THE WORLD OF FASHION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXII, 2 June 1900, Page 1052

THE WORLD OF FASHION.

By

MARGUERITE

Fashion seems to follow the spirit of the hour in adopting military colours wherever these can be used with advantage: marine blue, military grav and red, the yellow of the cavalry, 'and khaki. The latter eollias been lately applied to everything wearable and unwearable. I have seen khaki blouses in some ot the shop windows here in imitation of flu se worn by the yeomanry, and strapped or piped with scarlet. These are. I may say. called the yeomen blouses. Nowhere does our patriotism more sincerely claim our respect than in the millinery department, where the hat brought to fame by the New South Wales Lancers has become the rage and .» donned on all occasions. War and the army, as we know, have always had some influence on the fashions of both sexes, for the blouse is but a variation ot the shirt worn by General Garibaldi during the war for Italian freedom, and zouaves were brought into favour by being worn by one of the French regiments employed bv Napoleon 111. in the campaign of 1859. while Wellington boots and Blucher shoes will recall something* connected with a war. So on this principle the colours which are likely to be most worn are. as 1 have already said. khaki, gray and red, though one or two light colours are fashionable. Among winter dress trimmings passementerie appliques, braid, and verv narrow fur bands rival the strapped and tabbed effects, and the prevailing rows of machine stitching. Revers and jacket edges are finished with liny fur bands, also the battlcmented hems of skirts and overdresses. Outstanding tabs are also to be attached to straight collars and wrist finishings. Fringe is going to be worn in great abundance. Wide fringe and narrow, and fringes of two colours overlapping are gown. On evening gowns the iridescent bead fringes are worn mid they glint and gleam and fliplop gracefully. Lace,

with the edge fringed with silk, is to be worn, and many foulards are trimmed with this really novel garniture. Long fringes are used for skirts, some being a yard deep and covering the skirt entirely, from the yoke to the hem, half the fringe being knotted into a beading, which fits snugly about the hips.

® ® ® NEW COIFFURES.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO BE EXPECTED IN THE ART OF HAIRDRESSING.

There is really something absolutely new in coiffures at last, and not before it was time to make a change. The Pompadour, or, as it was often called, the “Halo,’’ was badly exaggerated by many wearers, so that the head assumed something of a cartwheel aspect, and looked, especially from a back view, as, unlike a daintily shaped human head as possible. Long and merrily did it reign, this puffed-

out, rounded Pompadour; but it is to abdicate in favour of something still more enchanting and far more graceful during the present season. The sketch illustrates the change. There once was a little girl, immortalised in rhyme, who was in the habit of wearing a curl in the middle of her forehead, and the story goes that when she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad she was horrid. It is the curl in the middle of the forehead that will mark the chief change in the coiffure of to-mor-row from the one that has had so long a to-day. The hair is curled right from the centre of the forehead in this new model, wee tendrils of tresses playing lightly upon the temples. The hair at the sides is carried right away to the back of the head, with the softest possible puffs of not the slightest suspicion of aggression. On the crown of the head the hair is just a. little parted at one side —that is to say, the parting is not a hard line, but is merely a suggestion of a division—only this and nothing more. The salient feature of this change will be at once apparent. The almost

severely rounded contour of the Pompadour departs, while curves and carelessness take its place; but there is method in the arrangement—plenty of it. The girl who has clever fingers should not shrink from trying to reproduce the picture on her own head; particularly should she possess plenty' of nice thick hair. For those who do not the posticheurs are making “transformations” that take this form. It is expected that more

“transformations” than ever will be worn this season. The feeling against such aids to nature has softened since the crude expression “false hair” was buried, and the gentle term “transformation” was introduced in its stead. A renowned hairdresser in Regentstreet, M. Lys, prophesies popularity for the coil twisted lower, much lower, than it has been seen lately. Over and over again has such a radical change been proposed, but the majority of women have not taken kindly to it. The smartest of the smart people, however, will be those who dress their hair at the back in the way ONE OF THE LITTLE SKETCHES shows. If only for the sake of giving the hair on the top of the head a complete rest, the fashion of coiling it in the nape of the neck will be a highly beneficial one. As to the ondulee, it is now an Atlantic billow compared to the crisp little lake ripple it used to be . It suggests richness and plenty, and is an aid towards the appearance of that desirable quality; but no longer is it precise and excessively neat. To smarten the evening coiffure scarves of tulle are still used threaded through clasps of ornaments, and wreaths are going to alter their position, gracing the front of the hair no longer, but clasping the coil at the back in a decorative embrace. What wonder, now that it is the fashion to search through picture galleries of old masters for inspirations concerning dress, that quaint aestheticism is expected to enjoy some favour. Even the Empire curl, illustrated in the sketched presentment of the column. may return. Many a girl it would eminently' become in the evening.

® ® ®

The fashionable guimpes seen with so many of 1 he newest winter bodices afford an infinite variety of dressy

effects, and hence are exceedingly popular. The “Eastman” is a plain blouse of nutional-blue cloth, made tight-fitting in the back and crossing surplice fashion in front. The guimpe, a yoke, and sleeves of white Irish poplin, are banded closely with quarterinch wide blue velvet ribbon, and the blouse is trimmed with strips of the silk edged with the ribbon.

