Fashion Notes from Paris.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 19, 7 May 1913, Page 70

Fashion Notes from Paris.

(By A PARIS I \\ EXPERT.) Charm of New Dress Goods. If only every woman knew what is feecoming to her and had the courage ©f her convictions, what a delightful Summer that of 1913 might be! Materials, costly and cheap, are lovely, styles .are so elastic that it would be almost impossible to achieve a costume, beautiful, yet quite without authority {from at least one of the designers who tank among the fashion makers. No one in Paris has things his own way in the Parisian dressmaking world to-day: jand apparently no two men have the Jsa.me, way. though the houses do fall into groups according to the degree of tfheir conservatism and radicalism in their ideals of successful dre*s. Possibly one would put Worth at the bead of one group. Certainly Poiret stands at the head of the other. Mme. Paquin holds an admirable vantage point between the two. which doe* not mean

that she is lacking in originality or force, but that while viewing new and daring ideas with an open mind, she refuses to lend herself to the bizarre. 'Meanwhile it is distinctly interesting to watch the experiments, particularly the experiments dealing with that vital matter of the skirt. More Width in the Line. I u a host of cases the increased skirl fullness has to do chiefly with the upper part of the skirt, ami is held into comparative narrowness at the bottom, an effect unspeakably ugly if bungled, as many models have proved within the last year, but charming enough if skilfully handled in appropriate material and with proper weight. The boldest vagaries in thi- line are to be seen, and it is rather amusing to hear the opinions of the women who view the various-ver-sions of the new revolutionary model, which has a ecui’f very full at the waist, caught up in a puli' by >a scarf or band a little above the knees, and falling full but perfectly limp and straight from

there. The confining band run.' qiward a little toward the front, and the-line is piquant and charming on a properly slender figure. New Fashions Tempt Women. 'Whether one is buying marked down furs or muslins, shopping is particularly interesting just at this season. There are equisite soft pinks among the new linens; the eool delicate rose petal pinks of the winter, and while no one would assert that these are practical, no one can deny their charms. Even in the best of qualities, such pink will fade in tubbing or in the sun, but it will be a strongminded girl who will let that thought influence her when she is confronted by some of the delectable frocks in such pink linen. A simple trim little frock of this fresh delicious pink, a bit of creamy white in collar and culls or undersleeves, a dash of black in some chic little cravat—and there is an ideal frock for a summer morning, if the wearer can close her eyes to the hereafter. If she can’t, she had better turn her back upon temptation, and choose a white or ecru. So Attractive. A very pretty idea for a spring afternoon costume is illustrated on this page. Of pearl grey charmeuse, it is made with adorable simplicity and trimmed around the tunic and at the sleeves with a little Maltese lace. The pretty little lady in our sketch carries a dainty muff in pearl grey chiffon lined with rose-pink satin, and trimmed with frills of Maltese lace, while two “La France" roses in a lovely shade add a finishing touch to the ensemble.

MORNI Nil C( ISTUM E. For morning wear, the coat ami skirt finds first favour, at any rate for the next few weeks. Slight differences have appeared in the cut of these garments. A novelty is the fashion of splitting the foot of the skirt either to one side, towards the front, or to the back. Coats are mostly small, the models for the coming season of casement doth, silk, satin, and other of the less weighted fabrics all showing, small, rather tightfitting specimens. A fashion likely to come into being will be coats and skirls of Sieilienne or thin alpaca. Much will, of course, depend upon the season, tint amongst the thin stuffs these arc certain to rank high. Either fabric lends itself most pleasingly to the neatly cut and simply trimmed morning co.it and

skirt. Buttons are on all the co.ntr and are usually set three, two, or one tc the left side. Stitching and braiding and, later, in the case of linen, insets of lace and embroidery, will be much used. Blouses will be made to a great extent of white-embroidered or lace-trimmed batiste, mercerised lawn or muslin. Silk shirts matching material of the suit in colour, very dainty, and with these tb~ wide frill of kilted lawn edged with lac«> will be worn.