Muslin Frocks for DANCING

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

Muslin Frocks for DANCING

SOME of the prettiest dance frocks in the new collections from Paris * , are made of muslin, not elaborate organdie, silk muslin, nor some fanciful fabric with muslin as a foundation, but the old-fashioned stiff, dainty spotted muslin which belongs to Edwardian and even to Victorian days.

The dressmakers have made the very most of it and, although the material is identical with that worn by our grandmothers, the style of the modem dress differs in every possible way from that of fifty years ago. Instead of stiffly-starched folds there are softly falling gathers. Fullness is looped up with grace and, artistry instead of being merely confined within an encircling sash; and the dress artists have evidently had in mind the idea of accentuating the simplicity of the material and creating a “country maid” atmosphere. There are no slashed or trimmed muslin skirts. All are full, bouffant, and in keeping v#th the demure little bodices whisi they accompany. And these bodices are charming. The most popular models follow the Empire line very strictly, and are cut ■wtth rather low square fronts which are either held over the shoulders with narrow straps of ribbon or cut in one with the V-shape backs. Little tuckers of the finest Valenciennes lace appear both back and front and add their own old-world touch. One particularly charming model had a full skirt gathered into a perfectly fitting hip yoke. The gathers were so arranged that the fullness was regulated in inch-wide panels with a plain piece of material on either side, and the effect as the fullness cascaded to the hem was very picturesque. Black muslin lightly powdered with white embroideries is being worn by fair-haired mannequins at the dress parades. The foundation worn below it is white also, which gives it the, effect of being very thin and gos-samer-like. Some of the dressmakers are showing organdie frocks as well as spotted muslin ones, and the former are most elaborately embroidered in white and coloured silks in a variety of designs. They are in striking contrast to the simple spot muslins as, probably, they were intended to be.

One of the prettiest in a recent collection had a lattice of silver embroidery all round the hem of the

skirt to a depth of about ten inches. Wide shoulder straps were made of the transparent silver embroidery, and thefe was a shaped silver belt to match at the waist, Another white organdie model had a tracery of black silk embroidery resembling a spider’s web running down panels at the back and front of the skirt. The bodice had no trimming except a flat bow of black velvet in front . The debutantes are delighted with the new tulle and chiffon muffs, and many tall, pretty girls are already carrying them at dances instead of bouquets, and using an inner pocket of the muff instead of an evening bag. The tulle model is, perhaps, the daintiest The material is crisp and pretty, and the pleated top and side frills have almost a fairylike quality. Even with a little satin pocket in the lining the muff only weighs an ounce or two, and it can be carried in one hand with just as much ease as a vanity bag during dancing. While many dressmakers are following the simplest of lines for both day and evening dresses, others are trimming their models in the most elaborate and original ways. A row of tiny china buttons, looking like miniature tea plates with floral sprays painted on rims, appeared down the centre of both bodice and skirt of a charming little taffetas robe de style at a recent show. The blue sprays on the buttons matched the colour of the material, which was a lovely tone of moonlight blue. Sea shells are a popular trimming also, since a frock sewn all over with the tiniest examples of them took a dress show audience .by storm a few weeks ago. Then there are unusual belts in bright colours which make effective and original trimmings for many plain frocks. Coloured twine is plaited to fashion some of them; others are strips of crocheted insertion in vividly tinted cotton or silk. The blouse and skirt is tremendously popular for every kind of daytime occasion, and most of the new blouses are quite high at the throat, even for afternoon wear. A black blouse of some fine material or one showing grey stripes on a black ground, is the popular thing to wear with a grey coat and skirt, and this is an outfit which quite a number of good fashion houses are showing. '