Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 445, 27 October 1904, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

s * LATEST LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS. BY MISS ADA MELLER. [All Rights Reserved.] NEVER before, possibly, has there been a period when so much licence has been allowed in the matter of dress as is admitted into the modistic scheme today. The tailor-made in itself admits of endless variety. We have the severely ciinple coat and skirt that are revivals of fashions of about ten years ago, and we have also the new tailor-made with full, loose sleeves, wide, gathered skirt and highly decorative bodice. The association of gauging with cloth dresses is a novelty of the twentieth century, and is the dernier cri in tailor modes. The gathered skirt, be it of cloth or other material, requires-to be very carefully made, for it is easy to run into clumsy effects. Until the local dressmaker has gained more experience than she possesses at present in the making of a gauged skirt it is dangerous to entrust her with expensive cloth to be fashioned after the latest mode in full skirts. When well made, however, the gathered dress of cloth is a distinct success. One of the most popular methods of treating the bodice is to gather it to a yoke, cut with shoulder pieces, to which the sleeves are, in turn, gathered, while they are finished with wide cuffs, into which the hand slips easily. The skirt is gathered in a more or less degree at the waist, and possibly the gathers are repeated lower down. In contradistinction to the 'picture' tailor-made is the plain coat with strapped seams, accompanying a fitted skirt in harmony, the simple coat-

sleeve having a neat little oufi and the Coat itself being quite tight-fitting. The cape, , the Russian blouse, the sacque coat are all fashionable, and as already hinted, great _ variety is permitted in the matter of skirts, _v.,.., v for while the long, full skirt is the newest,;, •;' of its kin 1 we are also wearing, even more , .4 generaP-y the fitted skirt. Tailors and . dressmakers continue to borrow largely • .; from trie 1830 modes; but, franlds§g§teto ■ not ociieve the fancy for the. *wss£r7-* ...V drooping shoulder will last, nor > will acßen-. M tuated ideas of the early Victorian styles in | dress. They are revived as 'novelties, and therefore are worn, but in all probability they will die with the summer, for they are distinctly unbecoming, albeit in. modified form some of the 1830 fichus, capos and other satorial details are pretty enough. Too many ruches, however, and a sleeve that begins midway shoulder and elbow may court attention but little admiration. Discreetly used, a few Victorian ruches of taffeta silk are charming.

A STRIPED FLAJ<J<EL DRESS. The flannel materials are prettier than ever this season, and are the best of fabrics for the river and seaside. All sorts of decorative delaines, with dark or light grounds, spots, fancy stripes, or flowerets, offer themselves persuasively for immediate wear, either as blouses or frocks entire. On the whole, however, delaines are usually roserved for shirts and blpuses, worn with cloth or serge skirts ; while thicker flannels, preferably in striped designs, are made up into Serviceable costumes that accompany tourists and holiday-makers on their summer rambles. An idea for a striped flannel costume is suggested in our sketch. A favourite flannel in navy-blue with a white stripe, while equally popular is grey flannel with a darker stripe, and very pretty also is the dress of cream flannel striped with pale blue or grey. The bodice of the costume sketched is made with wide pleats, the plain centre-part being slit, in order that the ends from the neck-tie may pass

j through. Each pleat has a line of stitohing near the edge, and the straps on the skirt are also stitched. The cuffs to the sleeves* are deep and tight-fitting and are fastenejr with pearl or gilt buttons, which are repeated on the centre panel of the blouse in groups of three, and also appear at the points of the skirt strappings. TOILETTE TRIFLES. Tassels and buttons are largely used in the adornment of summer frocks, and the addition of pendant tassels to square collars of guipure is an immense improvement to" the effect of the collars when worn, giving to them increased importance. The tassels, ivory or string-coloured to match the lace, should be sewn to the four corners of a collar—the latter worn open in front. In the same way pendant tassels attached to the four corners of a square yoke of lace are an equal improvement to the general effect. Much smartness is given to a costume by the modish waist-belt of leather or suede very wide and straight all round or draped at the back; and also by the new cravatcollar of embroidered canvas or lace-trimmed lawn.

A ROSE-TRIJWMED MATHats for the summer are veritable gardens of flowers. Eoses, closely packed in double wreaths round low crowns are favourite methods of trimming some of the new hats of soft plaited straw, and this is the mode of garniture affected on the pretty hat sketched, which is of brown straw trimmed with tea roses and green velvet ribbons, which cross the crown in the way adopted by smart milliners. At the back the hat & s trimmed with The 'fall' of ace so frequently depending from the back

of a hat is jn danger of becoming too aggressive. The floating veil drapory be picturesque or accordmg^sov." the way in which it is arranged and worn.' The great thing to guard against is the ridiculous effect. Nobody with any pre* tentions to smartness wears, any longer, the veil drawn closely oyer the chin. It must fall straight from the brim of the hat, . and be decor ajted with ; tufts of chenille on the lower part. The cowrect adjustment of the veil is a little matter that is of great: importance to. uhe chio of a toilette and in which Parisieniaes take much'pride. '■•