Dresses of the Week

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18643, 21 December 1928, Page 14

Dresses of the Week

W ritten by

“STELLA "

Well, that's that! Good-bye georgettes, crinoline hats, slinky town coats, patent pumps and all the rest of it—all that goes to make up the “ season’s ” garments. Another few days at most, and we shall be whisking off to beaches and mountains. and you won't be in our boxes. What will be in them ? That’s the question. ' Lots and lots of sports clothes, I hope, and a few evening or semi-even-ing ones, and nothing else. A dressed up holiday is no good at all. But, of course, you want to have your simple holiday things as gay and attractive as possible; that adds immensely to your pleasure. At one time the very word “ artificial ” brought foam to our mouths. What then have they done to make us all flock to buy artificial silk? They have set themselves a task of overcoming the difficulties and eliminating the defects, with the result that to-day we have soft, supple, silklike material with a fashionable dull surface decorated with “ good ” designs, such as only the best silks have hitherto rejoiced in, which will do anything we wish, for it will pleat, gather, drape and hang gracefully when hung on any angle or curve. In fact, it is, in many ways, preferable to “ the real thing,” for it is very durable, washes like a rag. and is about a quarter of the price. There, now you have it, exactly what has happened, and all to make us beautiful. Really, there are some kind people in the world after all. Artificial silk is lovely to work drawn thread on, as the threads run so evenly and are slightly coarser than ordinary silk. If you like a touch of colour I suggest that you make a frock of white, beige or grey, and do your thread-work in coloured cotton—red and black on white, periwinkle and purple on grey, and maroon and orange on beige. Draw the threads quite wide, and do very coarse stitching; the effect is better for frocks, and it does not take so long to do. Two silks, made up together and

bound with braid, trimmed with a soft fur collar, will give you a lovely reversible coat for afternoon or best wear. You will find that to have one side plain and the other patterned is a good plan, as you cannot wear a patterned coat over a frock of another design, whereas a patterned coat would set off many of your plain frocks. Imitation summer ermine is cheap, and would make just the right collar. So you see what endless things there are to be done with this new silk. F'or our evening dresses there is Celanese marocain and a lovely georgette, which is as heavy as a ‘‘guinea a yard” material. What is more, it will wash and wash, so that is a death sentence to the cleaners, isn’t it? And we shan't cry over it, either. I like the gay printed chiffon scarves which cheer up so many an old frock or jumper. To be smart they must really be very gay—the sort of futuristic filmy things that are inclined to give a roguish air. The best thing is to buy the material by the yard and make a square of it, hemstitching the ends. Then wear it with one point over the right shoulder and the ends caught up through a buckle. And with the bits left over make handkerchiefs. They are being more and more worn. Yes, worn, not used! They dangle out of the pockets of many jumpers, and alone provide a brilliant note. The more “ streaked ” or “ lined ” the pattern of georgette, the smarter it is considered, by the way. Geometric lines are still the rage, though they run more in a peak now than diagonally across. For instance, I saw a young bride quite recently who wore a jumper suit of beige crepe de chine, the top part of which was streaked with pointed lines of brown silk cord. This line, which resemt>led a large arrow-head, is particularly becoming to the slim girls. But those of you who are not very slim, avoid it, please. Tennis dresses are among the most important features of summer dress shows and most people are surprised

to see how the busy dressmakers have concentrated upon this selected item of the summer wardrobe. Tennis dresses are now prettier, more exciting, and very ’much more unconventional than thev have ever been. To-day’s tennis frocks show a happy combination between the boyish and the feminine. Materials are varied, too. There is tussore, poplin, linen, and a refined pique, for practice, and crepe de chine for the time when you are sufficiently proficient to play in the best matches. There is a new material, too, which is really dyed holland in lovely flower shades. The best type of frock to choose for tennis this year is the sleeveless one-piece dress; jumpers and skirts seem a little out of fashion on the courts. A little embroidery is often seen, and this may take the form of a monogram, a single flower, or a fancy pattern. Although the dresses have no sleeves, I have a lingerie cuff or a handkerchief scarf to match that worn at the neck, outlining an armhole. Sometimes a little belt, buckle and all. is stitched round the armhole to match that worn at the waist or just above the hips. Tiny yokes are seen on many well-cut tennis frocks, for besides being youth; ful and pretty, they help to make the top sit well. The handkerchief yoke is most charming. It is cut in the shape of a handkerchief scarf but is made all in one with the frock. A very thisseason notion is to give a frock of coloured linen or tussore a little white yoke and a half-inch band of the white appearing round the hem of the pleated skirt. These yokes are made of lingerie lawn. Another pretty trimming is a linen hemstitched handkerchief at the neck stitched down on to the frock, miniature ones to match appearing to edge an armhole or a very short sleeve. Coloured yokes and little hem edgings appear on white frocks. As a last hint, if you have a bright striped or spotted scarf at the shoulders of your frock, stitch it down all round. It is considered bad taste to have anything that flies about or flutters.