LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XXIV, 10 December 1898, Page 769

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

I give here a gown very suitable for summer wear. It is a very simple and becoming dress of drab lainage. the skirt of which is quite tight fitting all round the waist. It is trimmed rather more than half way down with two rows of black satin braiding running round behind and sides and up to the edge of the apron in front. The 2 rows cross over on each side and form shamrocks. The lowest is about five centimetres from the bottom of the skirt. The corsage is a half blouse gathered beneath the waistband and trimmed with five rows of black satin pleated vertically. It is cut low and round at the neck and has a yoke of white satin which goes beneath the lainage, embroidered with rose patterns in thick drab chenille. Beneath the yoke on the corsage are • small bands of blaek satin laid on diagonally. The neck trimming is of white satin, draped, and fastens behind with a bow of the same material. The waistband is of lainage to match the dress rather pointed in front and braided with hoops of black satin. The sleeves are of white satin like the yoke and embroidered in the same style; they are very tight over the arm from elbow to wrist and slightly puffed and draped at the shoulders. RECEPTION DRESS. This pretty reception dress is in fine blue Henrietta cloth, finished with a design in gold cord and a beautifully worked chemisette in gold over blue silk. Blue silk appears round the neck and waist. BATHING GOWNS. Those bad old days when bathing dresses consisted merely of sack-like garments of blue serge, tied round the waist with white tape, happily remain now only as a very distant memory. Every year adds to the number of girls who can swim, and as a natural consequence, each summer season sees new and pretty fashions for bathing dresses.

Although I do not go so far as to advocate the elegantly trimmed hats, close-fitting corsets, and silk stockings with which our Continental friends occasionally supplement their very elaborate bathing costumes, I am nevertheless entirely in favour of a bathing dress which shall be . neat and becoming, while at the same time

it gives perfect freedom of the limbs to those who swim. A bathing dress might easily be made at home in navy or scarlet serge, with a white serge collar, the anchors and the braiding being arranged in navy blue, white, or scarlet to correspond. By those who prefer something thinner than serge. Turkey twill may be used very effectively, while for children’s dresses Oxford shirtings and blue and white Galatea stripes are inexpensive and durable. It is better, by the way, to make children’s bathing costumes all in one. without any skirt or tunic, as they are lighter in weight then ami more suitable for swimming. 1 am presuming. of course, that every mother will have her children taught to swim the moment they are old enough to learn. At many English watering places it is the custom now to bathe from tents, and where this is the case, bathgowns of rough Turkish towelling are very useful to wear as you walk from the tent to the sea and to put on afterwards when you eome out of the water. These bath-gowns can be obtained now quite cheaply at any of the large linen drapers, and with sandals for pebbly shores, and a mackintosh bathing cap, they should certainly form part of our holiday outfit.

MAKING ARMS LOOK SLENDER. An excessively new sleeve for cloth dresses is designed to accentuate as emphatically as possible the length of the wearer's arm, for a slim, long arm is as highly prized these days as a long slender waist. Some of these cloth, cotton and silk sleeves do not permit of the arm thrusting through them execept half way to the elbow. A line of fine little hooks and eyes runs along under the sleeve from a space six inches from the armpit clear to the wrist. By this means a seemingly seamless casing of material fits the arm as close as the wearer’s skin, and the sleeve is curiously cut on the bias to help out this effect and get the correct, extended fit well out on the hand. .Just a fold or a fiat epaulette tops the shoulder. TAFFETA APPLICATIONS FAVOURED. For elegant wear, taffeta applications on satin duchesse or cloth edged with plain chenille or narrow ribbon, is noticeable. Lilac trimmings of this kind on blue are a novelty. While the leading ateliers have exhibited the ’long' skirt mid the sensible public Ims broken into moody

auguries of microbes, ami madanie, true to her maxim, ‘better dead than unfashionable,' was preparing to don the inevitable train, tickle fashion suddenly declares the street train a chimera, ami her faithful followers are relieved. Skirts will continue to Im- worn long, tight over the hips and expanding below, but the train will Im- forced back to its proper domain —- the carpeted floors of the salon ami the smooth parquet of the ballroom.

