FASHION NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18344, 2 June 1931, Page 5

FASHION NOTES.

THE WAISTLINE. SOME NEW IDEAS IN HATS. The 1931 styles are really based on the natural figure. They admit of curves. Curves remain in plain visibility. The good old waistline stays and the skirt is about the same length we have been wearing. The lines of the figure are all indicated in the new modes, but never conspicuous. Tunic dresses are a basis of many of the new afternoon ensembles and are worn with three-quarter or seven-eighths-Jengtli coats. Frequently the tunic is in a contrasting colour, usually lighter than the coat and. under-skirt. Quite as often it is in a contrasting material as well. Since the modem ;woman leads too active a life to subi'nit to a skirt of hampering dimensions, the necessary fullness is given to daytime clothes of the sheath type by stitched or closelydressed pleats, which are released at the knees, or by godets placed equally low. Evening dresses of this kind also gain their skirt fullness close to the knees. Naturally this silhouette gives much prominence to the tunic dress, to which I have just referred. Materials. Satin is receiving considerable attention for afternoon and evening dresses, and for tunics to wear witu crepe and marocain suits. Occasion, ally one secs a satin tunic with a satin suit, but more often chiffon or mousseline, In delicate shades, accompanies the latter. Georgette in finely-tucked veining effect, with lines of hemstitching at regular Intervals between the groups of tucks, is among the new tissues. For sports wear the various jerseys and wool crepcllas and other very light wools, are the favourites, together with flamenga; crepe and marocain are also prominent. Newest Ideas In Millinery. The Paris milliner Is this season experimenting in all kinds of knitting and crochet, mostly for morning wear but she even makes town models :r these materials, for she thinks the} are much smarter than felts. She uses bands of ostrich cloth to trim these hats, in sofely-blended tones ol grey or beige or brown and in offwhites. When she does use felt she does odd tilings with it, such as cut ting the crown into little soft points, that remind one of a chestnut burr! There are also some pretty afternoon hats in satin, in velvet and in panne. Taupe is liked this year, on account of its pretty, fluffy surface. And ' model seen of this fabric is cut round the face into irregular points and sift in places to show' a lining of bright green satin. There are many double hats, (be under one close fitting, and the ovei one of draped velvet or felt. Sometimes the close under cap is cut into odd shapes on the forehead. Cora! velvet and black felt make some of the combinations. There are many combinations of brown and red in the new millinery, and the modistes arc selling bead necklaces in odd combinations o! stones and colours to accompany them. The Craze for Beads. I have a great deal to say about the craze for beads, which is still one of the significant points in general fashions. The brightest colour note is given to dresses and frocks bybeads, for which there is a veritable furore. South Sea Islanders never wore anything more barbaric than these multi-coloured, oddly-shapeu beads of semi-precious stones, and frank Impossibilities of amber, tortoiseshell or flashing crystal, rose pink, cherry red, emerald green, and several colours used together, such as turquoise, emerald and reddish-brown. They are worn interchangeably, both with daytime and evening dresses. Some of the strings are composed of several different cuttings, round, tubular or disc-like, strung higgledypiggledy, and twisted three or four times carelessly round the neck with daytime frocks, or drooping down the back of the deep decolleltes, in evening. Often with evening dress they are worn lying out on the neck, away from the throat, sometimes loose across one shoulder or the arm. Or they may be wound five or six times round one arm, or even encircling the waist. In colours, bright blues, reds and emerald greens are favourites. Bed crystals, like cherries, are worn with red chiffon evening frocks, and with a black mousseline gown seen recently holly-red beads combined wiMi onyx were made into necklace and bracelets and a waistband of the sarmt-