IN FASHION'S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 57

IN FASHION'S REALM.

WEEKLY UP-TO DATE DKESS NOTES By Mahc'tjeeitr There is a good deal of "camouflage"—. happy word —about the new millinery. Ii looks fine, is fine, is a delight to the wearer and beholder equally, and yet who could hope to designate it in the usual way ? This appli"3 partly to the shape, apd partly to the manipulation of the details. A favourite shape is the one with something of a bell-topper crown, but with brims that turn up all round, one side and not another, and then by the comparison not at all. These shapes may be made of silk throughout and frequently are, a few smooth, but the majority with overfolds or in somewhat negligent swathings. The brims may be described in the same way. As to trimming, unless the crown provides its own by the way it is swathed itself, then ribbon easily leads —frontal dusters, groups, anything you like if only it is artistic and all, be it observed, with a tendency to height rather than breadth, and with the folds in that direction. Sometimes the ribbon- is not considered sufficient, and when it is not, little ribbon roses in contrast are set within the folds, two or three anyhow. Again, some of the brims are treated to a fringed border, the best of all being of the feather variety. There are others —hats of the kind with smooth crowns save as to the top, which is pouched, and_ with semi-tnconic brims, the turns of which support posies; absolutely smooth crowns, round and on top, together with shaped brims of width, arching over the face, bending down at the sides - and rising to some height at hack, wings being employed for the decoration. Again, there are hats with high boater crowns, and drawn in ones with a pouching overhanging top, something after a tam. Silk I have said in all this relation! Satin, perhaps, is more to the point with many, and notwithstanding the time velvet has its place, and even fur is not disdained to edge certain styles. Thus _ a French sailoi of grey satin worn to the side, ribbed crown and brim, edged with a band of fur, a wing falling over one side, is rather attractive. When it comes to straws glorious is the array. There will be the same kind of belltopper crown again, with a wide brim turned slightly down, ribbon drawn round the top. and finished with a deftly-tied bow. and with posies set at intervals where we usually find the band. There will be another with a double band of ribbon to the flattish dome, and a flat brim edged with a line of leaves, for all the world like the wreath we sometimes see on the coins. Thero will be another, a moderate crown with satin-lined brim turned down slightly one side and sharply up the other, and the dome will be a mass of roses and leaves. Incidentally a new and decidedly taking triok is to lay little sprays on the brim, or

it curls within it —sprays of flowers and sometimes of fruit, and even, where it is possible, of both. On the whole, ribbon trimmings assert themselves by rising: floral ones by inclining the other way. All these selections are* with the mind running on youth. Matronly millinery differs in that the brims are always closer. But. height is the rule, and, with ribbon predominating, it is secured very often by carrying this" upward. Feathers seem to find their best use in - ornamenting- matronly hats —an ostrich falling.over the crown and, indeed, making it a very effective example. With ribbon there is a great tendency towards ears. In fact, some of the hats I have seen look as though the designers had been studying the rabbit or —even that docile beast to name which is not considered good taste. There is another kind of hat that engages me—the one illustrated. This is a ribbon hat, brim of the "nightcap" variety, band, and the ribbon arched over the crown, drawn together, and carried up iu "dashing wave" fashion, and in a very

dashing- manner in addition. A difference of style is provided by a straw hat with just such a: brim, the band being made up wholly of little flowers and leaves, with ribbon ends extending at the sides. But it is not as pretty as the one shown. The spring suits are delightful—simple little coats for the most part with quite plain skirts, the coat being worn open when there is a waistcoat. The spring suit, which, of course, is the early summer one, must always be *a very different one from the winter—short, or reasonably so, with low sweeping collar, and with a seasonable air otherwise. But few are belted,- and those that are seldom fully, the belt being the excuse for ornamentation, as to go across the front and connect the side fronts which will "button" on to it. A decidedly attractive coat is a kind of Norfolk, the down pleats of. which go over the belt, and flank the pockets, which aire set on the very edge, as though they had been turned up from the length. The are of "camouflage" enters even into coats, which are sometimes simulated on frocks by the way the tunic is cut across —at a coat length,—and then, assuming that the material is patterned, bordered in plain to pick it out. The spring frocks leave nothing to be deiired, and one great recommendation is that many of them may so easily be made at home. The lines are straight, and sometimes as straight as though a'coat, and the monotony of the line relieved by crossing the-dress at a mid-hip level with a band of something in contrast. If the upper part is panelled to this and the skirt part gathered into it, the effect is good. Tunics will be in great evidence, though, as regards myself, I am a bit tired of the long tunic sides; and open sleeves will prove a cardinal feature in this and other relations. I have seen some _ draped _ skirts, but not many—another fashion continued over long. Reverting to the fringe, it is still asserted that it will be seen all round, edging this and that; but so far as I have observed to date it is nothing: like the vogue they said it would be. What is noteworthy is the plain coat with a check skirt —a sports-like coat and rather pronounced check, this ■being repeated on the collar, cuffs,, and pockets for the reconciliation. Spring always emphasises the blouse. There are certain distinguishing features this time that hall-mark the stylish blouse. Whether vhe sleeve is open or close will, of course, depend; but the big thing is the collar both as regards shape and treatment. Round necks, square necks, "V" necks are matters of choice, the round and square

