THE WORLD OF FASHION

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 7, 19 August 1905, Page 62

THE WORLD OF FASHION

(By

MARGUERITE.)

In thf many light tw <•<•<! and doth dresses. which are. perhaps, most in evidence at 1 his sea-on. a de. hied change in the cut of the skit*. has been inl i <><ineed by one or more of the leading Indic-' tailors. The correct thing at the moment is not the skirt with gauged or lucked top. but one lit ted to well below the hips, and spreading out in quite new effect from that. These skirts are cut in alternate rather narrow straight widths, and others which may he described as handkerchief corners, the material very wide at the foot, ami cut off to a mere point between the straight material near the top. This sounds simple, but is in reality a very dillieult skirt to put together properly, as the slightest fullness or pucker would be fatal to the chic of the modeMany good dressmakers say that the fidne-s at the waist, which was so gen cial in Paris a mon h or so ago, will soon disappear, and smart skirts be cut somewhat after the one described. At the same time, many very new and dressy gowns arc gathered to the figure, and a very good silk dress wa - 'tut in one. front and back, after the princess fa-hion, with the silk at the sides gathered on a thick cord and sewn to the bodice. Of course, this and the deepswat bed waistband could not occur on a genuine princess robe, the very e — fence of which are the severe straight lines falling from the bodice to the hem of the skirt. But the hybrid robe, usually called princess, is very pretty, if not classically true to the original, and far more becoming to the majority of figures. The silk used in the dre-s alluded to was a new make, known as chiffon gros grain, which, partaking of the light pliable nature of the chiffon velvets ami taffe'as, yet preserves the grained or ribbed surface of the real gros grain silk. It was trimmed with i profusion of the old-fashioned quilling-. which are again revived, and on this gown were not an inch in width, and of the dress material: the -diide. an oyster-grey. The skirt was trimmed with a deep band at the foot, set in by a quilling, and by two wavy insertions of coarse mt. embroidered in

dead white and Gyster-grey braid, like lace. On the shoulders the silk, edged with quilling, was draped in fichu >tyle, and there was a front of point d'esprit net, with motifs of the braid embroidery. which came in again round the top of the fichu. The elbow sleeves had a folded band surmounting puffs and rutiles of the point d’esprit net. with a narrow silver lace brought in between the puffs. This gown was worn with a cherry straw hat. trimmed with loops and ends of satin ribbon to match, and a panache of shaded grey ostrich plumes

SOME USEFUL DON’TS. The stout woman who dresses to her figure rather than to fashionable models is always more smartly gowned than she who wears what is fashionable in itself rather than what is suitable. A list of don’ts formulated by a modiste who has made the stout figure an

especial study may be a useful guide to the woman who is inclined to embonpoint. Don’t use frills of any kind on a gown. Use flit trimmings. Don i wear wide belts. Don’t trim a skirt except at the bottom. Don’t wear a sleeve that is full below the elbow. Don't wear an Elon coat. Always have the coat-lin* 1 extend as far below the waist-line as possible. Don’t wear a tight-fitting coat if very stout. Don t wear bow tics. Wear something small and nariow if a tie is required. Don't wear fluffy things round the neck. Let the neck-finishing be as flat as possible. Don't wear a high-cut decolletage. Have the low bodice cut to an extremity of decollete, and build up the top with pitchy effects to the required height.