Fashions and Furbelows

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18040, 28 December 1926, Page 9

Fashions and Furbelows

NOTES BY SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS.

FASHION FOOTNOTE. Reptile shoes are the rage. “ Reptile,” of course, is a convenient if not very endearing term to include everything from crocodile to snake. A good pair of these shoes is a fine investment. Though rather expensive in the first place (don’t be tempted to buy an imitation pair) they wear wonderfully, don’t show dust or stains and keep their shape for months. Also and this is a great recommendation for the girl with a small dress allowance—the lizard and snake shoes look right with almost everything, from a woollen jumper suit to a crepe-de-chine frock, if one is careful to choovse a pair which are smartly but very simply cut. By the way, there’s a special cleaning preparation for reptile shoes. It contains a proportion of wax, which keeps the skin supple and in good condition. It’s a real economy to invest in a tube when you buy your shoes. There's a distinct revival of the low heel this autumn. Evening sandal shoes in delicate shades of beige and rosv fawn satin show a low heel combined with a slightly rounded toe and one strap to fasten, springing from a cut away triangular strap. This type of .shoe, worn with cobweb silk stockings of exactly the same tone, is deliciously demure with full skirted taffeta or moire dance frocks. You can have the same model in the silvered

leather which is now preferred to silver brocade. Walking shoes will be in darker tones this autumn and winter, as we are rather tired of the pale tints which have been worn all the summer, and are hopelessly unpractical for muddy days. A pleasant shade of tan (with crocodile leather leading for smartness) is the happiest choice if you're buying new walking shoes just now. Stockings for street wear may be a little darker, too, without danger of dowdiness. There are some very good shades of pale cedar and grey beige which tone well with many colours, *and don't show every splash of mud. To wear with our sports suits there are the very thick ribbed silk stockings for- those who can afford them, and for those who can’t delightful silk and wool mixtures, now made in so many tones and designs that it’s an easy matter to match them to any wool fabric. For evening a creamy flesh tint, charmingly called “ tea rose,” is a favourite. Anything definitely pink is avoided by the really smart. HAVE YOU SEEN?

GOSSIP FROM THE PARIS AND LONDON SHOPS. The new apologies for really long evening frocks? The-required length is only assumed—it's given .by means of tulle or chiffon! All the smartest evening frocks have transparent hems now—which often reach to the wearer’s ankles. Underneath is worn a full transparent tulle or chiffon petticoat—of the same shade exactly, so that a delicious opaque effect is achieved when Its an idea you could easily copy. The prettiest way to attach the tulle is by cutting out the skirt in vandyked points over it. You can add flowered chiffon if you choose —but the frock must be plaincoloured material, and the flowers must match that colour. An apple-green taffeta frock I saw had a pointed hem of puce-pink net, which was repeated on a huge shoulder bow, and it looked the last word in chic. That it is very smart now to mix unusual and curious colours? A sort of Russian ballet effect is often the result! Greens that seem at first to clash are the rage. \Ye get sage and jade—emerald and turquoise. Reds and pinks are amusingly mixed, too. I saw a tomato and cherry housecoat the other day, and very effective it was. Strong. Chinese yellow is very smart —allied to blue, green, or pink—and, smartest and most daring of all, to magenta. You must be very careful, though, if you attempt such schemes. The main ! thing to remember is to get the colour j that suits you next your face. It is essential that the collar or necktie tones in with and enhances your skiii. Then you can play about with the rest of the colours!