Dresses of the Week

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17568, 19 June 1925, Page 9

Dresses of the Week

IV rMen by !

“STELLA "

Taken generally, perhaps, the modes of the moment may seem u little monotonous in their straight, slim simplicity. But, as a matter <;f fact, j clothes have never been more interest- | ing or replete with detail. True enough j one has frequently to search for the | detail, but it is always there in one ! form or another. Down to below the I hips, and very often to below the knees. ! straight simplicity reigns, then the de- j signers get busy with embroideries in l beads, hundreds of them, in every con- ! ceivable size and colour—wool and silk j appliques, fringes, flounces, hand-made ! flower embroideries, ribbons, chiffon { and little ostrich feather and marabout j fur, buttons and pleats. Anything and j everything, so long as the endings of your frocks are smothered in some sort ; of trimming, for by these, trimmings ‘ alone can we make one’s dresses look , different from any others. j This being Fashion’s latest decree, I ! have thought out several possible do , signs to be turned to useful account, j when the winter sales are with us. For ; the point I need to emphasise is the | ! straight garment, anything from iV j jumper to a coat, one and all can be ■ immediately brought up to date by i added decorative treatment. For instance, you can slit a dress up, back and front and insert a narrow line of ! contrasting coloured material; or nr* | range a shaped volant iust below the . hips. or one to give a flare to the hen), j j Tops of pockets cut out in a long oval shape in the front are to be seen filled in with a fine fiat pleated vest. A dress which would otherwise merely be a straight sacque, is given distinction by a close row of small butj tons, which, starting in the centre I front of the neck, gradually slope off j to the left hip. where they pick up the line of a wrap over_ skirt. Straight j frocks can b e cut off into tunics, and I those which show signs of wear can be i j concealed as a slip beneath a new j j sheath tunic, for which quite a short j length of material serves. Some

j tunics are nothing more than straight * pieces of material caught at the shoulders and again at the low hip-line, with i the long sleeves of the same colour and j material as the underdress. I There is much diversity of opinion [ as to the correct length of skirts. And the whole thing, to jny mind, is a quesJ tion of taste and age. Quite young i girls can wear, and are wearing, skirts j that just cover the knees. But exI tremely short skirts are not attractive j in the evening, and, of course, are quite out of place with a three-quarter-length j coat. Twelve inches off the ground is { the length allowed, and. so long as J frocks and skirts remain slim, it is j impossible to have them any longer. A gown should not be so severe as ; to depress either the wearer or the speel, tat or. There D always the possibility i of mitigating its seriousness so that the j eye is pleased and the taste not offendj ed. A perfectly plain frock of black { chiffon velveteen which I saw in a recent trousseau secured a very smart | effect by the most dainty of frilled 1 jabots. The frills arranged on the cuffs i and down the centre front of the frock j were of the finest white lawn picot c-dged. With these accessories as fresh and dainty as fingers could make them the frock would be a considerable asset to anyone's wardrobe. Pleats arc very much back into favour this winter, and arc being used in all kinds of attractive ways. A frock of the palest lilac mauve crepe de chine was worn at a recent wedding by a well-known Canterbury girl. The finely killed panels of the material were cleverly disposed to give a flounced effect, and provided the only trimming. Simplicity distinguished its cut. *■ r it was made magyar .style, favouring long, slim-fitting lines, and boasting one cf the new square-shaped necks. Particu- ! larly becoming was the way in which ; the bodice was just slightly pouched over the narrow sash of silver ribbonSilk georgette, patterned in orange on

* a deep cream background was the material favoured for a delightful evening frock seen at a recent popular dancing ciub. The wearer is tall, fair and slim, anrl the girlish style suited her admirably. The frock was cut in magyar style, and fell straight from the shoulders and opened in front over a finely pleated panel of cream nin-ni. Kilted ends of the same material finished the loosely knotted sash which defined the low waist line. A tunic frock is one cf the very b?s; of investments, for everything in th way of a tunic is immensely popular at the moment, and, moreover, shows every indication of being more fashion able than ever as time goes on. Black marocain always makes an attractive frock, and an afternoon frock worn at a bridge party l»y rv hostess in Merivalo was most becoming. ihe rather narrow lines provided an effective contrast to the fully gathered tunic of embroidered taffetas, which matched the lower part of the slim-fitting bodice. Smartness is large!;.' a matter -of checks this season, and all the newest coats display squared patterns of a truly bewildering variety and hue. A very smart visitor from Timaru, who is in Christchurch at the present time is wearing a smart coat of kasha doth checked in blue and brown on a • ... background, and the lining and facings are of plain blue silk rep. Th; colour scheme is repeated by the three curozo buttons fastening it to one side. A smart coat, suitable tpr mcto.ing • r travelling expressed in navy blue gabardine was on show in one of t'.e sh ; . rec sr tl . It cli ; msed alteg th r with trimming, unless one could count the buckled belt slotted thr ugh the two deep pockets. For the r it was cut on loose, comfortable lines, and was, incidentally, an advocate of the new wide cuffs so much in vogue at the moment.