The World of Fashion.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 20, 17 November 1909, Page 69

The World of Fashion.

By

MARGUERITE.

Peter Pan Collars. FASHION is proving herself of very elastic convictions upon the subject of neckwear this season, and because she is agreeably disposed towards the collarless corsage as well as towards the

throat band, women should be all the more critical as to what suits them, and what is best avoided. There is perhaps no personal blemish of which women are more self-conscious than a double chin. Now, the woman with a double chin should not wear a collarless blouse, that is certain, and she should be very careful about the type of cellar she chooses. Her safest plan is to wear a band that rises rather high behind the ears and that has a border to it; perchance with a frill of moderate size at the summit, the whole arranged with the object of giving symmetry and length to the throat, instead of any accentuation of its lack of grace. The girl whose neck is short and thick is in almost as great a difficulty, but she may abandon the collar altogether if her throat be prettily formed and white, and a Dutch guimpe or one with the hint of a V in front will add giace to her other charms. She had better not have a chemisette hollowed out in front and at the back, for it would only accentuate the solidarity of her neck. Most of us after thinking a little can recall to mind at least one girl whose perfectly modelled throat, and

perfectly tinted one too, the Peter Pan and Puritan collar of this season suit to perfection. But we can also, alas! see visions of necks less well made, of indifferently fine texture anil inferior colour, that would look far better in a soft stock of satin, with a little overturned cambric collar at the top. It is the girl in her teens and early twenties who looks so fascinating in the overturned white collars, whether vandyked or circular, with buttonholed edges and embroideries of sprig and blossom upon it. She need fear no change of vogue. To her the stock and collar - and the overturned circular one are equally becoming, albeit she will certainly call for the overturned one for all sports and pastimes. But her throat must not be too long a column, or it will present difficulties to her dressmaker. Should it resemble a stalk in its slenderness and height, means should be taken to reduce its apparent inches by placing a band of tulle and a string of pearls round it, when such adornments may be donned appropriately. The tulle should be white. A black band, and especially one of velvet ribbon, lengthens the appearance of the throat; indeed, all velvet has that effect, and so has ribbon when passed closely round it and ornamented with jewelled slides and a motif of gems in the front. The neck that is painfully thin and scraggy (the word is ugly, but very expressive) should be clothed completely. No half-measures are of any service. A swathed band is the happiest device, made of velvet satin, or silk, with an ample ruffle at the summit, and what should be avoided is the semitransparent lace collar. CURIOUS TREATMENT OF THE EVENING CORSAGE. Another feature of modern wear is the one-sided arrangement of the corsage. Like, the extravagances of dress which leavened the pages of Mrs? Markham's history, the present method almost touches eccentricity, the treatment of one half of the corsage being as different to that of the other half as a sparrow is to a hawk. On one side the material of the corsage is often drawn up softly to the shoulder an I secured with a jewelled button or buckle, while the other is not infrequently powdered so thickly with nrodk gems

that the foundation is entirely hidden. The sleeves are as diverse as the corsage, and often represent nothing more than a twist of tulle or crepe on the right, while on the left chains of diamonds or gems fall in heavy festoons one above the other, and entirely dispense with the need for material. In Contrast to the embroidered toilettes, however, there are ball gowns from which the veriest suspicion of elaboration is banished. A dress of rich burnt orange satin, which clung

like a sheath to the figure, had nothing but the lights and shades in its glistening folds to relieve the jupe, while the cordage was equally plain except for a huge black velvet water-lily worn in tile front and a scarf of black tulle which was twisted round the upper part of the arms and the bust, and hung carelessly almost to the hem of the skirt. Such a studied severity, however, requires the support of an immaculate figure, and only a tall and lissom form, perfectly made and proportioned, can look its best in sueh a toilette.