The World of Fashion.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 15, 13 October 1909, Page 69

The World of Fashion.

By

MARGUERITE.

TRULY the wardrobe of the fashionable woman of to-day is complex. There are so many and

such different gowns required, and not only gowns but separate coats, waists and skirts. The number mounts to a sum total that is rather overwhelming when the amount of money to bo expended on dress has to be considered. These are days of luxuries, however, and various luxuries so called of olden time have become necessities. Costumes consisting of coat and skirt are no longer possible of variation — that is, the coat cannot be worn with any but the skirt made to go with it, and if extra warmth is needed for the [Princess or Empire gown a separate coat must be nad. Waists worn wth skirts of a different colour or material are not considered smart. They cannot be entirely done away with, for they are too practical and useful; but a woman who cares at ell for being gowned after the latest dictates of fashion would not consider herself, nor would she be considered, smartly turned out in a lingerie shirt waist with a long train skirt of silk, voile or chiffon, as the case might be. The lingerie waist or the plainer silk or linen shirt waist has its place. It is in accord with the coat and skirt costume, for travelling and for ordinary practical wear, but the all one colour gown is far smarter. For this reason the separate coat that can be worn over any and, every gown

is in great demand. It is being made up in all colours and materials. Even in hot we'ther the separate eoat of linen or silk is worn in order to protect the gown, while the separate coat, that looks well with everything, is made with aS much care and attention to de« tail as if it were part of the most elab. orate costume. J*

Linen and Pongee Coats.

Linen and pongee coats to be worn with gowns to match are the same in nearly every respect as the long separate coats, but when the coat is made to match the gown the length and its lines are considered more irom the point of looking well with the gown, while the separate coat is, as it were, a law unto itself. Buttons as trimmings still find admirers, and extremely smart pongee and cloth costumes are lavishly adorned' (?) with them. The silk crochet button in varied sizes makes an effective finish and is used on the sleeves and the back. A touch of black, if well managed, is delightfully effective, and jet buttons are used in different shapes and sizes. To many spoil the smartest coat, and the fashion is in many respects a dangerous one, for, unfortunately, there are so many cheap varieties of buttons and the trimming costs so little the danger of exaggerating what originally was rather smart is too great. Lace trimmed and embroidered linen

and pongee coats are fascinatingly attractive. Irish lace can be used to great advantage, and while there is no limit as to the amount that can be utilised', a collar and cuffs of fine quality are often all that is needed to make an otherwise too simple coat elaborate enough to be worn with a smart afternoon frock. The heavy silk and pongee coats braided by hand and embroidered in silk floss and chenille are perfect in style and detail. They are only suitable for the more elaborate dress required for summer resort life or garden parties. So elaborate are many of them that they are really better suited for the simple sort of evening coat. The woman who buys coats because she likes the clothes that are for sale will find this summer a new style of coat that is delightfully smart and at the same time is useful for driving or motoring. It is the loose white serge ccat lined with polka dotted foulard. It is always large, besides being loose fitting, with the full at the back held in by a belt of the serge. It is fastened with pearl buttons and has a turn down collar faced with the same silk as the lining. The collar can be worn turned up if additional protection is desired. Light, warm, comfortable and easily slipped on, this is a style that will be smart for a long time. In spite of its severe simplicity it requires to be well cut and made, much more carefully than many a model that appears to be more elaborate, for if badly turned out it has no style whatever and resembles much more a bath wrapper than a driving coat. J*

*he Pannier.

A dress sketched on this page shows with what complete charm the pannier can be adapted to modern use, and with what grace the bolero can be depended upon to play a part in the new scheme. Almond green drap de soie is the material of which use was made for the gown’s development, and upon the un-der-skirt there was a motif of stitched green satin in an arabesque design. The panniers were arranged en tunique, with a bordering cf bronze ba.ll fringe, which fringe appeared also on the bolero, beneath which was a Marie Antoinette fichu of ecru mousseline posed upon a guimpe of lace a shade paler in tint The pointed belt and the big bow were made of bronze tissue to match the fringe, and a gown instinct with beauty and far different from any so far seen was the result. • J* Jackets Without Sleeves. Will the sleeveless jacket arrive? I think it will, and that it will be a welcome addition to our comforts as well as to our appearance. An exquisite model seen the other day of delicate cloud-grey chiffon, separated by bands of grey satin, entirely lined

with frills of white lace, was as pretty a choice as any woman could wish to make. Greatly daring, the dressmakers are covering these flimsy jackets with silk soutache, so that very little of the background is apparent. Furthermore, they are so wonderfully fitted and fastened with such skill that they look as if they had oeen slipped over the head instead of having been hooked and eyed or buttoned in the usual prosaic manner. There would seem to be an unwritten law in fashion's domains at present to eliminate the bwtton from the full dress scheme as far as it is possible to do so. They are to be relegated to the morning frock again. Buckles, yes; cabochon ornaments, yes; embroidered plaques, yes; but as a rule iu the latest smart model, buttons, no.

