Vanitas Vanitatum

Ladies' Mirror, Volume V, Issue 2, 2 August 1926, Page 13

Vanitas Vanitatum

F<ts/;/o;/ y s Force I Short and fuller skirls Capes for all occasions Higher waist-lines Pinafore frocks nigh-crowned hats I.oihicr shin (/led hair

With the wave of sickness that has been sweeping the Dominion, and the beastly changeable weather, one's thoughts do not readily turn to love or absorb the spirit of Spring, even in an anticipatory mood. Nevertheless, with the approach of warmer and longer days, with let tis hope- more sunshine, we may be excused for lifting the veil and allowing Spring to step into print to the extent of foreshadowing the gaiety and colour that this generally cheer season of the year is expected to herald. This much may lie consoling to we New Zealanders, with all our grumbling, that in the Mother Country the Spring has been far from gay. The wretched strike put a complete damper on everything jolly, and there was so much wet and boisterous weather that Fashion's reign was not exactly propitious, while the period of Royal mourning kept the advent of the usual great social gatherings somewhat sombre. However, as Spring advanced towards Summer, and Milady with her ever-radiant daughter. "Miss 1926," stepped out, and their raiments were alluringly gay and de-

light fully dainty, with marked modifications on last season's mode. kittle wonder that the modern girl manages to look' so seductive with a whole world of shopkeepers existing tor no other purpose than to help her to beautify herself. This is all as it should be, but why not pay a little attention to the dressing of our menfolk ?

life feel sure most men would he v * glad to learn how to beautify themselves. They appreciate bright colours and delicate fabrics no less than women, and many robust and quite sane men pine for a return of the Elizabethan era when men were at least as robust and sane as they are now, in spite of their love of finery. Women have discovered that their figures are beautiful. Let men be given a chance to show that their's are dignified. Let progressive tailors invite us to see what can be done in the matter. Fair-isle jumpers and

Oxford bags show the way mensome men— want to jump! lie merely wants encouragement and guidance. Still, it is not for us to worry over-much about men's clothes, beyond suggesting that they should be scorned into wearing a more attractive garb. Nothing short of scorn and derision will move most of them. While men have refused to march with the times, it is safe to say that women's clothes have reached their limit of beauty. You cannot improve upon perfection, so what are we to do next ?

Tt is a little hard, when one lias -*■ only a limited wardrobe, to decide what to choose. This coming season we may have to make up our minds whether to go in for capes or boleros. Doth are the vogue, while coats are still smart. Some of the capes are very fascinating. There are some coats that grow into capes; taffeta ones that

tic round the neck with a ribbon. Then there are plain capes of serge and morocain, with deep turn-down collars. Most sports suits will have their kasha or stockinette capes. Now for the boleros. Many of them are boleros in front only, the dress falling straight and plain at the back. They have buttons and real buttonholes, although they never lastcn. Boleros are made in every kind of material that you can imagine. They are young and freshlooking, and easy to wear. Satin is used for the blouses and jumpers they reveal, and waistcoats with fobs appear with the coats and skirts.

7 he A(V~r Line ' I Mierc has been much discussion A about a new "line," hut no actual transformation seems likely to make much headway during the coming- season. There will he a trifle less flare, hut this does not mean that skirts will lie narrower: on the contrary they will he rather fuller, only with less circular movement about them. Pleats of every variety are to be very fashionable. This in a sense explains the suggestion of a new line, because although a pleated skirt hangs straight until the wearer is in motion, when it swings and ripples about the hem in a way that is suggestive of the flare, The newest pleats are very small, in fact quite tiny, almost as small as the accordion pleating of bygone years. Box pleats are more in use with sports skirts.

It is, perhaps, difficult to just define the change of "line," but it is there. In spite of the different ideas of desiginers there is a certain feeling about clothes which hall-marks them as belonging to a particular season. However, the most noticeable change in the mode as displayed in England between this season's spring fashions and those of last, is that the waist-lines are brighter, the bodices fit more closely to the figure. Skirts are, if anything, shorter with fullness, but without flare. Hats are higher in the crown, with narrower brims, and when large hats arc worn they are larger than ever.

