THE WORLD OF FASHION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIII, 9 June 1900, Page 1100

THE WORLD OF FASHION.

By

MARGUERITE

What an exceedingly sensible form of dress the coat and skirt make! Were it not so 1 fancy it would have disappeared long before this. It supplies a want in our wardrobes which no other suggested fashion can fill, and merely requires a dressy blouse, hat. white gloves and smart parasol to meet the requirements of even the extra smartness of dress necessitated by such a festive occasion as a wedding. The tailor-made gown of to-day is a very different costume to that of yester-year. It is more elaborate and more ornate. When the cold grey skies of a winter season make airy costumes incongruous the tailor-maxle gown, either of fine cloth or thick silk, steps in and plays a useful and ornamental part. There is a description of a stylish costume. The material is a fine cloth of the very tiniest black and white check, the skirt quite plain, but perfectly cut, fastening at the side of front, and the seams are stitched like those of a coat. But it is in the little Eton coat which accompanies this skirt that smartness lies: this is cut with square tabs in front, as far as the front dart, where the seams are left loose, and from here it slopes slightly to the waist at the back, and is edged with a stitched strapping of black satin, and laced in front over black jet and steel buttons. I'he neck part is finished with a sort of sailor collar—shaped to fit the shoulder seams —of white satin, covered with applique lace, the pattern of which is outlined with black gathered bebe ribbon, and the whole is edged with a narrow ruche of black satin. In front, below the sailor clooar.are the |X>ints of another one of the checked material edged with a strapping of black satin. This coat is to be worn over a blouse or a bodice, and I recommend black and white to those who, like myself, require their gowns for utility, as so many changes can be rung on it.

100 often, alas! we leave the arrangements for obtaining skilled assistance to the last minute, only then to discover that the nice little dressmaker. whose address has lain unheeded in a drawer for the past two months, has the assurance to inform us. with a quite uncalled for air of super ority. that her time and hands are ahe;.<ly fully occupied, and so we are flung back on our own or a selfsacrificing friend’s resources. I shall try to show by sketches and description how this may l»est lx* set about. If4 as I fear will be too often the sad case, we find ourselves possessed of little else than black gowns and hats, the first move in the sartorial conflict is to entirely empty our wardrol*es and drawers of their contents and make up our minds as to what is or is not worth keeping. This sounds a simple « nonirh question, the answer to which is: Throw away what is worn out altogether. But when we come to make the actual decision it is curious to note how reluctantly we part with this or that item, owing to the memories which cling around it and enhance its faded and tarnished Iwanties in our eyes. Herr, however.

we must show ourselves to be sternly practical and throw sentiment to the winds. Having determined this matter. let us take the black gown we select as our best for future wear and thoroughly brush it, first removing any damaged trimming or unpicking those parts we design to alter. After so doing sponge the gown carefully with ammonia and water and brush it again. When nearly dry iron on the wrong side and hang it up carefully to dry so that no creases will appear. A skirt stand is an excellent thing to have in the house, and would prove very useful in a case like this, especially if it be the kind which permits of a regulation in height and width. Let us suppose the bodice was cut with double-breasted bolero with fur revers over a swathed sash, as illustrated in the sketch. I would suggest that it be simply carefully sprinkled with camphor, or some preventive of moths, and laid away till next winter. when it will not be so very much out of fashion, it will be found. ® © ®

Black and white is being much used still, and is now not only a becoming and smart combination, but unhappily a requisite when so much complimentary (as well as deeper) mourning is required by many. In this figure a very smart toilette of this kind recently seen is illustrated. The skirt is of black and white plaid tweed, made quite plainly. Over this a black coatee of velvet, edged and trimmed with black silk cording. A black velvet hat with garnishings of black and white plaid ribbon or silk, and black ostrich tips, and a white feather boa worn carelessly round the shoulders, completes the whole. The coat could la- of black cloth if preferred, and the hat of black felt, and the effect would be quite as modish.

Tailor-made simplicity is very seldom seen now except in the country anti for quite ordinary shopping expeditions. Even then, if it is to l»e worn it has a distressingly long skirt, and

usually some charmingly fanciful elaboration, such as the sketched model in this column shows, lifts it above the utterly commonplace coat and skirt costume.

The in>iM>rtant skirt question waxeth furiously, as to whether the elegante of the season have claimed the sinuous skirt of inconvenient lengtl. and features generally for her own after all, or the kilted or pleated skirt of more chic and taut character. The answer to this question of "to be or

not to be" must ere long be definitely given, but at present both "Richmonds" are “in the field." and are being favoured pretty equally by the leaders of Fashion.

