FASHION NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1933, Page 7 (Supplement)

FASHION NOTES

BLACK AND WHITE AGAIN I , OFF-THE SHOULDERS CORSAGE. (From Our Own Correspondent) London, October 13. The true Parisienne can never get away for long from her beloved black-and-white colour scheme. She certainly neglected it for a short time last season, while she toyed with the popular pastel tints, and alternated them with the deeper, richer tones that came in towards the end. But now she is right back in the Magpie setting again, and vastly does it become her. On the other side of the Channel, too, women are turning to it, the majority of the well-dressed members of Society having included in their wardrobes various expressions of the black-and-white mode. Maybe a white evening gown, with black gloves, detachable black feather shoulder straps, and a black velvet white satin-lined wrap. Maybe a black and white flecked tweed suit, with a jaunty black hat banded in white, or a smart white cap stuck through with a black quill. Maybe a black and white linen-tweed frock, or a black satin afternoon gown with a “pier-, rot” ruffle of white organdi at the neck. SKIRTS AND BLOUSES. By the way, the black and white revival has given a fresh fillip to the fashion of the “odd” skirt to be worn with various blouses. It is as “right” for informal evening occasions as .it is for afternoons, so long as the material is suitable. The black silk, fine wool or cloth skirt, finely pleated, is suggested as the basis of several pretty home toilettes. With it you can wear alternately a white wool lace blouse, a black-and--white diagonally striped knitted jumper, a dainty white muslin blouse, a severe shirt in black-and-white striped or spotted cravat silk, a black lace or a white lace bodice. Endless variety! And so correct has the blouse-and-skirt dress become that even at smart afternoon parties it is quite frankly worn, with no apology by way of coatee or cape to match the skirt and bring the whole into the costume category. . For the evening the idea is equally good. A tubular black satin or velvet skirt can accompany a different blouse or jumper every evening of the week, and look extremely nice about it! Of course, the blouses have to be sleeveless or made with small frilly sleeves, and low in the neck. But they can be so simple that the veriest amateur may easily make them for herself. But not the skirt! It must be perfectly cut and fitted, otherwise you get a tawdry effect. VICTORIAN LINES. Talking of evening clothes, it is pleasant to see the daintily demure sloping-off-the-shoulders corsage again. We have had so many ruches and ruffles lately, standing up stiffly like open fans, that the drooping unruffled line is quite refreshing. There is usually a small berthe of some rich lace to finish it, or maybe only a narrow strip of shirred net, other strips forming bands for the small puff sleeves. I saw a long, full black taffetas model thus treated with old ecru-coloured net, and it was charming. Economical, moreover, since there was nothing to “date” the gown. These demurely piquant styles come up smiling in any assembly, no matter how long or short the prevailing skirt length, no matter how high or low the fashionable neckline, and their wearers are conscious of the fact that, though uncommon, “quaint” if you like, they are absolutely right. For there is nothing exaggerated about them. To go on to day frocks and suits, braid trimmings are promised within the next week or so. In fact, they have already appeared in some collections. And they look wonderfully smart and neat on the slick, straight garments that are the uniform of the moment. Quite wide braid is stitched to the hems of skirts, and on one model the broad band is supplemented by four others, graduated in width, set some two inches apart up the skirt. Narrow braid trims deep shoulders, and epaulettes, and waistbelts. And I have seen it sewn round and round to make a smart little cap to go with a braid-trimmed cloth suit.