generally forming a yoke with a blouse that fastens at the back. The "V" is the front one—collars that close sharply or with a j/reat ovi.rlap, and they are, as a rule, right to the waist. An exceedingly pretty one is nearly ■ as wide as tho shoulder on

tho shoulder, and then as wide as the blouse itself below the arms, where it is stepped sharply for a narrow rever, this alone being frilled —a very pretty idea. The bringing down of tho upper part of the eolla* in v .he form of a pendant tab is a delightful fancy, this being finished off sharply or ornamented with a little fringe or some suoh attractive detail., The blouse, tho collar of which resolves itself into two cross-pieces that form a swathed girdle, is, of course, a rather old idea, and yet it is always pretty. A noteworthy blouse is the one that simulates a waistcoat, this having been perfected for a dozen and one variations I have ?poken of the fringe. Perhaps the simplest of all forms is when it is used to finish a little tunic of the sandwich pattern in the way indicated. This is with a very simple spring frock," the tunic "buttoning" on to the-girdle, which is helped by the use of cords and tassels. If the dress is considered too plain there is always the chance of redeeming it with a little hand work. It was Paris that decreed the all-ribbon hat with a number of good models with a number of freakish. And ribbon being so handy, both London and New York at once set to work in providing improvements.

Here, for instance, is an American ribbon hat which anyone could copy with, advantage. The shape is pretty, but instead of the crown being disfigured with a bow more fit for the stage than off it, the designer has tied one of commendable proportions and in the right way. I have spoken of plain coats and checked skirts. What of plain blouses and coloured ones. By plain blouses I mean white ones —voile for choice, with tucks as desired and also insertion. The skirts with such will be striped and checked —plain skirts as to treatment, but with the pattern a feature. Picture a voile blouse with frontal tuckings from a square neck, and Val lace to flank and border and a zephyr skirt in a mixed check. Or a voile blouse with pleated sides framing a vest effect with rounded neck and crossed with bands of Val lace, the bell sleeves similarly treated, and a cotton crepon skirt in light pink or blue with block stripes. These. striped skirts are a very fashionable note, and will grow in favour as the season advances. The stripes will not always be broad. Double and treble stripes of narrow width set closely together with a plain margin between the sets may prove more acceptable. Incidentally the colour scheme may be-reversed throughout, in my opinion, with'the same effects-striped silk blouses with plain skirts. And touching blouses for those who do not like a low collar there is a new fashion —a high collar in the form of a scarf in that one side passes through the other in front with the ends spreading in the form of an "A" and buttoning on the blouse fronts. . This is one of the very best of all coats for a young girl. It is a loose sports kind whh a turned-up finish, this, eg. will be seen, providing pockets. Very, smart is the

way the edge of this is striped, and also the way the collar and cuffs are treated in relation. Finally, the girdle is smart.with its bookmarker ends and tassels to finish. With embroidery so much in demand, it is necessary to learn the stitches. There are ever so many. For four—filling stitches are those which are used for backgrounds in heavy and elaborate embroideries. They are not often used otherwise. Some of the darning and couching stitches arc filling stitches; likewise lace and buttonhole stitches, although these are usually employed (or filling designs and motifs, rather than for backgrounds. The cushion stitch is used for elaborate fillings, and may be worked in _ several ways. It is formed by parallel stitches of irregular length, laid over a particular number of threads on the material embroidered. The given arrangement of these stitches, formed at regular intervals, makes the pattei-n. Gobelin stitch is.Jhe richest of all fillings. It resembles weaving and forms a solid surface. The stitches are worked in straight bands, Isid side by side, close enough to touch. The bands of stitches are worked in close rows so as to cover the entire ground. The effect produced is rich and lovely. Tentstitch is made with a succession of stitches on a slant, and uncrossed. They may be of any length required for the space to bo filled, and may be regularly or irregularly placed. A number of short stitohes may take the place of one long stitch. Tin's stitch is the base of the cross stitch, which is made by crossing the tent-stitch with a line of. the same length and slanting in the opposite direction. There are numerous varieties of cross stitches. A long stitch crossed atany part with a shorter stitch is a cross stitch.