Over Fifty ' I 'he matronly figure invariably *• looks smartest in black. But if you're a big matron, choose a dullsurfaced black, not a shiny texture. Silk marocain or crepe-de-chine are more suitable than satin. If you must wear a colour, it is very necessary to keep it a one-colour scheme if you are inclined to be big! You can carry it out in several tones of one colourwhich is a very smart notion nowadays. Taboo the flare coat or skirt. Rather select designs with pleats—flat and inverted leave the flare to those reasonably thin matrons. Choosing a hat is a critical undertaking. The matron should wear an important-looking hat. The cloche may look pretty on the younger set, but it is left to the "over fifties" to look smart. Therefore do not forget to pay particular attention to your millinery.

The Qarconne SVlocle The vogue of the dinner-jacket seems to have "caught on" in the Motherland. This is a serviceable garment, but is it a becoming one? It has long been monopolised by men, but now in the theatres and at the restaurants in London women of fashion are seen arrayed in a narrow back skirt with a side-braid, a waist with rounded silk lapels over a shirt blouse, and a real smoking-dinner-jacket bearing with bejewelled buttons. The skirts are made of pleated Jame, while the low-necked waist

and smartly-cut jacket are decidedly fashionable. With some members of the younger set this gargonne style of evening wear is undoubtedly youthful-loooking, and in agreement with the present rather boyish mode of coiffure. Spring u\dillinery I 'wo distinctly new tendencies are *- evidenced by spring hat modes : they are to be higher, and square crowns will largely supersede last season's round ones. Overhanging brims to throw an intriguing shadow over the eyes is a chic innovation. A certain "knock-about style" has been popuar with a punch-at-one-side, which gives the higher crowns a decidedly rakish appearance, which suits some faces, but are hardly becoming in most cases. There is a marked tendency to return to straw as a feature of spring millinery. This is brought about by the vogue for light frocks and chiffon gowns, which certainly look very becoming when worn with broadbrimmed capeline designed hats in fine straw simply trimmed with a velvet band.

The Flash of Colour Fashion's forecasts appear to point to bright and gay colourings. Certainly there are many of our young and sprightly women who will delight in donning flaring colours. Some, indeed, love them too much; others will be frightened of them. Most of the brightest effects are flashed on to dark materials. You take a black dress and you flash it with scarlet, or purple, or green, or gold, or blue. You slit the front of the dress, sometimes right down to the hem, sometimes not so far. and you insert some brilliant coloured silk, plain or patterned, then you line the

little collar at the high neck, or pipe the low neck-line, and, again, you line the cuffs, pipe them, or do to them whatever is in keeping with the rest of the dress.

The Latest in Evening Wear The jacket and the lozv ivaistcoat are of black velvet. The blouse is in white crepe dc chine, rows of tiny pleats recalling the dress shirt that "mere men' affect on festive occasions. — "The Home," Australia

raviiiuiiiiiim^^^ ■;;;:;:. :;„:';,;:;:::::::.:; a;:;.;;' :sr:T^;zrrsz-':!,x;::s^ Another way of flashing colour, say, on to a dark or a light coat and skirt, is to have a jumper of some bright colour trimmed with the material of the coat and skirt. One becoming coloured picture we noted was of a charming fair-haired girl wearing a navy-blue plisse skirt and

a scarlet jumper turned back at the hem with navy. At the neck was a tie of navy lined with scarlet, and at the wrists a turned-back cuff of navy lined with scarlet. The coat was also lined scarlet, and the hat worn with it was in navy felt with three scarlet poppies cut out of red velvet and applied to the crown of the hat on one side.

'Bare Or Bare? "Dare backs for the evening we -*-' may have, but bare necks for the day-time—never ! In the evening there is a distinct tendency to wear a deep V at the back. This is either left bare, or there is a flesh-tinted satin foundation or a veiling of chiffon. For day wear it is quite the reverse. Hardly anything more than the throat is shown with morningfrocks. Collars usually fasten right up to the neck, the Eton collar being the special favourite. The old, rather bare boat-neck has almost disappeared, and even the plain V has a little collar added across the back. A scarf tie-up is often in evidence as a means of softening a plain neck-line. It is a reasonable fashion, as it helps to take away any hint of bareness brought about by the shingle.

