Bright Clothes For Winter

Southland Times, Issue 23791, 13 April 1939, Page 14

Bright Clothes For Winter

What New York Is Wearing

TN the commercial world of New York January is a month when inventories are taken, writes a correspondent of the Christian Science Monito". In private life individuals drift of necessity into the same occupation, however small the scale of their needs. Weary of their winter wardrobes, the business girl and the frivolous matron alike bring into the light from dim close' costume after costume, limp and dejected on their hangers, for examination ; ■><■’ refurbishing. Familiarity has dulled their glamour; what can be done to give them again that zestful appearance without which clothes, like people, lack charm? A plum-coloured one-piece frock of rayon crepe, with pleated bodice and skirt, comes first to attention. It wears a high, harsh neckline such as fashion prescribed for the early winter, but which the present postscript season permits us to soften with lingerie. According to the type of drapery, collar, or thrust which gives us our opportunity for modification, we can select from the liberal repertory in neckwear departments, several pieces with which to ring changes on this too-familiar dress, and by means of which we can give it a less or more formal aspect. Looking about we shall find available small, prim collars, expressing the “little girl” vogue and ranging in materials from pique to georgette, batiste, and organdie; also bibs, plastrons, vestees, berthas, draped cowls, ascots and fichus. Crisp little bows of pastel pique likewise ' suggest refreshing touches and may be worn not only at the neck but at other strategic points. Yet further variety in the at-the-throat effects can be secured with the new chokers and dog collars. Beatrice Dawson has designed some in a chalky-white composition that has the same flattering effect on the complexion that lingerie

has. Becoming lines and tones that properly complement and compliment the skin can be secured, too, by multiple strands of graduated or twisted pearls in pastel colours. Because neck trimmings '"•m a frame for the face they are particularly interesting to work with, and altering, as they do, the appearanc- of the person wearing them, give an impression of vital change in the costume with which they are associated. Nevertheless, they are a familiar expedient and less exciting at this moment than is this season’s taffeta petticoats!

The remark, “Your slip shows,” is the initiator of distress. Not so the statement, “Your petticoat han.s an inch below your dress.” For pettiooats are permitted—nay, urged—to descend below the hem, and to gallavant there capriciously in the role of ruffles, fashioned Of fancy silks, in harmonised or contrasted colours, plaids, polka dots, stripes or patterns. Moreover, believe it or not, even with dark dresses, this aggressive flounce may be of white lace or all-over white embroidery, below a taffeta heading.

Is not this fashion the solution for the black wool dress you have taken from the closet? Why not buy a petticoat I with a fuchsia flounce to give grace to that stupid hem with which you were once content; and match the flounce in a veil and a pair of gloves? Your appearance will be as up-to-the-minute as if you had, bought a new outfit from the ground up instead of only from the hem down. Of course, your skirt must be shortened to compensate for the ruffle. The correct length io now from two to three inches below the knees, at least for the figure that is young and slim.

In the same mood .jut less exciting are

contrast bandings and pipings on hems and then repeated on other edges, suc’-i as closings, pockets, collars, cuffs. Sometimes the style of a dress lends itself easily to the application, even long after it was first new, of such decorative lines of colour, achieved with bias folds, which one may buy at trimming or notion counters, or with fancy braids or cordings. Perhaps the frock of grey rabbithair wool, which has always seemed to lack character, could be modernised and improved for the mid-season by pipings of red or turquoise or lavender. An enchanting phantasy for tall slim figures is a taffeta apron completely covering the skirt. It may be that the material in the teal dress which you picked up at what promised to be a bargain, has behaved badly, growing

