Dresses of the Week

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17864, 4 June 1926, Page 11

Dresses of the Week

Written by

“STELLA "

There is an old French saying that roughly translated amounts to this: The more a thing changes, the more it is the same thing. And this adage can be very aptly applied at the moment to dress. There are any amount of minute changes, which make up the | “something different” in our frocks, | but in the main the styles remain i very much as they were—slim and straight and waistless, or long-waisted, and all of them are singularly simple in silhouette. With the exception of sometimes a high neck or collar, or perhaps a short slit at the side, instead of in front, no single thing is permitted to mar the symmetry of the back of gowns or coats. They are as straight and flat as the proverbial pike-staff. We may flare at the sides or front, but we must be flat at the back. Simple? Yes! But not quite so simple as it looks. For these backs demand a certain amount of individual fitting otherwise they are apt to sag or strain and get out of shape. The line must be perfectly straight from the shoulders over the hips and.on to the hem. It just touches without actually defining the figure; and to arrive at this delectable end, if one has large hips, one can have cunning little darts and pleats cutely arranged and stitched on the wrong side and pressed out of all visible existence. For the most part the chemise frock represents the foundation of at least 70 per cent of the new models. Probably it is unsuspected by the unobservant. who find their eyes distracted and bewildered all manner of happenings and trimmings on a gown, but nevertheless it is there. And there is more fuss and fastidiousness over the choice of fabrics to-day than can ever be recalled before. In fact a model can stand or fall at the moment on the quality and the colouring alone of the material of which it is made. Anything of the soft velvety Kasha finish in woollen materials, for instance, can do no wrong. Kasha, as a proprietary article, remains prohibitive in price. But there are many clever imitations that are almost as delightful as the genuine article. Then there are satins, crepe remains, which are dull oil one side and shining on the other, and Ottoman silk interwoven with glittering gold. I must have said eighty or ninety times lately that modern clothes fall into two categories—the useful and the luxurious—but just let me say it for the eighty-first or ninety-first time, i

because I want to say it about furs. In the old days you had (or had not!) a fur coat, and you just wore it, and no nonsense about it. Ten a.m. shopping, ten p.m. dancing, it was all one—“my fur coat” rose to the occasion. But now! You really need two. and you probably want about six when you set your fancies free, as' the song has it. However, let’s come down to earth and consider the two. For morning, dull days and motoring the fur coat on plain lines is the thing and then those on more luxurious lines can be used on other occasions.

I’ve always said, if you can't afford really Rood fur, don't attempt a whole coat of it. Wear tweed for the useful garment, with a wide trimming of fur. Fur-trimming by the way should either match the coat or be lighter in colour—l can't tell you why it isn’t smart to have a fabric trimmed with a darker fur, but it j6st isn’t. The prettiest combination is black cloth trimmed with light brown fox or mole. This is becoming to almost everyone, and if you want a new coat of this kind you couldn't have anything more charming. But you won’t go and make it dowdy by wearing a black hat and shoes, will you? Your hat, shoes and gloves should match the fur, and the stockings a shade lighter. | The absence of trimmings, except of j the simplest kind, is the greatest help to the woman who cannot afford to spend much on her clothes. In the day, a touch of embroidery on the pockets, cuffs, collar or belt of a contrasting colour; some pieces of material of which the frock is made, applique—and a dress conforms with fashion's latest decree; and matters are just as easily arranged for smarter toilettes. A becoming colour is quite enough without trimming for some dresses, or the combination of two materials meets the case. Rich fabrics, such as tissues, velvet, brocaded georgette. figured marocains and satins, would lose all effect if they were trimmed. At a dance last evening, a smart fair girl from Spreydon, seen in the city every day, wore a most distinctive model gown of scarlet French crepe de chine. The frock fell straight from the shoulders, and was lightly beaded at the neck line and sleeves with a narrow band of black beads. Forming a wide hem was a closely beaded design in red and black with touches of silver. The low waist-line was defined with a narrow sash of black satin, tied loosely at one side. Another frock worn at the same

dance was of deep maize george't‘ce headed in gold. The hem was carried out. with a wide beaded design. the line being broken at intervals with a full plain godet of the material. ‘ Tailored coats. which have teen so popular in the late autumn, always succeed in looking attractive, and give a slim effect. \Vhile waiting for my liius early in the week. I noticed a young girl well known in sports circles .weafing a smart toilette The jumper suit she wore was in biskra shade. and made with a double box pleat each side and plain hack and front. The hat was of felt in a slightly deeper shade. and over her suit she wore a smartly tailored Coat in a fine brown tweed lightly checked in a deeper tone and an in—verted pleat from below the hip povkets was vunningly arranged. “‘ith her golf clubs over her arm. she certainly looked attractive and well equipped for the game. Approving glances were cast in the. direction of a Papanui girl who is one of the members of the Operatic Sociv ety. The colour scheme was most un~ common. buff relieved with peacock green. The tunic bodice reached. just below the waist. the skirt being finely knife pleated. A chic little hat. also of buff went well, the frock making a distinctive winter outfit.

Posting letters on \Vednesday morning. a girl was standing beside me patiently awaiting her turn, little knowing that I was taking my time sorting my mail so as to “ take in " her “tire. It was a navy blue velour coat frock fashioned straight to the hips. where it turned into wide flared panniérs. A dark brown hat, a brown rabbit wrap and brogue shoes and light fawn stockings comprised the ensemble.

Near by was a girl in a bottle green gabardine frock embroidered in fawn. The bodice was long and the skirt circular. and her hat was of jade green velvet

A young bride, who is in her home town on a visit from the north, was teaing one afternoon with several girl friends, outshining them all with her daintiness and general smartness. Her long jade green wool wrap coat had a. wide collar and cuffs of brush wool in green. with a faint band of light fawn. This was worn over a frock of jade repp cloth made with a long‘straight bodice and a circular skirt. On her pretty fair hair was a green velour felt hat in exactly the shade of her coat and a fawn mount appliqued on one side of the crown completed her toilette, which was efi'ective in every detail.