LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XXII, 28 November 1896, Page 125

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS

HERE is no doubt it is cheerful to note the revival ot the military colour, namely, undisguised scarlet, on our summer mil- ■ linery, especially when this ■ rather ruddy tint is used with a JrS 15 ■ certain discrimination. With \ f dead white and even rich ivory \s-Zt plaitings the tint forms rather . Lt-<■ „ to ° dashing and theatrical a I s —contrast ; but, associated with corn coloured and sun-burnt backgrounds, as well as with navy blue straw, glowing half-closed peonies, full blown Cromer poppies or soft rufflings of scarlet tulle may be used to secure an essentially ladylike and chic effect. Another charming style of hat, very frequently noted just now at some of the smartest gatherings, especially at garden parties, is the rose-pink rough straw shape, high crowned and broad brimmed, with a black chiffon frilling and piquet of sable plumes as the sole and oniy trimming. Some of this season’s Henley chapeaux are equally delightful. Here is a particularly distingue hat in sun burnt Panama.

with a picturesquely draped bow of poppy-red surah, buckled by a bright steel jewel. On the right side of this confection is a clump of black ostrich feathers, and at the back is a daintly arranged cache-pciqne of very faint green silk roses, nut so frayed out or full blown as the ordinary blossoms of this description. Fine cream point lace laid over bright pink ribbon is at present one of the many freaks indulged in by Lady Modus in her military department, and she has also taken it into her fickle head to allow young and pretty women to enframe their faces in the quaint ‘ Cherry-ripe ’ hats worn so much last year by our little girls and children. Thanks to the delightful collarettes and blouse fronts offered us in such variety and taste, anyone with a little ingenuity can make several different toilettes at very little cost, and with very little trouble. Besides these dainty lace paitre collars and fichus, we also have a large choice of vests and fronts made for the most part in light-tinted silk muslins, bewilderingly tucked and ornamented with lace insertions. As my second illustration I give the models of three artistically novel corsage ornamentations in ivory guipure, extremely silk} 7 in tex-

ture, this thick, smooth mode of lace being the lace par excellence in the Gay Capital. The first sketch represents a detachable yoke in the pretty cream work ; then comes a species of braces joined back and front by a broad strap, the third and largest design being a kind of cape arrangement, worn in this case over a dove-grey shot silk blouse tied at the neck with spinach-green velvet ribbon. In my final suggestion the frock is bordered with a gathering of dove-grey tulle a shade darker than the tone of the primary material. This is a rustling glacf silk with gleams of white darting through the neutral tint. The skirt is further ornamented with applications

of cream guipure that, in the case of an important married woman, might be replaced by leaf-shaped embroideries of steel. Under the slightly fulled corselet bodice is a chemisette of grey tulle, corresponding with the four ‘ butterfly ’ frills that stand out crisply from the

I,A GRACIEUSE. silk /oarreaw-shaped under sleeves. These are cut off at the elbow, where they are knotted with bows of cerisecoloured velvet, and met by long white Suede gloves. In some of the low evening corsages the sleeves are mere drapings cut in one, with a kind of hood-like arrangement at the back, and strapped with ribbon laces that flatten the folds of the capucAozt. Another original feature in some of this season’s bodices are the series of tiny diagonal tucks, alternating down the back breadth with narrow insertions of lace. Hei.oise.