VANITAS VANITATUM

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 3, Issue 12, 1 June 1925, Page 23

VANITAS VANITATUM

THOUGH PARIS BASKS IN THE GLAD SUNSHINE OF SPRING, OUR WINTER NEEDS HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN BY THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FASHION’S VAGARIES

Chore Amic. — "W7ITH you, over there, T suppose “the north (or, at any rate, the chill), wind doth blow.” and its biting blasts are sending you shivering to warm firesides indoors and cosy w. aps out. Never mind. Chere, Paris is still planning for your comfortable elegance, and you need fear neither the weather nor your own appearance. . I gave you last month, didn't I, a forecast for winter fashions. By now, those styles have developed, and here arc all sorts of variations on the original theme. ’Course, the most pronounced feature of the new models is the shortness of the frocks. Knee-length, or very little below, is the general rule, and I even saw

one that did not roach to the knee. But then, every fashion has to have exaggerations, hasn't it? They still have the appearance of being very narrow, but fullness to the skirts is devised in many cunning ways, to allow for comfort. Strange, isn’t it. how only a short time ago it seemed as if the long straight line would stay with us for ever, but though the figure is as slim as it “used to was," the line is no more elongated. The simplicity of previous styles is giving place somewhat to ingenuity in cut and design. There is never any effect of elaboration though. The Parisiennc does not care for that.

One of the most amazing things about fashion is the increasing variety of lovely materials that are always at one’s disposal, and the number of new shades and modifications of old ones is simply bewildering. What will happen when the spectrum is exhausted, and all the fabrics invented ? Madame Joanne Davidson, an American, has made fashionable a new fabric called Laizc Lame, which is a compound of tinsel tissue and satin, with a silk “reverse.” It is exceptionally sumptuous, and makes wonderfully rich evening wraps. Now that the season of dances is ahead, Paris makes fascinating provision for evening elegance. Rich velvet brocade, trimmed with pearls of fur is especially de riguenr, and here I digress: I saw a lovely evening gown designed for a film star. It was the softest black panne, the bodice rather long and tight-fitting, cut to a point in front, was outlined in pearls. It was sleeveless, but from the shoulder hung long strings of pearls caught together at the wrist into a narrow black velvet band, and the full skirt had a twelve-inch band of pearl-encrusted embroidery round the hem. The combination of pearls and black velvet is always entrancing, but this was especially lovely. For anyone with honey-coloured hair 1 can recommend nothing more becoming. By the way, evening gowns are not worn short; it is only street frocks that have adopted that fashion. An evening frock loses its elegance with its length, doesn’t it, mamie? T , HE tailor-made tweed suit, in an ; infinity of check designs is most

popular this season for outdoor, sports and morning wear. And really, nothing looks smarter, with felt hat to match, and coloured scarf. By the way, those same scarves are more than ever popular,' and deservedly so. They really do add the finishing touch to a tailleur. All the jacqucttes are long, but instead of being perfectly straight cut, as they were a few months ago, they flare slightly from the hips. The skirt, of course, is short and tight. The dominant note in afternoon frocks at present, ma chere, is contrasting colours. Black and Chinese red; biege and green; grey and blue; black and electric blue are combined to form the most charming effects. One frock I have seen is of figured marocain in black and red resembling Chinese lacquer in colour and design. It was made to flare out over a tight black satin skirt, and was finished at neck and wrists with long black satin ties. Another was a combination of black satin skirt with top and short coat of fine green cloth with small black line check, trimmed with black satin and green buttons, and with curiously cut green suede belt. Coloured suede belts, cut into curious and often fantastic designs are giving a finish to many costumes. They are either of the same shade, or of violently contrasting colours. Hats, too, are trimmed in the same

way. Sometimes, the small closefitting hat is made entirely of suede, to match the costume. Cherie, I hope for your comfort and elegance, that you wear a shingled thatch, ’cos there is not a hat designed nowadays to suit any other style of hair-dressing! They are all small, almost brimless, and in Paris now, many women are wearing them so that they show no hair at all except a small curl at each side or a “widow’s peak” on the forehead. If you haven’t got a “widow’s peak” naturally, you must have one created for you, if you wish to be truly elegant and fashionable ! By the way, talking of shingles (the hair, not the disease!) I have seen it confidently predicted in many journals that the fashion is dying. But I have seen no trace of it here. They seem to be more prevalent and shorter—almost shaved, in fact—and as I said, all hats are designed to that end. After all, short hair is hygienic and comfortable, so why should we dispense with it? But I digress! Well, Cherie, do you golf? If so, Paris has planned for your elegance there as elsewhere.

You should wear a short skirt, either accordion pleated, or- wrapped over so as to give you ease, a knitted jumper in the same shade, and over that a sleeveless coat, preferably in knitted silk, of a fantastic design and colouring to rival the “winter sports” sweaters. The most prevailing design is one of horizontal bands of intricate design and varied colouring. Many of them have these patterns worked only on the front, leaving the back plain. With this you, of course, wear stockings planned on the same lines as the coat. Well, Chcrie, do you think that from these notes you can compile a wardrobe of fashionable elegance? Of course, it is not easy to give you very vivid impressions in writing, and I have sent you also some photos to aid your imagination. I wish you were here to see for yourself, and I suppose you wish that too! Still, I’m on the spot, and can help you a little! Au revoir, Cherie, till my next budget. Yours fashionably, Femina.