FASHIONS FROM PARIS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1929, Page 17

FASHIONS FROM PARIS

. A FRENCHWOMAN’S DIARY. (By Colline Rouff. —Special to News.) Paris, Oct. 17. What shall we do with our necks this season? This is always an important question, because it is one thing to choose a frock, but quite another to be euro that the neck-line will play its part and suit our individual style. Tall thin women have suffered much in the past when the V neck was the only thing offered, and round plump women have been made to look ridiculous because of boat-shaped or- rounded styles. Fashion, however, is in a kind mood just now and has made provision for all types of figure. THE FAVOURITE NECKLINE. The V neck in still the most popular. It has always been the favourite, because, for those who can wear it, it Is very smart. Yokes are used on a good many frocks this season, and invariably a yoked frock has a V-neck, cut rather wide from the shoulders and not too deep. A neck-line of this type in usually entirely plain. It is always best to leave a shallow opening of any kind unadorned. The deeper V often has a narrow fold all round, turned down like a little collar and ending in

»n apparently carclees bow at the point )f the V. Thia is becoming to the fortunate possessor of a flat figure and a lairly long neck, but not to the plump, who would be wise to avoid bows. SCARF FINISHES. Quite a pretty idea is that of having a long narrow scarf of the material attached at the back of tho neck’ of a frock. The attachment is often only for a couple of inches. Then tho loose scarf is brought round and tied in a knot, cither under the chin or at one aide. Nearly all the sporte frocks have tins scarf finish, which goes well* with • the V-opening. The jabot is immensely popular. One is not surprised, for there is nothing so delightfully feminine as a soft front of lace, georgette, or crepc-de-chine on a frock. GOLD NET ON GREEN. A little frock of darkest green plain ring velvet 1 had a kilted jabot. The bodice finished at tho real waistline in front, but sloped down considerably at the back, and was slightly pouched. The V-shape neck was finished with a narrow stitched band, and from the point fell the very full jabot, which was of gold net. edged with dark green crepe de chine to tone with the velvet. The sleeves of the frock were long and fitted closely to the wrist, and they were finished with little frills of net and crepe falling to the finger-tips. A new scarf neck-line, which is very attractive, is cut in a fairly deep oval and buttoned across with a point and one large button. Round tho neck, and arranged inside the frock, is a loose fold of contrasting material such as eoft handkerchief foulard, crepe de chine, or georgette. This fold passes under the little point and finishes in a loose bow. Round necks may have slots worked into them, through which are drawn tabs of beautifully embroidered lawn, edged with soft lace. A very small scarf of lace may be drawn through instead, and left with the two ends hanging loose or caught with a bar brooch of”stones. Tho stones should take up the colour of some other ornament —the necklace of sparkling Venetian glass beads, or the pin in the hat. A favourite idea is to have the tabs of metal lace, gold, or silver, shot with a coloui’ to match the frock. PLEATED FRILLS. The cross-over line in still very much in evidence. Not the cross-over bodice, but , the neck-line in which one side folds right over the other half of the V, ending with a point of the material and a lovely button, jewelled or enamel- , led, or elee with a bow of the stuff dralvn through a buckle. Then there . is the idea of the round or V neck with a pleated frill outlining it and continuing do,wil the front of the bodiee, a*’d ending on the hip ct th? side. ;

FLOWER POTS AND TABLE BOXES.

NEW IDEAS FOR INDOOR PLANTS. (By Faith Foster. —Special to News.) Though we are apt nowadays to scoff at the art pots with which our mothers used to disguise the dull red of flowerpots when they introduced them to the sanctity of the sitting-room, yet we have to admit that something is needed to render more decorative the usually discoloured terra-cotta. I have lately seen an excellent device for the purpose, pretty enough to win itself adherents from'all classes of artistic taste. It is made of a straw of medium coarseness, such as is sold in hanks for hat-making, and is of the same cylinder form as the sides of the flower-pot that it is to conceal. It has no base to it, but merely slips over the pot and thus is not likely to be damaged by moisture. Round the top is painted a bright wreath of flowers and green leaves, and one or two blossoms have dropped carelessly somewhere about its centre. The ground of one such cover had been left in the natural creamy colour; another had been dyed black. Another idea is to take a parchment shade such as is sold for electric lights, use it turned upside down, and beetow upon ite widest edge a little fancy bordering. The shade provides double protection if the pot itself stands upon a saucer, and the shade is large enough to dip outside both.

The table-box constructed upon similar lines to a window box is being widely adopted nowadays by the flowerlover. It is made wide enough to take flower-pots comfortably and has a zinc lining to keep the table safe from damp. Old panels of carved wood, old Dutch tiles, and hand-embossed panels of sheet pewter and copper, all work up effectively as decorations for the front and sides.