THE WORLD OF FASHION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue X, 9 March 1901, Page 472

THE WORLD OF FASHION.

By

MARGUERITE

FOOTLIGHT FASHIONS AT WYNDHAM’S THEATRE.

Against the dainty pale blue, draperies and the white woodwork of Lady Eastney’s blue drawingroom. where the light shines out softly from the lamps with their rosecoloured silk shades, the smart frocks that are worn in the first aet of "Mrs Dane's Defence,” at Wyndham's Theatre. London, are seen to great advantage. At the dress rehearsal of the play Miss Mary Moore made her first appearance in this scene, wearing a very lovely gown, which our artist has sketched, but on the first night of the play she wore a different dress altogether. The frock, which is illustrated, is, however, so dainty and pretty that it is well worth description. It is made in ivory-white silk net over white chiffon and satin, with an applique, of delicate cream lace and a cobweb design in very fine black thread outlining the pattern of the laee. Scattered all over the surface there are tiny paillettes in steel and silver, which gleam and glitter as they catch the light, and at the foot a soft frou-frou of ivory-white ehiffon. This gow’n has elbow sleeves of the embroidered net. and then, just under the arms, there

comes a wide soft sash of turquoiseblue chiffon, caught in the centre of the back with a large diamond buckle, and falling with long scarf ends, almost like a Watteau pleat, to the hem of the skirt. Lovely turquoise and diamond ornaments are worn with this gown and a deep dogcollar of pearls. On the first night of the play, however, Miss Moore wore a different gown in the first act, with a large design of coloured flowers in shaded paillettes embroidered on ivory-white satin and a soft drapery of white mousseline de soie scarves, arranged on the front of the skirt near the hem. The bodice of this gown had the decolletage draped with turquoise-blue chiffon and on the shoulders there were little chiffon frills.

Miss Lena Ashwell’s evening gown in the first act is a very beautiful one, and has also been sketched by our artist. It is of white silk gauze painted both on skirt and bodice with long trails and bunches of bright pink roses. Round the hem there is a very full ruehe of net partly white and partly pink, and at the waist a soft sash of pink satin mousseline, with long ends reaching almost to the hem of the skirt. Trailing over the front of the gown, there

are pink chiffon roses and rose-buds, with dark thorny stems, while the bare arms are wreathed round on the shoulders with elusters of pink rosebuds. Miss Beatrice Irwin wears in this act a charming ingenue frock of white chiffon over tulle and satin, with a wide sash of soft white satin and a pretty trimming formed of scattered leaves of pale blue velvet applique and cream lace. Her pretty hair is tied at the back of the neck with a very big bow of black ribbon. Miss Marie lllington, as Mrs BulsomI’orter, wears a pretty evening gown of fine black lace, embroidered with jet and steel and arranged over white chiffon and satin. The low bodice is bordered with a deep berthe of iridescent peacock-blue paillette embroidery, and there are clusters of white ostrich tips on one shoulder and scarf draperies of black and white chiffon. Our illustrations also include the beautiful evening gown which is worn by Miss Mary Moore in the last aet. and which is made in the latest Directoire fashion, with a bodice and eoat-shaped skirt of deep ficelle lace over gold tissue, opening down the centre of the front to show soft draperies of white ehiffon, flounced near the hem with fine white lace,

aud veiling a petticoat of white Oriental satin. The slender waist is defined by a ribbon of gold gauze, finished with double loops at the back, and diamond buckles, while the square-cut bodice is turned out with tifrquoise-blue velvet, and the elbow sleeves finished with ruffles of white ehiffon, edged with lines of turquoiseblue velvet baby ribbon. With this gown also. Miss Moore wears some beautiful turquoises, and round her throat, a band of pale blue velvet. Our remaining sketch represents Miss Lena Ashwell’s gown worn in the second act, and made in palest yellow chiffon over soft satin, with one of the newest pleated skirts. Near the hem wide scarves of soft pink silk are drawn through the pleats and knotted on either side, while pink ribbons are run through the little vest of white mousseline de soie and lace. This gown was also altered on the first night, all the pink having l»een taken off it. The skirt was then arranged with flounces of fine cream lace, and at the waist there was a sash of black satin ribbon. There were touches of black on the bodice too. while a black quill was fastened into the pretty little toque with its crown of white panne, embroidered

with gold, and its border of gathered yellow chiffon.

