THE WORLD OF FASHION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XXIV, 10 December 1904, Page 66

THE WORLD OF FASHION.

(By

MARGUERITE.)

Some of our smart elegantes have taken very kindly to the new colour “onion.” and one of the most beautiful dresses made for the races was of oniontinted taffetas of the new. soft and supple calibre, trimmed with narrow flounces of itself, flatly pleated at one edge, hut at the other allowed to fall without restraint, a sketch of which costume the large picture reveals on the left-hand side. Onion is very reminiscent of champagne colour, for it has the distinctly golden tint of that so smart dye. though with it is mingled a suggestion of green. But to understand exactly the character of the colour a large Spanish onion has only to he consulted. Yet another variant of the same dye is “gooseberry.” which is also a most obliging colour to choose for a taffetas dress, seeing that in it we have one of the quaint and charming colours of the bygone period from which wo copy so often, which is very widely known as the early Victorian, though it ranges from the thirties to the sixties of last century. A lovely model in green taffetas is shown in the picture just mentioned. on the right-hand side. Tt is mainly trimmed with a ruche-headed flounce and a very deep puffing of taffetas, but a little extra colour is accorded to it by means of wreaths of applique wild roses, which the sketch portrays. Charming sleeves that droop far below a yoke of old ivory-coloured lace accompany it. reminding me to remark that the most important charac teristic of the newest sleeves are the huge puffs. If is a novelty to embroider a taffetas frock with broderie Amjlaiso or punched embroidery. which looks lovely done in lavender silk upon a Laven-

der background, or in blue, brun dore, or any chosen hue. Last year this self-same embroidery was always executed on white muslin, but to-day many of our muslins are made studiously plain, like a schoolgirl’s, just as you perceive the illustrated model is, tucked above a full flounce, with a touch of stitchery round the yoke. It was on an exceptionally successful white muslin frock I know was destined for the races that I saw smilax green embroidery on the yoke, while the hat to he worn with the toilette was also the one sketched, and was a Leghorn one trimmed with green leaves and ribbon roses In two wreaths round the crown. ® ® ®

Another Victorian Fashion lias arrived in the form of a Tiny Parasol on a Very Long Stick, specially intended to accompany the Leghorn Hat. which is nearly

as large as it is, and the Lace Mittens that flourished during the former term of popularity of both fashions.