coat of more than usual worth, in that full, loose swing style that is so much in evidence, large roll collar, cuffs in keeping, large patch pockets, pearl buttons, and _ narrow girdle. Then a dust coat, the kind we are favouring, an Assam,

so please you, with a full skirt, set-in sleeves, welted seams, deep . pockets and fancy belt—just the thing in the right relation. And then for a fourth, a motor coat—thoy have to bo worn, —in goodquality crash, striking shoulder collar, deep fancy pockets, cuffs and belt, trimmed with black-and-white zephyr, and fastened to neck with gold buttons and loops. But, having drawn so many coats and skirts, I think it a fair thing to' give a blouse and skirt, and this of the simplest kind. It is just what you would choose for utility hours in any relation, and also for certain leisure ones. This is what the Americans would call a shirt blouse, but it is not the stiff, masculine garment that came in in other days by that name. The feature in general is tho purity of line, and in particular that smart little strap on to tho cuff. Tho skirt disappoints me, but it is only in tho drawing. It illustrates the pleated style with a stripe, which should be fino, if not indefinite. As soon as we pass out of the present season you will seo many clever carry-ons of prevailing.lines in a new form. Frocks will sometimes leave the pocket out, but convoy tho contour it has familiarised us with, with detached side draperies. And where the pocket is not omitted —well, you wiil see what the French artist has been able to do with a fur border, giving, in effect, as viewed from the front, two distinct silhouettes. When dispensing with coats she will apologise for the omission, on occasions, with a side tunic so carefully contrived as to suggest a coat from that viewpoint and a kind of panier seen full on. And then, with respect to frocks, a tremendous lot will be made of the break in two materials at the hip level, this suggesting the peplum blouse while being quite another thing. Pleats will be in great evidence, and draped tunics rival them. Again, apron effects will be seen everywhere; all this being suggestive of the drape the Crusaders wore over their mail on state occasions. Those aprons will be distinguished both front and back, sandwiching, as it were, tho costume itself. And the opportunity providing, they will ,of ten be very much decorated, as with embroidered corners, scrolls round the neck part, and so on. All this chat —this paragraph—is the result of looking over the autumn catalogues from abroad. The designers of the Old World studios are "doing their bit" to help win tho war by keeping La Mode in evidence and her votaries contented.

I have selected this blouse less for the pronounced effect of a broad stripe than for its elegance. It is a very pretty model, which is distinguished by the collar ' and cuffs. It is tho drawing that makes the

stripes as you see. In the real thing the contrast would be as slight as you might decide, and also the stripe might be narrower and more of them. It is the features that make the design; the pattern, sometimes, that brings them out. Touching evening frocks, present and future, and day and evening together just now, where of a light material, much may be made of the side skirt piece. I shall best describe what I mean by taking an evening frock. Tho blouse section is crossed with a "V" over a circular neck inset, the sleeve being of the latter, and coming out through the opening to a halflength. Then the skirt is quite plain save for this: a tunic addition is employed that misses the front by a good deal, and this is prettily gathered at the waist with an upstanding frill. Or this tunic draping—for such it really is—may fall from the hip level, so causing the rest to simulate a yoke. If you haven't seen such a dress try to imagine it —the effect is delightful. I have spoken of the _ future. The hip yoko frill will not bo impossible even in the autumn, but will bo a pronounced feature in evening frocks. And I wish I could describe what tho designers have done to make up for it with a frill on mantles on the uppersection, but I find that I cannot. It must wait till I can illustrate.

Back to coats. Hero is ono of the season's fancies that accomplishes a good deal. It is pleated, and. in addition, it conveys something of tho Norfolk. Also it gives the square neck—the real one, that is without embellishment. The coat is pretty —a stripe, but with a plain silk neck, cuffs, pockets, belt, and hem border. Ono of the most fascinating dress articles I ever read was by a man "who never intended it —Garret Serviss, the scientist. He was picturing Mother Earth for a children's class. I forget the actual words, but they were something in this style: " Mother Earth lives, breathes, and for nil

I-. know to the contrayr, thinks. Behold her as I do. She describes her magnificent circles round the sun, and her own as she spins, and she, inhales and exhales with long, deep breaths. She gets up and goea to bed. in that she awakens and sleeps,

and four times a year the Creator presents her with a dress, as He has done from the beginning and will to the end. In autumn it is russet-tinged and red; in winter it ia russet and grey with ermine, the snow; in, spring it is every shade of delicate green with buds; and in sumer it is golden and every other colour, sprayed with perfume.' That is Mother Earth, and we are her chuV, dren, moving in our latitudes and dress-, ing- to their complexion, nursed by her, bound to v her, given birth to by her, and taken back by her as part of the Great Mystery of Life. And so, you see, dress •is not sordid, but in accordance with tho Plan.