LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XXVI, 24 December 1898, Page 833

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

. Millinery this year is very much of the ‘wear what suits you’ style. Although many of the newest hats and toques show a distinct tendency towards flatness as far as trimmings and the crowns are concerned, there is yet a quaint eharm about the demure and down-turned brims, of the hats especially, which makes them very becoming. Coloured straws are very popular, particularly in pale shades of Parma violet, leaf green and periwinkle blue, while there are many pretty tones of pink which are quite new and very charming, and a real

poppy red of the most brilliant description. which will be remarkably becoming to brunettes. Many of the toques are very much larger than they

were last year, being, in fact, both wider and with higher crowns. In fact, they are so large as to be almost worthy the name of hat, and in Paris they have lately been known as ‘toquets,’ n word which seems to be taken as implying something which is too large to be called a toque and too small to be known as a hat.

Many of these ‘toquets' are made in soft straw, folded and fastened into various becoming forms in a manner which is altogether indescribable, and trimmed with oddly shaped bows and loops of corded silk ribbon. Small paste ornaments are more frequently used than ever in the centre of rosette bows, whether of tulle, glace silk or corded ribbon, and among the favourite forms taken by these bright little ornaments an important place is given just now to the diamond tortoises and to the lucky shamrocks. The passion for all that glitters, so far, shows no sign of waning. Sequins in gold, in silver and in bronze hold their own, even on the most fairylike toques of tulle or net, while quills on the newest hats are bright with shining paillettes. My first sketch is a very prettytoque of white plaited Yedda straw, with the brim turned up all round, slightly in the form of a pad, and spangled all over. The crown is round, low and rather wide. In the centre in front is a Louis XVI. bow of black stiffened velvet, embroidered all over with spangles. The hat is trimmed with two white ostrich feathers, one upright behind the bow, the other running round the brim of the hat. PADDLING DRAWERS. These little garments are extremely useful, and every mother should make a point of supplying her small children with garments of the kind ere starting for the seaside, for by- this means the children are kept tidy and their petticoats preserved. These little drawers may- be made of serge flannelette. Holland, or Viyella, and are arranged very full round the waist, with an elastic inserted in the band. The child’s petticoats should be turned up well round the waist, and these little paddling drawers drawn on over all The quantity of material required for the making must, of course, depend a good deal upon the size of the children by whom they are to be

worn, but two yards of material will be found all sufficient for making them.

I here illustrate a particularly beautiful evening dress, the details of which might be modified to bring it within the reach of those whose purses are not over-well plenished. This dress is of white satin. The skirt touches the ground in front and at the sides, and has a moderately long train. It is very close fitting over the hips and behind, and has an/apron. very narrow at the waist and widening gradually, veiled with English lace, laid on flat in the upper part, draped half-way down by means of a bunch of four La France roses, with buds and foliage, and loose from the drapery to the bottom of the skirt. The corsage is a. kind of corselet, cut very low over the chest, and rising to a point in the centre. This corsage is richly embroidered with silver arabesques, enriched with strass spangles. Round the edge of the decollete is a string of strass. The lower part of the corsage is slightly pointed, and the back is made like the front. Round ihe corsage is a. heart shaped fichu drapery of white mousseline de soie.

embroidered with silver flowers. The sleeves are composed of flounces of English point, falling slightly over the arms. Above the left sleeve is a draped rosette of white mousseline de soie. embroidered with silver, and on the same side, at the fall of the shouldei, is a bouquet of La France roses, set in a bow of white satin. The headdiess is a. white aigrette placed very far back in the hair.