FASHIONLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 12, 22 March 1911, Page 69

FASHIONLAND.

LONDON, February 3. Sales, thankful to relate, are at an ■end in nearly all the largest shops in London, and dowdiness has given place to fresh and delightful displays of spring goods. There is no season like spring in the shops, as in the weather, and in individuals, and perhaps only in a place with a winter like London's does one note the pleasant upheaval that the “morning of the year” creates. Dark gowns, heavy looking and heavy-coloured millinery, stout boots and gaiters, furs, and cold weather comforts in general, must have their moral effect of depression, one would think, since, with even the sight of spring dainties, the feminine spirit rises to a brave atmosphere of buoyancy though the eyes that appreciate may not be accompanied by the purse that will buy! Think, for instance, dear feminine reader, of a great window m>ade to look a very fairyland of beauty—to our eyes! —in order to display lingerie of all descriptions, and I defy you not to feel that you own the lot. It is a French shop—would that I had not to confess that!—and the floor is a billowy mass of amethyst silk <m which, with their bows of palest pink and blue and mauve, and garnished with great, bundles of Parma violets, lie vanities galore, trimmed with lace fine us cobwebs, and wonderful hand embroideries. It is surely the Spirit of Spring, and though one' nightdress may represent the price of a serviceable gown to many of us, we cannot but appreciate the beauty of the unattainable as we would a painting or anything perfect in its kingdom.

Fashion now has a decided trend, after ■ome months of indecision, and. as a good many of the changes predicted arc only old favourites revived and can be easily copied at home, it is well to pay attention to them.

BLOUSE FRILLS are again shown on the spring models and very pretty and dainty these look ia soft silk, muslin, or cambric. Nearly all, it is to be noted, are goffered, and many are edged with very narrow real lace edg-

Ing. TTjc Magyar style is atHl « feiVburite, though it is not as prominent as it was last year. Jabots of cambric and narrow laoe insertion, and “cuacMdes” of lace'are much worn still. ’ ‘‘ .

r • fichus. ■; ■ ■■■ There is no doubt,about the return of fichus, ' and some particularly graceful specimens , are 1 bging exhibited ( . in .the shops. One that I was shown w'as oi fine white lawn, delicately embroidered. Of course in this cold weather they will only be worn in the house, and few are seen in actual wear except on evening gowns, when they are of ninon or some dinging, soft material. FOOTWEAR niters very little, save that high heels—fortunately for the health and safety, of tl>e women of fashion—grow less popular. Coloured boot-tops are still to be seen everywhere, and coloured stockings, with elaborate clox, are just as fashionable as ever, though one notices them, in the winter, only in the. evenings. A smart pair of boots, I noticed in an .Qxforilstreet shop this week, were of morocco, the golosh Mack and the top dark purple. These are rather more serviceable than the suede and velvet samples that would seem to be for carriage folk only.

SHOULDER SCARVES are evidently determined not to go out of date, and now, still 'another way of “serving them up” has been discovered. All but the ends of the scarf are the same as last year—that is to say, black or coloured charmeuse is lined with white or colours —but about a foot from the end, the. silk is now held in by a eord, and the bit below, which is allowed to hang straight, is absolutely embroidered in silks. Without a doubt we shall see much hand embroidery in the coming season, so the elever home-girl will have her chance of being in the forefront of fashion if she chooses. Great flat bags, of velvet or silk to match the costume, and in shape sometimes like an envelope, sometimes six or eight cornered, are a mass of elaborate embroidery studded with imitation jewels, and are the very last thing in bags, those now indispensable adjuncts to a woman’s toilet. REVERS are evidently to be important features in the new styles, and one model coat and skirt shown has the extraordinary innovation of large revers on the back of the coat. They are of fine cloth like the dress, at the waist are caught in with a buckle of the satin, and two long ends fall to the edge of the coat. The front is similarly arranged, but with smaller reyyrs. If our ideas as to suitable back and front trimming 'are to be upset like this, we shall soon have pleating at the front and none at the.back. The idea of back revers seems absurd, but there they are! One very stylish evening gown that 1 saw this week was of black ninon over satin, and with no touch of colour except that given by two pointed revers on the front of the bodice just below a chemisette of ninon. The revers curved over

like the petals of a flower, and were of royal blue silk It cannot but be remarked by onyone who goes to many evening parties just now, how simple are the gowns worn.-y^ of a rich and expensive simplicity probably, but still unobtrusively charming. One very pretty model that may appeal to some of my readers, was of. soft .white satin with a simple ..overdress of. pale green mousseline de sole, both the bodice and tunic being made baby style. The , . , . , ■ / decolletagc was trimmed only With a Simple row of green Egyptian beads, and a girdle and sash was formed by a double string of the same beads.