fuzzy with roughed-up ends of yam. Although the bodice is still all right the skirt is, perhaps, scarcely fit for public appearances. Too bad, it was so becoming! Well, why not match the shade of teal in a taffeta print and gather the material evenly all the way around a flat, snug waistband, whose self-strings tie in the back? Thus your costume will express one -of the newest and most amusing fashion fads and the skirt will be totally concealed. The two-piece look is important in current fashions and offers many opportunities for introducing new effects. Consider that short-sleeved dress of dark blue silk-crepe, which you wore last spring and which would fill a gap at this moment in your wardrobe if the sleeves and the deep V-neck did not make it look hopelessly limited to warm weather. Consider, then, the concealing effect plus the decorative effect of a basque jacket. These basques have long, fitted sleeves and they zipper or button straight up the front to a collarless neck. They are fashioned of novelty weaves ir wools, of quilted wool, quilted glazed chintz, calico and sateen; of silk and rayon prints and of taffeta checks, stripes and small fir rals. Thus the choice of fabric, colour and pattern is extensive, and you could work out a great number of colour schemes suitable for the basic blue of the frock by purchasing several little basques. Nor are the silhouettes identical. The original design, by Mainboeher, was sharply pointed in front. Newer at this moment is the style which inverts the point, cutting out the material into a pyramidal opening, like that of a suit jacket. Some models follow the waistline and others are long like cardigans. In view of the two-piece vogue any wearable skirt which is widely flared deserves to be estimated at a multiplied value because, with the addition of these items, it can assume the value of many dresses. It should be realised, however, that the rigid little basque demands a skirt which is full of action and movement.

Not only basques but blouses can build skirts in'o frocks, for, important though blouses are as essentials of suits, they are not limited to this use, but are now correctly worn with skirts, forming a costume which is a unit. Very new are blouses of striped crepe, of Chinese silk damask, of taffeta prints, and those socalled “jockey blouses” made of triangular sections in harlequin colours and wearing very full sleeves. Already, however, the sheers are being promoted for immediate wear. They are characterised by much detail, such as lace insertions, lace trimmings, narrow tuckings, ruffles worked vertically into panels or chevron-wise into plastrons or bibs, and embroidery, shirring and smocking. Matching camisoles are sometimes sold with these filmy garments.

They are smart for dinner frocks, worn

with a long, pleated skirt of sheer wool ’or of silk or rayon crepe. Two styles in blouses predominate for evening, the one of elastic sheer that is all-over shirred and wears bishop sleeves, and the Edwardian revival of heavy lace, usually Renaissance, with a more tailored silhouette, and in which the pattern in the lace is frequently outlined with embroidery. Very smart are blouses of jewel-embroidered pastel flannels. Possessing one long skirt and an imagination one can soon acquire a number of dinner costumes.

New ready-macje dresses stress wools and present them in many mixtures and weaves. Pure silk prints are very desirable and in daytime versions show very neat, small, regularly spaced motifs. Surah has come back into fashion, has, in fact, achieved a smarter position than ever before, having been carefully adapted by the manufacturers to the needs >f the contemporary silhouettes. Surah is a silk with diagonal serge ridges, and t'.e return of that weave, after a long, period when it was almost obsolete, is fashion news and expected to influence fabric development. Silhouettes are not greatly changed. The fronts and backs of skirts are kept very flat and if there must be bunchiness anywhere it is on the hips. There are more long sleeves than was the case with the new models at this time last year.

XjCll'tYients Op pILP are now styled and the skins are mani'jf ‘ ‘ pulated as never before. Paris loves fur briefs. They are the most important style for the coming season and a are bulky little coats designed to show the fashionable wasp waists ® and the softly curved hiplines of the hour-glass silhouette. The elegant woman will include a full length fur eoat in her • wardrobe as well as one of the briefs. There are two fashion features of great importance introduced by the noted French furriers, VHermine. Firstly the straight line with disguised width, and secondly, the use of two furs —long-haired and flat —in one garment, which is not only strikingly smart but also accentuates the silhouette. Hats trimmed with fur will be a big fashion this season. The fur may match in color and skin or may be in direct contrast to the fur garment worn.