IN FASHION’S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 58

IN FASHION’S REALM.

UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES. By Marguerite. This year women must be as pretty as they can be. Dainty, fragile materials in the new flower colourings, frills, flowers, feathers, and lace will all help to give us graceful feminine beauty. The most interesting development for tlie season is the return to favour of flowers. Occasionally worn with day frocks, often with afternoon frocks, and frequently with evening frocks, flowers seem to be more noticeable in the evening than ever before. A bunch is set high on the shoulder, a neck is outlined in small flowers, sleeves arc trimmed with flowers, and flowers are also worn at the waist. The flat flower is the successful fashion, particularly in white, pastel green, and pink. Gardenias are very choice and lovely, a charming idea being a corsage of a mass of white gardenias on a blade chiffon evening dress, a chic finish being given by long white gloves. It may amuse you to decorate your newest dance frock at the knees. Posies have arrived there — tiny little clusters fastened ... at knee point; whilst the newest idea for evening undies is to have the slender straps the silk slip hangs from closely covered with tiny pastel-coloured flowers, which peep through the lace or Broderie Anglaise evening frock. Another fashion of the moment is flower necklets worn instead of necklaces for evening wear. Lily of the valley is the favoured small flower for these chic necklets. . Pearls are to the fore again for formal afternoon and evening wear. Small pearls

are the vogue, in Hets, including eartings and a ring with a single pearl. The necklace is a short string of pearls, or two or three ropes, choker style, fastened with a small clasp. For afternoon wear a rope-like necklace of pearls, short and light, falling into the folds of the Ixxiice is simple. Let this be-noted : With ths exception of turquoises, coloured stones and the'cheaper kind of imitation stones and gems are not worn with the dressy type of clothes. The turquoise is one of the lucky precious stones, and is believed to bring happiness and good fortune. It has returned to favour in the form of necklaces, brooches, and rings. There are also paste ami turquoise hat clasps. Turquoise, the colour for blondes, contrasts with the black and navj- frock, and is delightful worn with a white evening dress, the turquoise blue being repeated, with scarf or sash. Despite the vogue for coloured evening dresses, the black and white dance frocks remain firm favourites.

Summer days require something different in the way of handbags. Leather handbags which we have carried during the winter months are not in pleasing contrast with a light-weight suit or a pale-coloured frock. Equally useful and decidedly smart are the new pigskin handbags that tuck under the arm and match the new pigskin gloves and belts. To complete the smart tailored frock and match the sandal type of shoe are handbags with cut-outs to match lined with white or colour, the colour being repeated in the mount. Or a dark under-arm bag may have a coloured mount matching the colour of the print of the frock worn. Mesh bags of coloured enamel with a metal belt exactly matching the mesh bag are one of the newest of accessory vogues. And for that drossy frock you may carry a Broderie Anglaise handbag. These are ideal for use with light summer frocks. Chiffon handbags are new. one I saw of beige, red. and green matching a lovelv frock and sunshade. the frock, sunshade, and handbag all being frilly.

The handbag was composed of layers and layers of tiny pieot-edged frills, and was mounted to a pearl composition frame. Very chic ! If you wear a Victorian gown, lace trimmed, with short puff sleeves, you may carry a wee muff marie of the same lace as on the frock and decorated with small bows at each end.

Ibis illustrates a smart daytime frock of black maroeain. Made on tailored lines, the frock is suitable for street and afternoon functions. The skirt from the knees has godets which are pressed to lie flat, the latest tailor-made vogue. The glove-length sleeves and “V ” neckline are finished with lingerie, hand-em-broidered leaves giving a delightful finish. Ihe touch of lingerie on silk or woollen frocks this season is very pleasing, lilted off the face, the black straw' hat

repeats the note or white with a trimming of three white flat flowers at the side front and a small white bow under the brim. The belt may be of black patent leather. Another suggestion is a frock of navy crepe romaine, the leaves being of crisp organdie with hand-em-broidered dots of rqd silk, the belt piped with red, and the hat- in matching red straw trimmed with navy Petersham ribbon. Gunmetal gossamer hose, black patent shoes with Java lizard trimming, and black gloves are correct and in good taste with the black and the navv street frock. A* A* This illustrates two modern blouses that are poems to spring. The top sketch shows a charming crepe georgette blouse in any pastel colour or white, tlie wide revers and sleeves being ornamented with godets which are pleated with sunburst pleating—very effective with soft.

light materials. The other blouse of Broderie Anglaise. iu pastel colours and ivory, is a favourite of the season, with short, full capelet sleeves mid the front finished with a double jabot. The neckline is strapped with plain matchingcolour muslin.

There is an air of chic simplicity about many of the blouses. The shirt, with its high neck and long sleeves, if made in good crepe de chine or China silk, is always smart for morning wear. Another simple style with yoke and “ V” neckline with turn-over collar is made in the softest patterned crepe and voile. On a more dressy style of blouse are found dozens of tiny tucks, while many models have short puffed sleeves and draped collars in soft georgette, silk, or crepe hand worked in Broderie Anglaise or a combination of plain and embroidery. Others are sleeveless, Init the short sleeve is more becoming than the sleeveless style. With a navy blue suit a navv and white patterned crepe blouse strikes a smart note, especially if the coat is lined with the same material as that used for the blouse. Other dressy blouses have embroidered squares forming a sort of soft drapery each side of the front that is most becoming..

This illustrates a smart tunic frock for a matron, made in any light wool or s Ik crepe material. Long tunics are becoming to those who are no longer young, and the cross-over bodice is slenderising

to the plump figure, the embroidery outline being effective. The underskirt will be mounted to a lining. The tunic is finely pleated from the hip yoke, which.

continues as a front panel, breaking the straight line of the yoke. You will note that this also helps to give lines to the figure and a slim effect. Suggested colour schemes are a golden brown wool crepe de chine with the hand-embroidery in two shades of brown and a touch of gold metal thread, or silk crepe in a small broken check design, the trimming being of narrow straps of plain silk and the vestee of flesh-coloured georgette.

This illustrates a delightful summer frock of printed silk. The skirt has an inverted pleat at each side front from the prettily shaped hip yoke. The sleeveless blouse is of plain coloured silk with a full flared frill collar which falls gracefully over the little bolero, the bolero having short sleeves fiffished with a matching frill of the plain silk. If preferred the frock and blouse may be of printed silk or a pretty cotton voile made with short sleeves, the neckline and

sleeves being finished with the frills as sketched and the bolero sleeveless. Both suggestions are fashionable. The natural straw hat is simply trimmed with taffeta ribbon swathed round and finished with a bow at the side front, or the hat may be flower trimmed. This youthful frock is suitable for afternoon or daytime wear. If voile is chosen I suggest blue, yellow, and white design with the frilling in a shade of yellow, and the hat trimmed with a band of Petersham ribbon and a fascinating posy of bright field flowers to comiflete the colour scheme.