'rhe blouse form is still the favourite bodice and bids fair to remain so. Costumers have instigrateo a movement to introduce the tight fitting form, but have been unsuccessful, as the loose, graceful lines of the blouse have endeared themselves to the public. 'rhe bolero jacket, simulated by trimmings or independent, again makes its appearance and is always effective.

'rhe omnipresent serpentine flounce also decorates the fall cape, which will be largely worn and comes in various forms and materials. It is seen in cloths, silks, velvets, or laces, and is alv ays elaborate and extravagantly lined. A handsome model of gray cloth has a serpentine flounce with an insertion of dark gray shirred velvet. The flaring collar is also faced with shirred gray velvet, and the lining consists of white and old rose bro-

This sketch is a charming cape made in black satin, trimmed with ruchings of black satin and flounce of lace, the fancy yoke garnished with

Apropos of quantity, what a pity that white pique, which gave promise of such style at the beginning of the season, should have been so overdone. Pic pie spits have become so cheapened by popularity that despite their irresistible freshness they are looked upon with disfavour by ultra-fashion-ables. Welt, or wide corded pique, in faint colours, or even in white, is considered more correct, and the Spanish flounce skirts, and blazer jackets, or blouses, that can be seen ready-made on all sides, are replaced by unique styles, obviously made for none other than the wearer, and accomplished either by an excellent modiste or good ladies* tailor. Inimitable is a gown of cream pique, with the cords at least an eight of an inch wide. The skirt is gored. tailor-finished and slightly demi-trained.

It is made to hang perfectly and is devoid of trimming. The jacket of cream pique is short, round and decollete* in front, the neck-slope being cut in points and the cutaway fronts open all the way down, with a spare of several inches between them. Sloping down from under the arms on the outside* of the jacket is a bias piece of white taffeta, folded in wide* tucks. This passes through a slit at each side of the* jacket front just below the bust, passing across the* opening, over a

plastron of rose-coloured faille that tills the decollete and the front. Near the edge of the jacket at neck, front and sides is a tiny unish of white soutache. The folded stock is of pink faille.

faille, by the way, is the most fashionable trimming- for summer gowns of Swiss, organdie, or other light material. The hat should be one of those dainty light affairs in twisted rice straw, laden with an abundance of roses, in shades ranging from the lightest tp the deepest pink, with directly in front a pretty Louis XVI. knot in black velvet ribbon. These knots are the rage of the hour. They are made of rather narrow ribbon, tw’isted over wires, which are bent into spidery effects, such as one sees on the ‘true lovers' knots' that finish the tops of Venetian picture frames. They are exquisite in lightcoloured satin ribbon, done in four loops and two ends on a tiny centre knot. Upon Leghorn hats the liows extern! almost to the edges of the wide rims.

Another graceful white gown is in fine Henrietta cloth, trimmed with straps and bias folds of white taffeta. The bodice is scantly bloused with a partially open front cut in the shape of a lyre. Under the opening is a front of white mousseline de soie in perpendicular lingerie tucks, set in

'roops between narrow insertions of Valenciennes lace. The fine thread tucks complete the similitude to the musical instrument. Ears of turquoise blue velvet jut out at each side from the top of the standing collar of mousseline and lace. At the base of the collar, just at the hollow of the neck, is a bow tie in black taffeta. The skirt has a sloping Spanish flounce, headed by three bias taffeta bands, which are knotted at intervals. The hat, a cream straw so thin that the light shimmers through it, is trimmed at the front of the crown with a turquoise blue Venetian bow. and is caught behind with a cluster of transparent green grapes and foliage. In cream guipure the appliques are of the scroll or floral order, but when black lace is used the pattern is always floral. Many silk teagowns and jackets are trimmed with a loose front of white net or mousseline, appliqued with tapering vines or sprays of black Chantilly lace.

Among the favoured dress materials are cloth foules. Damasses with twotoned effects, crewels, mirzahs, and Esquimaux are used for jackets and cloaks. Traverse designs are noticeable among the woollens, and have the advantage of needing little trimming, an advantage to be considered for the ordinary street or travelling dress. One pretty effect is seen in a design that has the appearance of black braid embroidery on a coloured ground. Black and coloured checks are frequently executed in this wny.