Decorative Trimmings

Southland Times, Issue 21428, 24 June 1931, Page 5

Decorative Trimmings

It was only to be expected in the desire for the charm of feminine fantasies in dress that the old-world decorations and romantic colours should be again favoured. Yet so astute is the dressmaker'and milliner of to day that no one need fear that even the most fascinating of these trimmings are used without a very definite meaning: that is to say, insertions, tuckings, gaugings, and all that infinitely fine handstitchery are employed in order to give added grace and assist in the curving and shaping of seams, sleeves, or the hang of a cape or skirt. Drawn-work or faggot-stitching, for example, is the only decoration used on a cotton or flannel frock. A white linen, cut on the plainest lines, may have an insertion of heavy lace to give it style and interest; whereas a simple black cashmere frock can be relieved by fastening up in the front or back with a row of tiny silver or steel buttons.

Tuckings and pleats are possibly the most useful way of providing changes in trimming. Small flat pleating at the hips will assure of a slim look to the skirt. Pleats in all sizes are to be used extensively this season. Many tweed skirts are stitched at the hips, but have small box pleats lower down, or else four wide pleats are placed below a fitted yoke. In crepe-de-chene, crepella, and thin silk or wool materials, the knife-pleating or graduated tuckings are very effective arranged from a yoke of top-sleeves of drawn thread-work. Neck draperies also occasionally show a scarf or collar half-smocked, half-pleated, or tucked. Where white cambric, lace, and lingerie effects are used near the face, a good many ultra-fine tucks are employed to give a dainty finished air. There are some very charming petticoats, tucked, frilled, and inserted.

The great difference between trimmings of the past and those of to-day is that we now make use of well-chosen decorations to preserve a simplicity of line and style, rather than to add extra elaboration, as was the case in previous agas. Sleeves possibly do suggest a danger, for fashion is inclined

to push puffs, gathers, frills and furbelows. A little handwork and falling lace at the wrist, or some fine examples of the cavalier cuffs can be attractive, but puffs and any over-fullness are destructive to grace and line, and certainly should be avoided by any but the tall and glim. In the evening, trails of tulle and chiffon on one arm and bracelets on the other can be elusive and effective, but here again all idea of “messy” draperies must be avoided, for whatever attractions novel trimmings may possess, they also have the power to ruin the style of a toilette, unless carefully chosen and suited to the individual wearer. Eyelet-hole embroidery has become a craze, and I think it is very practical as a border or insertion to washing linen or dark cloth dresses, but too many cut away trimmings are apt to be heavy. Braid and braid-cire is a neat finish to clothes of the tailored order, and so is ribbon insertion and piping. Like all such things, they should be used sparingly. Both feathers and flowers are used. Flowers are the most plentiful, and they are made in feather, also of chiffon, lace, linen, leather, and wood, not to forget the blossoms in diamonds and enamels. Feathers alone occasionally appear as a full short plume to a picture hat or as a curled osprey to an evening beret. As a lining to evening cloaks feathers and marabout is soft and cosy. After all, feathers easily get a bedraggled look, which is not necessarily the case with the flowers worn to-day, for even the fragile chiffon and silk blooms are so carefully and skilfully constructed that they are a better lasting proposition than their fairy-like appearance would suggest. * The fabric flower in the cloth or tweed of the costume has become almost part of it, but leather, dull and shining, and wood dusted with gold or silver is a still more attractive accessory for really sporting garments. Fine linen or pique flowers have a pleasing fresh look. Clusters of real and artificial flowers are a new adjunct to the more elaborate styles.

Grass stains will disappear from flannels and light clothing by an application of pure alcohol, before washing. Steaming will sometimes remove grass stains from men’s flannel trousers.