DRESSES OF THE WEEK.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 7 August 1922, Page 3

DRESSES OF THE WEEK.

SEEN IN CANTERBURY’S CAPITAL.

SOME NEW HATS. July is usually the coldest and most disagreeable month and we are always glad to see the last of it. Though August weather is liable at times to pour down in torrents of rain, the days are longer, the sun warmer, spring buds are unclosing, birds are twittering and calling, and spring is on the way hither. Some of the new hats, if a trifle stiff in price, are yet car ried out in exquisite materials. Everything is still shiny. Flowers and ribbons and straw all glisten with the varnished look to which we have become accustomed. A striking hat in jazz straw, a blurred red and brown and blue and green, was trimmed with a swathe of dull blue charmeuse, and had a flat posy of multi coloured flowers at one -ide. The crown of a second hat was composed if shaded yellow petals, the brim being of navy lace straw, while it was turned up at the back with a cluster of light brown nut leaves. Another beautiful hat had a brim of soft tabae brown radium lace, the crown being of brown straw, while a trimming of blue, yellow and tangerine flowers, leaves an-'l grapes was arranged round the front and fell slightly over the side towards the back. The colours were beautifully harmonised.

A new straw is called “cover-over,’ being made in one piece, out of which the hat is cut. It comes in all sorts of colours, always cire—shiny, and much of it very beautiful. There is much blending of straw with metalled brocade, the two combined having a very rich effect, and double brims, lined be tween with a jazz or contrasting colour, are seen on many of the new hats Victorian nosies are used lavishly as a trimming, either being set flat against the hat or standing out, as though in a holder. Small coloured beads,- a variant of the stud trimming so much worn during the last few months, adorn the front of many hats, and smart little cabachons of shells—the tiny pointed irridescent shells that come in from the Islands-—are quite a new idea. Crinoline straw has taken on a new lease of life, coming in in quaint new shapes and in many colours, though mostly black and neutral. It is also used as a trimming, being swathed across a brim of blue charmeuse with quite charming effect. “ Princess Mary blue,’ by the way, is the newest and most beautiful of blues, being something between a forget-me-not and the blue summer sky, and will be most becoming to the fortunate possessor of a clear skin and fair hair. A nice looking coat and skirt, seen at the High and Colombo Street crossing yesterday, was made in a shade of bright henna, the skirt checked in black. The hat worn was a closefitting black straw, with a swathe of henna charmeuse. Another smart costume had a pouched and belted coat in dark royal blue, with a key pattern, in black braid down the front and round the hem, the skirt being plain. Two friends walking up the Square might each have chosen to be the other’s foil, so well did their dresses present a contrast to each other. One wore a threequarter coat, with pleated side panels, fastening with a single button at the waist, the long, roll-over collar being edged with fur. The skirt also had three pleats at the side, and was worn fairly short, over navy spats. It was carried out in wallflower coloured cloth, and was unrelieved with any braid. The toque was of wallflower cire straw, with a posie of pink and violet flowers at one side.

The second frock was a well-cut coatfrock in mole velour cloth, with furedged pockets and cuffs. A warm wrap of yellow Alaskan fox was worn round the shoulders.

A beautifully knitted jumper in ivorysilk was shown me during the week, the stitch being four pearl and four plain, in niagyar shape, the whole thing being on the needles at once. There was not a fault in it, and the silk cost 375, aa against the four or five guineas which would have been asked for the jumper in a shop- But, as its owner said, she would not have knitted it under two guineas herself. There was a great deal of careful work in it, and it had taken a long while to knit.

A pretty coat in peacock green velour seen during the week was cut on rather unusual lines. Instead of the baggy sleeve, cut all in one, and forming part of the back and waist—if you can use such a term where no waist is—the sleeve was inset, and the coat hung in a graceful fold from the shoulders, and buttoned up the front to the high plain collar, which was finished with a necklet of dark fur. No skirt was visible, and a plain fur toque was worn with the coat. I really don’t know what will be used to replace velour, when at long last that invaluable material goes out of fashion. it is so suitable and appropriate a fabric for a topcoat, taking on as it does a rich dye, and being also light and warm. The suede coats, which came out some months ago, have not become nearly so popular, and as a matter of fact do not look half so well as velour, or velour cloth. One wishes for it a long reign.