Dresses of the Week

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17882, 25 June 1926, Page 11

Dresses of the Week

W ritlen by

" STELLA "

Sales! That is the great word of the day: the only cry which has any power to. rally our jaded winter spirits. This is our last spasm of real interest in winter clothes; we’ve really bought all we ought to, and now is the time when we go forth to get something we want but don’t need, murmuring apologetically the mystic word “bargain.” What to make for first, that’s the thing. After all, the nippiest of us can only arrive first in just, one particular shop—even in one special department; so the choice is vital. I can only tell you my own plan. At sale-time I always, always make first for the shoes. I dash past the most alluring hats (though I adore hats), the slinkiest frocks, and all the etceteras that all but reach out and stop you, they are so fascinating—because after all. you just have to have shoes! It will pay you over and over to buy now the best shoes you can afford, to last you for the next six months. Next hats. Felts or velours —or, better still, a combination of both—are still smarter than anything else. “They” tried to make us have satin and velvet this winter, but we didn’t really rush at them to any extent. Flats are either very small and high crowned, with a creased sloping crown and practically no brim, or they are high?crowned, with a soft brim of no particular shape, which depends for its style on the wav you put the hat on. If you can't find a hat that really suits you, ask the saleswoman to show you one of the large uncut felt shapes. You can crease the crown, turn up the brim behind, and fasten it in front to suit your face, with your pet hat ornament. It can be stitched into this form in a few moments, and you will have a really becoming hat instead of an uncompromising little pudding basin.

Black is essentially for the fair, the great contrast showing up the fair skin and hair to advantage. It is most decidedly not for the sallow-complexion-ecl: yet often the dark, lustrous haired girl with a clear creamy-white complexion elm wear black with great distinction. A smart little black hat is a most successful and useful possession as it “goes” with so many things. There is the large shape which suits the tall dreamy, girl so well, and the tiny model which becomes nearly all types. Black hats are best all black, with trimmings of contrasting material only. Black felt and velvet combine verywell so does grOsgrain ribbon, which trims a black satin hat very effectively. A large brooch, shaped like a dog or bird, is one of the smartest ways of trimming a small black hat. Coloured trimmings should not be used. Often a black frock seems to have a hard line about the neck, unless softened by some means. One of the most becom-

ing ways of doing this is to get a piece of black tulle about 2} y'ards long, and tie it round the neck in a loose bow on the shoulder, letting the ends fall to the back. The tall girl can wear this to perfection. Using black as a primming is always rather difficult, as *t is apt to look “patchy” unless skilfully' arranged. Black and beige looks ultra smart and yet restrained. Black shoes and stockings are creeping into favour again after having been displaced by beige, gold and silver, for evening wear with black frocks. Sometimes one longs to get away from the conventional in lingerie colours—those pretty but obvious variations on the themes of blue, pink, mauve and primrose—with white as a safe stand-by. Yet the violently bizarre stuff which appears at intervals is more freakish than fascinating. Most of us would lrke to be original—quietly. Sale time is the time to let one’s originality run riot as all materials are always considerably reduced. A lingerie-maker I know, who sews for “ordinary people,” loves choosing and blending unusual colours in her work. She gets rather subtle effects, which just express the wearer’s personality, but could never be called eccentric. Thus grey, a colour which doesn’t sound attractive for underwear, most decidedly' is, when the tone is dove or smoke and the material filmy. The decorative devices she uses on lingerie are rather attractive. Quite simple always, and unpretentious, but examples of how you can give a pleasing new twist to an ordinary' idea. There’s the length of ribbon for instance, which she threads through one or two slots down the front of a nightie or princess petticoat. Not buttonholed slots, but the required length of double hemstitching, cut apart. She has some rather good ways with monograms too; one is to set them in an oval with a true-lover’s knot at the base, like an old-lashioned miniature frame. She uses ribbons of unconventional colours with success. Thus a set of fresh lilac i shade may have pewter grey shoulder straps. Ribbons of deep cafe-au-lait (almost a mole shade), she’s fond of using on the beige and fawn lingerie, she often makes for those who wear a lot | of neutral colours, and she also likes touches of cream—the real “clotted cream” tint—with beige. A dainty afternoon frock, worn at a farewell bridge party' earl.v in the week, was most attractive and adhered to the short-sleeved vogue. It was made of leaf green silk marocain, with panel trimmings of bold, bizarre colours. The frock was cut in one piece with rounded neck line and a straight front, but the pouched blouse effect, sponsored by Paris at the moment, was introduced at the sides which completely' camouflaged the wearer’s tendency to plump-

ness. A deep silk fringe finished off the trimming on the left side of the frock. While on a round of visits on Wednesday I met a South Canterbury visitor who is spending a holiday with friends in this city. She looked very smart in an extremely' attractive frock of wool marocain carried out in a colour scheme of smoke grey with mistblue braid trimings. The front trimmings ran into the skirt pleats and thus gave the effect of slimness so desired by' every daughter of Eve. The frock was belted at the back, and pouched slightly at both sides. A row of buttons down the centre front provided further adornment. Wool jersey cloth in the popular raspberry' shade was the material chosen for a smart frock seen on a smart young matron from Cashmere. The high, sportive collar gave an original touch to her frock, while the long, full sleeves gathered into the tight wrist cuffs followed the latest craze. It had a flared skirt with the popular curved waist-line, and tucks on the shoulders created a distinctive, tailored effect. A frock which upheld the charm of simplicity was chosen as the afternoon shopping frock of a busy charity' worker. It certainly adapted itself most admirably to *the leaf-brown repp cloth of which it was made. The deep, slimfitting bodice was given a demure little collar of coffee georgette, through which a ribbon was slotted and tied boyishly in front. The waist-line took a deep curve to both sides of the cir-cular-cut skirt, while a quaint touch was effected by' slitting the long, tight sleeves at the wrists to form semi-cuffs. Patiently waiting my' turn at the ticket-box on Wednesday, I noticed among my companions a y'oung lady who is well known in dancing circles. Her frock provided an opportunity for the use of the popular Kasha, in a colour combination of pencil blue and smoke grey. The reverse collar, with one side tapering to the waist, was the only outstanding feature of the severely cut bodice. A narrower belt was slotted through the material to emphasize the waist-line, while inverted pleats procured the necessary fulness for the skirt. The sleeves were plain and lightly finished off at the wrists with a narrow band of material matching the collar. A smart frock of deep emerald green georgette was the toilette chosen by a popular auburn-haired maid from Avonside. The bodice was <iuite plain and tight fitting, and from the low waistline the attached skirt was arranged with full gathers. The wide embroidered border on the skirt was done in gold shade and finished with a plain hem of the material, the softness of which added to the graceful lines cf the wearer.