It would be impossible to describe in detail all the other charming gowns worn in “Mrs Dane’s Defence,” and we ean only briefly mention one or two of the more striking. Among these must be reckoned. Miss Mary Moore's smart afternoon gown in the second act, which has a lovely skirt carried out in an applique of ivorywhite luxenil lace over ehiffon and soft silk, and a very deep Empire belt of chine silk, with blurred flowers on it, in soft shades of purple and pink. This belt is draped very becomingly and caught up on one side, with a large diamond crescent. The bodice consists of a little bolero coat of tucked white chiffon, bordered with pearl and silver embroidery, and made with the newest sleeves, having puffs of tucked chiffon at the elbows and under-sleeves to the wrist, composed of lace applique on fine white net. Miss Mary Moore has. too, a very pretty walking gown in the

third act, mad* in biscuit-coloured doth, with a perfectly plain skirt, and a pretty bolero coat cut with two long narrow ends in front, leaving visible at the waist a folded belt of pink and white brocaded panne. A little scarf drapery of the same panne trims the front of the bodice, while Miss Moore’s hat is of white satin orierMal, very finely stitched, made with a bent-about picturesque brim, and trimmed with a quantity of long ostrich feathers. The sleeves of this gown reach only to the elbows, where they are met by long suede gloves, and Miss Moore completes the costume by carrying a walking stick with an ivory handle.

Miss Lena Ashwell has two other gowns besides those already described. One of these (for the famous third act) is made in pale blue crepe de chine and trimmed both on skirt and bodice, with insertions of ecru lace, and long lines of black velvet baby ribbon. The bodice has a deep ecru lace voke. studded with tur-

quoises. and a pretty trimming formed of rosettes of black velvet baby ribbon. There is a sash too. of black glaee silk, drawn down to a long point at the waist in front. Miss Ashwell’s fast gown is of palest grey voile, prettily arranged with insertions- of Irish lace and worn with a large black picture hat, trimmed with black chiffon long black ostrich feathers. Miss Marie IlHngton’s gowns are interesting us being very smart types of matronly modes, and she looks particularly well in an afternoon dress of mignonette-green crepe de ehine, with a beautifully cut s(kirt, trimmed round the hem with a number of flat tucks, and arranged on the bodice with a fichu collar of \ivory-white silk muslin, bordered with thread-coloured Cluny lace, and caught in the centre with a large bow of green panne. A very pretty toque in the same shade of green is worn with this gown, trimmed on one side with some tiny tips of black ostrich feathers, and finished

on the other side with one of the new very long narrow buckles, in dull gold, studded with steel. Miss llliugton weais a handsome evening gown too. in the third act carried out in U* >1 ilium-coloured satin duchesse, with a xery effective trimming of black chiffon, and worn with a little shoulder cape made of many frills of black chiffon, finely accordionpleated, ami finished with two long stole ends in front, also one mass of tiny frills.

Thia illustration shows a very pretty demi-toilette bodice slightly rounded away at the throat. It is made of white accordion pleated mousseline de soie over an under lining of rose pink silk, for which latter purpose the bodice of an old evening gown might be requisitioned. A pointed belt of ecru lace over pink silk finishes the waist, the upper sleeves likewise consisting of the same lovely materials. For evening wear the soft clinging style of dress is the most popular, and the picturesque note is everywhere noticeable. Many quite simple gowns have their claims to superiority by reason of a decorative item such as a

fichu of real old laee, the relic of bygone days. All skirts designed foi evening wear are long, and very full round the feet, but the fullness is so arranged as to begin just below the knees, from whence it flows out gracefully. Flowers are use'd as' a trimming in great profusion (artificial of course), and are often intermingled with ropes of chiffon. Rose petals look exceedingly lovely scattered over the surface of a white net gown, the floral decoration finishing in a ruche of roses a few inches from the hem. There is a tendency to cut. evening bodices very low in front, in the square or rounded form, the V shaped being altogether demode.