LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 43, 24 October 1891, Page 520

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

SOME SPECIALLY CHIC SPRING STYLES.

(SEE FASHION PLATE, PAGE 521.1 The sketches for the fashion plate this week are from costumes made by one of the most popular London firms, and represent in a very striking fashion the latest and most tasteful novelties of the season. No. 1 is a simple foulard gown in petunia and white, trimmed with white lace and velvet of a darker shade than the flower on the silk. The skirt is draped in graceful folds and trimmed with lace and ribbon velvet. The bodice is slightly full yet fitting the figure. It has a lace vest and a shaped piece down the back of the bodice. The pretty hat worn with this gown is made of fine white straw, trimmed with feathers and ribbon to match the colours of the gown. No. 2is a most becoming coat made in black velvet. It is very long in the skirt which is cut in deep tabs, edged all round with narrow feather trimming and bright jet. The fronts are loose, opening over a very handsome beaded waistcoat, the whole being lined with rich corded silk in a deep shade of heliotrope. The bonnet worn with this coat is of pale heliotrope velvet and feathers.

No. 3 is a charming gown for afternoon wear, made in a soft dove coloured fancy poplin, with a satin check. The skirt is slightly draped, and trimmed round the bottom with two narrow cross-way frills, each being piped with light moss-green velvet. The bodice is made in a most becoming style with two narrow frills round the hips to match the skirt. Half the front of the bodice is made of green velvet, the other side being formed of graceful folds of poplin. The trimming is of rose-pink crepe de chine, finely tucked and drawn into the waist The hat is a fawn straw trimmed with feathers to match. For spring and early summer wear 1 saw some pretty fancy spot materials in various shades, the skirts laced up the sides, and skirts of foule, in cornflower blue and all the new shades, handsomely braided. A very effective diagonal twill in a pretty shade of r6s6da, with panels of bengaline, and a handsome costume of the new cotele in a delicate shade of grey, the front of the skirt cut in tabs, edged with cord over a flounce of silk, and full fan back. A fine cashmere fawn cloth, profusely embroidered with cream and brown applique, and trimmed with bengaline silk to match, and a printed pongee silk, with a flounce across the front, and trimmed with ribbon. An extremely handsome costume is of striped silk, trimmed on the skirt and basque with beaded fringe ; the yoke of the bodice is trimmed with gimp. A pretty bonnet of Tuscan straw is trimmed with gold tinsel ribbon and foliage, and stylish little pinnacle turbans, with velvet rosettes in any two colours and ospreys. An extremely becoming hat has a brim of gathered yellow gauze, lightly covered with black' lace, and an openwork jet crown. It is trimmed with yellow wheat-ears, and finished off by black-velvet strings. In the mantle department some remarkably stylish goods are shown, a fashionable French cape, with braided Vshaped yoke back and front, and another, with the yoke trimmed with jet and jet fringe, and pinked-out edge. A specially handsome cape of fawn cloth, with a V-shaped yoke of brown velvet applique, edged with gold, and a handsome coaching or driving cape, with a yoke of gold braid are lovely. This latter is sure to be very popular, as the style is perfect, and the material novel, being similar to that used for gentlemen’s overcoats. Long travelling cloaks of navy, fawn, or grey, with yokes of silver or gold embroidery, and a pretty little black jacket, with revers of silk, which can be worn open or closed, are very useful goods. A writer in an English journal says :—‘ You maybe interested in hearing of a pretty idea for bridesmaids’ presents I saw carried out the other day. It was at a very pretty and smart country wedding, at which the bridesmaids were dressed in ivory and daffodil coloured silk, trimmed with gold passementerie, and carried lovely posies of daffodils, and the bridegroom’s gifts to them were so in character with their frocks, and so pretty and artistic altogether, that I could not help writing to tell you about them, knowing how interested you always are in novelties, especially wedding ones. They were large cream gauze fans, edged with lace, and carved ivory framework, and on the gauze was painted a dainty group of daffodils, and near to them the initial letters of the bride and bridegroom’s names in gold. The fans were finished off with long bows of yellow ribbon and were greatly admired.’