LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue X, 28 August 1897, Page 317

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

B and higher yet grows B&tg the hat of ’97 ; brighter and M still brighter its colourings beI come ; and more liberal daily ita sa PP lv decorations—floral, and otherwise. FortuB- tunately, in the matter of mil- ■ linery, the injudicious parents | and guardians do not in dress- ■ ing children imitate their ■ elders as they do in their ' " ■ coats and frocks, so destroying their childish charms, and making them look absurd little manikins or womankins. The best-dressed little maids wear simple headgear almost untouched by the modes of the moment, and very sweet they look in it. My first sketch, for instance, shows a very simple childish hat, suitable for

spring and summer wear. This is of pink Tuscan straw, and is trimmed only by a wreath of white daisies with pink shading, tied on the left side by an upstanding bow of broadish, white satin ribbon.

The dainty picturesque little Dutch bonnets in all sorts of varieties are still worn, but when old Sol begins to look too searchingly into the charming little faces, something more protective and shady is imperative, and the bonnets mnst be put aside in favour of hats for the sake of eyesight and skin.

My initial shows the newest thing in parasols, * the Mother Hubbard.’ It is of drawn silk, a tiny pinked rnche running along each drawing. * • . *

Silk striped gossamer, satin striped grass lawn, black and colonred canvas, taffetas, and Chantilly lace—the latter worn mostly over white silk or satin—seem likely to be the favourite summer materials this year.

A particularly smart and stylish gown for afternoon calls, concerts, picture viewing, and such like afternoon functions, is illustrated in my second sketch. This is built of ‘ pavement ’ grey, flue cloth as to skirt and sleeves, the latter wrinkled. The outdoor bolero is of velvet the same shade, and edged by steel passementerie, with epaulettes of white lace. This is worn over a skirt

with ruffle and gabot—of white lace. A pink straw Tam-O'-Shanter toque forms the headgear, trimmed with grey and pink velvet and feathers.

The possibilities of the bolero in its various moods and tenses are unlimited, and its popularity at the present moment immense. Some few months back this becoming little garment had quite lost its cachet, but it has now regained it with interest, most of the very smartest gowns having it in one or other of its many attitudes.

This is a cause for rejoicing with those who must make the best appearance at the least possible ontlay, enabling them to vary their attire to such a large extent by a series of different waistcoats, shirts, and fancy vests, which cost but trifling expenditure of cash for material, or time for making. By this means a good skirt and bolero of serviceable colour in serge, cloth, or cashmere, with half a dozen under bodices (shirts, vests and waistcoats), will do duty most satisfactorily for an immense amount of occasions. *•• * • «

For every-day honse wear the economically minded will at present utilise their old winter dresses, touching them up, in honour of the spring, with bright fluttering ribbons and cream lace. These truly feminine fnrbelows always look ravishing; and as long as the frock is only intended for quiet, indoor purposes, the more frills and streamers, the merrier. It is at present the question of walking gowns which appears to be principally exercising the minds of those who wish to be well ‘ turned out ’ at a moderate expenditure. A black or, at any rate, fairly dark costume in some serviceable, but not weighty, lainage is the best model to be chosen ; and, with just another more elaborate toilette for afternoon ceremonies and formal visits, Miss Economical can spend the summer quite happily and without any of those heart-burnings that follow the reckless selection of a quantity of clothes too handsome to be either appropriate or useful. What a perfectly well-balanced simplicity there is about the accompanying costume in tobacco-brown twilled suiting. The skirt is hung over one of the new moreens—a mixture of silk and wool—the colour of this foundation being similar to that of the principal material. Down the front breadth some black mohair military braid is stitched, together with dnll gold metallic cording. The same design is rather cleverly carried out on the coat-corsage, which has a short basque put away at the point where the

skirt braiding begins. One of the great advantages of this open jacket is that it may be worn with a successive variety of vests or soft fronts. The full waistcoat is in a faint shade of ‘ budding leaf ’ green surah frilled down the centre with a ruffling of chiffon to match. For the morning, such an elaborate arrangement might be suitably replaced by a tight-fitting, double breasted vest of the suiting, showing a small white batiste plastron and rolled collar with a large crimson satin stock-cravate.

The materials that are being used are now well declared and much seen at functions. Fantastic vines, minute Dresden patterns, Bourbon bouquets, interwoven Persian, and what are called pallet designs, appear in countless bright tints on these light wool surfaces, with their dark backgrounds. The pallet designs are nothing more than a conglomerate weaving in of five or six harmonious bright tones, following no especial pattern, as appears so often on a painter’s pallet. Again, the colours will simulate checks and really lovely big plaids. Nearly all the worsted grenadines are shown so far in deep, cool greens, browns, and blues, varied with groupings of black satin stripes, whereas the linen canvas is for sale no longer in the pure unbleached brown alone. This is to be bought in hemp-grey, dark red, heliotrope, cornflower blue, and a half dozen more colours, and intended, like the worsted grenadine, to have its broadly open mesh laid over crisp, changeable taffeta linings. I predict great popularity for ribbed cashmere as the weather becomes more habitually bright, in very tender tints, such as drabs, doves, blues, and soft subdued pinks. It may not be so distinctly dressy as canvas over silk, but then it is decidedly newer, and that is much.

For small dinner parties in Lent high-necked dresses are usually chosen, and the popular black satin skirt with the elaborate bodice of white chiffon strapped with steel, jet, or jewelled embroideries is one of the prettiest models to be seen. Crystal spangles, arranged closely to form a bolero, are newer, perhaps, than even steel, and gold, mixed with silver, has a very beautiful effect.

For day wear the stiff band collar will be seen on many dresses, softened only by ripples of chiffon or of lace, set on at the back of the neck. Tucks are more to be observed at present than anything else upon the demure dresses that are fashionable during this season. They have a charmingly simple look that is all their own, and while they are so fashionable are naturally very much used. They are a good deal broader than they were, and

are arranged more across the bodice than in stripes downwards from the neck. A very pretty grey cashmere dress lately seen had a little bolero closely tucked, with sleeves of the same tucked round and round. Touches of red are a good deal seen with black and grey dreases. They have a glorious effect, particularly on the neutrally tinted days of early spring, through many of which we have been passing'lately. Perhapa the flower most in vogue at present is the scarlet poppy. Bunches are tucked iu at the waist of day gowns as well as evening ones, and gay knots are twisted in the hair or with wheatears to form shoulder epaulettes. Heloise.