IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 67

IN FASHION’S REALM.

UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES.

By

Marguerite.

(Special for the Otago Witness.) Some very decorative and attractive caps are being .sold for evening wear, either to hide the growing locks or to make the general gleaming scheme more dazzling. Some are jewel studded, while others are carried out in lame, gold, ad silver, embroidered in rhinestones, diamante, or crystal. There are others showing a trelliswork of gold or silver galon, or crochet, decorated with all kinds of coloured beads or pearls. Head-dresses are very elaborate or very simple. A bunch of ostrich feathers set into a diadem mount of brilliants is very heavy looking beside a dainty little cap with just a few coloured beads and tiny p"ink rosebuds, which look very girlish. There is no knowing what old fashions will be revived-—Old World dresses, draped feathers as head-dresses, trimmings on dresses, evening coat collars, and fans. A cluster of tiny feathers on the shoulder caught with a brilliant buckle is a pretty shoulder posy. A new form of pendant for evening wear is a large cut semiprecious stone, suspended from a, fine cord or narrow coloured moire ribbon. A more expensive one is a watch, shaped like a Masonic emblem, suspended from the cord or ribbon. Our dancing partners will have the time continually facing them if these watch pendants become popular. Jewellery is being designed much larger. Stud earrings are now so large that they almost cover the lobe of the ear. All the new bracelets are wide and flat, some being made from plain gold, others of a network of large and small diamonds set into a border of gold or platinum. Our clothes and jeweller}’ must be elaborate. The days for neat designs in jewellery seem past. That is why so much imitation jewellery has been manufactured. It enables those less fortunate than their wealthier sisters to take their place in the fashion parade unashamedly. The jewellers work artificial pearls and diamonds into most attractive designs. Fine cut jet bracelets and jet necklaces are another fashion of the past revived, and look very pleasing against the whiteness of the skin.

For my full-length illustration I am showing the new leopard velvet, or “ dappled velvet,” as I saw some shops calling it, used as a modified bolero. The brown and silver with shadings of tan between the decided tones show up well on the front of the bodice and back. Choose either dark brown velvet or one of the lighter shades of tan for the dress. It would be best to purchase the leopard velvet first, and see what shade of brown

you like to go with it best. There are so many shades that it would he useless for me to advise you. The brown velvet collar is a scarf one, the ends tying at the back. The sleeves, semi-tight, nave a bell-shaped frill of leopard. The sash fits tightly over the hips and well down, the bow in the front being finished with a brilliant ornament, and the ends falling below the skirt.' This dress will stamp the owner as being in the front row of fashion.

Speaking of velvet, there is also dappled white and black, both new materials, and a new variation of the ever-popular magpie effect. As two-tone material is so fashionable both for millinery and dresses, it is being used very much. The leopard brown and silver has the advantage of enabling the wearer to combine many shades of brown with it. Velvet at any time for evening or day wear is a queenly fabric fraught with the romance of history. This velvet hat, a swathed turban design, looks very chic with the velvet brought over the left ear. A brilliant clasp just peeps from under the folds. It would be a suitable hat for the full-

length illustration, made of the selfcoloured velvet.

It is very strange that every autumn and winter the Paris and American designers give us a choice of only velvet, satin, and felt for millinery. A change in fabrics would be welcome. Whatever new material could be invented would at once become popular, as we have had these three materials for so many seasons.

Shoes are very dress}*, as I have said before, either made or trimmed with reptile. The one on the left I' think a very attractive shoe, with a novel strap and buckle. It is a kid court

shoe, with the strap of lizard skin. The other one, a two-tone nut brown, has a gusset front of reptile skin, and reptilecovered stilt heels. These are correct street and afternoon shoes.

Our hosiery must have special attention. The new season’s colours are charm, beige, nude, peach, woodland rose, tea rose, gunmetal, etc., the names of which are really romantic. Black is hardly worn at all. No matter how muddy the streets are, women cannot be persuaded to wear black stockings. The colours are very delicate. I am referring only to street and evening wear, not to sports. Gunmetal, silver, and peach are the most popular for street wear. The black slipper or square heel looks striking. with a uniquely designed heel outlined in a darker shade or black in fancy stitching. Others again have fancy clocks in self colour or a contrast. For evening wear the heels are plain, embroidered, or painted in tiny flowers. They look most attractive.