Practical and Pretty Holiday Attire.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 25, 16 December 1908, Page 62

Practical and Pretty Holiday Attire.

For long-distance travelling there is really no better choice than a very’ fine doth, a type of serge, so light in weight and so cool in appearance that it might be cotton, though it shares not the proclivity of cotton—yes, and of tussore and alpaca, both cool materials also—for crushing ami creasing. 1 saw such a cloth frock the other day in shades of grey stripes, macle with a box-pleated skirt very neatly stitched about the hips and, of course, eut a convenient walking length, and a coat to match, buttoned thrice down and then sloped away to the back, where more buttons secured for it a high-waist-ed air, above the neatly made “tails.” To be worn with it was a “Homburg” of material to match, with a bunch or peahen feathers at one side. When the coat was removed a bobbinnet blouse would be displayed, overlaid

with lace-braid in a bold pattern, accentuating wheels of fine blue crochet. For the promenade most certainly take tussore and cotton, and do not forget that with all coat and skirt tailor-made “trotteurs” the black satin ceinture is a sign of smartness, worn high over the chemisette-blouse of pleated white net, with a cravat to match, also pleated and big. • Among the tussores my allegiance is willingly given to nickel silver, and a still paler grey shade, as well as to certain editions of tan. to wit, khaki and apricot. I do not think the more brightly coloured tussores so successful. - - . In bathing costumes there is little new to notify. The favourite materials are serge (the varieties known here as “anaeoste” and “eseot” being the favourite ones) and alpaca. Black, navy blue, red and white, are the usual colours, the first and last being considered the best to resist sea water. White, unless the material is excessively thick and, consequently weighty, becomes semi-transpar-ent when wet, and therefore requires to be lined, thus greatly complicating the "facon.” Sky blue is a colour that is often employed for the taffetas costumes. The present fashion in dress shows itself in the ceinture-echarpe, which, in a modified form, is often seen on bathing costumes, and also in the shaped skirt fitting smoothly over the hips, and on which the trimmings are so arranged as to simulate an opening at the side. Braid, of course, is still used as a trimming, but soutache is newer, and very effective. Sometimes the two are combined, or else the soutache, of a contrasting colour, is used on the crossway bands of the material to form a trimming. The design

Soft cream crepe de chine dress, with embroidery of peach colour and sash of the same colour in Liberty satin, picturesque hat of eream satin almost entirely covered with cream lace.

-JEosen should be bold, large vandykes or big pastilles being the most frequently employed. Very coarse embroidered filet is also seen on the blue and red costumes, ' Finally, the peignoir is to be considered. A few years ago the circular bathing cloak made of Turkish towelling was the only one known. Now the all-enveloping mantle is sometimes- made of molleton, cosy, but heavy,-or more generally of the same material as the suit, and trimmed to match it; so that the ensemble is certainly more elegant. It has developed sleeves, a collar, and a girdle, and in fact, is not unlike a dressing-gown. Other examples, and these to,my mind are far more chic, are inspired by the Arabs’ burnoose oj- by the Moroccan mantle, with ample draped sleeves and a hood at the back. ■ To; preserve the hair, from the sea —- and all authorities seem to agree that sea water is bad for the hair—nothing is more serviceable than an indiarubber cap, hideous though it may be. A smart tam-o’-shanter or a “marmotte” in plaid silk can be worn over it for appearance sake, or—and this will also prevent the neck and face from freckling and browning—a hat of coarse straw, inclined to the cloche in shape and trimmed either •with a washable scarf or a band of Toile de Jouay. If you would carry coquetry' still further have the brim of the hat bound also with Toile de Jouay ; and then, with an elastic under the chin to avoid piercing the waterproof cap with pins, and with a capacious waterproof bag to hold

everything, your , bathing outfit will ba complete and as up-to-date as possible. For the tiniest of tiny dots there are large waterproofed knickers, which enclose all their embroidered white skirts, and allow them to roll and tumble about .to their heart's content on the beach and yet have dry clothes. For those one size larger the jersey' suit in either red *or blue is ‘’de rigeueur”;. a miniature fisherman’s jersey and knickers for the boy and a blouse and knickers for the girl. * jH jt

Most charming is the Directoile coat of nickel grey satin embroidered in *«>•< tacho braid, that is pictured on this page. This is designed specially for the races, and is worn with a skirt in a like shade of ninon de soie, also embroidered in soutache. The «ash of apricot crepe de Chine gives the note of contrast that serves to accentuate the charm of the gown, and the whole creation is one that bears tire inrpeess of that distinction which hails from Paris,