IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 67

IN FASHION’S REALM.

UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES.

By

Marguerite.

(Special fok the Otago Witness.) A nice idea, and a change from embroidery on guest towels, is to work your monogram in bright contrasting colours, the letters being one after the other. Plain block letters are best, and you can, if you like, put them in a frame, either diamond shaped or square. They look neat and show up well. Table napkins for small children could be done the same way, and then each little would know his own. How delighted he would be to have his towels marked similarly. He might even like having his face washed if he could trace his name on his towel. A writer in the London Daily Chronicle says it is the latest fashion to decorate plain jumpers with the wearer’s initials. They are not put on the front of the jumper in the old way, but on the outside of the right sleeve. They are well padded, and worked in bright-coloured silks about two and a-half inches long, and show up well, making, a plain jumper look noticeable. You could have a cream cloth jumper belted, and your initials on the sleeve in any colour preferred. With children and young schoolgirls it would be much appreciated, for, their clothes being so plain, one is always at a loss as how to make them look attractive.

Speaking of initials, if you buy a box of plain notepaper, hand made or otherwise,. you can make it look very exclusive. ' Pencil your initial or initials about three-quarters of an inch long in scroll lettering at the top left-hand corner or in the centre. Procure waterproof Indian ink in two colours,. Fill ia

with a fine mapping pen, and then with your second colour, when the first is dry, go round the edge, enclosing the whole in an oval or round frame. It is well worth the trouble. I would not do the envelopes as I think it makes them look too showy. You will need to do it lightly, so that it does not look too heavy, and be sure to use waterproof inks.

Now for my illustrations. My first, I think, is a beautiful style of dress, and I hope yon will agree with ma. Although being a really dressy model, it shows the straight-line effect which we still seem to cling to, while a waist line, even if not strictly at the waist, gives the right

outline and allows just a wea pouching above and below it. The foundation is black taffeta, the “ V ” part of the bodice being plain. The skirt is rather full, and the overdrees in powder blue or pervenche blue taffeta. A large hand-made flower on the shoulder, long semi-tight sleeves, and a black belt softly swathed, with a large buckle or other kind of ornament in the front, complete a dress fit for any function.

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In the full-length illustration let us keep to the same material; it is a change

from crepe de chine and has more body in it. The neck and front treatment is very effective. The cascade falls gracefully and softly from just below the shoulders to the waist line, and a narrow band of ribbon trimming goes round the neck to hide the joins of it. On ~the right it is finished with a large flower made of stranded stripes bunched up. The skirt is of two deep, shaped flounces, a feature which is very fashionable. They are both dropped in the centre front to give the appearance of a J? . uaeve } l hem. I have designed it only ’ but ’ course, you can drop it still lower. It is understood that the back of the skirt is the same. Some models drop deeper at the back.

In the illustration on the left is seen a rather pleasing coat-frock dress. This style of frock is very handy with warm underwear on a day that is not quite cold enough for a coat. Made in a thin rep, it has a long roll collar with a plain vest ornamented with small buttons, and small turned-back cuffs. The skirt has a fold underneath which it fastens A

pocket completes the whole. On the right is a more dressy frock. Note the piece coming from the right side and rising on to the left, then carried out at the same way. This dress could be of one colour, say, navy blue piped in cerise, the tie being cerise also, and the bow at the side. These two dresses would be very useful for the business girl, who needs so many changes and yet wants to look smart and trim.

We shall have the new season with us soon, so I will have to look out for some coats for you—ones you can make, and others you will have to buy. It is impossible to make oneself fur coats. The workrooms have such heavy machines, and our home machines will not carry the work through. Now I think I shall give you a few little “hankies,” those nice dainty little ones that are of no use at all, but which women all like—fancy handkerchiefs. Well, my illustrations can be made from scraps left over from dresses bright coloured and soft crepe de chine and even georgette, the edges being worked round or finished with som©

very narrow edging. Put a spray in the corners if you can stencil. I have seen some very beautiful designs which are cheap and quickly done. These trifles are expensive to buy, and somebody always has scraps, even if we have none at the moment ourselves. Slip them into an outside pocket,' only be sure to safety-pin them in, as, being small and soft, they fall out easily. For evening wear if you put them underneath an ornament they look very dainty, as tl ey also do on the outside of an envelope purse. One never sees a purse of this description without the accompanying handkerchief. The white -bought ones, lace edged, we are used to seeing, but I have not seen too many hand-made coloured ones as I have described to you, so pas 3 the idea on.