DRESSES OF THE WEEK

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12571, 7 March 1919, Page 7

DRESSES OF THE WEEK

IN AND ABOUT THE OTTY. “Study your typo” is a more important slogan than ever. It cannot be said that there is any definite fashion to follow, but- tho woman with any idea at aJ] of ■what suits Iter ought to he glad of this. There are styles to suit all figures, all faces, anct most incomes. But the outstanding feature of this season is the use of stripes—□road stripes, narrow stripes, and stripes of every Pleated striped skirts worn with plain coats ha.vo become the rage, but the ideated skirts must bo well made or they miss the desired effect. And striped skirts do not need striped stockings. Here, is a word to the wise—rstick to plain stock-, mgs unless with severely plain costumes, which sometimes demand something out of the ordinary to give them definite character. The stockings worn by some women just now patterned in triangles, squares, rectangles, butterflies and floral emblems are too bizarre and outlandish for anything. A Mere Man, commenting on the subject, was most scathing. “ What will these women come to next in their desire to attract attention ?” ho asked, with the most lordly of masculine airs. Fortunately the wearing of this boldly patterned ho,so has not become general. The American woman is acknowledged to be the best stockinged and best shod woman in the world. She does wear elaborate hose, but usually with discretion. The majority of women should weeir the plainest of shoes and stockings. Only when a woman has a wellshaped foot and ankles should she wear anything outre. But then, bow few of us realise our imperfections 1 The tendency towards bright colours originality of design grows day by day. and often colour schemes that would have horrified us a few seasons ago are used now with charming artistic effect- One girl, a school teacher by profession, wore a dress in which stripes of dahlia-red, pale yellow and an uncommon shade of green blended. It sounds rather lurid on paper, but the general effect was smart and bright. A pale cream b*louso and a Panama hat with a striped baud of tho three colours in the skirt completed this effective turn put.

A stnking-looking amanuensis in a busy office m Christchurch wears a checked zephyr one-piece pinafore frock in which pink, grey, brown and cream are noticed. It is made with a highwaisted corslet bodice and shoulder .straps which end in loose flap pockets. The sleeves and collar worn with this frock are made of tussore silk with Oriental trimming, and the hat is of cream straw adorned with pink flowers. A Wellington girl -here on a visit went to a tennis party appropriately attired in a cream gabardine skirt, and a straight cream sweater, almost masculine m shape, but elaborately embroidered with yellow wool in a conventional design. Her shady green hat, swathed with cream silk, went well with this simple sports suit.

A visitor to Christchurch from New Plymouth was in town this week in a plain black tailored costume, which was made singularly distinctive by a wide cream sailor collar with black draughtboard squares designed thereon, and a black and white hat. A, lady wearing a black and white pin striped muslin, a cherry-coloured ed belt and a cherry -coloured turban hat came in for a big share of silent admiration at a recent garden party.

A bride in a figured yellow material which resembled a cretonne of some sort, with tawny yellow flowers and unconventional green leaves all over it, combined with pale lemon georgetteworn with a green hat, made a vivid splash of colour in rather a sombrelyclad group the other day. Plain coats mid skirts always have a decided following, but this season they play second fiddle to frocks. A tussore dress, heavily-embroidered in saxeblue silk on the collar, sleeves and basque, and also on the hem of the skirt, worn with a stiched tussore hat, was noticed in the Square one day. A North Canterbury lady who is a frequent visitor to town looked well in an amethyst crepe de chine costume, silk stockings in the same shade, and a soft straw bat of mauve and yellow. Another' North Canterbury lady attended a Weddiug this week, wearing an exceedingly smart fine navy gabardine costume, braided in black, and a sap-phire-blue hat. At another wedding a lady in black chiffon taffetas and white georgette and a black and white bat looked out of the ordinary. The foundation of the dross was the taffetas, but the blouse- and long, loose sleeves were of georgette edged with silk, and the upper half of the skirt was fashioned in georgette banded with silk. A few of the new autumn hats have made their appearance, but the weather has really called for lighter hats. The new hots are very becoming, but terribly expensive.