THE WORLD OF FASHION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue XVIII, 3 May 1902, Page 868

THE WORLD OF FASHION.

Lovely, indeed. in form and colour, and of surpassing smartness, are the Hlegant evenin'* gowns, which are worn in the play, “The Wisdom of the Wise,” at St. James’ Theatre, London. Our artist has sketched two of the loveliest gowns out of many', both of them so charming that they may safely be taken as types of the The action of the story passes entirely' in the evening, so that no day gowns are needed at all, and of the seven or eight evening dresses worn in the play, one of the most beautiful is undoubtedly the gold and white frock which Miss Fay Davis wears in the second and third acts, and which our artist has sketched. This gown is of white satin, covered entirely with very fine white net. and finished with a soft train of frilled white chiffon. All round the bcm of the skirt there is a very deep band of the finest imaginable gold lace and gauze applique, with star-shaped Howers in golden tissue, and flashing diamonds in the centre of each Hower.

Narrow points of this exquisite gold applique trim the skirt, while the low bodice has a bolero of the same applique, and fringes of gold to fall over the bare shoulders. Miss Davis wears a beautiful diamond necklace, and many rows of pearls with this lovely gold and white gown, and later in the play, when she visits the Cosmopolitan Hotel, in search of her husband, she throws round her shoulders a beautiful evening cloak, of which we have tonly too brief a glimpse. The cloak reaches to the ground, and is formed of alternate insertions of white chiffon and wide white satin ribbon, with a deep flounce of white satin, veiled with accordion-pleated chiffon frill round the hem. A deep shoulder - cape or capuchon of chiffon frill and flounces with big bunches of pink roses here and there, looks lovely with this most original and becoming cloak. Our other sketch represents the beautiful tea gown which Miss Julie Opp wears in the third act, and which proves very conclusively that the Directoire form of dress, with its long straight sides, will very soon be once again triumphant. Tn the case of this charming tea-gown, the Directoire coat is of very fine embroidered net in a pale shade of cream colour, made up over pale blue chiffon, and trimmed with an interlacing Empire design carried out in tiny bouillonees of palest pink mousseline de soie. The long coat sides are formed of very massive Irish guipure in a deep shade of cream colour, trimmed with pink chiffon roses with pale green foliage, sewn with tiny diamonds, and scattered carelessly over the cream guipure, which forms, by the way, a deepbolero, as well as the long stole ends In front, the draperies open to show an under dress of pale blue chiffon finished at the waist with a band of gold gauze ribbon, and cut with an open square at the throat. Just across the front of this low bodice, some narrow black velvet ribbons are threaded and tied in rosette bows. The sleeves are of guipure on the inner side, while the outer arm is lightly veiled, just to the elbow only, with floating scarf draperies of pale blue chiffon. Miss Opp wears her hair quite low in the back of her neck tied there with a big bow of black velvet ribbon.

Very smart, too, is Miss Julie Opp's evening gown, and one feels grieved to think that she should have to faint in it. It. is of pink chiffon, very elaborately' embroidered in silver paillettes, in a graceful floral design, and made up over pink Oriental satin. Here again there are innumerable little frills and ruffles of pink chiffon round the feet, while the decolletage is softened with draperies of Dink t ulle, and round her neck Miss Opp wears some wonderful ropes of pearl, and in her hair a quaintly demure wreath of pink roses. A sash of soft pink silk is a distinguishing feature of this gown, with its wide ends ranching to the hem of the skirt at

(By

MARGUERITE.)

Th is design is for a black gown, which would look well carried out in

the back and weighted with bunches and sprays of deeper pink roses and rose foliage, arranged as an applique upon the silk sash ends. Miss Opp looks beautiful in both these gowns

a faced cloth, trimmed with stitched bands of the same. The bolero is outlined with this stitched cloth, and the epaulettes and cuffs are trimmed in the same way. The front is made entirely of tucked chiffon, with a jabot at the neck to match, the under sleeves also being of the chiffon. The straps across the front are fastened with black pearl buttons.

Below is a smart indoor gown of soft green cashmere, trimmed with bands of whit silk grossed with black bebe velvet ; the bodice has two full turned buck revers of a golden brown velvet edged with black and white passementerie ; the vest is brown velvet and white silk crossed formed of alternate bands of the by bebe ribbon.

We also give a smart three-quarter-length rape, of light brown cloth, with rich mink collar, trimmed with thick pipings in a fancy pattern, and many rows of stitchings.

This is a cream and mauve s'lk evening gown. The skirt, of course, is long, finished at the feet with thre<

little flounces. The bodice is eased in at the waist in front, and is eut in scallops round the top, to match the edge of the overskirt. A twist of mauve ehiffon is caught into the waist at the back, and this is carried up from the sides to the front where it is finished with a large rosette of

(lie same. The upper portion of thi bodice is of folded c.affon. The sleeves are very quaint, the lower part being of the silk, cut in scallops and finished with a stitched strapping of plain mauve silk; a strap to match is also carried over each shoal der, thus leaving the prettiest part of the arm exposed. Deep frills of of ehiffon reach almost to the wrists.

This is of white satin covered with net. and finished at the waist with a soft black satin sash. The net skirt is finished with a net ruching, and the bodice with a black chiffon fichu embroidered with jet sequins. The elbow sleeves are very pretty, being of net, held in with two sequined straps.