Vanitas Vanitatum

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 4, Issue 4, 1 October 1925, Page 8

Vanitas Vanitatum

SPRING fashions this year arc alluringly bright and becomingly simple. 1 he shop-windows along the Highway of Fashion arc at present particularly gay with models that foreshadow radiant Spring and Summer frocking this season. The vagaries of fashion are truly wonderful, but it really does seem that the tendency nowadays is towards simplicity and subtle grace in outline, with vivid colourings to add sparkle to milady’s wardrobe. This all reflects a more cheerful outlook on life. It is both instructive and interesting to note the prevailing fashions of the last few decades when contemplating the modes of to-day. Our illustrations on this page (reproduced by the courtesy of Messrs. Milne and Choyce, Ltd., Auckland) display in a most artistic setting of an Old World garden the quaintness of the styles that have come and gone in the course of a generation. These authentic styles, so gracefully arranged by that inimitable designer of window displays, Frank Constance, tell plainer than words can describe the sensibility and extreme smartness of the present-day tendency of fashion. The first figure on the left of the above picture depicts the vogue away back in 1866, the period of the crinoline and the pork p : e hat. 1875 brings us to the period of the bustle, drapings, and waterfall coiffures. Ten years later, 1885. reveals another variation in the bustles as worn. And so on through the period of the immense puff sleeves, the straight front and short train, the high-waisted styles, up to 1915, when the normal line was acclaimed and graceful drapings introduced. On the subject of fine dresses there is much to say. The prevailingidea, according to the latest Home and Paris fashion journals, seems to be to wear one colour in two shades or two complementary colours. And this scheme applies tout ensemble, even to the hosiery and footwear. Exit the Silhouette TXT”HEN the silhouette was cn ’ * c JJ cI last season its exaggerated types made women look as uncomfortable as chickens trussed up for the oven, when they were perch-

cd on chairs and benches. The dressmakers seemed only to make those tight-fitting garments for their vic-

tims to stand in. To sit, to walk, were verbs they ignored. Now milady may be permitted to move more

freely. The next stage came when the couturicres consented to a hidden pleat, or slit a seam, or cut a hem with a fringe, but nothing on earth would induce them to sacrifice line —the magic line of the silhouette. Now, without sacrificing line too much milady is allowed more freedom of action and a certain subtle fullness is en vogue from the lowered waist line down that is both attractive and sensible. The severe, mannish style has had its day. dMillinery odes T T ATS undergo many changes in -*--*■ a season, but from all accounts this season in London one has hardly time to recognise some new shape or colour before another has already taken its place. Felts in violet, mauve, pink, lavender and b.uc (the two latter particularly) are still much worn, according to the fashion journals; but it is pointed out that because of their number they become common ; smart women abstain from wearing them, and more neutral shades have taken their fancy. Felt hats, which arc smart and useful, arc the most frequently seen; but straw hats are also very numerous, whilst faille and gros-grain ribbon arc employed for simple sports models as well as for more dressy hats. Two fabrics are often used together : felt and straw, felt and grosgrain, straw and gros-grain, etc. Velvet ribbon trimmings matching the straw or felt, or of a darker shade, arc very frequent, and seen both on small Irotteur hats as well as on wide-brimmed ones. null I and Large fjfats THF small close-fitting hat which served on all occasions, continues to dominate but the English modistes show some "capeline models” with wide brims which will go well with the soft chiffon and crepe frocks for the summer. They are mostly of bengalc or bangkok and pastel shades are very much in favour. The crown is often rather high and wider at the top, and the brims arc slightly turned down all the way round or in front only, while at the back they arc turn-

ed up flat to the crown. In this case the trimming is placed at the back. Large taffeta or faille hats, finely gathered or coulisse and sometimes degrade, the colour deepening towards the brim, appear to have become very popular at Home, while flower trimmings adorn some small trotfeur hats, but they apparently seem to be particularly profuse on the big shady hats, and either match or contrast. f ports (Clothes A S our cover picture foreshadows, tennis-time is fast approaching; consequently it may be of interest to note that during the present season in England tennis has reached the very peak of popularity, particularly amongst the younger set of English sports-women. Not only has tennis become the vogue, but it is demanding its own modes, in the way golf has done of recent years. But whilst golf favours severer styles in the form of pleated skirt and jumper, with a loose coat to slip over, tennis claims crepe de chine as its material par excellence and in white. For golf, earthy colours look best—natural kasha colours, sand, any of the browns, beiges and such. For tennis, silk stockings. For golf no. There are pleasing mixtures of wool and silk which look better. The hat for tennis is often made ,of petersham; but straw, very pli - able, and felt, are used. No hats are sentimental to-day, least of all for sport. They have quaint trimmings, such as windmills, birds, little men with guns, lizards, snakes, fishes, any sort of animal, worked in wool, silk, heads, silver or gold. The motto on the pocket, the monogram on the blouse front, are fashions of yesterday. ,7ff)v (folourings OPRING in England has been a G? radiant Spring this year and brightness of colour has been a passion with the Smart Set. The return of blue has been a feature in the pageantry and fashion, which has been a delight to the blue-eyed English girl. She loves it, believes in it, and has been wearing it beautifully. Periwinkle, turquoise, and powderblue were dominant shades, • we are told, during Henley week and at Cowes.

