IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 67

IN FASHION’S REALM.

UP-TO DATE DRESS NOTES.

By

Marguerite.

I have formed the opinion that some of the dress information abroad is to sell more goods. I go by this: the way so manv writers contradict others, and then a little later on themselves. It is, I suppose, a case of outdating, as a. commercial man once told me that part of the art in selling goods was to change the pattern of the article at convenient intervals, and so outdate whatever of the same kind might be in use. For weeks and weeks they have been preaching on the other side of the world the doctrine of harmony—that every dress would require to have its own special hat and shoes, every hat its own special shoes and dress, and every pair of shoes its special dress and hat, and so ail .round—bag, gloves, everything. Having educated the people well enough as to this, observe the latest: “ Paris decrees with tailored suits that the only correct thing is to wear the wrong one in tli c right way. This, of course, is rather subtle. What is the wrong thing, and then, having got it, how is it to be worn the right way? The fashion editress of a famous oversea periodical endeavours to make this clear enough in the following:— You get a tailored costume featuring the sweater, a grey suit, for, example, with a lighter grey sweater figured all over with a geometric design in the darker shade anil bound with crepe de chine, and then von impose a huge bunch of violets against the shoulder, don a long string of enormous “ pearls,” and slip your feet into a pair of high-heeled slippers with a steel-buckled strap. And if your hat is specially selected, then, always assuming that you know how to wear these tilings, which is with that grace which is accentuated by indifference, why, then, everyone who knows anything will call you smart, and as for the others —they don’t count. As that particular writer lets it be understood that while there is only one way to wear the wrong thing so that it isn’t out of place there are a thousand and one others of the other kind —well, it seems rather puzzling. But. there, everything is solved by exercising your own experienced discretion.

and then broader. —the one thing to observe being the decree of the sun. All the same, about the smartest shajie just

Of one thing I am quite convinced: you can wear a hat of any width of brim desired —narrow, not so narrow, broad,

>ow, especially with the costume, is a t—ll pne, where half the “trimming” or noCre lies in the manipulation, and the brim as narrow as ever you can get it dowi to practically none. And two notes to observe are tl»ese: the arched effect in fsMit, and, as regards any brim, the ripple. The little illustrations explain as ri’ueh at once. In the hat on top we havs a cleverly manipulated crown with an arched band and undulating brim, and in the one below a brimless shape where two materials are employed with an effect which would be considerably heightened if it so happened that the lower one harmonised in some way with the costume.

Step bv step the mannish suit—albeit most writers call it the “ boyish ” one — has been advanced, so that with the real thing the only difference remaining is in the skirt. In the case of tailored turnouts of the best class the coat may be so like one’s brother’s in the making as to be to all intents and purposes identical with it, and attention is given the very latest —that where the coat is worn open the vest, jumper, or sweater is so trickily dealt with that the front presents the appearance of one’s brother’s waistcoat at just that position, meaning that it has two points. In which connection it is sometimes observed that it is only a question of time, etc., but with that I don’t quite agree. For I don’t believe that we shall ever discard the skirt,.'and I am positive that we shall never, wear low heels. The very high heel is a bit of a trial all the same, and part of this is experienced during those leisurely hours we happen to spend in the boudoir at home. The change from very high to ordinary or low heels is not without a feeling of some awkwardness.

Speaking of shoes we should be grateful for the strap, as when all is considered what is really prettier? Picture a shoe of this character: patent, the foot revealed from where the instep starts to the sole, and the heel with a perforated border of the width of the strap and identical with it, the strap, to all appearances, going clean round the shoe, though, of course, it does not. and over the instep, with a steel buckle to finish. Of such are the selections that spell elegance, all those lattice effects having been discounted, if they are not an actual back number.

Here you see a spring-summer model which when it was paraded at the fashion show in New York (the original being an importation from Paris) took, in a sense, a first prize as one of the most artistic creations of the hour. As much was due to the coat, an example of French adaptability, in that it seems to convey

the idea of so many lengths while really only having one. Pinching the sides in .just where wanted is, I see, rather popular, and where it was wanted in this case was in line with the belt. Such a selection might be an ensemble or not—it would all depend.

I refer to this dress in a second paragraph, and all because of the strap. It is a feature, as it so happens that it gains by being repeated. The belt is a strap with a buckle, and, as you will sec, there is a strap round the cuff with ■another, and if only the wearer had shoes on of the kind I have just described .things would be complete. In some cases, with such costumes, the nature of them allowing, two straps are employed for the “ belting.” . and very effective is' the result, and in several instances I haVe seen three, though that seems like overdoing it. Again, there is the strapped glove. It is ever ..so nice if the sleeve is the right one' for it, the strap’ being as decorative as ever you want it to be. with the buckle again. So far I have not seen this idea carried into the hat. but I quite expect it, as consider the effect with a buckle worth talking about—one worth wearing, and with the hat done for, also worth using again.

Here are two more hats—one brimless, pie other with a little one turned at. the back. They serve to emphasise the fact that a hat may provide its >wn trimming through the way the shape has been manipulated in the manufacturing. And yet not all, as in the one case a band » used and repeated as a border and f—-

two side strips, and in the other a ribbon ornamentally arranged—'iitle touches, but quite sufficient in 1' days when sim-

plicity with our headgear is the ruling note.

As spring advances wc shall find ourselves confronted with an unusually tempting array of pretty things. The modes have been perfected, and the season will allow of selections of an eminently attractive kind. The ensembles of one kind and another will be in tremendous evidence, though be it mentioned that the coat of some .volume may easily become the wiser selection. Lower the. arm and stretch the fingers—that is the best length of all, to the finger tips, and after that to just halfway down the skirt, when, however, the coat has a rather different completion. The flower for a touch may be considered fairly general, but I have dropped referring to “ fur.” Glancing at an overseas paper I caught sight of the line “ Summer furs.” It was in an advertisement. And the next moment, looking through an article by a dress writer, I came across this line: “Only American women know how to wear fur. French women only think they do, and English women cannot with any effect worth mentioning.” What really absurd things one reads at times. '

Here you see the kind of coat I like. I refer, of course, to the shape, anything else being unimportant. You get the right length in it, the right volume, and

also the right “ hang.” Such would be a coat foi; an ensemble, and in this case it has a sports complexion, and the only thing to say is that a flower can be added, if it is possible to find the right place for it.