DRESSES OF THE WEEK.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 20 May 1922, Page 7

DRESSES OF THE WEEK.

SEEN IN CANTERBURY’S CAPITAL. (Frqpa Our Own Correspondent). Christchurch, Wednesday There is a distinctly colder feeling in the air—a day or two of fog with crisp, cold nights and nippy, frosty mornings, though the days are still, for the most part, bright, warm and sunny—consequently there is a general donning of jerseys, jumpers and warm coats, while scarves of brushed and knitted wool in a multiplicity of colours are everywhere to be seen- We suddenly awake to the fact that it is May, and that in a few weeks it will be the shortest day. Ah, well! we haven’t much to grumble at in our climate. The winter wind is never so cold that a warm coat will not keep it out, and how fit we feel, how braced and well, and up to our work. It is a good old climate when all’s said and done.

A girl who travels up to town by an early tram and has a nice appreciation of colour values, has chosen for her winter dress a pretty coat and skirt in a soft blue-grey “ homespun,” and wears across her shoulders a broad scarf of powder blue brushed wool. With a low-necked, dainty georgette blouse, gloves of fringed doeskin, smart shoes and stockings, and a jaunty knitted hat, she might, instead of being intent on business, be going to a wedding or to a smart house party in the country, she is always speckless and spotless. A handsome coat and skirt noticed during the week, and one that looked distinguished, was of grey gabardine, the long coat trimmed with a band of mole coney, which was repeated in a narrower width on collar and cuffs. The smart toque was of grey and yellow metalled brocade, with a shaded yellow osprey set high at one side.

Another nice coat and skirt, worn by a young girl who was shopping in Cashel Street, was of warm brown cloth, the belted coat made fairly short, the wide brimmed brown straw hat worn with it being trimmed with a large flat bow of brown ribband standing stiffly out on either side, and lined with shell pink velvet. A hint of the same soft colour showed inside the high fur-trimmed collar. The frock had a pleasant note > f origjnality.

Yet another coat and skirt of grey and black striped suiting had the side pieces put in with the stripes running diagonally, the front being fastened with a row of black jet buttons. A

toque of bottle-green coque feathers was worn with it. A striped and kilted skirt, worn with a plain navy jacket, had an uncommon effect from the coat being cut up into four short panels, each embroidered with a motif in blue, green and crimson silk. A tricorne hat and black ostrich plume went with itA handsome coat and skirt of fawn velour had a close row of small buttons of the material running up the side of both coat and skirt, a knitted jumper of salmon pink silk being worn with it, and the fawn toque ornamented with a pattern in studs. Rather a weird effect was produced by a costume of another kind, worn bv a short, slim woman, who was taking tea in one of the city’s tearooms during the week. She wore a very short full brown skirt, and an equally short and full fawn cape, ana presented the appearance of having a bulky superstructure to support on altogether inadequate extremities. She badly needed advice from her dressmaker, who would have suggested that a longer skirt and a cape cut on less ample and more graceful lines would have produced a much better result. A pretty knitted eoat-frock of henna had an adornment of graduated stripes in bright buff forming a corselet effect round the waist, which they pleasantly defined. The little knitted henna hat had a buff edge to brim and crown and a plaited band and tassels of buff and henna.

A second knitted coat-frock of silk and wool in henna had a narrow grey stripe encircling the skirt above the hem, and also outlining cuffs and collar. A tam in grey suede was stitched round the brim with henna worsted, and a scarf of brushed wool was thrown round the shoulders, having stripes of buff, henna and mauve. Grey shoes and stockings were worn, the shoes being beautifully cut.

v The smarter of the winter coats are being made in plain velours, in wine, in shades of purple, in nutria, mole and beaver. Most of them are adorned with large fur collars, occasionally loose side panels are finished with bands of fur. cuffs are usually plain. Velour is a pretty and becoming material. Tak-

ing, as it does, a rich, deep dye, almost its only disadvantage seems to be that it is inclined to fade.

Two pretty frocks for a little girl between four and five consisted of (1) a dress of cream serge, the V neck and short sleeves outlined with niching of cream riband, a belt of the same being finished with a rosette and niched ends at either side the waist; and (2) a jumper frock of navy twill, the round neck, belt and cuffs consisting of pretty blue and crimson Oriental braid. One of the smartest frocks seen for some time was an imported navy gabricord coat frock, made with two side tunics put into a narrow yoke below the waist and coming to a sharp point below the hem. These were trimmed with two rows of mitred braid, having a tiny impiecement of emerald, and the navy belt was embellished with a cloth row of flat buttons of polished jet. The front of the bodice had an inlet of emerald, the high collar being lined with charmeuse of the same colour, and fastened with small faceted jet buttons and loops. An extra smart finish was given by two rows of black braid with a tiny piping of emerald, being taken up either side the bodice, back and front, and meeting on the shoulder, continuing down to the end of the bell sleeve. The cost of this altogether exclusive garment was £29 9s. and when you add a coat or furs and hat to live up to it, it will be seen that the H.G.D. shows no appreciable decrease in this instance.