OUR PARIS LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16987, 10 March 1923, Page 3 (Supplement)

OUR PARIS LETTER.

COSY HOUSE FROCKS.

| (From PAULINE COURLANDER.) : The ideal house frock has long, tight- ! fitting sleeves—not too tight to allow I of free movement, but tight enough to j look slim. It has a high neck, which j can be unbuttoned and turned back as ! a rever; or it may have a large wide I up and down collar that can be raised ! or lowered to suit the temperature cf I your surroundings. ] One of the most commendable designs is the medieval one, made in on? of the wonderful figured silks, draped very slightly on the left hip into an ornamental buckle. It needs no further trimming: but a tiny narrow edging of braid or ribbon is of pln<-e. Dark blue marocain with a design stitched all over its surface in silver j grey silk looks really delicious. It is especially successful for a simple house frock, with two pleats on the left side coming from neck to hem, caught in at the waist with a grey suede belt studded with steel. The kind of design to lie chosen for the stitching is very important. Something that just looks bold and original in the piece may easily look ridiculous on the human form. It is. on the whole, best to avoid a large sprawling design and to keep to the closely interwoven curves that we get in Paisley patterns. A neat trimming is a band of tho material that composes the frock stitched up and down in lines with a differ-ent-coloured silk. The Russian blouse type of frock is still very much worn. It- is only just full enough to blouse slightly, and tho basque may consist of a plain band of embroidery fitting closely to the hips, or it may have a narrow belt and be joined straight on to the skirt. A very Russian-looking one had a high collar buttoned on the left- side, where started three lines of braid from the shoulder to belt, ending in three large buttons just below the belt. The skirt, on the other hand, had three lines of braid on the right side, this time beginning with three buttons just above the belt and ending at the hem. A most becoming idea foi' trimming a simple frock. A DRESS THAT LEADS A DOUBLE LIFE. There is a great feeling, in these rushing, bustling days, for dresses that are of a dual nature, so to speak. Tho reversible coat or cape, which can be turned and worn inside out, the reverse side presenting a complete contrast in colour irom the other, is already quite a familiar device. But wo are only just beginning to realise the possibilities of the dress that has two I different and equally© beautiful phases. It serves a trio of delightful purposes, for, besides giving ns the ever welcome joy of a change—and a lightning one at that —it may easily be an economy and a saving in packing space as well. There is, of course, the slip of plain coloured satin, over which any number of contrasting tunics can be consecutively worn, giving an immense amount of variety for daytime wear ; while for evening wear we are evolving more and more elaborate transformations. Tn fact, some of the smartest dressmakers now make a speciality of these dresses that lead a double life. An evening frock of this kind >.s made with a graceful drapery of jade green georgette over silver tissue, which j is held in closely round the hips with a deftly swathed sash of silver, thicklyencrusted with green and silver paillettes. By the unfastening of a press button on the shoulder, and another at the waist, the georgette tunic slipps off in an instant, leaving the wearer In shining under-dress of silver, which is 1 made chemise fashion, very straight and simple and semi-fitting, and quite complete in itself. It is untrimmed, save for a big. flat- cabochon of green on the left hip. from which float two i shimmering silver sash ends; There is an over dress of black lace, which has an exquisitely cobwebby effect ; another of love-in-the-mist blue, • and one of silver-grey net sewn with crystal, with which to ring the changes which appertain to this lovely and most covetable garment. In such a dress one 1 might quite well appear at- the same party in two different gowns without having to change at all! This dual idea is being carried into I as many departments of the realm of dress as possible. Tn millinery it is le * cognised as a necessity bv those wno cannot have an unlimited suuplv o? hats. Thev can. at least bv a little ingenuity. and the help of numerous beautiful flowers, wreaths and mounts of ribbon or feathers, have all the pleasing sensations of possessing hats ‘ o mat'd! any number of dresses, while in reality owning perhaps only two or three. \ now mount can be popped on and pinned into nlaee in a moment whenever occasion demands.