Fashions Up-to-date.

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 50, 21 August 1915, Page 21

Fashions Up-to-date.

THE decree has gone forth that our skirts are to be modelled after the ample fashion of our grandmothers, and we shall all doubtless obey it. But though we may copy those estimable ladies to some extent, the twentieth century woman, with her love of exercise, is hardly likely to revert to the load of clothing they deemed indispensable. According to an authority on costume, the every-day equipment of a fashionable dame of the 'forties consisted of a flannel petticoat, and un-der-petticoat 3_ yards -wide, a petticoat wadded to the knees, and stiffened in the upper part with whalebone, a petticoat with three stiffly - starched flounces, two muslin petticoats, and a dress skirt, often measuring from 8 to 10 yard® round the hem. No wonder our grandmothers were given to swooning! And no wonder tlhat the steel ormohne, which bore the weight ot all this quantity of material, was adopted co enthusiastically that the inventor cleared £30,000 out of it m four weeks. __ .

The vogue for contrasting sleeves is most helpful when renovations are to be considered.. Supposing you have a velveteen or satin gown; you may take it for granted that the sleeves will rub at the elbow and look shabby long before the rest ot the frock shows any sign® ot wear. It is impossible to restore the gown to freshness, but it can be made ouite presentable by taking out the sleeves, and putting in their place into wide armholes, a fresh pair ot loose sleeves, made of some sott clinging material, finished with little ruffles at the wrist banded by narrow black velvet ribbon. If a, bodice is very much worn, there is probably enough of it good to make a deep belt and braces, and with these and a new blouse a fashionable effect is achieved.

RENOVATED MILLINERY. Fortunately black velvet is always more or le6S "the thing" in millinery, so that well on into the spring we can wear our winter hats. I take it for granted that everyone has at least one black velvet hat.. A slight alteration in the trimming, and a twist to the brim, if it has one, makes an apparently new hat. There is a novelty which will be helpful also, and that is the veil, which entirely shrouds the face, the ends of which, being tied on the top of the hat in a butterfly bow, form the only trimming. Taffeta, pinked at the edge, is to be worn, and a slightly shabby black velvet shape could be smartened by a ruffle of taffeta, through the middle of which could be laid a wreath of tiny flowers in varied and brilliant shades. * * *. . THE NEW VEILS. Perhaps, "face curtains" would be a more appropriate name for the veils now generally worn. Instead

pf the neat, close-fitting veil, pinned at the back of the heck, serving the double purpose of keeping the hat in place and the 'hair tidy, we how have fljowinig] driaperieie, giving, at any rate till we get accustomed 1 to them, a decidedly rakish appearance. The veil is hung just like a curtain round the hat, and, like a curtain, it is trimmed' round the edge. Sometimes the trimming is simply a narrow and sometimes a broad band of velvet or sateen ribbon, but all sorts of curious patterns are wrought in chenille, on the fine net of which, the veils are made. Some people prefer the veil, still fashionable, which reaches to the tip of the nose only, leaving the mouth and chin entirely free; in this case, the ribbon edge isi not adopted, but instead there is a neat little border of spots in rows, or a Greek key pattern.

With many of the new afternoon gowns there are little coats to be worn. Sometimes these are loose and straight, sometimes they are banded at the waist and finished with a tiny basque, and often they are of zouave effect. Quite a big

percentage of them are sleeveless, and occasionally. they effect a colour contrast Avith the gown which _ they accompany.' A beige marquisette frock looked 1 well with a cigar brown taffetas coatee, and a dove grey and

white striped voile frock was effective with a purple or delft blue faille coatee.

From a yard or so of silk, one of the smart little bolero coate can be made, andl they are qliite one of the daintiest accessories of dress to be worn during the spring. This Tittle coat will take the place of the winter coat, and will look well worn with the skirt of the winter suit. It need not be of the same colour; for example, a little black coat would be smart with a coloured skirt. Then again there are many bargains, in the way of collars and vests which can be successfully used to freshen up a winter suit.

As regards, the leading-colours for afternoon frocks and three-piece suits, all shades of biscuit, putty, clay, stone and grey are in evidence; also dark blues, brown, and!, of course, black and white. The most favoured materials for afternoon frocks are faille, plain, flowered, or in wool checks and stripes; plain and striped voiles and marquisettes, and a certain number of soft dull satins. Tussore silk, both dyed and in its natural tints, will be used for three-piece toilettes as the summer advances.