IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 51

IN FASHION’S REALM.

WEEKLY UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES By Marguerite.

'We are threatened by La Mode. We axe threatened with war fashions up to date. No more the Crusader's tunic, the Napoleonic collar. What we are in for is a run of modern styles —slouch hat, tunic with belt and shoulder satchel ditto, plain skirt, and boots with military spats. In other words, we are in for all this, if New York can get Paris to endorse it. By way of encouragement American women are already appearing so. But understand it is with spring. Winter having passed in the Northern Hemisphere, they are coming out in suits so close to tho military type as to. suggest a uniform. In fact, the tunic is nearly identical, and the skirt with this style' being as short as ever, a woman so attired suggests that she is from, or off to, tho barracks, and shortly will be found " somewhere in France." They are even adding to the shoulder satchel strap a miniature' water-bottle —such, I suspect, being a bag of, some kind. If La Mode, whose seat i 3 "in Paris, bends to the American decree, then it may not b© ( long before the entire sex has been " conscripted " as regards military style. But I hope not. Imagine if the soldier's uniform, next spring were followed by the policeman's next winter!' The desire being to let America have her way, I think I am right in saying that "we are threatened." While on" the subject I may mention that tho Red Cross is becoming sensible. When it wants so much extra money as to call for a " day " it offers something more than tho proverbial "button." The latest is to offer something that can be worn for good —that can, in fact, take its place in the jewel box. The notewdrthy article is the brooch with a national symbol, as a boomerang for Australia and a fern for New Zealand. It is a good brooch—silver, and costs, eay, 10s. What I should like to see is a line of Red Cross jewellery running from bronze up to gold. But all in good time. Having" discovered that the people want keepsakes they can keep, the Red Cross will yet realise that it can make it as good as it likes—there will always be some prepared to- make the tiling worth while. The other day I showed you two knitted tams. Here is another, and' again one of tho fashionable types. Unfortunately, it was not found possible to do it justice in pen and ink. Still the idea is there—the shape, the folds, and the way it is worn.

Tin's particular tarn is easy to make, or, anyhow, easier than either of the others just referred to. And the tassel gives it a peculiarly smart effect, and moreover identifies it with the moment.

I observe that more is being made of millinery this season than ever before in my recollection. There i 3, incidentally, a craze for chenille hats, but of a specially fine sort. And in connection there is another for chenille ornaments. Emphasising the latter, I notice single flowers in two shades, with the centre simulating eeeds in colour—all chenillo with chenille stem and velvet foliage. Such colour combinations are seen as rose and mastic, mauve and mastic,, mastic and jade, etc. Very effective flowers with seven-petal effects have coloured bead centres, and are finished off with several loops of chenille tied to the stem. Then you can get sprays—chenille with coloured seeds and velvet leaves; and again in mounts with chenille associated with gold thread, colours being such as emerald, rose, mauve, black, etc., each with gold. Very pleasing mounts are of the berry variety. Somehow or other chenille berries, any kind whatever, are especially attractive. Chenille seems to soften the form as well as make it.

A great deal may be made of the hat. And, reversing this, the hat may make a great deal of the drees, or the reverse. My advice ia: always get a good hat rather than_ a poor one, even though it should entail wearing it longer. There are any number of very low-priced hats about, and I hava nothing to say against them. A low price is not necessarily a cheap one—it depends on value. But unless you are going to make the hat yourself, l" cannot see how you can expect a creation that is likely to assist your dress, for nothing. For example, _ I sec before me a dainty little pull-on in mastic shade panne velvet, with a kilting of saxe blue faille ribbon on the edge of the- brim, corded crown, daintily trimmed with chenillo flowers. And again an attractive model, small and closefitting brim of saxe blue chenille, tarn crown of mastic shade panne velvet, trimmed with mastic and silver. Again a tight-fitting _ droop in nigger-brown panne velvet, eix-piece crown, trimmed with handmade velvet flowers. And still again a hat in emerald green tagel straw, crown of draped velvet in the same shade, and the trimming, bead ornaments. These hats would not be dear, and yefc you could hardly expect them for "half a crown." But here are some low-priced hats. Thus a velvet hat in the popular "Tarn" shape, which is quite correct for present wear, trimmed with woollen tassel, the colour navy. Then a Tam-shape, nicely made, trimmed with wool tassel, full crown, colour saxe. Then a pull-on in black velvet, brim with slight roll at back, trimmed with band of ribbon, and finished with blanket stitching in wool. Then a smart little pull-on in velvet.soft crown with slight tilt at back, trimmed with small posy, colour nigger. Then a becoming hat in eilk velvet, soft crown, stitched brim, trimmed with ornament in Oriental colourings. Then a small hat in silk velvet, soft drawn crown, trimmed with wool ornament and stitching,

colour vicux rose. Then a smart little closefitting hat in silk velvet, soft crown, trimmed with narrow ribbon, finished with small French posy. One must have one's panorama of dresses complete. Though I am not enamoured of these cascading sides just now, nevertheless they are in style, and to omit all mention would be to be guilty of a fault. Other-

wise the lines are exceedingly pretty, bodice especially, and the way those pleats are used in front lend height. The pocket is the unual attractive one, and in this case supplements the draping. Writes another: "Whether a winter more severe than usual is expected I do not know, but the fact remains that fur is everywhere to bo found on the new models, and coats more suitable for the Arctic regions than our winters here adorn the shop windows, the price of them being heavy, to correspond with their weight! This is one of the American military styles; but, of course, if you were to adopt it now you would be anticipating. It is, as you see, as near to the actual thing as it is possible to go. The American soldier does

not -wear a tunic, but a shirt tunic, and henco the closeness of the resemblance. Needles to say, the extra military touch is given through the satchel strap Another on millinery: "I should say that 15 out of every 20 of the new millinery models are composed of velvet, or, at any rate, velvet enters largely into their composition. Most of the shops at present have a large stock of untrimmed velvet shapes on sale, and for a useful hat nothing is nicer. They require little or no trimming. The plain sailor hat is always good style; but a rather more favourite form of it has a pinched-in crown. This needs nothing but a band of ribbon as a trimming, or a band of the wonderful futurist colourings which are so much seen now, resembling, as they do, the craziest of crazy patchwork. A good deal of embroidery m both wool and silk is done direct on to the hats and the fashion of button-holing little odd-shaped bits of silk on to the crown or brim still holds its own." Such, of course, would be a very economical hat. Cape collars win my unqualified approval. 4.nd they themselves are being improved every day. I hardly think you could find a nioro charming expression of the style

than this. But observe that the upper part i 3 in pronounced contrast —and lighter. This is a coming note, and when winter is over will reach the acme-upper collar sections in light material. Then I think you will like tlie plaStts; and finally the girdle. Again some coat notes: A blanket tweed in loose-swing, new muffler collar; fastens high to neck; deep fancy pockets, with allround belt. Then a wme Cheviot cloth, wrap collar and deep rovers, patch pockets, finished with belt and buckle. Then a light brown tweed, full-flared skirt, set-in sleeves, up-to-date collar, deep fancy pockets, largo buttons and belt. Then a wool gabardine, very dressy and useful for damp and cold •weather, full swing back, ■ deep collar worn

open or closed, belt and pockete,_ rows of self buttons. Then a wool gabardine, loose back, with fancy design from sides, falling in pleats, deep American collar, set-in sleeves, fancy cuffs, finished with straps and rows of self-buttons.