Black cloth is in high favour at fashion’s court just now, both in Paris and London, and is nearly always blended with white satin, white silk, or the inevitable (for the time) white stitching. A very effective gown »f this ilk is embodied in this figure. The skirt is stitched with white; the short bolero also, which has broad minted revers, of white satin lined vith rows of very narrow white chiffon ruching. This is worn over a shirt of white satin, built with three box pleats down the front, the centre one having a line of the ruching down the middle, and a couple of rows round the collar. The bolero is here, there, and everywhere, yet once again, after many spells of popularity in the past, it appears to be absolutely indispensable to the Parisian modiste and her clientele. It is a chic little garment, and particularly dear to the heart of the impecunious woman, who finds in it many possibilities for varying her limited wardrobe at very slight expenditure.

The rage for red, so pronounced amongst the modes of “grown ups,” is also obtaining much in juvenile wardrobes. Children have always looked bright and pretty in red since the days of Red Riding Hood of adventuresome memory; and it is a particularly happy choice for winter wear. Eew better investments could be made for outdoor wear of a little maid just now than such a coat and accessories as shown in this figure. It is cut in automobile red cloth on quite straight lines, to entirely cover the dress, and to fasten on the left side with one large button at the top, and thence by “fly” fastenings. Collarrevers, cuffs, and pockets of black astrachan make a splendid finish, and the delightful tout ensemble should include a muff of the same, and hussar cap en suite.

Equally smart and advantageous from all points of view is a delightful little cape, sketched in this figure, of the softest of tweeds in dark blue. It is cut on the short lines now affected, being but little below the waist, and the dark blue tweed overlaps a front of grey and blue tartan fastened by two rows of bone buttons. This same front continues underneath, with armholes, thus enabling the wearer to bring her hands freely to the front for action should she so desire, or to keep them 1 eneath, as in an ordinary cape, should weather make such an alternative preferable. Broad collar revers of the tartan, edged with a thick fringe of grey and blue wool, finish the shoulders, and a Tam o’ Shunter of the blue tweed, dashed up on the left side with grey and blue tartan, and held by a rosette and quill feather, complete a charming and cosy cape and “bonnet” warranted to stand all weathers.

An idea for smartening up an old gown is suggested by this illustration. Velvet, as we all know, or ought to know, has ag-ain been taken into favour, and will be used for complete gowns, and also smart little capes and jackets. The owner of the toilette depicted here found herself in possession of a fairly good black skirt, the coat to match having for various reasons to be abandoned, save for wear on wet or stormy days. What was to be done? The skirt was carefully brushed and sponged with ammonia and water to freshen the colour, ironed on the wrong side, the back box pleat having been tacked into proper folds and then firmly pressed with a hot iron. The addition of a dozen yards of black military braid, arranged in graduated lines round the skirt, entirely altered the general effect, and made it a smart up-to-date gown. Then as to the coat: three yards of black velvet, and 6-Bths of a yard of white satin, together with the aid of it paper pattern (the previous coat, unpicked and used to cut by would do if the fit were passable) were soon transferred into the smart garment sketched, fastened by a button of painted porcelain. A swathed band of turquoise silk, fitted to the figure and carefully boned, fastening with buttons to match the one on the coat.

but of a smaller size, a black and white striped silk shirt, with a cravat and knot of lace at the throat, and a stylish toque of spotted panne completed the toilet.

Caracul fur, which has hitherto had but a fitful existence, seems likely this winter to prove a very potent quantity amongst the smartest jackets ami coats, judging by the models we have been interviewing at various leading saloons in the modistical world. This shows especially in the coatees, which, with handsome and very sizeable buttons and revers and collar of lighter fur, will be very smart weal’ this winter. Chinchilla, white fox, ermine, and light sable, are all wedded to the caracul coats and mantles shown us. A very modish example of the long coat, which will share the honours of being de rigueur with the little waist coat this winter, is illustrated in this figure. Caracul is here the material. It is cut to tit tightly and fasten on the left side. The back and sides are to the knees, but it is cut away entirely in the front, as our sketch clearly indicates. Four handsome buttons of inother-o’-pearl and gold fasten it. and revers and collar of ermine, complete this striking model for this winter's wear. Another on somewhat similar lines introduced to us had chinchilla in place of ermine, which appealed to our personal favour the more of the two. Ermine is not a becoming fur, and should never be assumed but by the quite young. ® © ® CHILD'S VICTORIAN COAT. The garment depicted in our sketch is such a simple yet becoming ami pretty one, that the small wearer's somewhat satisfied look at her own appearance is rather justifiable. The coat, which is almost a copy of one worn at a fashionable wedding by one of the small bridesmaids of Liberty make was, I thought, by no means beyond the capabilities of my readers, and as every mother likes to see her

little ones nicely dressed I thought this pattern would be much appreciated. Such a coat as this is likely to be very useful as an outdoor wrap for a long time to come, and though the little girl in the sketch is wearing a very elegant bridesmaid's hat with waving plumes, this is by no means the necessary accompaniment. The pattern, which is suited to a girl of from five years old upwards, is. moreover, one that could quite well be used for a frock, and if made of thin material it would be best gathered and not box pleated as in the sketch. It will take about two vards of 52-inch doth. As to materials suitable there is a large choice to select from. A thin doth in dark beaver shade would, perhaps, be the most useful; but gendarme. or navy blue, or dark green would look very well, the latter having the disadvantage of spotting rather mon- than the two other colours. As

to trimming, braid and passementerie would be the most useful, and the bodice portion, which is very pretty and uncommon, can be trimmed all round, as in the sketch, or not. as preferred. If made of thin material, the coat will need lining all through; but if of doth, only the bodice part must be lined — for this purpose sateen or Roman satin will be found very satisfactory. The front should be faced back with the material. The front of the bodice must be hooked down the centre, to keep it in its place, and to let it hang even.