In this figure the Princess gown asserts itself, and is. for a graceful, youthful figure, what the "Gay Lord Quex’s" worthy companion would call "very alluring." This is expressed in pale “pastel" blue cloth, with revers and tiny buttons of black velvet. The front is scalloped entirely down and stitched with black: the waistband being also of black velvet. A toque of pale blue tulle, trimmed with pink roses and black ostrich tips accompanies this smart toilette. © © ®

Here is a very stylish costume of the latest build, the smart little capes formed of velvet with coarse lace appliqued. while the skirt is very much up-to-date with the tiny graduated tucks. The colour is a light tone of blue, the velvet a very dark blue, while ♦he lace is ecru. It would be an exceedingly simple task to smarten up an old coat by the addition of these little shoulder capes which would merely require a little care in the cutting out and fitting. A yard and a quarter of velvet, and half a yard of piece lace is all that is necessary, besides some silk or sateen for lining purposes, the latter possibly of a bright red. or some prettily contrasting colour, matching if possible the leading tone of the hat or toque to be worn therewith. A pretty effect is obtained by cutting the lace so as to have a bold outline of the jjattern, and outlining it with a narrow silk cord of. say. black and silver.

Let me call your attention to this most delightful gown worn as a "going away" dress by a recent bride whose better half only beheld its charms to desert them for the call to duty in South Africa. How many such there are! This garment is formed of hearth-stone grey, the panier opening over an underskirt, tucks in intervals of lines, a soupcon of silver being introduced by aid of a narrow cording. The short coat is similarly treated, while the deep-pointed revers are of caracul appliqued on to white satin, a broad sash of white satin encircling the waist. With this is worn a ruffled necklet of white net finished with black chenille and a toque of white feathers, a jewelled buckle securing the osprey. A pretty front of tucked chiffon shows at the throat, and as the bride aforementioned possessed a perfect complexion and reddish fair hair, the result was charming.

The little coat sketched here is cut after the Poncho model, now a favourite among men. ami may be worn by a wee laddie still sporting pettieoats for his indoor attire. It would look well in fine cloth of a pinkish hue. fastened with large white pearl buttons. With it could go a bold TamO'Shanter of the same cloth or velvet, though an alternative headgear, in the shape of a Tricorne felt hat, might suit the little man's style of beauty better.

A certain amount of shaping at the side seams is necessary to allow of room for the petticoats, but it should only just be sufficient to accommodate them.

In the model I saw and have adopted here there was no seam up the back in the true Poneho fashion: so in point of construction it was a very simple one. the revers being cut in with the fronts. Tailors' canvas interlines them as far back as the Then a facing of cloth is hemmed in. as close to the edges as may be. and is continued in a gradually narrowing form down the fronts, to be met by the lin-

ing. which is joined up separately and hemmed in. A deep turn-down collar gives a picturesque effect. It is of cloth, interlined with canvas, and faced with the same. And over it and the revers is a detached collar of smaller dimensions in lawn, with a stitched border which certainly imparts an extra flavour of the picturesque. The sleeves have turn-back Cavalier cuffs, with smaller lawn ones over them. ® ® ® The evening gown depicted here is a charming combination of black satin and lace, and would be found extremely useful for many small social functions. The skirt, you will notice, is quite plain save for the box pleat at the back, and is really more sensible and useful that the more elaborate styles. A zouave of satin bordered with jetted fringe comes over an underdrapery of lace fastened in front with

a brilliant buckle and falling in a pouching fashion to the waist. Long lace sleeves cover the arms, straps of jetted black velvet crossing the upper part below the shoulder. A bunch of shaded crimson roses at the decolletage might be introduced with excellent effect.

This sketch a redingote at once artistic and smart. It is made of creamy white cloth—ash white some people call it—with stitchings of nutmeg brown, and pointed revers of chequers velvet in two shades of brown, mixed with dense black. The other costume was sketched in order to demonstrate a neat little notion shown in the revers and lining, which are of the same material. The crush collar matches them, too. The vest is of cream rope chenille, arranged over cream surah. The colour scheme of the costume i« crimson and cream as regards the striped silk, and castor as regards the vest.

The Directoire style has us, I think, firmly in its grip, and 1 predict that we shall see much that is of the Directoire I>eriod worn during the winter. Directoire hats, with their waving plumes and jam-pot crowns are quickly aj>|>earing. and 1 am illustrating two here for you of a very becoming order. The first is in prune-coloured velvet, trimmed with the favoured comete riblam, also prune-coloured, and two white ostrich feathers held bv a

■’motif" of strass. The second is of “automobile" velvet, with a little scarf of rose velvet, two ostrich feathers shaded automobile and rose being held by a golden clasp at the side. Ostrich feathers are as much worn as ever, and the best quality are practically uncurled. 1 am glad to say that so much having l>een said about' the barbarity and cruelty of fashionable women in wearing the plumage of wild birds, there is at last a revulsion in favour of the birds, and women are slowlv beginning to see how evil a light this savage fashion of feather decking puts them in.

The very smart costume illustrated on this page, which is a sjxxdal winter offer, is a style I think is sure to l>e approved of. On this page 1 mention the fact of the exceeding popularity of the bolero style of jacket, and that it is likely to continue in favour, and the pretty little one worn by the lady in the sketch is very becoming, and by no means difficult to make, while the skirt, a four-gored one, is one of the new ones with a double box-pleat down the centre of l>ack. and Wing shaj>ed to the waist at the side is a very nicelyshaped one. of a comfortable walking length.