AUTUMN HINTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue VI, 10 February 1894, Page 141

AUTUMN HINTS.

UMOUR at the beginning of the river season I 2„ had it that the straight-brimmed sailor hat, to aXsfX- which we have become so habituated during the last few years, would be quite superseded jjV\l\ by its successor with the up curved brim, but \ t jJ e former has taken a fresh lease of life, and is quite as much worn as ever. It seems perfectly indispensable to the wardrobe, not only of the river girl but of every other girl, and of many who are not exactly girls. Though innovations in the way of trimming it have been tried over and over again, the only really orthodox fashion consists of the plain band of ribbon round the crown. Some people can manage a veil fairly well with a sailor hat, but others only bungle it, and make a very untidy effect with a quantity of bulging net at the back. One of the newest hats from Paris for the seaside season is composed of an enormous bow of ribbon, sometimes tartan, above the forehead, the loops extending horizontally on either side, and the centre surmounted by a pair of ‘ dog’s ears,’ in similar ribbon. The

brim is made of pleated lace or silk muslin, supported on fine wires, which can be bent to any angle. Another new hat has a wide brim in open work fancy straw, turned up sharply over the left temple, and there held in position by a rosette of ribbon in any colour preferred, the rest of the trimming consisting of a garland of flowers rising in an aigrette just above the rosette. The hat sketched by our artist is a particularly picturesque one, being in white felt, cleft open in front, as shown in the illustration, the interval being filled in with a rosette of red velvet, and a jet ornament of the popular ‘ tige ’ description. This would be an ideal hat to wear with one of the white serge or cloth gowns so very popular this season. Many of the new dresses for early autumn wear are being made with sleeves of black brocade with a small flower upon it in which the colour of the dress or its trimmings is repeated. For instance, a pale pink foulard has black sleeves brocaded with pink may blosscm, and the fulled sash is of the same. With this is worn a white straw hat with pink wings. There is quite an epidemic of wings just now. *♦* * * * In my second illustration is shown a very dainty afternoon costume in pale green cloth made with a zouave bodice, the revers on which are turned back with a trimming of old lace over cream coloured satin. The black satin sleeves have cuffs arranged in the same way. The under bodice with frill is in cream coloured silk or satin, fastened at the waist with a band of black satin finished with a rosette. A very neat costume in black cloth was seen last week, the

zouave being made with sleeves to the elbow over a white silk shirt, the long sleeves of which reached to the wrists. With this was worn a white felt sailor hat with a band of black velvet round the crown, and two quills of metallic green and blue tinting thrust into a knot of black velvet at one side. As the breeze blew out the cloth skirt a little round the feet, it could be seen that the width was about five yards, though round the hips it fitted quite closely. * * » * * * Some of the new coats are made considerably longer than was the case during the season proper. This looks as

though for autumn and winter wear the long ones would be coming in, but it is too early as yet to venture to prophesy as to what will be worn. Meanwhile one of the long coats is shown in my third sketch, a walking costume of bright blue cloth. The fronts of the coat are straight from the shoulders, and the back is made with fulness which is drawn in by a leather belt. The waistcoat is fawn coloured drill with little blue spots. The belt passes through a slit in either side of the coat and fastens in front over the waistcoat with a buckle. A white tie finishes the little blue chemisette at the neck, with a white collar. The bonnet is fawn with a sprinkling of jet upon the crown, and is trimmed with fawn feathers. There is still no front to the fashionable summer coat, which is made to show the shirt or waistcoat and to look smart. It is thoroughly well adapted to the heat and brightness of this most abnormal season, but should be replaced by some more protective garment when travelling. Many colds are caught on board boats in crossing through this fact being overlooked. THE BORDERED FABRICS. HOW TO CUT AND USE THEM. Among the later goods of the season borders are shown on every grade of stuff, from costly silk to simple chailies, so that every woman that keeps apace with the styles will have at least one bordered gown it no more. These stuffs are made into house gowns, street gowns, and ball gowns, and they take as many colours and varieties as one can imagine, and yet in them all rules hold good and some fundamental principles must be obeyed. So, if you determine to make up any one of the tempting fabrics take care that you start aright and that you do not make the fatal mistake of trying to use the material after any fashion but that for which it is designed. Although the bordeis are many and the colours various, all goods of the kind can easily be classed into two sorts—those with narrow edgings and those with wide ; and upon which of the two you select will depend the style of your gown and tbe use of the trimming the stuff supplies. If you buy the wide-bordered goods your skirt must be straight with the trimming as a finish at the foot. If you buy the narrow-bordered fabric your skirt may be straight or gored as you prefer. With either you may have the double skirt effect or the triple overskirt. With the wide-bordered goods the border makes the edges though I have seen it cut off and sown on eighteen inche, from the bottom ! With the narrow the border is torn off and used as Hat bands to be sewed on after the skirt is made. In making up any one of the ‘ robes,’ printed or em-

broidered, which are the handsomest of all the bordered stuffs, you will find a sufficient length of wide bordering for your skirt, and of the narrow for the trimming of bodice and sleeves, so that your task will be a comparatively simple one. But in making those that are sold by the yard discretion will be required. THE WIDE UNDER SKIRT. Make a straight round skirt four yards wide or thereabouts. The width is sufficient to make the length. Let it just clear the ground the whole way round. Throw tbe greater part of the fulness to the back. Slight goring biases can be taken under pleats or among gathers at the front and sides, and if one's figure demands it, you can face the skirt with haircloth half a yard deep, to give it a slight crinoline effect, or if you dislike that amount of stiffness use only a linen facing. In either case line the skirt throughout with silk, or with sateen, as you prefer. THE NARROW BORDER SKIRT. In case of narrow borders you can produce several of the skirt effects now in fashion. You can place one at the foot directly on the edge, and as many as your quantity of bordering affords above it, the width of the border apart ; this is the effect beet suited to the full round folds into which skirts now fall. Or you can have a border at the foot and one more half way up the skirt. Or yon can arrange the bands in groups. With the narrow borders you can cut your skirt full and straight, or gored. THE WIDE BORDER BODICE. An effective style. Make the cuff of the full sleeves from the border ; also the broad soft folding bretelles and neck band. Cut the bretelles straight. if you like a jacket effect you can make the jacket of the plain goods and use the border for the full waist, crush belt and collar and sleeves. The universal fulness, shirring and puffings, conceal all stitching so that lengths of border can be disposed properly if needed for tbe full waist and sleeves. With a

little ingenuity you can use your border in several of the prevailing styles. NARROW BORDER BODICES. Charming yoke effects can be arranged with narrowborders, both round and pointed. Pretty waist and sleeves can be made with puffings of the plain goods between lengths of border, if the material is a thin fabric, and the border very narrow. Or straight bretelles of the plain goods, full or sloped, may be edged with the bordering, in the one case the sleeve with elbow frills is suitable, the frills edged with the bordering ; in the other hand the cuffs with bonier. Or the plain fabric may be folded surplice style, the crossing edges bordered. The fashionable and convenient scarf blouse, with its loose Marie Antoinette fronts crossing and winding about tbe waist and tied in a big bow and ends at the back, is a good style ; the narrow border would edge the neck and the long loose fronts, and give a pretty effect when tied. The original idea of bordered goods came from the Greek apparelling ; the border was intended to trim only edges of garments, and many women of strict taste consider this its only legitimate use

Heloise.