Fashion Notes from London.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4, 24 July 1912, Page 70

Fashion Notes from London.

LONDON, May 31. Whitsun came and went in glorious sunshine and, with its departure and that of May, there are signs all around from the earpets woven on the ground of spring petals, to the dresses worn, and shown in shop windows, that dainty spring has gone and summer is already upon us. As always at this time, and particularly on account of the International Horticultural Exhibition now- being held at Chelsea, there is an immense influx of foreigners to London, neat and athletic Americans, conscientious and heated German ladies doing the sights, immaculately gowned Frenchwomen, with their cool-looking olive skins, exquisitely clad feet and wonderful millinery. It is a season when Englishwomen are looking their best—with the exception of those who pay too minute attention to the vagaries of fashion. The white embroidered lawn or lave collars on coats and skirts give a youthful aspect to the wearer, hats are inclined to be of a more reasonable size than the past two seasons have permitted, and neck ruffles are undoubtedly becoming to most.

♦Vith bodice pari of all-over embroidery crimmed Valenciennes I.ue. and beading with satin ribbon run through.

freak Millinery Again. But it’s -a pi y some wise lianu cannot aip the aspira: >ns of the .'miriest mi! miners in the bud or we shall be in th ’.hiek of freak millinery before we realise ft. Why top-hats, shape! just like men’s but r •: quite so hiurb, should over have been thought out as confec ■ions suitable for receptions and any - to glie! , s irely nc reasonable being .an fathom. It his been a pardonable -habit on the part of most women with a sense of humour to piivately pity tile stupidity of men who have so blindly and obediently conormed to the ugly ami unoomfort able .leaddress for long years. Then women stole the notion and appeared in the same pattern in riding hats. Why, it ■aould be difficult to say, since very few '■omen do theii hard proportions really become, save t’.iat the general severity of stock, hat, habit, collar-, ami gloves firm a consistent whole. Bat the top-hat—some lines, horrible Lotion, even the beaver top-hat—-edorned with feathers and flowers and worn on top of nicely dressed hair—is i; possible that there could be anything artistic in this? Yet several examples ate already s<en in wear. The sight of a woman in, perhaps, something frilly • M tl.iffy as to gown, in a beaver top

hat with a large white wing stuck straight up in front or, much worse stilll an ostrich plume and flowers, is enough to make the lover of grace weep, so hideously incongruous is it. 3*llo high straight mount seems to have come to stay and, this week, long quills of ribbon have posies of flowers at their tips. Some hats have, as their only embellishment, upright mounts ornamented with very large chenille buttons all the way up the stem. Numbers of models are trimmed with laee, and lace veils are to be seen in great variety. Fortunately the heavy ami unbecoming yashmaks have gone to the obscurity to which they condemned their foolish wearers earlier in the year. Tnssore Coats. have appeared with the warm weather, and very natty some of these look, very floppy- and unbecoming others. The stout woman should beware their, cool allurements and, for anyone, too much trimming detracts from the effectiveness of this most useful fabric. Practically all the coats, it is to be noted, have very wide and long revers, and many have touches of black on the collar and cuffs. Coats and skirts of tussore look verywell with paisley silk collars and cuffs, and coarse white laee also “goes" excellently with tussore’s natural colour. Wide Net Yokes usually white or cream, supply the only trimming of the simple foulard readymade dresses that are again to be fashionable this year, as last, unless a high-wa-isted narrow belt of black velvet ami. sometimes, lines of small buttons, be counted ornamentations. Perfume for Baths may- be easily and delightfully manufactured at home if petals of full-blown roses, scented verbena, bay leaves, rosemary, scented geranium, heliotrope, etc., are dried in the sun, then put into muslin bags and sifted with powdered oris root and a little essence of storax. For a handbasin the bag. which should not be used more than once, should be dropped into the can of hot water. To perfume a bath throw it in and let the water run in on top of it. Black Velvet Ribbon threaded through white muslin beading is again being used to outline -the neck, cuffs and waist of light dresses. Glass Buttons. are now seen in coloured gtass as well as in the crystal that is so popular.