“Knitwear” modernised for attractive winter wear

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20768, 1 July 1937, Page 14

“Knitwear” modernised for attractive winter wear

Omnibus Garment For Night or Day.

Skirt Story.

There is a new story in skirts, and there is nothing more “of the moment” for sports wear than the culotte or trousers skirt. It must be really well cut if it is not to look clumsy, and is at its best in plain material. It is produced in different styles, all tailored, in plain and small patterned novelty fabrics. Some of them, especially those which are slightly heavy, have crepe de chine for the actual culotte part of the skirt. This ensures a slender line, and does not show providing the garment is well cut.

Every country in Europe has been ransacked for new ideas for sports wear. One recent model is a Viennese patchwork blouse, made up of dozens of gay little pieces matched perfectly into a pattern. Another, of plain material, was fastened with buttons with little frills round them and this came from Czechoslovakia. Tyrol is responsible for the “hug-me-tight” fashions. The close fitting little garments are part of the national dress of the district, and women find them excellent to wear under evening cloaks and, in the brighter shades, under sports jackets. Russia offers blouses rich with embroidery, and excellent sports stockings come from Norway. Silhouettes.

One of the most attractive silhouettes for the evening has the romantic name of “Ballet.” The skirt fits close to 'the waist line and flares out softly, with more folds at the back than at the sides and front, giving a charming gracious line. It is a line which is becoming to all figures, and is to be seen in formal frocks and in coats.

Hats are still high and likely to remain so. Most of the models for formal wear are of the cap persuasion and have an off-the-face outline. This somewhat trying effect is, however, softened by crisp little veils which either cover the eyes or come to the point above the eyebrows. One delicious restaurant or cinema cap is made of tulle stitched all over with narrow velvet ribbons, and it was worn with tulle mittens. Little caps of this description will be worn with fire cinema frocks and “cocktail dresses” which promise to become more important than ever. Every kind of material is employed to make these dresses, and the most popular version is the jacket and skirt in supple silk and a really elaborate blouse or tunic. Even flannel is used for cinema suits. One model is in fine black* flannel, cut on severe lines, with the most feminine blouse of embroidered pink organdie.

“KNITWEAR” used to mean the strange garments which rather dowdy women wore in the house or took away on holidays because they were “so comfortable.” It meant drab “heathery” colours and skirts that stretched. The modern vession, seen in the smartest salons, is something quite different. It can look like velvet, linen, canvas, crepe, smooth serge and tweed, to mention but a few of the “finishes” shown at a collection in London recently. “Little frocks” which do duty at home and in the office were shown. There was one in a soft almond green shade, with a round neck-line and deep cuffs embroidered with a charming design in cross stitch. The belt, instead of being buckled in the usual way, was laced with twisted cords to match the embroidery. Another attractive model, in pale mulberry colour, had a trim squared shoulder line, and scarf, .belt and handkerchief were in a deeper shade.

One of the smartest ensembles shown consisted of skirt, jacket and three-quarters length coat. Novelty weave, fabric, rather like raised pique, in red, white and black, was used to make the fvaistcoat-jacket and the coat, and black diagonal weave material the straight skirt. The use of black for collar, pockets and buttons was a smart idea.' An original model gave proof that modern “knitwear” can appear in any company, the one in question being smart enough to go to a wedding. There was a black frock made with a group of fine pleats from the neck line to the hem. each outlined with shiny braid. Braid was used also for the belt, and to trim the short cape which showed tiic new » split shoulder line. A crisp tucker of white pleated taffetas completed this elegant little outfit.

Colourful Clothes. Although most women in London and Paris are still wearing dark, well-cut suits and dresses, there is a perfect riot of colour waiting for them. Silks and satins have their place in the designers’ showrooms, together with the richer brocades, lames, velvets and rustling taffetas destined for parties and dances in the near future. But some of the most charming frocks displayed lately, for the benefit of debutantes who are fitting themselves out with simple day and dance dresses, are made of nothing more important than cotton or linen. There are little suits in gaily flowered, striped, flecked and checked old bleach linen. Others in figured cotton of substantial weight that concede little in smartness to those developed in silks, satins, face cloths and the various woollen materials of light weight and fancy weave that have been passed as correct by the authorities.

Suits will be worn as dresses in the house when they are made of the cotton and linen fabrics. Short, rather tight skirts, with scarcely hip-length jackets, and either sleeveless blouses or trim waistcoat fronts, make up perfect house frocks, and will be specially liked by busy hostesses who have to receive guests at tea-time in their own homes after having been out, shopping or calling, all the morning and afternoon. An elaborate “hostess gown” hardly fills the bill on these occasions, because there is invariably a rush, on returning home, to change into it from the street suit proper. So the outfit which is as happy at five o’clock in the afternoon as at nine o’clock in the morning makes its practical appeal.

A substantial cotton material, the deep cream ground patterned with “slashing rain” streaks of red, blue and green, was made up into one of the most attractive of the house costumes. The short skirt folded over slightly to one side and fastened with green buttons, and the slim Eton jacket continued the line, but only two buttons were here, because the front opening was deep enough to show off a lovely little blouse of palest green muslin. The muslin was shirred into a narrow stand-up neck band, finished slightly to the left side with a small posy of flowers taking up the colours of the flecks in the suit material. The complementary top coat, to wear out of doors, was black, and the very new little black hat—brim dipping back and front and rolled up at the sides—had the crown almost covered with mixed flowers to match those on the blouse. There are many outfits like this from which to choose now, and they are right up to the minute.