“Springtime Will Soon Be Here”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 July 1927, Page 21

“Springtime Will Soon Be Here”

Bringing Milady Many New Modes

BEAUTY THAT GOES TO THE HEAD pjOW great a part hats have played in history! How milliners have swayed their times. The Duchess of Devonshire would be forgot, but for the wondrous hat that Gainsborough painted into her portrait, and Du Barry, who ruled France while a Louis reigned, began life as a humble little milliner. With the lesser ones among us . . . oft and again a hat will redeem us from insignificance . . . making ‘with its deft sweep of brim or chicly-folded crown a different person from the one who sadly confronts us in the glass a hundred times a day. This season promises but few changes in the millinery world . . . for we are not at the beginning of a millinery epoch, nor are we at the end of one. Rather are we in the middle of the most charming millinery era. the world has ever seen, for*on the foundation of our past mistakes and follies we have built an intriguing hat fashion that gives to each of us a little air of indefinable, alluring chic. Oh, so very easily! The Paris ateliers have turned out for spring innumerable variations of, the basic close-fitting cloche shape, but with such clever differences that one

jimiusL luigKLS i im; (.V In: in isuuieuipiation of the Individuality of the models. Their differences consist of such subtle things that at times they almost go unnoticed . . . here an unusual ribbon . . . there a striking new tone . . . again upon the burnished sheen of some metallic cloth is imposed a simple trimming of a solitary flower. The hat of wider proportions, with its exquisitely flower-laden brim will appear for later wear, and of course for most of our formal afternoon occasions in spring, but there will remain our faithfulness to the snug little mode that so adequately meets our everyday need. OUR EVENING TOILETTES pERHAPS more than any other portion of the modern woman’s wardrobe, her evening toilette depends for its ultimate success upon perfection of detail. throughout our crowded days of outdoor and indoor social occasions we may change hastily from beret to picture hat . . . from sports ensemble or tailleur to two-piece suits of softer line or fluffy, frilly slip-on frocks . . . from Oxfords to street pumps . . . and throughout the whirl of it all we can manage to present at every occasion an appearance of decided chic, despite the fact that our morning coiffure has served throughout the day, as have done our foundation garments and accessories.

In these days of "permanent” cosmetics we have not needed to give very much attention to our complexions . . . except to see they harmonised in details of rouge and such like with the frocks that complement them. But when night comes, with its soft, inspiring wings . . . then of all times we must blossom slowly . . . like the moonflower . . . jealous of perfection rather than of time . . . fastidious in preparation. . . exquisite of texture and tendril and perfume. Of course the mode admits of extreme simplicity . . . but at nighttime that simplicity is an elaborate thing indeed in achievement. When it is achieved . . . which, alas!

. . . is only too rarely, it surely is payment enough for the pains that have gone toward it.

THE MODE IN JEWELS a final touch to the perfect costume, la femme elegante adds the perfect jewel. Are there fashions in jewels? Yes and no. The real beauty of the jewel lies in its quality and certainly that does not vary. Yet each season settings alter and too, there are certain high lights that can be interpreted as the current mode in jewellery. The necklace of pearls is, of course, always in favour, but one manages to Afrear ones pearls with a difference from year to year. Now one will give the first place for chic to the threestrand necklace of graduated pearls. . . . again we see the sixty-inch rope of pearls each the size of a pea . . . yet again we wear tight little, trim little chokers of enormous pearls. In selecting pearls the wearer must of course consider what tint best suits her colouring. The rosily pink pearl is almost universally becoming. The black pearl is the rarest and is subtly different, and individual and on the right person . . . wondrously smart. Some brunette types are at their best with pearls that are faintly honeycoloured while the white-haired woman with clear skin is peerless when wearing a simply-knotted rope of pure white pearls. One thing is certain, and that is the type of costuming in vogue to-day demands a jewel of some kind. The smart simplicity which has taken the place of frills and fussiness calls for the jewel note, the accent of chic which only carefully selected jewellery can give. WITH SPRING COME FLOWERS pLOWERS . . . those charming symbols of Spring, are the outer signs of inner graces. We all have an inherent love for flowers, for they are usually the gift of affection . . . and what is more delightful than wearing the flowers sent us by someone with whom we are ... be it ever so temporarily . . . intrigued? Perhaps this season more than ever before will flowers be one of fashion's accessories, for they will be seen everywhere both in the daytime and at night. The most popular real flower is, of course, now* as always the lovely orchid, its exotic beauty and fragility lending itself exquisitely to the dainty corsage of the jeune fille . . . but . . . it is so rarely that we can obtain the real bloom that the kindly people who think of these additions to our charm have had perforce to evolve a delightful simultaion of thta unusual bloom. In a variety of marvellous colourings it will be seen adorning many frocks. It is perhaps at its beautiful best when pinned to the luxurious furs that one associates with such voluptuous things as orchid blooms, but it is ever so fascinating when attached to a simple evening frock. A whisper of the newest Parisian foible . . . spray just a little perfume on the flower that you are wearing, provided

of course that its the flowers on perfume . . . orchid for orchid and rose for rose. There will be other flowers too . . . dainty things that will instantly win the approval of every woman. But to wear any flower simply because it is a flower will not be nearly enough. Your selection of a boutonniere or corsage spray must fit into the ensemble of your costume, otherwise it will of a surety mar your chic. ...... lib lA MASE