There is no doubt about it, blue, which has been for so long demode. is to be the colour of our season. Some of the prettiest hats, scarves, frocks, and wraps will doubtless be blue. But none of the old bright or very pale, faded-looking blues nowadays. The colour we have to aim at

is much more subtle. One wonderful blue is a blending of hyacinth and "powder.” Another is a kind of periwinkle - delphinium - love -in-the-mist combined. All of these arc shadowy, indefinite, a merging of various tones into the most beautiful pastel shades. Perhaps the mauvy blues are the prettiest.

From Paris the latest colour obsession is “opera.” It is variously described as fuchsia colour and cyclamen, but there is a good deal more red than mauve in it. Anyway, its exact like has never been essayed before, and, complying with the craze for dressing in one tone throughout, one can be arrayed in Opera from head to foot. Bottle-green also has a great attraction, and may, perhaps, be found to be more generally becoming than the colder Empire; but if these nuances really catch on, there will certainly be further gradations to be considered. That which is most unquestionably being aimed at is to get away from the routine of browns and beiges. This is clearly the object of the leading couturiercs, who are equally determined to introduce more cut and elaborate construction. hfelv EfhCaterials 'T~'HERE appears to be no end to A the inventive powers of the makers of our fashions. Who would have dreamt of wearing alpaca in the evening.' It was the material par excellence for the use of matrons in fo.mer days. Although alpaca is still alpaca, it is not quite the same stiff wiry fabric as that of which the old-fashioned housekeepers dress was made. Manufacturers to-day have reached a pitch of perfection where their goods are concerned, and as there is a craze for supple material satins, even metal brocades and cloths, and such “stiff” materials, are stiff no longer. Gone are the satins that “will stand alone,” and cloth of silver can be crumpled in the hand as easily as georgette. Velvets once as solid as a board can be run through a ring nowadays, and alpaca, surely the most unruly material ever woven on a loom in its old form, can now be pleated and tucked and gathered as easily as crepe de chine. (oveltiesfor Evening 'Wear OH AWLS for evening are, we are told, to take the place of evening coats. Some of the big silk manufacturers at Home are taking time by the forelock, and intend to be in readiness to meet the demand, for

they are weaving wonderful brocades of reversible materials in squares, the correct shawl size. There will, no doubt, be some lovely specimens, and possibly some very strange combinations. A new creation is a black net shawl darned with wool in brilliant colours, with a different flower design in each corner and finished with a very long thick fringe. Another very attractive shawl is made entirely of silk crochet work in a lovely shade of apricot, with an intricate pattern worked in different shades of the same colour. It sounds old-fashioned, but it was most attractive, and in the distance it looked like valuable old lace. If you come ac-ross some short lengths of wide crepe de chine, or some squares of hand-printed georgette or crepe de chine, you have a shawl practically ready to wear. It only needs a deep-knotted silk fringe; and making fringe is an easy and fascinating form of fancy needlework which requires no effort and little skill once a certain deftness with dealing with the silk strands has been mastered. Ejitest in Jfjngerie A S much skill nowadays is expended in the cutting of our “undies” as in the cutting of our frocks, and, indeed, well-cut lingerie is essential in view of the very slimfitting gowns we now wear. _ Certainly lingerie is getting prettier and daintier every day. even though we have discarded the muchbefrilled and rustling silk petticoats our grandmothers loved. The great aim of the lingerie experts to-day is

