Fashion Notes from London.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 23, 4 June 1913, Page 69

Fashion Notes from London.

LDNdJON, April 11. No «ooner does one Mang fashion than faehion becetnis a tiding to be deeared and an actual necessity. But this, it mud be recognised. is ony Inntamount to saying that fashion has vines and virtues, and we probably appeal to ita virtues because of a vice. “This spring shall be a time of gorgeous colour,” Fashion. tlie Virtuous, appears to have ordained when grey winter departed with no requiem. “Let it be sot” Fashion the .lade appears to have answered softly; then shouted behind the other’s back. “We’ll run amok 4’’ The Jade has it, evidently’, and if we’re not in a few weeks a collection of rainbows there'll be much for which to be grateful. There’s something about the average Englishwoman that makes tier appearance rather repulsive as a rainbow, as if she were selling her birthright of dignity, and freshness for a mess of Oriental unsuitability and ludicrous striving after what she is much more attractive without. A riot of colour is less crude-looking than the singling out of two or three naturally antagonistic shades, half a dozen colours consenting to meet each, other with less disastrous results than two or three enemies called on to spend their entire time together. And a discretion in materials naves trouble. Why should flowers be compelled to look their best when sharing honours with featheiw, tulle, berries, and velvet? “ Nodders.” t , From the eraae for attenuated feather, marks of interrogation ae millinery trimming we are flown to embellish merits that nod in a manner that in its novelty is rather piquant, but that we shall soon hail maddening. On the top of a twelve-inch wired Mem occur all sorts of things, a coujde of ailk

rortw, two tight positu of small flowers, an arrangement set with feather fronds all the way down like some hens’ legs yvith, at the top, a sort of glorified tassel of feathers. Some have, fat silk (berries all the way up the stem and a ibunch of flowers at the top. As the walks the heavy top piece moves io and fro. Floral Effects 'have extended from ribbon to dress materials, and one very delicate gown this Week that could easily be copied at home, should suit either a dark or a tair wearer who finds that grey becomes flier. 't. ,The skirt was a draped one of pearl grey charmeuse, which material only appeared on the bodice, in two pointed and slightly pleated tabs, like inverted V’s, extending from the waist to the bust. The rest of the bodice, which was cut square at the collarless neck, was of very pale cream ninon stencilled beautifully in autumn shades of pale yellow to brown, with just a suggestion of pink here and there, the pattern being close find elaborate in the space between the two tabs in front and then trailing up over one shoulder only. A collar of fine cream lace in two points over the shoulders finished the neck, while the Sleeves, which were stencilled to match the front, were three-quarter length, and 'had loose, turned-back cuffs of grey eharmeuisc. The normal waist was outlined with a .narrow pleated belt of grey, and a bunch of autumn flowers at one side would give a chic finish to the whole. » Sports Coats (so called), but grow in favour til! now they are worn, not on any and every occasion certainly, but morning and noon in the house, and morning out .of doors even. Nearly all are of real cashmere, a delightfully soft woolly and warm medium. All jßtart sac shape, but are quickly apt to cling to the figure, so that it is well for she of the full bust and generous hips to resist their allurements. Bulgarian Colourings lire with us again, and what is known as a Bulgarian coat. This last is for .wear with a skirt to match, and is either for thp tall buxom woman or the felight petite one. It is Russian in shape, fastened on one shoulder and down one .Fide with a long basque and belted at fhc normal waistline. In dark blue or dark brown it would be effective embroidered, as it must be, on the front end the cuffs in the rich colours and in> f eresting designs that the Bulgarian •embroiderers employ. )Wido Fibre Insertions in an open trellis pattern and in beautiful shades are a novelity so far being jused to trim evening dresses. This is jvith a line of paste brilliants— J hose stones, by the way, are just as popular as over. There are several different qualities, the sharp cut ones be)ng four or five times the price of plainer ones, but quite as many times as handsome. jfrloire Shantung is a very handsome material, at present, however, somewhat expensive. It Is hlways well to carefully examine even the best quality shantung when it has been dyed, since, once started ■£h the downward path, it quickly becomes shabby. The writer was shown a £24 dress—merely a silk-lined coat Hnd unlined skirl—of navy shantung recently*, which, after the second time it was worn, began to go white at the Beams. With a half apology and the reinark that shantung was always liable io that slight failing, the makers returned £1 to the distressed wearer. One-sided Effects lire still fashionable. some of the trains even on the newest evening gowns conforming to this idea.

Beaded Trains, which are very . handsome but very heavy, adorn several of the newest models, and beaded theatre wraps, of gauze or some" such' ‘light l medium, heavily embroidered in black beads with bold designs on these of gold, white or silver beads, are certainly undisputed queens in'their worlds Ostrich Feather Ruffs, which are actual long feathers simply stretched on to pleated ribbon, are novelties in neck gear. To the merely practical this seems rather a waste of a feather, which runs the risk’ of being much damaged in wear.