From Five O’clock Onwards

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 5

From Five O’clock Onwards

LAME AND VELVET POPULAR. It is the materials and the colours that decide to a great extent the actual uses of that ensemble which can be worn from five o’clock to midnight. One must assume that the new form of demi-toilette is not for the owner of sable capes and luxurious cars, but for the average woman who enjoys work and play in a reasonable and pleasant way. Dress is very carefully studied now, and carelessly chosen clothes are a sign of stupidity.

Lame, like velvet (fabrics once too elaborate and expensive for everyday use), is now tailored and worked into the most practical demi-toilettes. The new. lame can be quite dark, as a whole, and worked with dull and shining metal threads. A novel design that makes appeal when a cherry frock is desired is a dark-red lame, faintly wrought with a dead-gold. This would look well at a cinema or bridge party when made up with an ankle-length slim skirt, slightly full at the hem, and a little tailored short basqued coat, the basque part flared sufficiently to balance the fulness at the feet. Under the coat was a lace chemisette of pink blonde lace. This, with a swathed turban of the same, is just what could be worn on all sorts of occasions under a long cloth or fur coat.

Another plain back satin ensemble was ipade with a loosely bloused bodice of turquoise faille, with one of the new smartly buttoned high collars tabbed at the neck, with long tight sleeves, similarly finished at the wrist. The kimono-like wrap of satin had a big fur collar.

There are plenty of plain dark velvet suits that are well tailored and prove useful wear from five o’clock onwards. In such cases the blouse or waistcoat can be of lace or some gaily coloured contrasting material. Most useful also are the new metal woven wool stuffs. Black and silver, brown and bronze, dark green and gold, can be tailored, or semi-tailored, into simple housefrocks and worn under big fur-trimmed dark cloth coats, or long capes. One of the smart new tailored ensembles for a cocktail party had a white satin fitted tube-like skirt, and a folded high-neck satin waistcoat. This was worn under a black velvet cutaway swallow-tailed coat, surmounted by a tricorne of velvet with white pearl flowers.