The New Millinery. The new millinery on view is singularly eharming this season. Not only are the designs varied in character, but they are picturesque and very becoming as well. The claim of the large h-at with the -wide brim upturned at one side is asserted on every hand, and not only is this hat suitable for the severe tailor-made, but it is equally suitable for the dainty toilette in soft silk or muslin and lace as well. The colour combinations achieved in these hats are exquisite in a Subtle and unusual way. Never were there lovelier ribbons, flowers, straws, 'wings, tulles, laces, or ornaments shown, and the grouping of these trimmings, together with the becoming lines of the hats, is very beautiful.

Nearly every hat sits low upon the head, and, whatever its shape, the crown is invariably large in width, so that it may set down over the coiffure. The brim, of course, is the important feature, and some of the new designs are turned sharply back at the side and caught against the crown. A novelty is shown in a hat made of black and white kid, combined with black velvet. The brim of this hat is caught up sharply at the side, and is lined with black velvet. A huge cabochon made of small kid leaves, lined with velvet, forms the trimming, together with two smart quills made of the velvet and kid. Another new idea is shown in a hat of white spotted muslin, with a black velvet band outlining the gathered muslin brim. The plain muslin crown is bunched with flowers of the muslin and sheafs of white wheat. These ehiffon flowers are among the loveliest of the new varieties. They are most effective when combined with sheafs of wheat carelessly thrust through the sprays, the wheat falling loosely about the flowers.

THE “HEAD GARDENER.” The combining of several kinds of field flowers is another pretty idea. One Leghorn hat, which is very becoming, has a wreath of marguerites, poppies, blowaways, cornflowers, buttercups, sheafs of wheat, and blades of grass, all in the most natural colourings. The picture hats are very beautiful, with insets of Irish lace, their cascades of ostrich plumes, and their huge black velvet flowers, some of the latter representing water lilies, with pale yellow centres, huge poppies or roses. The Tagal hats show insets of velvet, and draped velvet crowns, together with aigrettes or soutached embroideries. The smart Parisian has always had a sneaking regard for jet, and has set the fashion this season by using jet both for the adornment of dresses and hats. These bands of jet are shown on some of the Tagal or crinoline hats with the most pleasing effect.

Real Lace Collars. The little turnover Cromwell collars, which take the place of the stand-up collarband in so many of these frocks, are, besides, looked upon as all-important parts of the general scheme, and real lace, as well as pieces of old lawn and embroidery, is constantly used in their construction. A delicate old ivory tint is, of course, in invariable use in these cases, but where the antiquity is lacking, tinted lawn is called into requisition for the purpose of imitating it as closely as possible.

The increasing favour in which foulard is held will appeal to many women, for we all know how soft, how durable, and uncreasing is a good foulard. Moreover, foulard is a material which suits youth and the years which follow, equally well, and I have seen it made up into most charming toilettes. One was in blue and white, a slightly full skirt with a slightly raised waistline. A corsage trimmed lightly with blue soutache and longpointed rays of blue mousseline de soie which started from a tiny guimpe of net. The sleeves were long and of mousseline, and a sleeveless coat of blue tussore, lined with blue and white foulard like the gown, was worn with it. Another pretty little toilette was in pink and white foulard, and another in grey and white.

The favourite material for chemisettes this season is undoubtedly cotton crepon, and it may be made up to suit all purses. It is also very practical as regards laundry work, for it does not have to be ironed, and even the modern housemaid does not object to washing it. When embroidered by hand, these blouses cost as much as fifty and seventy shillings, but when made up without embroidery they are quite inexpensive. Perhaps nothing speaks so well for them as the fact that the travelling American woman has taken them up, declaring them to be invaluable in always ensuring one a clean shirt-waist, because one can wash them oneself, if necessary, and that in a very few moments.

A NOVEL BLOUSE.

This is the most novel blouse we have come across for a long time. It should really be worn with a skirt of the same tone rather than with one of contrasting colour. Notice especially the quaint slashed sleeves, and the novel application of piping.