LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 36, 6 September 1890, Page 14

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

TAILOR-MADE GOWNS. At the present season of the year, when hitter winds and dull skies are the rule, and but few sunny days, there can be no ‘ possible, probable shadow of doubt ’ (as Don Alhambra says in ‘The Gondoliers’) that the best-dressed women are those who affect tailor-made garments. Nothing looks so neat in the early spring, so trim, or in such perfection of good taste, as well-cut, neatly-finished, tailor-made gowns and coats. To look well, however, such garments must originate with a good firm, and must bear the unmistakable cachet of perfect taste and novel design. 1 have much pleasure in giving my readers sketches of some of the most stylish gowns in the latest fashion. No. 1 is an exceedingly handsome gown of pale gi ey cloth, with a zouave bodice of black velvet, back and front ornamented with one of Redfern’s finest and most beautiful braidings in a mixture of black cord and silver thread. The sleeves are of black velvet, drawn up very high upon the shoulders. The lower half of the skirt is formed of a very deep hem of black velvet, reaching almost to the knee, and braided next the cloth on the upper edge with a mixture of black and silver to correspond with the braiding on the bodice. With this gown is worn a very large hat of black felt, trimmed with clusters of black ostrich feathers most tastefully grouped together. No. 2 is a very smart little coat for early spring wear, made in a useful rough fawn cloth, prettily braided with wide fawn-coloured Russian braid in the manner shown in the sketch. This coat is semi-fitting in front, and opens to show a vest of cloth in a pretty shade of dark .chestnut brown, fastened with round gold buttons. The toque hat is arranged in a mixture of fawn velvet and brown cloth, the whole of the crown being hidden under a large bird of fawn coloured plumage with wings outspread. So. 3 is a novel and exceedingly becoming gown in a new shade of blue cloth, braided in a mixture of blue and silver in the effective manner shown in the sketch. The narrow vest is of tan cloth fastened with gold buttons. The skiit draperies open on one side over a tan underskirt with rows of small tucks just above the hem. The sleeves are of tan cloth, smartly arranged with epaulettes of blue cloth braided with blue ami silver. The smart little toreador hat is of tan-coloured felt, with a strap of dark blue velvet resting upon the hair, and tied in a bow on one side. Pompons in the two shades complete the trimming of this chic hat. No. 4 is a beautiful gown of olive-green cloth braided with green and gold, and made in the form of a polonaise, draped over a petticoat of black velvet. The bodice has a vest of velvet laced down the centre, anil bordered with revers of braiding. The lower half of each sleeve is of black velvet, and the upper half of the green cloth, bordered with green and gold braiding. The hat worn with this gown is of green felt, trimmed with large bows of green velvet and black wings, arranged in a specially becoming manner. Another very lovely gown, also shown to me, was made in heliotrope cloth, beautifully braided, and used in combination with heliotrope velvet in a darker shade. The skirt is slightly draped at the sides, but left quite plain and straight in front. The bodice is arranged with a kind of pointed vest of velvet, bordered by a scalloped edge of braiding, and a high Mediei collar of velvet to correspond. The timler-sleeves aie entirely of velvet, while the long wing sleeves are of cloth with a bordering of velvet and embroidery.