FASHION NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1931, Page 7 (Supplement)

FASHION NOTES

MODIFYING LA MOD®.

WOMEN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.

('By Diana Dane. —Special to News.)

It is a sad fact that clothes become more “fussy” as the season wears on. Charming and feminine, if you like, but “fussy” all the same, and not at all practical from the busy woman’s point of view. Still there are designers who, recognising the necessity for “easy” styles as well as complicated ones, consent to produce dresges in which we can walk, dance and sit in something approaching comfort. THE SILK SUIT. One of these designers advises silk suits for daytime wear. There is more good sense in this advice than may at first meet the eye, for a smartly cut suit looks “right” for any kind of morning or afternoon occasion. It may be developed in silk marbcain; black for preference, or navy, dark green, or brown. The coat of one excellent model is just below hip-length, belted of course, add having revers deep enough to show the pretty blouse beneath. The skirt of this suit is all. round; that of another favours the circular. flare, and still another has deep godets introduced from the waist.

BLOUSES IN VARIETY.

As to blouses for wear with the silk ruit, their name is legion and their >eauty amazing. A jumper of “offwhite” or mushroom coloured satin, irawn ipto and poliched over a tight little hip-band of vertically tucked self material, is charming, especially if you add the individual toucli in. the form of clever embroidery in silk to match the suit. The embroidery may' take ,the shape of the conventional floral spray; the bird motif; the arrow pattern, which certainly , suggests a prison, but is smart for all that; or the dot, circle or cube design. All are good style, and all easy to accomplish. Many an enterprising woman turns a perfectly ordinary silk or satin blouse into something delightfully ‘distinctive by means s of dainty hand-worked decorations, not forgetting the charm of broderie Anglais. To return to the actual blouse, the smartly severe waistcoat style is good; so is* the more elaborate model with a cascading frill falling from the neckline to below the. waist. The. “patchwork” blouse is something new; made Of squares of black and white crepe, hemstitched together in chess-board, design, it is especially attractive with a black suit. Other colours, to accord' with other suits, may be used; of course, but a good deal of Care and taste is needed if the result is not to be a little overpowering. THE WAIST WAR.

If we are to judge by the latest mid"season models, the natural waistline is here “for keeps”—-anyhow until 19-31 is a few weeks old. All the same, I have ' seen some recognised leaders of fashion quietly ignoring this decree and wearing their belts and sashes at the line which best becomes the individual figure. For there is no getting away from the fact that years of corsetless freedom and healthy exercise have not been the best means of preserving the twenty-ofae inch waists of our grandmothers’ days. Wise women, therefore, defy La Mode so far as to bring the much discussed “line” a little lower, realising that a thick “normal” Wajst is worse than no waist at all.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

So much for waists and lines. To go back to what the designers fire showing at the “Collections,” you will be interested to hear that the delightful mitten sleeve is still favoured. So kind, this, to arms no longer youthful and rounded, and quite delightful, in black net or lace, on a black dinner or dance dress. 7 . Some daytime sleeves are disturbingT ly like the leg b’muttons of the ’nineties, but they are more becoming in that they are jointed to off-the-Shoulder yokes, bo that the hunched-up look at the shoiflddrs is avoided. - Epaulettes Are added to other sleeves, but no one is very about them. Perhaps the prettiest new sleeve of all is the one which is tight from shoulder to elbow, thence developing into a circular flare which falls softly away from the .arm. This flare may foe faced with a . contrasting colour, of it may be adorned with a little embroidery, which is miraculously worked so that it does pot show through on the right side. Little capes, fichus and draped scarves are features of afternoon dresses. And when none of these seems to suit a particular model, the artist’s 'bow is revived and posed at the point of a Vshape neckline. Dark brown shoes and stockings are in favour, and, for morning wear at any rate, the shoes are Oxford shape. Not all the new hats are berets and bonnets. Some are reminiscent of the old picturesque shapes, shading the eyed, softening the face, and looking charming with graceful day gownd. They are not, of course, intended to be worn with tailored frocks and suits. CHEESE PASTRY ROLL. Ingredients; 3 eggs, 6 tablespoonsful castor sugar, 3oz. butter, half a pound wholemeal flour, 1 small teaspoonful baking powder, £lb. cream cheese, cinnamon. Beat two of the eggs with four tablespoonsful of sugar for five minutes. Add the butter, melted but not hot. Mix the flour with the baking powder, and add gradually to the beating out ill lumps, until a soft dough is formed. and roll to a wellshaped oblong. Beat the cheese till smooth and credmy, add the remaining egg and two tafolespoonsful of sugar, and mix well. Spread this mixture on the pastry oblong, roll up, and bake in a moderate oven. When cold, cut slices with a sharp knife and sprinkle cinnamon on each before serving.