to combine as far as possible all the garments needed into one. Some of the new ideas for “three-in-one” garments are particularly useful. Take, for instance, the camiknickers shown in the illustration to-day. Colours are being combined in our lingerie just now in the same way as they are combined in our frocks. The French journals show some particularly dainty lawn undies, bordered with lawn of a contrasting shade which arc most useful for every-day wear. The more elaborate undies in washing satin and crepe de chine give scope for many artistic colour schemes. English Gfashious Cjfcinjour mi-sports Cfrocks and charge J£ats '“pHE two-piece sports dress has -*■ attained complete simplicity but is still smart for this type of frock. This is a most fortunate period of fashion. Never, for the daytime, has the semi-sports frock had so strong a place in the mode. Many French creators are advocating simple ensembles ... a dress (the type, at least, of a semi-sports frock) with a harmonising coat. These are so good that, when a wise colour is chosen, they are eminently attractive. Even the softer afternoon gowns usually of chiffon, plain or flowered, or of printed crepe, are enchanting for either place. Another thing that makes the woman selecting a wardrobe particularly lucky, this season, is that there is so much vivid colour in the mode that many of the gay shades may be worn.

In choosing frocks it should be remembered that long or elbowlength sleeves are more practical than the very abbreviated ones, because long gloves are hot and extrava^ ant . . . A suggestion that is particularly valuable is to have slips of crepe in different shades, say of peach, flesh, and cream, to go under all light transparent f.ocks. The illustrations show three sports frocks of effective styles. The centre one is carried out m frisca materials, which are very popular this season. Evening frocks are as varied in design as sports dresses are alike. Most are, of course, designed for dancing, and are slim in line, and some have a fascinating spiral movement, which, however, does not mar ,h „rrent mode are smart grey costumes made in woollen fabrics of mottled colour—the effect that is known as chine. These tailored coats, dresses and suits have the indistinct patterns associated with men’s suitings. Purple is the one colour that seems to predominate this season—purple hats with scarves to match and purple costumes in camieu effect; that

is, with a hat or scarf or frock slightly lighter than the rest of the costume. Large hats have ousted the small ones we had become so used to. The smartest large hats are ribbontrimmed, and the smartest ribbon is velvet, which has maintained its chic since it first appeared with the small hat of early spring. The straw that is newest for wide-brimmed hats are the finest panama, and a straw called balibuntal, which is a member of the bangkok family. These straws are in natural colours and frequently bound with coloured fabric matching the frock with which they are worn. The brim that is practically even all the way round gives the newest silhouette, Sydney has Decided that Qood Cjaste Begins and Pt,Jr t,ldS Wtth <b™pltCtty OUT the simplicity vogue that dominates spring fashions is of the subtle variety, depending on line and cut rather than trimming, and that the smartest models shall not

easily lend themselves to be copied by the home dress-maker. This season it will take exceptional hands to manage godets and the arabesques, the oval backs to evening frocks, and the deceptively simple arrangement of maypole streamers, the lattices of gilded kid, and the cascades of beads that have taken the place of feather trimmings.

Printed chiffons in delicate colourings is very becoming, and many day frocks will be made of this material, which of necessity must take

light and dainty trimmings. Guipure, also, is in favour again, and is largely used for afternoon gowns. Coffee-colour is a most popular tone. Lace is rife this season, and the coloured lace gowns are very effective. Mechlin lace is used in conjunction with black for maturer figures. A dainty model of a young girl which held its own at a recent fashion parade was golden beige double georgette with a garlanded girdle of the same coloured leaves in dull gold tissue, and tiny golden pansies placed at intervals among the garlands. It was sleeveless and demure in decollete. New commandments of clothes are:— You shall wear your flower at the back of your evening gown, just at the shoulder line. You shall be ruffled in tiers or beflounced, be-petalled, be-tabbed, bepanelled, be-ribboned, or godet-ed or cascaded from the hips to the centre of your calves, for that is the correct length for this year’s gowns. But you must start as a chemise. You shall wear enamel buckles on your shoes, but no others. Your shoes must be of two materials —patent leather and coloured suede; with your pencil blue gown there must be blue silk stockings of the same tone and blue alligator skin shoes with a simple buckle at the side. Brown glace and beige suede shall be blended for your walking shoes. Suede stamped with gold like batik work shall be your evening wear if you do not favour the dull brocades and metal tissue slippers, or the satin slipper of the hue of your ball gown. Beads are the password of the dance! Rice beads, made of the humble food of the poor Indian and adapted to milady’s needs. Milk-

white beads, mirror beads, lookingglass beads, wooden beads, crystal beads, silver and golden beads, and just beads. It would seem for all the world as though the makers of fashion had held their spring conference in a sweet shop and someone accidentally upset the bottle containing the hundreds and thousands.