IN FASHION'S REALM.

Otago Witness, Issue 4049, 20 October 1931, Page 58

IN FASHION'S REALM.

UP-TO-DATE DRESS NOTES.

By

Marguerite.

The most fascinating children’s fashions are everywhere about just waiting to be ' worn, and mothers are busy planning their small daughter's wardrobe for warm sunny days. Dressing the small girl delights the artistic mother. The season’s materials are ideal for childrden, for they look fairy-like in spotted muslins, voiles, and organdies, care-free and happy in ginghams and cotton fabrics, and daintily cool in coloured or natural linens and shantungs. The most important point to observe in children’s dress is simplicity. Presentday fashions are emphatic on this point, and although infinite care and elaborate detail go into the planning and making of small garments, such effort's must not intrude on the finished article. That is not to say that frills and flounces are taboo for the little people, for tasteful mothers have learned that softness ami frills are essential for tiny tots and the older girls on certain types of frocks, so there are tinj' frills and the finest of tucks and soft bertha collars on muslins, embroidery on plain materials, and little puffed sleeves and scalloped skirts giving an air of old-fashioned quaintness to many of the daintiest frocks of the day. Embroidery is having a tremendous popularity, and children are sharing with their elders the gay touches of colour in smocking, faggoting, cross-stitching, and crewelwork. Perhaps this is’ one of the reasons why crepe de chine, shantung, and linen are so very much the vogue, they being materials that are very suitable for all kinds of needlework. Let it be noted that children have styles just as definite these days as our own. It is as much an art to dress a little girl attractively as to dress ourselves smartly. Small colour schemes can be just as displeasing or as charming as grown-up ones, and, above all else, there are special clothes for special occasions in the children's fashion world exactly as there are in the grown-up world to-day. If the little frock is for afternoon parties it may be of muslin, organdie, or crepe de chine, and will be covered with a little loose-fitting coat designed specially for it, and very smart and attractive too. If the small girl is going down town shopping with mother or auntie she will wear an ensemble. Small tots have ensembles just like everyone else —little coats designed for their own simple little frocks, either belted or fitted as for seniors, and always special hats to go with every nice coat.

If a frock is to romp through a yard or build castles on the beach it will be of gingham or dimity, and there are play hats made of the same print as the play frock—shady hats or bonnets that are very simple to make. Cotton prints come as a boon to both mother and child, they being usually sun and tub proof and able to withstand any amount of harsh treatinent. Smart children's clothes to-day are -designed to withstand all the wear and tear imaginable. They wash and they wear, and give with every movement and fall back into simple place again whether the child romps or climbs trees or crawls under bushes. Clothes are designed for the child, not the child for clothes. There is no pleasure in life if one has to “ mind one's clothes.” To-day durability is combined with simple prettiness.

This illustrates a delightful frock for summer days and resort wear of chiffon voile in gay-coloured design. Voiles will be much favoured this season, and there is no doubt that if the summer be favourable voiles and other dainty cotton fabrics will be more popular than silks for general wear. There is a freshness and charm about these cotton materials which strike a youthful note. And what woman would not like to take full advantage of this ? The frock sketched is

simple in design, the skirt having a full godet from the centre front of the deep yoke. The ■ semi-fitted bodice has a round neckline edged with a narrow fold of cherry-coloured taffeta, and the waist is finished with a hip bow of cherry taffeta. The full capelet sleeves give a summery touch. The natural colour leghorn straw hat will repeat the note of cherry colour with a taffeta band and a bunch of black and red cherries at the side. A little hip-length voile jacket

may be worn if desired, the short jacket giving the finishing touch, of smartness. ¥ ¥ ¥ This illustrates two fascinating little frocks for small girls’ party wear. The top sketch, for a girlie from three to eight years, is of dainty floral crepe de chine, the full skirt being smocked or shirred to a yoke, and a bertha collar of plain crepe de chine forming little capelet sleeves. The same design would be delightful in voile or muslin. The wee tot's frock, a quaint little frock for a tiny girl from one to three years, is of muslin or voile, the full skirt being trimmed with three scalloped frills of Vai. lace, the scalloped yoke and the wee puff sleeves being bordered to match. The pastel-coloured ribbon bow placed on top of the shoulder adds to the picturesque effect. Silk socks and dainty kid shoes

will be worn by little girls, while the older girl will have her well-brushed curls brought over to the side and caught with a neatly tied ribbon, matching the smart bow on her frock. If mother likes the idea of a small strand of pearls or a slender gold chain clasped about the neck it will give present-day jewel fashion for small girls. A silk knitted coat, fastening high to the neck, with tiny silk flowers in pastel colours embroidered on the hem and decorating the small turn-back cuffs and round collar, will be worn by the wee tot. The other little girl may wear a loose-fitting coat of basket weave, with daffodils embroidered on the hem in wools of natural colours with their long pale green stems and leaves, the wrap being otherwise plain, and, if liked, sleeveless and finished with a shoulder cape, held in position with ribbon ties if a more fanciful style of wrap is preferred.

This illustrates a swagger little jacketfrock of navy wool crepe. The skirt has a centre front pleat from the hip yoke. Red buttons trim the band from the “ V ” strap neckline, the patent leather belt

repeating the note of red. This suit would be smart fashioned of shantung or linen, the bodice being a sleeveless white blouse. Worn with a natural straw hat trimmed with a red patent leather band, the frock is becoming for summer wear.

This illustrates the small girl’s play frocks in designs that are sure to please. Little girls are proud and happy when wearing party or best frocks, but as most of the hours are spent in play, the simple print frock is what they delight most in wearing. The taller sketch combines printed and plain gingham or diminty, the yoke being shaped to a

point each side and the material fashioned with inverted pleats from the yoke, the waist being held with a narrow belt. The small girl's play frock combines

a check gingham with plain gingham yoke and bands. The brief skirt may be mounted to a bodice lining and the top made jumper style. A sun bonnet or hat of the gingham will complete the ensemble. Hats for children's best wear, like mother’s, are of straw, flower trimmed. The bonnet-shaped headgear is of fine straw, plaited crin., or lace Tuscan, the latter, which is transparent, being lined with a plain colour. Tiny bunches of rosebuds, forget-me-nots, buttercups or daisies, or rosebuds with lily of the valley form the trimming, together ■with a thin rolled band of velvet or silk ribbon with streamers or a neat bow.