PARIS FASHIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16096, 20 September 1924, Page 13 (Supplement)

PARIS FASHIONS.

' SPRING TRIMMINGS. (From a Lady Correspondent.) While superfluous trimmings are to be avoided, a prudent amount of them is welcome. This season many familiar trimmings are put to new uses. There is the ribbon rosette in the middle of the waist-line in front; flat and as large as a cheese plate, of one or more colours and coloured streamers. Again, there is the broad sash bow, carelessly tied and lightly fixed in the drapery of a polonaise where, in the eighties, a bustle would" have been. Pockets adorn many kinds of coats and dresses % tailormades show many, coat-cloaks are never without one or more, and frail afternoon dresses have them. Or ihere ar? ornamentally designed loose pockets like decorative bags that hung by old-fashioned beds for holding comforts for the night. Such a pocket is set on the left hip. Lingerie collars and wrist cuffs vary in shape. They may be frilled and tucked or plain, but to look well they should be of fine lawn, hand made, spotless and well ironed. Nothing freshens as dress so much as a lingerie collar and cuffs, but the least crumpling spoils them. Plain ones are easily washed and in ned. A deep collar made of three flat flounces is worn round the shoulders and tied in front with two long narrow ribbons to match the dress. The lightly rolled back shawl collar is a favourite, and there is a high rolled collar which needs to be crisp, but not stiff. A coloured organdi dress with white finishings is charming, and a while organdi may have coloured finishings. Bead embroideries are disappearing; they have been overdone, and more tasteful are materials that are hand-painted or hand-embroidered in silk after designs from priestly vestments in France and Italy. Many of these arc very beautiful, but expensive. Printed materials used as trimmings with plain materials are an alternative.

Flounces may be regarded as trimmings that need careful handling. If too full or put on straight they thicken the figure and reduce heigiil. They should be kept almost flat on a slanting line. Panels still float and hang below the hem of Mte skirt, but they do not suit all figures. I:i light materials, flowing panels ai v 3 easy to carry gracefully and they co.t heavy lines; in heavy materials they are cumbersome.

Fine pleatings and tuckings are satisfactory trimmings, safe, and sub-stance-giving to a plain, thin material, and breaking monotony. Nothing is more becoming than fine plisse. Tho broad box pleat is seen again in cloth and heavy silk crepes; flat pleating is used to form inset side panels, and all pleats and tucks are perpendicular, not horizontal, so. as to give length and slimness. Flowers and Lace. Flowers arc not usual trimmings for dresses, but are more common on hats, where they are set under a brim or at the side of a crown, and give bright notes of colour to 'dark straws or silk materials. Small blossoms, such as forget-me-nots, arp closely sewn to form a rosette with an edging of narrow ribbon. The flowers themselves are sometimes made of ribbon. There are flower crowns on small cloche shapes, flower brims to plain crowns. One little cloche has a .row of flowers at the back to sit close down to the nape of the neck. Loosely arranged wreaths or sprays are scarce. Single flowers only have loose petals. Wherever there arc many blossoms they are ciosely sewn and without leaves. Leaves are not mixed with flowers. Tulle and lace offer opportunities as trimmings. The hard, outer line of a brim is softened by a fold of tulle' or lace falling over the edge. Bare brims are rare when veils are worn thev flow loosely and arc easily thrown back; they are black and of good lace or embroidered net. Hatpins are now purely ornamental. A dark hat with no other trimming than a fold of plain tulle about the brim is the better for a bright pin in the side of the crown. Favouite colours in millinery are navy blue, almond green, and tortoise shell. Crowns are higher, and trimmings mount above the crown.