WHAT IS BEING WORN.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12111, 4 July 1903, Page 3 (Supplement)

WHAT IS BEING WORN.

(By AIRS ARIA, in "The' Queen.")

New clothes !- r New clothes! Neinj clothes every day! anil never stop to think. That is the ideal motto for the momeriti when the spring novelties are on us in full force, and existence becomes not so much,a question of what to buy as what not- to buy. The-tailor-made dress is undoubtedly the most alluring revival; this, either: in plain cloth or in infinitesimally cheoked tweeds, smooth of surface and light of colour, is the supreme favourite. The white lawn tucked shirt completed with the white lawn "collar, ;and the cravat of plaid or of spotted, soft silk, are worn with the tailormade dress. There are many varieties of the linen collar; there is the straight! turned down round'one, there is the one jtfhich shows but-half an inch above the itock. There is-the clergyman's collar, all ithese being made of plain or hemstitched inen, and as well as these we have the \awn or muslia collar: daintily embroidered i by hand in. satin stitch. And while we \are bestowing favour on the collars to jpur shirts and blouses, we are in a measure neglecting those on our coats, coats now appearing, as a general rule, trimmed ■with: stoles, but when collars are adopted, lhey are cape collars of much importance. '' \ The pleated skirt is another most conspicuous mode which may be met under a dozen different)' aspects, and under: most graceful conditions it reaches the ground in the front, and rests upon it two inches at the back. The shaped yoke pieces on the hips develop into gores in the front, graduating downwards, the pleats only extending round the back and sides; This is difficult to describe, but it has; a most graceful effecty'even on a short woman; but short women are growing so rare tljat their needs will possibly be less regarded than ever. i r

•Of the plain colours, a beige *one ''s undoubtedly to the fore, this being found mostly in face cloth, thin vicuna and voile, while it is generally trimmed with silken passementerie, and tassels to match. A variation of this is a ibeige-coloured cloth dress with a.sac coat decorated with large bows of velvet 'of the:same shade, made out of piece velvet in rolls of about half an inch in width with pendent tassels, the centre of each bow being decorated with » diill gold button. A light tweed dress deserving commendation is checked in black and white with a.fine ihie of red running through it, and bears a yoke piece and facings to the coat, which blouses in the front, and is belted at the waist, made of white cloth embroidered by hand in red arid black and ' white silk. It is easy to imagine that the white lawn shirt with the red cravat, and a red velvet hat trimmed with poinsettias, or velvet geraniums, or a bunch of Parma violets, might confidentially be called upon to eomplete the result successfully: i There are many red hats to be seen, but mostly these take upon themselves the colours of the paroquet, trimmings of blue and green kilted velvet ribbon and variegated quills decorating them, and perhaps the prettiest is one of turban shape, with these three colours showing in, narrow lines of straw round the brim, two knife quills in green and 1 blue and red being fastened on to this at one side, while over the crown, is a band of'l'ed velvet ribbon- tying in bows and ends to rest on the hair.

We are very chary of adopting brocade evening dresses, though they make most of our Court trains now of brocade. We still seem, to cling to-the soft charms of chiffon, and the. spangle appears to have received a permanent welcome. ■ A ctiarming- white tulle dress lightly dotted with spangles has a fringe of pink roses on the hem, and a black net dress closely covered with silver spangles, lined with white, bears applications of white silk roses with excellent effect. Talking of white silk roses reminds me that these, on a: white silk dress, made in lace, with -the petals elaborately stuffed U> stand out from the material, are among our prodigal fancies. Fringe is a notewor-thy-revival. Silver bullion fringe decorated with much grace one of the dresses worn at the palace ball, the dress being of pal« blue panne, with the skirt embroidered

in silver, while the sleeves were formed of two squares of white tulle, with a' silver tassel at each corner—a. novel sleeve, somewhat recalling the lamp shade, but yet decorative and most becoming. The newest paillettes are those of the mother-of-pearl description, while the platinum ones are also recognised, 'these latter looking particularly well in a thick raised design, on a background of grey chiffon. A conspicuous note on the newest models is the sloping shoulder. This outline is easily cbntrived, of course, by placing the sleeve below the shoulder line; where appears some line of trimming; [usually galon —and the number of the; galons is " legion " in the land of dress-r-or five or six rows of gaugings. Gaugings from pin tucks, gaugings from piping cords, and plain gatherings are alike to be met oh tie new gowns. Irish lace continues on its course of popularity, and deep cape collars to the waist made of this will be worn in the summer, and help to carry out that idea of sloping shoulders which is eo dear to the hearts of the authorities. ,