French v. English Fashions Qince the advent of the British Model House. French and English fashions are said to represent two entirely different schools. For instance, glancing through the leading fashion journals one can note that Parissienne clothes are essentially modern in conception, and their lines are very geometrical. Many of the materials are of cuhist design. On the other hand the British Model House has shown a tendency for reviving period styles, and going as far back as the eleventh century, and adapting the modes of those days to 1926. The real difference between the French and English schools is that one has broken away from traditions, and the other has evolved its designs from the past.

How T>o You "Dress The Sforts Qlrl? This was a query put to Jean Patou. the famous Paris designer by an interviewer for Home. It is well-known that Patou specialises in sports clothes, and the great Suzanne Lenglen is said to be associated with this creator of fashion in popularising his latest models. M. Patou's response to the query was : "Come and see for yourself," and the following article was the result of the interview. We went into the sports room, past a life-sized race-horse made, it appeared to me, of shining brown leather, with a waxen beauty on its back clad thoughtfully in a habit of brown-suiting only a shade lighter than her mount, past a tempting array of fishing tackle and idle tennis

racquets. "My clothes are made to practice le sport," Monsieur explained, as though reading my thoughts. "No sportsman or sportswoman will find in them the slightest mistake. I have aimed at making them pleasant to the eyes and allowing absolute liberty of movement. "See that cardigan jacket belted at the hips so that it does not fly up with the arm. That is how Mademoiselle Lenglen is dressing this year. Just a pleated skirt, quite short, of white crepe de Chine or marocain with a belted cardigan to match. "You will notice, too, that I combine the opposites. For instance, I have conceded to the return of more feminine fashions while introducing touches that are decidedly masculine. Kasha jumper suits have jabots and cuffs of mousseline and lace; chiffon tennis frocks have high necks or stiff little collars with bows. That is piquant and pleasing. "Every day one notices the influence of sport upon clothes. The sweater takes first place for morning and afternoon wear, and it is actually invading the evening mode." To prove his point he showed me some exquisite evening gowns that were nothing more than embroidered and low-necked sweaters put over skirts. Pleats of every description, from the inverted pleat that has ousted the flare, to the box-pleat, are used in this house, which is famous for its sports clothes. "I have found in them the secret of allowing case of movement while keeping the narrow silhouette," he said. For walking he considers coats and skirts are best, and these are made of English materials. His sweaters are of wool and silk with combinations of shades. For motoring, too, be uses English materials, "beautiful, mannish materials," he called them, trimmed with fur and sometimes lined with it. They are nearly all in pastel colours. Most of the sports suits were caped. The capes were unlined and had broad, turn-down collars, and were edged all round with silk braid. You wear one over your jumper and pleated skirt, and look just right.

Mongrams appear on the wristband as well as on the tie-ends. And there is much variety of detail. For instance, some of the jumpers have proper sweater sleeves without cuffs, and cowboy scarves of crepe de Chine are worn with them, simply knotted in front. His clothes are all easy to get into. Line and workmanship are perfect. He likes the new pink-fawn and lets his girls wear pink pearls with it. Even the woollen cardigans have a tailored look about them. A sand-coloured coat and skirt •£*■ came on. Under the coat was a matching cardigan, and then a soft white shirt with a soft collar like

men wear, and cuffs, gold-studded, showing beneath the coat sleeve. The silk tie, striped brown and green, was a perfect finish. He also puts little silk bits here and there. It looks as though he had a piece of crepe dc Chine left over and had not the heart to waste it, so tied it handkerchief-wise round neck and wrists. This looks unexpected and refreshing on the more severe suits. I came away feeling that to look smart was merely the cheapest attribute of the Boulevards. To feel and look at home in your clothes; to aim for quietness, correctness, and distinction —surely this is ideal-